Of every major city you might visit in Germany, Frankfurt looks and feels more like a modern American metropolis than any other. Its soaring skyline of steel and glass has earned it the nickname "Mainhattan," while more than 300 banks and the German stock exchange have led others to call it "Bankfurt."
But dig a little deeper and a very German city emerges, one where old traditions such as beer gardens, street markets and Teutonic opera mingle easily with Michelin bistros, chic boutiques and pleasure boats on the River Main.
Almost completely destroyed during World War II, Frankfurt's Altstadt (Old Town) is a showcase of architectural resurrection and adaptive reuse, a maze of cobbled streets and squares ringed by medieval churches, palaces and townhouses.
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On the other side of the river lies leafy Sachsenhausen, with its apple wine taverns and museum row. On either side of Goethe University, Westend and Bockenheim offer bohemian alternatives to the glitz of the nearby city center.
Although its population falls just short of 700,000, Frankfurt feels like a bigger city, one where big experiences await. Here's where to find the biggest and best of them.
More insider tips from: Berlin | Munich
Hotels
Luxury
Jumeirah Frankfurt
With its glass tower and gleaming saddle-shaped roof, the 28-story Jumeirah holds its own against the architectural icons of the city center.
But this ultramodern property stands out in plenty of other ways too, from the rooftop beehives that produce the hotel's own honey to the body-heat detectors and motion sensors that regulate temperature and energy use in the rooms.
Set overlooking the Zeil pedestrian zone and a seven-minute walk from Goethestrasse, the Jumeirah boasts the best location in Frankfurt for shopping.
The main train station and the Old Town are also within easy walking distance.
Villa Kennedy
The neo-Gothic facade of this former family mansion (built in 1904) conceals a contemporary interior that pairs minimalist furniture with intriguing modern art. Guests gather in the courtyard for drinks, conversation and sunbathing, but that's far from the villa's only draw.
Alongside a wide range of wellness and beauty treatments, the Villa Spa features a 15-meter indoor pool ringed by potted palms. Meanwhile, the Gusto restaurant serves refined Italian cuisine and the chance to dine alfresco in the warmer months. The in-house mixologist at JFK's Bar dares you to name a cocktail he can't make.
Mid-range
Hotel Gerbermühle
Frankfurt's most striking new hotel overlooks the river and the Osthafen docks on the eastern edge of downtown. Built as a mill in 1520, the sturdy riverside building is where the writer Goethe met his first love. Today it's an art hotel with decor that ranges from the antique (exposed stone walls) to the offbeat (horse-shaped lamps).
The 18 rooms and suites are thoroughly modern, with Wi-Fi, widescreen televisions and marble bathrooms. The summer garden by the river serves cold beer and traditional German snacks, while the enclosed Winter Garden specializes in modern German cuisine, including local delicacies such as Grüne Sosse (boiled eggs and potatoes in a green sauce).
Budget
Art-Hotel Robert Mayer
Tucked away in Frankfurt's Bockenheim district, the Robert Mayer blends a bohemian vibe with modern technology in a small, comfortable hotel that's the best value for money in Frankfurt.
Local artists were commissioned to design each of the 12 guest rooms inside this early-20th-century townhouse. The result is an eclectic decor that ranges from cartoon motifs and graffiti to medieval tapestries, postmodern furniture and epic murals.
Restaurants
Gourmet Restaurant Schwarzenstein
Set among the rolling vineyards of the Rheingau region on the outskirts of Frankfurt, chef Claudio Urru's chic restaurant in wine country combines local and international ingredients in stunning contemporary dishes.
Signature dishes include veal with pumpkin and parsnip, guinea fowl with sweet potato, figs and mushrooms, and saddle of venison with a walnut cream and cranberries. The New York-style cheesecake is superb, as are the local Riesling and Spätburgunder (pinot noir) wines. Although the restaurant sits on the grounds of Schwarzenstein Castle, its architecture is dramatically modern, with the dining room housed inside a giant glass box overlooking the Rhine.
Zenzakan
This stylish restaurant in the Westend embodies the new wave of global cuisine that has swept over Frankfurt in recent years. Both the decor and the dishes conjure up the exotic East, from Japan and China to Southeast Asia. Giant Buddha heads, towering bamboo trunks and low lighting give the dining room a temple-like feel.
The food is no less compelling. Zenzakan's signature dishes include lobster soup with red Thai curry and lobster tempura, teriyaki-glazed salmon, pepper-crusted black cod miso and Georgia "XO" wild-cat prawns with fiery chili peppers.
Lafleur
It may seem sacrilegious to tuck into classic French cuisine in one of Germany's most German cities, but Lafleur is the kind of restaurant that makes you want to break the rules. Opened in the autumn of 2012, this Michelin-starred restaurant occupies a gorgeous Bauhaus-style building inside the Palmengarten, close to the city center.
Austrian chef Alfred Friedrich has created a menu that ranks among the best in Frankfurt, revolving around creative takes on traditional French dishes. The menu ranges from milk-fed veal with broad beans, chanterelles and fregola sarda to fillet of Saint-Pierre in filo pastry with crayfish and baby leeks.
Main Tower Restaurant
On the 53rd floor of the skyscraper it's named for, the Main Tower restaurant offers the finest lunch and dinner views in Frankfurt. The three-, four- and five-course set menus change with the seasons and might include dishes such as suckling pig, smoked halibut or pumpkin risotto. A vegetarian option is available too.
At the Lounge bar you can sample a selection of local white wines, international reds and champagne from black leather armchairs beside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Café Laumer
Known for its homemade pies and cakes, Café Laumer has been a Frankfurt favorite since 1919. Housed in a lovely old building in the university district of Westend, the café serves breakfast, lunch and light dinners every day.
The extensive menu includes soups, salads, quiches, croissants and sandwiches, along with local specialties such as schnitzel, sausages and Frankfurt Tafelspitz (boiled beef in green sauce). There's also a range of teas and coffees, plus wine, beer and spirits from across the continent.
Ebert's Suppenstube
Set on the pedestrian street of Fressgass, Ebert's is a culinary institution for Germans and expats alike.
As the name suggests, this eclectic delicatessen specializes in soups: vegetable, chicken, pea, potato, lentil, liver dumpling, goulash, chili con carne. But there are all sorts of dishes too, from spinach fettuccine with strips of veal in a gorgonzola sauce and meatloaf with "gypsy sauce" and mashed potatoes to German pancakes with a raisin-almond apple sauce and fillet of wild salmon with leeks.
You can eat at the shaded sidewalk tables outside or take your food to the nearby Bockenheimer Anlage park for a picnic beside the water features and street sculptures.
Nightlife
Kane & Abel
The good, the bad and the beautiful flock to this upscale Frankfurt nightclub, where world-class DJs spin a broad mix of modern and classic dance tunes.
Premium tequila, vodka, whiskey and tropical cocktails are served at a long, tubular bar, and the coolers hold plenty of champagne for special occasions. Bottle service is available in the exclusive gold booths at the back of the dance floor.
Kane & Abel, Goethestrasse 31-33; +49 160 9011 8257
Tigerpalast
Harking back to the golden age of German cabaret, the "Tiger Palace" presents a glamorous mix of live music, dance, comedy, mime, magic, acrobats and animals in a downtown dinner-theater setting.
Over the years the show has folded in a growing number of "new circus" acts, such as roller-skate acrobatics, strap routines, avant-garde juggling and contemporary dance, all enhanced by cutting-edge sound and lighting technology.
The club stages two performances a night, each featuring eight acts. Guests can choose a dinner-and-show package or go it solo (admission and drinks only).
Frankfurter Jazzkeller
American soldiers brought jazz to Frankfurt after World War II, and before long the city produced the finest jazz club in Europe. Founded in 1952, the legendary Jazzkeller has hosted Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Frank Sinatra and Dizzy Gillespie.
The cozy basement club is still going strong after more than 60 years, with live music four nights a week and a "cool music mix" dance party every Friday into the small hours. Beyond the headliners, the club also showcases up-and-coming jazz talent from Europe, Latin America and the United States.
Adolf Wagner
For all the excellent beer and wine produced in the region, Frankfurt's favorite drink is apple wine (Apfelwein).
Sachsenhausen, on the south bank, is famous for its apple wine taverns, and you won't find a better one than Adolf Wagner, founded in 1931 and still owned by the same family. The house specialty is a single-variety Braeburn Apfelwein, made from fruit grown just outside Frankfurt.
The tavern also serves traditional German dishes such as pork knuckles, schnitzel, sausages, potato salad and sauerkraut. It's a spacious place with several separate bar areas, plus indoor and outdoor seating for warm weather.
Shopping
Zeil
The city's main shopping street for more than a century, the Zeil stretches roughly a mile through central Frankfurt.
The eastern half carries traffic, while the western half is a broad pedestrian street dotted with trees, sidewalk cafés, department stores and boutiques. Anchor tenants such as Karstadt and Kaufhof seem to have been there forever.
But this ever-evolving thoroughfare has newer retail spaces too, notably the striking MyZeil, an American-style shopping mall where a fitness center, food court, gaming arcades and a kindergarten complement the wide array of stores.
Kleidoskop
Frankfurt's take on the "secondhand" shop sells barely used designer outfits for literally a fraction of what you'd pay at the flagship boutiques on Goethestrasse.
Armani, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Alexander McQueen: the big names are all here. But Kleidoskop also stocks plenty of new fashion from Frankfurt's best young designers, along with shoes, bags, belts and other accessories. It's located in the Nordend, next to the Eschenheimer Tor metro station.
Kleidoskop, Oeder Weg 56; +49 69 550 837
Eintracht
Football fashion and accessories are the specialty of this sporting-goods store in the Old Town, near Römerberg square. Jerseys, socks, posters, pennants, badges, bags, mugs, video games: you name it.
The shop takes its name from the city's professional football team (Eintracht Frankfurt). And while the home team may account for most of the merchandise, the store also carries gear from every other Bundesliga club, as well as foreign favorites such as Barcelona, Manchester United and Juventus.
Eintracht, Bethmannstrasse 19; +49 69 283 010
Bucherer
The Frankfurt branch of this Swiss luxury watch and jewelry store faces onto Rossmarkt (Horse Market) square, between the city center and the Old Town.
Given its vast selection, this two-story emporium is without doubt the best place in Frankfurt to buy expensive watches, diamonds, gold and other baubles. Alongside its own creations, Bucherer offers treasures from Cartier, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Chopard, Patek Philippe and other luxury lines.
Bucherer, Kaiserstrasse 1, +49 69 138 821 04
Höchster Porzellan-Manufaktur
Germany's second-oldest porcelain maker has been crafting exquisite plates, cups and animal figurines since 1746, when it received a royal license from the crown prince and archbishop of Mainz.
The company's "transparent factory" in western Frankfurt offers a factory tour that lets visitors watch the entire creative process from start to finish, along with the chance to browse the showroom for treasures to take home.
Höchster Porzellan-Manufaktur, Palleskestrasse 32, Höchst; +49 69 300 902 40
Landmarks
Römerberg
This cobbled square in the Old Town has been the heart of Frankfurt life since the 9th century. It has served as the setting for many of the city's most important events, from imperial elections and medieval jousting tournaments to public executions and Christmas markets.
Historic buildings stand here, including the old Church of St. Nicholas, St. Paul's Church and the building that gave the square its name, the elegant Römer, seat of Frankfurt's city government for more than 600 years. The Imperial Hall displays portraits of 52 Holy Roman emperors.
To the south of the square lies the Frankfurt Historical Museum, whose main attraction is the permanent "Collectors and Donors of Frankfurt" collection, featuring the private art and artifact collections of a dozen prominent Frankfurters.
Alte Oper
Frankfurt's Old Opera isn't as old as it looks. The beautiful neoclassical building was almost completely destroyed during World War II and wasn't restored until the 1980s, after a public outcry saved it from demolition. The building now hosts around 300 events a year, ranging from opera, ballet and symphony to contemporary dance, Broadway musicals and even the occasional rock concert.
The 2,450-seat Great Hall is the main venue, while smaller events take place in the 720-seat Mozart Hall. Both are renowned for their sumptuous decor and superb acoustics.
Frankfurt Zoological Gardens
One of Europe's oldest zoos (1858) is also one of its largest and most prestigious, home to more than 4,500 animals housed in an ever-growing number of modern habitats. Under longtime director Bernhard Grzimek, the zoo also became a leading force in global conservation, including efforts to preserve the Serengeti plains of East Africa.
Among its anchor exhibits is the Exotarium, home to an eclectic array of fish, birds and reptiles from around the world. Chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans live in the Borgori Forest, a 10,000-square-meter indoor habitat brimming with waterfalls and rainforest plants.
Goethe House & Museum
Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Germany's most famous author, was born in this four-story townhouse in Frankfurt's Old Town in 1749. A many-sided bard, Goethe wrote poetry and prose, scientific papers and memoirs, along with more than 10,000 letters.
Mozart and Beethoven were among the many composers who set his words to music.
Filled with antique art and objects, the house holds exhibits on Goethe's life in Frankfurt, as well as his early works and inspirations. The adjoining museum, set in a modern building with a glass facade, houses works of art by German painters of the Romantic period.
Museum Embankment
A row of nine museums lines the south bank of the River Main, each specializing in themes ranging from art and architecture to film and natural history. The most important among them are two significant art collections.
Housed in a striking neo-Gothic villa, the Liebieghaus showcases sculpture from ancient Egypt to the 18th century, along with works from Europe, Africa and Asia.
The Städel Museum's massive collection includes works by European masters from the 14th to the early 20th century, including Rembrandt, Bosch, Vermeer, Botticelli and Degas.
Along the Main
With its famous airport and busy train station, it's easy to forget that Frankfurt is also a river city, but its full name is Frankfurt am Main.
Only recently, though, has the River Main become a fully fledged place to relax and a tourist attraction in its own right.
River Cruises
The Primus Line company runs a variety of trips along the Main aboard modern three-deck riverboats, including short sightseeing cruises, dinner cruises and nighttime skyline tours.
Full-day trips include an upstream cruise to Seligenstadt Abbey and Aschaffenburg Castle, as well as a downstream cruise to the confluence of the Main and Rhine rivers and the romantic castle towns along the Middle Rhine.
All trips depart from the north bank (Mainkai), just upstream from the Eiserner Steg bridge. Commentary is provided in English and German.
Frankfurter Flohmarkt
Frankfurt's popular Saturday flea market now alternates between two riverfronts: the Schaumainkai promenade on the south side of the river and a new spot on Lindleystrasse around the Osthafen docks.
Hundreds of stalls trade a dizzying mix of new arts and crafts, vintage clothing, antiques and genuine junk, along with food and drink. The goods often shift with the seasons, with Christmas decorations, gifts and food proving wildly popular in the run-up to Christmas. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Beaches
As in other river cities of Central Europe, one of the hottest summer trends in Frankfurt is the temporary beaches that pop up at various spots along the Main.
Beyond the sandy beaches and swimming spots, these tropics-mimicking hangouts include beach chairs and colorful umbrellas, beach volleyball courts, tents serving food and drink, boules and other games, and either live bands or DJs spinning the latest summer sounds from around the world.
The King Kamehameha Beach Club at the western (downstream) end of Hafeninsel island is probably the most famous, but the number keeps growing with every new summer. Other Frankfurt beaches include Orange Beach in Griesheim and the Niddastrand Beach Club on the River Nidda.
Westhafen
Frankfurt's latest riverfront renewal project is Westhafen, a mixed-use residential, retail and marina complex on the north bank of the Main.
A handful of eateries and watering holes with striking water views are scattered along the waterfront: Café & Bar Marina Westhafen, with its outdoor tables and wooden deck; the Druckwasserwerk restaurant, set in an old Romanesque-revival power station; and the ultramodern Frankfurter Botschaft, with its huge windows overlooking the harbor and a sandy garden.
Rheingau
The Rheingau wine region stretches along the Main and the Rhine to the west of Frankfurt, producing what many wine lovers consider the world's finest Riesling.
While white grapes are the region's staple, the Rheingau also produces excellent Spätburgunder (pinot noir).
Legend has it that Charlemagne ordered the first vines planted more than a thousand years ago, but it was Queen Victoria who drew the world's attention to the region's wines when she fell in love with the Riesling produced by the vineyards around the village of Hochheim.
