Germany

Frankfurt Tour Guide

I think I can consider myself lucky that I could combine my trip to speak at Bayreuth Design Engineer Day with some personal activities… through a happy coincidence, I was able to attend two weddings: Sandie’s and Daniele’s at Lago di Como and Regina’s and Kay’s in my hometown Darmstadt.

Hello from Frankfurt!

And there was even time for more: showing Evelyn around in Frankfurt a bit, she thought I was a pretty good tour guide in the city. Since I’ll have some colleagues visit Frankfurt soon, I wanted to write down a few things to see and do in Frankfurt. So here goes…

Things to see

Römerberg

Frankfurt is the city of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany’s most famous writer and poet. Visit his birthplace, the Goethe-Haus and walk around the area a bit. In its vicinity you’ll find three other important buildings: „Der Römer” (Frankfurt’s City Hall), Paulskirche (St. Paul’s Church, where the German Weimar Republic was founded) and the “Frankfurter St. Bartholomäus Dom” (Frankfurt St. Bartholomew Cathedral). Frankfurt’s city center is very walkable and this map gives many more hints at what to do and where to go…

Main River

Museumsufer (literally “Museum Riverbank”) has 8 museums located at the Main River. Some of the more interesting ones are: Museum für Moderne Kunst (Museum for Modern Art), Deutsches Architektur-Museum (German Architecture Museum), Deutsches Film-Museum (German Movie Museum) and Schirn Kunsthalle (Schirn Art Gallery – has a great bookstore inside).

Museum für Angewandte Kunst “MAK”

Shopping

Frankfurt isn’t all that great for shopping, but “Die Zeil” offers a lively (and often crowded) city center pedestrian area.

Wining and Dining

An absolute must for the visitor of Frankfurt is a trip to the old “Sachsenhausen” city center. Go there on Thursday, Friday or Saturday and try the local “Ebbelwoi” (that’s Hassian dialect for “Apfelwein” – apple cider). The real thing in terms of “Ebbelwoi” is the restaurant called “Zum Gemalten Haus” (The painted house).

Rippchen mit Kraut

You can eat very good (and not too expensive) traditional food from the area. Order “Rippchen mit Kraut und Kartoffelpüree” (pork-ribs with sauerkraut and meshed potatoes) if you’re hungry or Frankfurter Würstchen mit Kraut und Brot (Frankfurter sausages with sauerkraut and bread). Drink either Apfelwein (Applewine, cider), süßgespritzter Apfelwein (cider mixed with lemonade) or sauergespritzter Apfelwein (cider mixed with sparkling mineral water).

For some fine dining, very good wine, and nice ambiance in Sachsenhausen, visit Lobster“.

If you are in Frankfurt’s pedestrian area “Die Zeil”, I suggest you eat at the “Fressgass” (literally “Grazing Alley”) nearby. I recommend Apfelwein Klaus in the Kaiserhofkeller (Cesar’s cellar). Order any “Schnitzel” (pork steak) you like or “Schweinshaxe” (pork chops). All salads are very good and rich.

If you happen to be in Frankfurt’s Eastern part, have a quick lunch outside at Gref-Völsings butcher shop. Order Rindswurst & Kartoffelsalat (beef sausage & potato-salad… yummy!!!

Looking for a good “cup of joe”? You’ll find nice cafes, bars and restaurants on Berger Straße (from the city center to Frankfurt Bornheim).

Party

Go to “Stereo Bar” (not before 11:00pm) – around the corner between Lobster and the Ebbelwoi bars. Very nice place, very good music, and relaxed people… for a more mainstream night, visit DJ Sven Väth’s club U60311 in an old underground station. Not the hippest of places, but cool architecture and good parties.

Well… and that’s about it for now… having been away from home for six years now, some of the places that I used to visit are no longer in existence and my knowledge of the town seems to get thinner by the day.

But let me know if you’re visiting and I’ll see if I can find out for you “what’s hot” in Frankfurt these days…

Safe travels!