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Frankfurt travel guides, itineraries & planners

A compact old town by the Main, museums lined up along both banks, a skyline of towers and neighbourhoods that feel like small towns of their own. Plan Frankfurt with area advice, a flexible three-day outline, the ways into the city and the Tabiara guides in German, English and Spanish.

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Is Frankfurt a good fit for your trip?

Frankfurt suits travellers who like museums, walks by the river and neighbourhoods with their own character, all within a short ride of each other. The old town between the Römerberg and the cathedral is small, the Museumsufer starts just across the Main in Sachsenhausen, and districts such as Bornheim, the Nordend or Bockenheim show everyday city life. Höchst in the west deserves a day of its own. For a first visit, choose one base and plan one main museum per day.

First-visit starting point: Two or three days
Where to begin: Römerberg and the Main
Getting around: S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and on foot
Our planning approach: One main museum and one neighbourhood per day

Where should you stay in Frankfurt?

Your base decides how many changes you make each day and how late you can walk home. Start with the places you want to see, then check the walk from the nearest stop and what the room includes.

CITY CENTRE & SACHSENHAUSEN

For a first visit on foot

The centre puts the Römerberg, the Zeil and the Kleinmarkthalle within walking distance. Across the Main, Sachsenhausen has the Museumsufer, Schweizer Straße and quieter residential streets. Both work well if you want to walk more than you ride.

BOCKENHEIM, WESTEND & THE TRADE FAIR

For trade fair visits and quieter streets

Bockenheim and the Westend are close to the trade fair grounds, the university and the Palmengarten. The streets are more residential, and the U-Bahn takes you to the centre in a few stops. Check prices early in trade fair weeks.

NEAR THE HAUPTBAHNHOF

For early trains and the airport

A room near the main station is practical for early departures and the S-Bahn to the airport. Judge the particular street and the walk in the evening rather than the whole district, and ask about late check-in if you arrive after dark.

Our suggestion: stay in the centre or Sachsenhausen for a first visit, choose Bockenheim or the Westend for trade fairs and quieter evenings, and pick a room near the Hauptbahnhof when early trains matter most. Confirm fees, late check-in and parking when you book.

Frankfurt in three flexible days

Use this as an outline rather than a timed schedule. Each day has one focus. Check opening days before you set off, since many museums close on Mondays.

DAY 01

Old town & the Main

Start at the Römerberg and walk through the Neue Altstadt to the cathedral, then on to the Paulskirche. The Kleinmarkthalle is a good stop for lunch on days it is open.

In the afternoon, walk down to the Main, cross the Eiserner Steg to Sachsenhausen and come back along the riverbank as the skyline lights up.

DAY 02

The Museumsufer & Sachsenhausen

Choose one museum on the Museumsufer and give it the whole morning: the Städel for painting, the Liebieghaus for sculpture or the Deutsches Filmmuseum for film.

Afterwards, walk along Schweizer Straße and spend the evening in Sachsenhausen, away from the busiest lanes.

DAY 03

Bornheim, the Palmengarten or Höchst

For everyday Frankfurt, take the U-Bahn to Bornheim and walk Berger Straße down into the Nordend.

For green space, pick the Palmengarten and the Westend. For history away from the towers, take the S-Bahn to Höchst and walk its old town by the river.

How do you get to and around Frankfurt?

Plan the whole journey to your accommodation door, including the station or terminal you arrive at and the last few hundred metres.

Train, plane or car

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof is a major interchange, so check where your onward S-Bahn, U-Bahn or tram leaves before you get off. Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has a regional station and a separate long-distance station, and your ticket into the city must include the airport. Frankfurt-Hahn is a different airport in the Hunsrück with a long transfer. Arriving by car, settle parking before your first walk.

S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and walking

S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and buses share one fare network, and the Deutschlandticket is valid on all of them. Many central sights are close enough to walk, so use public transport where it saves real effort. If you rely on lifts, check their status before you leave and keep an alternative route in mind.

When is a good time to go to Frankfurt?

Spring and summer are best for the riverbank, the Palmengarten and evenings outside in Sachsenhausen. Autumn brings the museum season and the Book Fair in October. In Advent, the Christmas market fills the Römerberg and the streets around it. Big trade fairs happen throughout the year and can fill hotels quickly, so check the fair calendar before you choose your dates.

Worth knowing

Check the trade fair calendar before you book; prices rise during major fairs.
Many museums close on Mondays, so plan your museum day for another weekday.
Have a rainy-day plan: several museums on the Museumsufer are close together.

Tabiara guides for Frankfurt

The Frankfurt collection covers orientation, day routes, arrival, accommodation, getting around, planning, 50 places and a novel set in the city. Everything is available in German, English and Spanish. Everything is a digital download, with nothing shipped.

Where to start: Start with the full travel guide to get your bearings, then add the day routes if you like to follow a plan, or the arrival guide if you are flying in.

Complete guide

Frankfurt Travel Guide – 100 Topic Pages (PDF)

100 self-contained topic pages on the old town, the museums, the neighbourhoods, parks, arrival and ten day routes, with linked sources. 121 pages.