Having been founded in the 1st Century AD, Frankfurt is not only the core of the history of the German people but also a force to reckon with in entire Europe when it comes to attracting tourists and displaying modern standards of civilization. The city is the headquarters of the German Federal State of Hesse. It is also the headquarters of the Central European Bank and it poses as a financial powerhouse. The city has scars from the second world war and that surprisingly stands out as one of the key reasons that have made the city undergo a massive rebuilt across the ’70s and 80’s to be as lively and attractive as it is in the present time. Consider adding the following things to your to-do list when you visit Frankfurt.

1. River Main

With a staggering length of 525 km, River Main is the longest tributary of the legendary River Rhine. The river passes Frankfurt and it is a great tourist attraction. Activities such as boat riding and cruising are on the rise along the river and being in the city to participate can be a great opportunity for a visitor. In addition, the Main Cycleway – the German Bicycle – path runs along the river and this is a real deal for families and couples. Imagine riding bicycles with friends or family along such a phenomenal river. The memory is everlasting. 

2. The Main Tower

Located in Innenstadt District and named after the close by River Main, the Main Tower soars 200 meters up the heavens. That is interesting but not as interesting as the tower is the only tower in the city of Frankfurt with a public viewing observatory. This is the reason you need to be ready to enjoy this view which happens to be the fourth tallest in Frankfurt and similarly the fourth tallest in Germany. The design of the tower portrays absolute skill and beauty because it is a two-in-one design. One side has the shape of a cuboid and the other side has a circular shape. The architecture dates back to the ’60s and the ’70s and is historical.

3. Frankfurt Cathedral

Constructed over 600 years ago, the Frankfurt Cathedral is the main Catholic Church in Frankfurt and it is founded on the early church. During the second world war, the church was almost destroyed but it was rebuilt after the war in the 1950s. At the height of 95 meters, the Frankfurt Cathedral is the tallest religious institution in the city and paying a visit gives one a chance to look back I history and see how violence and war raged during the medieval ages thus appreciating the peaceful 21st-century environment.

4. St. Paul’s Church

This is a must-visit place especially if you are a fan of history. The church has served as a protestant church and as a parliamentary building during the struggle to unite East Germany and West Germany in the late 1840s. The aggressive revolution failed due to the uncompromising monarchical systems of Austria and Prussia. Having survived the World War, the church is a historical figure. It hosts events and exhibitions at present. 

5. Kleinmarkthalle

There is nothing that represents tradition in ways more powerful than the food does. In Frankfurt, Kleinmarkthalle is the place you find all the traditional ingredients of the German delicacies. When it comes to variety, this place is the Pacific of fresh food. You are partly worried because you might visit with zero means of cooking for yourself. Well, I have good news for you. Cut it. To your advantage, there are numerous restaurants in this place that do prepare traditional German menus and all you need to do is to try. In addition, locals adore this place and it is a perfect spot to meet real German nationals here. There is a chance the market is open all week long.

6. Frankfurter Rippchen Food

If you get the menu confusing, do not ask around but instead find this specific food. For the record, Germans say that a visitor who does not eat the frankfurter Rippchen can only partially say they have visited Germany. This is because of the food the most popular and the sweetest. The ingredients to make this meal are: thick-cut, cured pork chops on the bone, served with a mound of Sauerkraut and mashed potatoes or a slice of bread or a portion of potato salad.

7. Historisches Museum Frankfurt

Completed recently in 2017, the Museum displays a long history of German civilization. Frankfurt Then? It is the main collection that contains information on trade, technology, paintings, ceramics, media, furniture, music, fashion, textiles, day to day living, science, photography, military and finance. This means that it is easy to be charmed, considering the diversity displayed here. 

Frankfurt Now has a model of the Frankfurt city designed to scale to provide a residents’ impression by phenomenal artist Herman Helle.

8. Archäologischer Garten Frankfurt

The rich history and diverse cultures of Germany and its neighboring countries in Europe are made known to the public right in this very archaeological museum. From ancient times to the present day, a wide collection of archaeological excavations is split into various departments with the latest being the Historic Monuments Department. With full dedication to presenting and researching history, artifacts are gathered from as recent as World War II times back to the medieval times and the days of the Roman rule. This place connects Germany to its ancestors and you can relive a memory or two or maybe more when you visit Frankfurt. There are good programs to guide locals and visitors properly as they enjoy this place. Being in an advanced social setup, the museum also accommodates people with disabilities on its program and so no reason to be left out at all.

9. Alte Oper

Located in the inner-city district of Innenstadt, Alte Oper stands out as the original opera house in Frankfurt dating back to the second half of the 19th century when it was first inaugurated. Scars from the war make it further historical as it is one of the many places to have been rebuilt recently after destruction during the Second World War. With over 3000 seats and small halls for conventions, the opera house is one of the best that Germany has to offer. With the infamous writer Adolf Stoltze stating that “To the true, the beautiful, the good, the citizenry must bleed,” you have a chance to see why local citizens contributed to funding the construction structure. You need to grab a ticket and enjoy Alte Oper even once because the opera house hosts at least one event every two days. It has been estimated to round up to 300 events per year most of which leave the house at full capacity.

10. Frankfurt Airport

The fifth-largest airport in Germany is an amazing international facility. It is the busiest airport passenger traffic in Germany and the airport with the highest number of direct routes to various destinations on the globe. Seeing how deeply organized the airport can get could make you fall in love with order and time management, something that many just dreams of but never achieve.

11. Frankfurt Zoological Gardens

Established in 1858, the Frankfurt Zoological Gardens, the second oldest in Germany after Berlin Zoological Gardens is a zoo that is hosting 500 species of organisms and over 4500 animals of these species. The zoo has an average annual visitor count of 800,000 people. Containing many endangered species, consider visiting the zoo when in Frankfurt. Animals from Africa and Asia are kept here and seeing African chimpanzees and mountain Gorillas reconnects you the basic source of complex life forms, Africa. The Asiatic lions, Sumatran Tiger, and the spectacled bear are among the major exhibits at the zoo.

12. Frankfurt Central Station

Frankfurt Central Station is the busiest central station in Frankfurt. The centrally positioned railway station is hailed as the most important station by Deutsche Bahn – a German railway company. The train station was brought to life in the mid-19th century the point in time when it grew to its current fame and importance in Germany. The track hall and the reception hall both show classic architecture. It is easy to visit other parts of Germany while in Frankfurt owing to the advantageous positioning of this station. 

13. Museum Embankments

Lined up on the banks of the River Main are the museum embankments. Frankfurt is a historical and cultural center. The museum embankments are extended and expanded museums to accommodate the diverse history. The museums were grouped as part of the government’s strategy to promote development. Historic villas have been stationed along with the museums and the renovation feels right and properly done. 

There are two banks. The North Bank and the South Bank. The former has the Jewish Museum and the Historical Museum. The Jewish Museum focuses on the artifacts and life of the Jewish people. The historical museum, on the other hand, displays artifacts that relay the city’s history, old paintings and sculptures.

The Southbank On the other hand has the following state of the art museums. 

• The Iconic Museum – contains collections of Greeks, Russians, Bulgarians and iconic personalities in Germany.
• Museum Angewandte Kunst (Museum Applied Arts) – contains applied art from the second millennium of housing and furniture designs.
• Museum der Weltkulturen (Ethnological Museum) –This museum houses many collections from the various ethnic groups of the German people.
• Museum fürKommunikation (Communication Museum). This museum focuses on art that is related to communication. 
• German Architecture Museum (DeutschesArchitekturmuseum), aside from a small permanent collection, architectural trends from around the globe are permanently showcased here. 

The above gives more than just artifacts. It is the age and the history that is housed in these museums that draw that line of difference and the importance of the museum.

14. Eisener Steg

Eisener Steg, Frankfurt’s iron footbridge, is more than a century and a half old. The footbridge exists centrally in the city on River Main and the area of Sachsenhausen. The bridge has been rebuilt several times. The first time was in the early 20th century to allow the navigation of large water vessels. The second time was during the Second World War when the Nazi troops bombed it so as to cripple the economy of the city. The design of the bridge is rare and it has the best views in the evening when sunset reflects the shiny metal bridge on the Main Rivers’ surface to display absolute beauty. Romantic outings and family tours are the most common on the bridge and it makes the perfect place for a visitor. The bridge is maintained to give the best possible views. The surrounding environment has been decorated with flowers and trees making the place extremely beautiful. Photography is appropriate on the eastern side of the bridge as it leaves the skyscrapers in the background and reflecting the yellow glow of the evening sunshine. This offers the best background and it is the right time to come. 

15. Palmengarten

Covering over 20 hectares of land, the garden has plant species from all over the world. The plants are displayed either in greenhouses or in the open air. Having been opened in the early 1870s, the garden has evolved to be the home of many plants. The staging and organization of specimens are done as per the region of origin and this allows you a chance to see exactly the home of every plant species in the garden.

The management of the facility is under the city and it has been kept beautiful with decorations from all over the country.

See Also: Things to do in Heidelberg, Germany