travel to frankfurt germany

Welcome to Frankfurt am Main

Christmas Market

UEFA EURO 2024 in Frankfurt

Frankfurt loves and lives sport - and football in particular!

Hence, in the of summer 2024, Frankfurt will be in good company. Fans from all over the world will come together for UEFA EURO 2024 to cheer and celebrate - the sport, the football and the community. The most important facts about UEFA EURO 2024 and the Fan Zone in Frankfurt at a glance: 5 matches in Frankfurt and much more.

Top 7 To Do's

for your unforgettable visit to Frankfurt

Find inspiration

Visit the sights

Book a guided city tour

Explore FrankfurtRhineMain

Old Opera House Frankfurt

Palmengarten - Botanical Garden Frankfurt

#visitfrankfurt

Share your trip with us

Do you need further assistance?

Frankfurt Convention Bureau

Services for Meetings Industry

Frankfurt Services

Still have questions? Contact us at any time

Texts, images and information

Travel Trade

Services for Travel Trade

It appears that you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer as your web browser to access our site.

For practical and security reasons, we recommend that you use a current web browser such as Firefox , Chrome , Safari , Opera , or Edge . Internet Explorer does not always display the complete content of our website and does not offer all the necessary functions.

• Shop search
• Flight search

Travel restrictions and visa information

What should you know before traveling to another country? Depending on your route, nationality, and vaccination status, you may need to meet different requirements during the Covid-19 pandemic. Take advantage of our practical tool to get up-to-date information on travel conditions and required documents. Simply select your trip details and other parameters to get a personalized summary.

We need your consent to load the Sherpa travel restrictions and visa information!

We use a third party service to display related content. This service may collect data about your activities. Please read the details and agree to use the service to view travel restrictions and visa information.

You may also be interested in

Travel Guide To Frankfurt: A Must-Visit German Destination

by Melissa Giroux | Last updated Mar 31, 2024 | Europe , Germany , Travel Tips

Frankfurt is an imperial German city on the River Main, hence its full name: Frankfurt am Main. It’s an important economic and commercial center and it also has an impressive skyline that reminds many tourists of New York City or Chicago. 

Frankfurt is also an important cultural hub and it’s famous because of its exceptional museums covering art, science, and history. 

Frankfurt is lovely to explore on foot – it’s a city that should be included in any German travel bucket list. 

Frankfurt is a charming and buzzing city that strikes the right balance between traditional half-timbered houses and impressive modern skyscrapers. 

It makes a great destination for anyone visiting Germany and it should be included in any road trip across this country. 

It’s not difficult at all to rent a car in Germany and driving there is not a problem either as long as you familiarize yourself with the road signs and stick to the speed limits. 

German roads are safe but you can also invest in an insurance policy for your rental to enjoy an even safer driving experience.

Frankfurt Attractions

Are you interested in visiting this city? Go on reading to discover its most beautiful attractions!

Römerberg: Frankfurt’s Old Town Center

Located in Frankfurt’s Altstadt or Old Town, the Römemberg is an irregularly shaped square with the Justice Fountain placed at its center. 

It’s the most picturesque public square in the city, the busiest pedestrian zone, and home to several tourist attractions including the famous Christmas Market that is organized every year. 

The Römer, a medieval building, is one of the most remarkable and unique structures on the square. It has been the City Hall since the early 1400s. 

The pinkish facade facing the square has three roof peaks, each with a stepped gable. It’s possible to visit the City Hall and admire the impressive Imperial Hall.

Take your time to look around and admire the many picturesque buildings around the square, many of them have half-timbered facades! Another remarkable building is the small, gothic  St. Nicholas Church. 

The historic Wertheim House, the only one that survived the 1944 air raids that destroyed much of old Frankfurt, can also still be seen.

The Römerberg is a must-see for anyone spending some time in Frankfurt. It’s a trip back in time with some of the most beautiful Instagrammable backdrops for your pictures. 

Besides, with plenty of cafés and restaurants around, it’s a great place to sit down and relax, enjoy the charming atmosphere and a delicious bite!

Remember that the Altstadt was severely damaged during the air raids of the IIWW and most of it had to be rebuilt. 

The restoration project took years and included the reconstruction of fifteen historic houses and the rebuilding of 20 new ones in the traditional half-timbered style.

Visit Frankfurt Cathedral

Built of red sandstone in Gothic style between the XIII and XV centuries, with its 95-meter-tall tower, the Frankfurt Cathedral still stands out in this city of skyscrapers. 

Its full name is St Bartholomew’s Cathedral and it’s one of only a handful of churches in the country to be designated as an Imperial Cathedral. It was here from 1562 to 1792 when the coronation of Emperors took place in the Election Chapel.

Beneath the tower, visitors can appreciate the magnificent Crucifixion by Hans Backoffen and the Maria-Schlaf-Altar in the Marienkapelle. Various carved side altars will call your attention. 

The Cathedral’s most important relic is the skullcap of St Bartholomew, which is kept in the Late Romanesque Bartholomew’s Choir.

Frankfurt Cathedral stands out as one of the most stunning structures in the city and it’s another must-see attraction. 

Just outside the building, there’s the Archaeological Garden where you can see the foundations of a Roman settlement and a Carolingian royal palace. 

If you’d like to see panoramic views of the city and you’re visiting the city between April and October, challenge yourself to climb the almost 325 steps of the giant spiral staircase of the Cathedral’s tower and enjoy!

Visit Goethe House & Museum: Germany’s Greatest Writer

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the country’s greatest writer, was born in Frankfurt and it’s now possible to see the house where he lived between 1749 and 1765.  

Visitors can get a glimpse of what his life was like at the time. You can see the sumptuously decorated dining room on the main floor, his writing room on the top floor where he created his early writings, or even played with his puppets when he was a little boy.

It was built in bourgeois style and it’s decorated with period furniture and paintings. It’s one of Frankfurt’s most remarkable historical attractions.

Despite the original half-timbered house being damaged during the IIWW, it was rebuilt in 1949.

During special exhibitions, the visitors can see valuable and sensitive documents and prints from the collection, the manuscript archive, and the library. The house spans four floors and there’s plenty to explore.

The Goethe Museum can be found next door. It’s a 14-room gallery that showcases artworks from the writer’s time, including masterpieces of the Late Baroque and Romantic periods. 

Both Goethe House and Museum are must-see attractions in Frankfurt, especially if you are a literature lover and you’ve read any of Goethe’s works recently before your visit.

Explore Museumsufer: Frankfurt’s Museum District

Museumsufer is Frankfurt’s Museum District and it’s located on the south and north banks of the River Main. It’s a first-rate collection of about 16 separate museums, many of which are of international standing. 

Amongst them, we can mention the Städel Art Museum or the excellent Museum of World Cultures, one of Europe’s most important ethnological museums. 

Exploring the Museumsurfer provides visitors with a fantastic opportunity to discover the city’s interesting and rich cultural background. 

Be sure to get yourself a Frankfurt card! It gives you a discount on museums and other attractions and for public transportation as well.  

On Sundays, you can also wander through a morning flea market that is also established in the area.

Admire Artwork At The Städel Museum

The Städel Museum is another must-see attraction in Frankfurt because of its excellent collection of paintings from the XIV to the XX centuries. 

The stunning collection includes paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Goya, Monet, Picasso, Beckman or Degas, Cezanne, Pollock, Ernst or Bacon, and many others. 

The Städel is one of the oldest museums in Germany and the most important art museum in the city. 

There are over 2700 paintings and 100 thousand drawings and prints, making it one of the most exclusive museums in the country. 

It also includes an impressive library that is home to more than 400 periodicals and 100 thousand books so it’s a place to go if you love paintings and books!

It’s one of the best museums in Europe . Opened in 1815, its unrivaled collection spans 700 years and boasts paintings, sculptures, and books and it even survived the Nazi looting. 

There are two cafés within the museum as well as an outstanding shop stocking art books, prints, and gifts.

Visit The Senckenberg Natural History Museum

If you’re visiting Frankfurt with children, you can’t miss spending some time at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum. 

Located in the Senckenberg Gardens, it’s one of the most modern museums of natural history in Europe and the second-largest of its kind in Germany . 

There are several exhibitions dedicated to our planet’s biodiversity and the evolution of organisms. It is also home to Europe’s biggest exhibition of large dinosaurs. 

There’s also an impressive collection of 90,000 stuffed birds along with an extensive exhibit on the development of mankind. 

If you have ever wanted to see a huge dinosaur or a mammoth or a tiny pterosaur, it’s the place to go!

Climb Up The Main Tower

No visit to Frankfurt would be complete without climbing up the Main Tower . 

Located in Frankfurt’s business hub, the Main Tower is an attraction in itself since it is the first fully glazed tower in Europe. 

It houses a splendid restaurant 187 meters up that offers a wonderful dining experience while you admire breathtaking views of the city down below. There are also various art exhibitions offered there! 

Named after the river Main, it’s the fourth tallest building in Frankfurt and the only tower this tall with public access in it. 

The view from the viewing platform is mesmerizing as it gives a panoramic view of the entire city with the beautiful river flowing through it. 

If the weather allows, the Taunus mountain range northwards and the Odenwald Mountains southwards can be seen. An elevator will take you up to the 650-feet high stage.

Chill At The Hauptwache

Located in the middle of the city and one of Frankfurt’s busiest pedestrian areas, the Hauptwache is famous for its mix of fine historic buildings and modern structures. 

The most notable building here is the old Baroque Guard House after which the square is named. The square is on the city’s main shopping areas. 

The Hauptwache is one of the most famous plazas of Frankfurt and it’s a historic area in the middle of the city. 

It was once Frankfurt’s main guard, housing the city’s militia, barracks, and soon after, prison and police station, but today it is a dining establishment. The square itself is one of Frankfurt’s main shopping ranges.

Walk The Eiserner Steg

The Eiserner Steg is the only pedestrian bridge across the River Main. It’s a 150-meter long iron bridge that connects the city center with the suburbs of Sachsenhausen. 

Despite other bridges being spanning over the Main, the Eiserner steg is particularly famous. This is because couples traditionally lock padlocks on the bridge and this is why it is nicknamed “The Bridge of Love Locks”. 

It’s quite a romantic place and it also offers one of the best opportunities to admire the Frankfurt skyline, Romerberg square, Saint Paul’s Church, and Frankfurt’s Cathedral.

Final Thoughts

Frankfurt is a city that you can not miss on your visit to Germany. Come be culturally immersed in both of Frankfurt’s modern and traditional aspects. Experience intriguing art, science, and history, while also taking in the impressive views!

Only have 2 days to visit Frankfurt? Read our 2-day itinerary in Frankfurt now!

MY TOP RECOMMENDATIONS

BOOK HOTEL ON BOOKING.COM

BOOK HOSTEL ON HOSTELWORLD

GET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

LEARN HOW TO START A TRAVEL BLOG

LEARN HOW TO VOLUNTEER ABROAD

Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Frankfurt Travel Guide

Last Updated: August 31, 2023

Frankfurt is a city ripe with culture, restaurants, and history. It’s also the center of banking and business in Europe . While Frankfurt lacks the charm of Munich or Berlin , it’s more than just a stopover destination (Frankfurt’s airport is one of the world’s busiest international airports so a lot of people have short stopovers here).

For more than five centuries, Frankfurt was known as the Free City of Frankfurt, an important city-state in the Roman Empire. Today, the city is incredibly diverse; half of the population has a foreign background, and a quarter of the population are foreign nationals.

While most people who stop here never leave the airport, Frankfurt is actually worth exploring for a few days. Eat dinner at one of the city’s famous cider houses, relax at a beer garden, spend the afternoon at one of the free parks, or soak up the city’s history in a museum.

This travel guide to Frankfurt can help you plan your trip, save money, and make the most of your visit to this overlooked gem!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Frankfurt

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Frankfurt

1. See the Dom

Frankfurt’s main attraction, this reddish sandstone cathedral dates back to the 14th century when it was used to crown the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. It boasts a 95-meter-tall (311 feet) Gothic tower, which you can climb via 328 steps. Admission is free, but the tower is 3 EUR.

2. Visit the Städel-Museum

The Städel Museum has an impressive collection of art, with a heavy focus on German and Renaissance art. There are over 3,000 paintings, 4,000 photographs, 600 sculptures, and 10,000 drawings from the likes of Monet, Picasso, Bacon, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, and others. Admission is 16 EUR.

3. Explore Römerberg

The historical center of Frankfurt is home to colorful half-timbered buildings and several medieval buildings that date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Most buildings were destroyed during World War II, but many have been restored to reflect what they used to look like. It’s a picturesque spot to stroll and take in the local pace of life.

4. Relax in Frankfurt City Forest

The city forest is the largest forest contained within any city limits in Germany. The six playgrounds and nine ponds make the forest a popular place for people looking to relax in nature. There is also a 450-kilometer-long (279 miles) network of trails for hikers, walkers, cyclists, and runners!

5. Visit Offenbach

Offenbach is a small neighboring city with tons of little shops, a flea market, a farmer’s market, an old baroque castle, and the stunning Neo-baroque Büsing Palace. Offenbach is the perfect place to escape the hectic city for a day and enjoy a slower pace of life.

Other Things to See and Do in Frankfurt

1. cross the eiserner steg.

Otherwise known as the Iron Bridge, this Neo-Gothic pedestrian bridge connects the downtown core to the Sachsenhausen district. Built in 1869, the bridge provides unique views of the city from over the Main River from which the city takes its full name, Frankfurt am Main (Frankfurt on the Main). Over 10,000 pedestrians cross the bridge daily!

2. Eat and drink in Sachsenhausen

South of the Main River, Sachsenhausen has many of the best cider taverns and pubs in the city. After visiting some pubs, take a stroll along the Main River and enjoy the view. Sachsenhausen is also known for Museumsufer, a row of 38 museums along the river with themes exploring the arts, architecture, and Jewish history. With the two-day Museumsufer Pass, you can visit all the museums for just 21 EUR.

3. Spend the day at the Palmengarten

Spanning 54 acres, Frankfurt’s botanical garden is the largest of its kind in Germany. Opened to the public in 1871, the garden was actually visited by the famous cowboy Buffalo Bill in 1890. Don’t miss the Palm Garden and its enormous collection of native, tropical, and subtropical plant life. Moreover, the gardens also offer lots of activities year-round, including concerts and guided tours. It’s 7 EUR to visit.

4. Walk around the Bornheim

The Bornheim neighborhood has some wonderful medieval-style houses that survived World War II. Since so much of the city was destroyed in the war, this is your only chance to see what the city looked like before everything was destroyed. The city’s longest street, Berger Strasse, is Bornheim’s commercial hub, and it’s chock full of restaurants, wine bars, boutique shops, and bars.

5. Stroll through the Frankfurt Book Fair

Held in the middle of October for nearly 500 years, this fair is considered the largest event in the publishing industry. Publishers, writers, and creative professionals from all over the world come to hold discussions, network, and celebrate the written word. It’s a week-long affair, but it’s only open to the public during the last two days. A day pass is 25 EUR.

6. Climb the Main Tower

The most rewarding views over Frankfurt are from the top of the 56-story Main Tower, the only high-rise that’s open to the public. Named for the Main River, from here you can take the elevator up to a viewing platform overlooking Frankfurt’s skyline. Tickets to the observation deck are 9 EUR.

7. Visit Goethe House

Born in Frankfurt in 1749, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is considered Germany’s most important writer. Born in 1749, he was a poet, playwright, novelist, and theater director. Destroyed during World War II, the Goethe House was restored with its original furniture, paintings, and books that belonged to the family. You can also see his writing desk, where he wrote his most famous work, The Sorrows of Young Werther in 1774. Admission is 10 EUR and combination tickets that include special exhibitions are 13 EUR.

8. Visit Senckenberg Museum

The Senckenberg Museum is a treasure trove of natural history artifacts, with everything from fossils to Egyptian mummies to dinosaur skeletons. It’s the second-largest natural museum in the country, home to some 17,000 skeletons. One of the most amazing pieces here is a fossil with a bit of preserved scaly skin attached to it. Admission is 12 EUR.

9. Check out the DialogMuseum

The DialogMuseum is easily one of the most unique museums in Germany. Rather than visiting a museum to view exhibits, this museum invites you to navigate the world as a blind or visually impaired person. On a one-hour tour through four completely pitch-black rooms, visitors experience what it’s like to live without any visual cues, relying on other senses to get them through. Admission is 16 EUR.

10. Explore the Deutsches Filmmuseum

This is another unique museum in Frankfurt, focused on film in Germany. There are exhibits on the history of film, behind-the-scenes insights into filmmaking, interactive displays, film artifacts like sketches, and more. A combined ticket to both the permanent and temporary exhibits is 12 EUR. You can also see a film at the museum’s theater for 8 EUR.

11. Check out the Kleinmarkthalle

If you’re looking for a unique culinary experience, head over to the Kleinmarkthalle for a huge assortment of high-quality fresh produce, delicatessen items and wine, handmade German regional products, and also international favorites. There are various small eateries with seafood, Italian specialties, and much more. It’s a great place to wander around, especially on a rainy day.

  For more information on other cities in Germany, check out these guides:

• Berlin Travel Guide
• Cologne Travel Guide
• Munich Travel Guide

Frankfurt Travel Costs

Hostel prices – A bed in a 4-6-bed dorm costs 31-38 EUR per night while a dorm with 8 beds or more costs 22-25 EUR per night. A basic double private room costs about 160 EUR per night. Free Wi-Fi is standard and some charge a supplemental one-time fee of 3-4 EUR for linens. None of the hostels in Frankfurt offer free breakfast, though a couple offer robust breakfast buffets for 6-8 EUR. Most hostels also have a bar/café on site.

For those traveling with a tent, camping is available outside the city. A basic plot for one person without electricity costs 15 EUR per night.

Budget hotel prices – Budget hotels start at 50-65 EUR per night. Free Wi-Fi, TVs, and private bathrooms are all standard. Free breakfast is rare, though most hotels offer a breakfast buffet for an additional 8-10 EUR.

Airbnb is available everywhere in Frankfurt. Private rooms start around 35-55 EUR per night while a full apartment starts at 80-125 EUR per night. Expect prices to double if you don’t book early.

Food – Food in Germany is very cheap (and hearty). Meat is a staple of most meals, especially sausages; there are over 1,500 different kinds of sausages in Germany (sausages here are known as “wurst”). Stews are also a popular traditional choice, as are potato dumplings and sauerkraut. Breakfast is usually composed of bread, cold cuts, cheese, and boiled eggs.

Frankfurt has tons of cheap food options. Currywurst and frankfurters are everywhere for less than 4 EUR, while a hearty plate of fries is less than 6 EUR. A traditional meal of chicken at a cider house costs 9-11 EUR, while a glass of cider to go with it is about 2 EUR.

A beer costs about 4 EUR while a glass of wine is 4.50-6 EUR.

A combo meal at McDonald’s costs about 8.50 EUR while a pizza is around 9-11 EUR. At a mid-range restaurant, a sandwich or German savory pancakes cost between 7.50-10. A big bowl of salad is 8.50-11.50.

If you want to splash out, a set six-course menu at a gourmet restaurant starts at 100 EUR, including traditional German food like schnitzel. A single entree may cost as much as 35 EUR for a duck breast.

If you cook for yourself, you can spend as little as 50 EUR on groceries per week. This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, bread, produce, and some meat. You can save money by shopping at supermarkets like Aldi, Lidl, Penny, and Netto, which are pretty cheap and even have organic products for a fair price.

Backpacking Frankfurt Suggested Budgets

If you’re backpacking Frankfurt, my suggested budget is 60 EUR per day. This budget covers staying in a hostel dorm, using public transportation to get around, cooking all of your meals, limiting your drinking, and sticking to mostly free activities like walking tours.

A mid-range budget of 135 EUR covers staying in a private Airbnb room, eating out for some of your meals, renting a bike or taking the occasional taxi, enjoying a few drinks, and doing some paid activities like visiting museums.

On a “luxury” budget of 235 EUR or more per day, you can stay in a budget hotel, eat out for all your meals, drink more, take more taxis, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages — some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in EUR.

Frankfurt Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Frankfurt is one of the more expensive cities in Germany. However, you can turn Frankfurt into a more affordable destination with just a few simple tricks. Here is how to save money in Frankfurt:

• Purchase a Museumsufer ticket – For those of you that love visiting museums, this two-day pass saves you tons of money. Costing 21 EUR, this card provides access to 34 museums in and around Frankfurt.
• Get the Frankfurt Card – An alternative to the Museumsufer Card is the Frankfurt Card, which provides free travel on all public transport (including to the airport) as well as up to 50% discounts on tours, museums, and other attractions. You can get a one-day card for 11.50 EUR, or a two-day card for 17 EUR.
• Take a free walking tour – Frankfurt Free Tour provides an overview of the historic center and all its highlights. It’s a great way to get the lay of the land on a budget. Just remember to tip your guide at the end!
• Stay with a local – If you want to save money on accommodation while getting some insight from the locals, try Couchsurfing. It’s a great way to meet people in the city and discover some off-the-beaten-path destinations while also getting free accommodation.
• Take advantage of SaTOURday – Many of the main museums in Frankfurt offer free entry on the last Saturday of every month.
• Get a transportation day pass – If you don’t want to get the Frankfurt Card (which includes unlimited public transport), you can get a regular transportation day pass. It costs 5.50 EUR, which is much cheaper than paying per ride.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Frankfurt

Frankfurt only has a few hostels in the city. Here are my suggested places to stay in Frankfurt:

• Five Elements Hostel Frankfurt
• Meininger Frankfurt/Main Airport

How to Get Around Frankfurt

Public transportation – Like other German cities, Frankfurt is well connected by its subway (the U-Bahn) and its above-ground rail system (the S-Bahn). A single ticket is 2.75 EUR and is good for up to 60 minutes, or you can get a short-distance ticket (for journeys less than 2 kilometers) for 1.50 EUR. You can purchase tickets at the station or with the RMV-App. Always keep your ticket on you as random checks on the train are very common.

A day ticket with unlimited travel costs 5.50 EUR. If you’re in a group, take advantage of the all-day group ticket for up to five people for 11.50 EUR (or 16.95 EUR if including the airport). A weekly pass costs 26.80 EUR, including the airport.

You can use your tickets across the train, tram, and bus network.

Ticket prices for trams are the same for the train and bus system. You can buy them onboard the tram, at kiosks next to specific tram stops, or in the app.

Buses take you anywhere you need to go, especially where the trains and trams don’t go. Ticket prices are the same as the trains and trams and can be used interchangeably. You can buy tickets at kiosks next to the bus stop, from bus drivers, or in the app.

Bicycle – Bicycle rentals are plentiful in Frankfurt, with daily rates starting at about 9-15 EUR per day. Try a company like Call a Bike or nextbike, which both have docking stations all over the city. Prices are cheaper if you rent the bike for a week versus half or full days.

Taxi – A base fare for a taxi in Frankfurt is 3.50 EUR, with each additional kilometer costing 2 EUR per kilometer for the first 15 kilometers. After that, it’s 1.75 EUR for every subsequent kilometer. In short, taxis add up fast so skip them if you can.

Ridesharing – Uber is available in Frankfurt, though since the public transportation here is comprehensive you likely won’t need it.

Car rental – Car rentals can be found for as little as 35 EUR per day for a multi-day rental, however, you won’t need one to get around the city. Drivers need to be at least 21 years of age.

When to Go to Frankfurt

Summer is the peak tourist season, specifically July and August. The average daily temperatures are in the upper 20s°C (high 70s°F) and days are sunny and bright. You’ll be rubbing shoulders with lots of other tourists, but there are always fun festivals and events happening during this time.

Spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November) are both shoulder seasons that bring cooler temperatures, sunny days, and fewer crowds. If you want to take advantage of lower room rates and a more laid-back vibe, this is the best time to visit Frankfurt!

Like the rest of Germany, Frankfurt’s winters can be harsh, with temperatures dropping below 1°C (34°F). The city experiences some snowfall, but the Christmas markets throughout November and December are magical. It makes for a good weekend getaway destination in the winter if you plan to hit the holiday markets.

How to Stay Safe in Frankfurt

Frankfurt is a safe city to visit. Violent crime is rare. However, like all big cities, you should stay alert for pickpocketing and petty theft. Keep your valuables secure and out of reach at all times just to be safe.

At night, it’s best to avoid the areas around the Hauptbahnhof, Konstablerwache, and Hauptwache just to be safe.

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.)

Scams here are rare, but if you’re worried about getting ripped off you can read about common travel scams to avoid here.

If you experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

And be sure to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past.

Frankfurt Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
• BlaBlaCar – BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s a cheaper and more interesting way to travel than by bus or train!

Frankfurt Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling Germany and continue planning your trip:

Where to Stay in Berlin: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

How to Survive Oktoberfest

The 18 Best Things To Do in Berlin

Munich is Better than Berlin

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best things in life are free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to do
• Attractions
• Restaurants
• Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

18 essential travel tips for every first-time Frankfurt visitor

Everything first-timers need to enjoy Frankfurt, from transport hacks to can’t-miss attractions to tipping faux pas

Germany’s most international city? Being an economic powerhouse’s economic powerhouse will lend itself to such a set-up, and Frankfurt doesn’t let the side down. Walkable, well planned, with brilliant public transport networks and the rest, Frankfurt is a city that is easy to get around and even easier to enjoy. Of course, visitors aren’t prioritising urban planning, and the restaurants , attractions and nightlife here are all worth celebrating. If you’ve landed here for the first time and feel a little lost, fear not, take these essential travel tips for first time visitors to Frankfurt to heart and settle in nice and easy. 

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in Frankfurt

An email you’ll actually love

Travel tips for first-time Frankfurt visitors

1.  Watch the calendar

When planning your visit, keep an eye on Frankfurt’s events calendar. The city is home to an enormous exhibition centre, the Messe Frankfurt, which houses trade shows frequently throughout the year. Hotels can get booked up quickly around particular dates, and prices will shoot up, too.

2.  Seat yourself

In most casual restaurants , you don’t need to wait to be seated. Simply find yourself a table and settle in; if there’s a sign saying the table is reserved later in the evening, just make sure you’re finished by the specified time.

3.  Grab a MuseumsuferTicket

If you’re planning to fill your time with museum visits, it’s well worth buying a MuseumsuferTicket, which grants entry to 38 of Frankfurt’s museums for two days. Some of the city’s biggest museums are included, as well as some lesser-known gems. Family tickets are available.

4.  …Or a Frankfurt Card

Another option is to pick up a Frankfurt Card (available for individuals or groups, for one or two days), which offers up to 50 percent off entry into to various museums, tours and attractions, and also includes travel on public transport, including to and from the airport.

5.  Round up to tip

The Germans tip modestly, and it’s standard practice to just round up the bill for a meal by a couple of euros. Don’t leave change on the table, but include your tip when you pay: if your lunch comes to €15.50, you could hand over a €20 note and say, ‘17, please’.

6.  Be red light aware

Frankfurt’s Bahnhofsviertel (the area around the main train station) has gentrified at high speed over recent years and is now home to some of the city’s trendiest bars and restaurants. However, it remains Frankfurt’s red-light district, home to dealers and addicts; if you want to avoid its grittiest bits, stick to Münchener Straße and Kaiserstraße.

7.  Watch for bike lanes

Keep your eyes on street markings to stay out of the designated bike lanes that sometimes take up a portion of wider pavements. If you’d like to make use of them by cycling the city, try the Frankfurt Call A Bike service run by Deutsche Bahn.

8.  Free museum days for kids

Good news for those travelling with little ones: there’s free admission to many of Frankfurt’s museums for under-18s on the last Saturday of every month (barring August and December). Known as ‘SaTOURday’, this family-friendly deal also includes free workshops and guided tours.

9.  No-shop Sundays

Aside from the odd pre-planned ‘shopping Sunday’, most shops are closed on Sundays in Germany. As a visitor wanting to make the most out of a visit, this can be pretty frustrating, so remember to bear ‘no-shop Sundays’ in mind when planning your souvenir hunting.

10.  Take a late-night taxi

In Frankfurt, public transport doesn’t run all night, and if you don’t want to download a ride-sharing app, you’ll need a taxi to get home in the small hours. These are an easily-spotted beige colour, and you can either phone for one, flag one down or queue at a rank.

11.  Peruse the fleas

Fans of bargain-hunting will love the flea markets that take place on alternate Saturday mornings on the riverbank at Sachsenhausen between Eisernem Steg and Holbeinsteg, and at the Osthafen along Lindleystraße. Root through trash and treasure including clothes and furniture, books and records, paintings and crockery.

12.  Avoid the Apfelwein hangover

Keen to try the local cider but wary of the infamous Apfelwein hangover? Try this Frankfurt speciality mixed with lemonade ( suß ) or soda water ( sauer ) for a fizzy version that won’t go to your head quite so fast (or hurt quite so much the next morning).

13.  Don’t discount the craft beer

In Frankfurt’s traditional taverns, most locals will be happily imbibing Apfelwein (apple wine), but Frankfurt’s craft beer scene is growing slowly but surely.

14.  Server swaps

At casual restaurants, pubs and cafés, it’s not uncommon for waiters to finish their shifts while you’re still in the middle of your drinks or meal. If you’re asked to settle the bill early, don’t be offended; you’re not being (un)subtly asked to leave, and a new server will take over.

15.  Smiles aren’t standard

If you’re used to very friendly service in busy restaurants, you might find things a little brusque in Germany. But ‘impolite’ servers aren’t being rude to you because you’re a tourist, they’re (mostly) just being efficient and professional, even if it means service doesn’t always come with a smile.

16.  Avoid Old Sachsenhausen

Alt-Sachsenhausen is home to a couple of great  Apfelwein taverns, but for the most part, the area has a bad rep as a horribly touristy party zone. Locals prefer to avoid it, instead making a beeline to Sachsenhausen, where the atmosphere is considerably less drunken and chaotic.

17.  Be wine-wary

When sampling Glühwein (mulled wine) at the Christmas markets, avoid the cheap-tasting sugary stuff by heading to the winery ( Winzer ) stands – there’s a cluster in front of the Schirn Kunsthalle. These offer Glühwein made with their own high-quality wines and whole spices, and they taste all the better for it.

18.  Fall back on English

You won’t have any trouble getting by in English in Frankfurt. A guten Tag (good day/hello), bitte (please) or dankeschön (thanks a lot) will be appreciated, but Germans will most likely slip into English when they realise you’re not a local (which can be frustrating if you’re keen to practise your German!).

And if it’s tip-top mixology you’re after?

The 10 best Frankfurt bars

• Bars and pubs

Breaking news: Frankfurt has shed its boring reputation. A steady influx of big business has transformed this city’s population and reinvigorated its art and nightlife scenes (hats off to Brexit). For tip-top drinks all night long, these are 10 best Frankfurter bars.

[image] [title]

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Advertising
• Time Out Market

Time Out products

• Android app
• Time Out Worldwide

Getty Images

Frankfurt am Main

Glinting with glass, steel and concrete skyscrapers, Frankfurt-on-the-Main (pronounced ‘mine’) is unlike any other German city. The focal point of a conurbation of 5.5 million inhabitants, ‘Mainhattan’ is a high-powered finance and business hub, home to one of the world’s largest stock exchanges and the gleaming headquarters of the European Central Bank, and famously hosts some of the world's most important trade fairs, attracting thousands of business travellers.

Your next trip starts here

Go from dreaming to planning with trip planning options made to help you craft your ideal itinerary.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Städel Museum

Founded in 1815, this world-renowned art gallery has an outstanding collection of European art from masters including Dürer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Renoir,…

Frankfurt’s red-sandstone cathedral is dominated by a 95m-high Gothic tower, which can be climbed via 328 steps. Construction began in the 13th century;…

Senckenberg Museum

Life-size dinosaur mock-ups guard the front of Frankfurt’s natural history museum. Inside the early 1900s neo-baroque building, exhibits cover…

The Römerberg is Frankfurt’s old central square. Ornately gabled half-timbered buildings, reconstructed after WWII, give an idea of how beautiful the city…

Museum für Moderne Kunst

The outstanding Museum of Modern Art focuses on European and American art from the 1960s to the present, with frequent temporary exhibits. The permanent…

Museum Judengasse

Most of Frankfurt’s medieval Jewish ghetto – Europe's first, dating from 1460 – on narrow Judengasse (Jews’ Street) was destroyed by a French bombardment…

IG-Farbenhaus

The monumental seven-storey IG-Farbenhaus was erected in 1931 as the headquarters of IG-Farben (pronounced ‘ee geh far-behn’), the mammoth German…

Goethe-Haus

Completely rebuilt after WWII (only the cellar survived Allied bombing), the birthplace of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) is furnished in the…

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Frankfurt am Main

Purchase our award-winning guidebooks.

Get to the heart of Frankfurt am Main with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.

What are you looking for?

Coronavirus (covid-19).

Important information

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i receive a digital covid certificate/qr code.

No information is currently available about how those with a foreign vaccine card (e.g. from the US) can receive a digital COVID certificate which is recognized in Europe. Talks are currently underway regarding recognition of international vaccinations (i.e. received outside the EU ). As soon as such information becomes available, we will communicate on this site.

• Top of page

Home » Travel Guides » Germany » 25 Best Things to Do in Frankfurt (Germany)

25 Best Things to Do in Frankfurt (Germany)

Germany’s big financial centre is a city of many sides. The central business district, Bankenviertel, captures your attention right away and has all ten of the tallest skyscrapers in the country. Opposite that sci-fi cityscape is the Museumsufer, an entire neighbourhood of museums that could keep you fascinated and entertained for days.

Frankfurt also has a city centre bursting with sights like the church that held Germany’s first democratic parliament, and the childhood home of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Under the gaze of those skyscrapers are fun-loving neighbourhoods like Sachsenhausen, where taverns serve traditional Apfelwein and there’s always something going on at night.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Frankfurt :

1. Museumsufer

Grouped together on both sides of the River Main is a cluster of 12 museums in an area known as the Museumsufer (Museum Embankment). Most are on the left bank (south side). There are museums for film, art, architecture, communication and ethnography, to name a handful, and we’ll deal with many of them in more detail later.

The Museumsufer is a recent idea, having been developed in the 1980s and 1990s.

Some museums moved into patrician houses while others had eye-catching venues built for them by eminent architects like O.M. Ungers and Richard Meier.

On the last weekend of August the Museumsiferfest happens on the embankment, bringing later opening hours, multi-passes, outdoor music and dance performances, and a two-day dragon boat regatta on the Main.

2. Städel Museum

One of Germany’s top cultural attractions, the Städel Museum has recently been named German Museum of the Year following an extension for contemporary art in 2012. The museum was founded in 1815 when the banker Johann Friedrich Städel donated an invaluable collection of old masters to the city.

The current museum building was designed in a palatial Gründerzeit style in 1878 and within there’s a marvellous array of painting from the 1300s to the present.

Think Botticelli, Rembrandt, Hieronymus Bosch, Vermeer and van Eyck.

For later movements like Romanticism, Impressionism and Expressionism you’ll find paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, Degas and Kirchner.

Included in : Frankfurt Card

3. Main Tower

In Frankfurt’s ever-growing forest of skyscrapers there’s still only one tower with a public viewing platform.

The 200-metre Main Tower opened in the year 2000 and is the fourth-tallest building in the city, which also makes it the fourth-tallest in Germany.

And being on the east side of the Bankenviertel there’s a clean view from the top over the Altstadt and the Main.

On Fridays and Saturdays the observation deck is open a little later (until 21:00 in winter and 23:00 in summer), so you come up in the evening to see Frankfurt in lights.

The tower was designed by Schweger und Meyer, and in the foyer are two pieces of modern art: A video installation by Bill Viola and a mosaic on the wall by Stephan Huber.

4. Goethe House and Museum

The German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born at the fine corbelled house on 23 Großer Hirschgraben in 1749. It’s a medieval dwelling that had been updated with a Rococo facade and interior just before Goethe’s parents moved in.

Goethe lived here until the age of 16 and returned for long spells in between stints studying in Leipzig and Strasbourg.

In that time he wrote The Sorrows of Young Werther, and after being damaged in the war the house has been restored to how it would have looked when Goethe lived here.

The interior is furnished with contemporary artefacts like an astronomical clock that he admired and belonged to a family friend.

Attached to the house is a museum of Romantic art, appropriate for the youthful Goethe’s “Sturm und Drang” period.

5. Frankfurt Cathedral

When Germany was united in the 19th century, Frankfurt Cathedral took on special meaning because of its historical importance in the days of the Holy Roman Empire.

The cathedral was begun in the 1300s and 1400s in the Gothic style, and has been faithfully rebuilt twice: Once after a fire in 1867 and then in the 1950s after the war.

This former collegiate church was awarded the title of “cathedral” in 1562 when it started hosting the coronation ceremonies for the Holy Roman Kings.

Ten kings were crowned at this very place from 1562 to 1792, and even before then the imperial elections were held in the church from 1356. Look out for the 14th-century choir stalls, the Baroque Assumption Altar and the 15th-century fresco of the life of Mary in the southern transept.

6. Römerberg

The quaintest square in the city is walled by photogenic medieval houses, a church and historic administrative buildings.

The one that will grab your attention is the Römer, the middle of a group of three gabled buildings housing Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405. The neighbouring “Goldener Schwan” building was also annexed, as the council decided to move into houses that were already standing instead of constructing one from scratch.

In front is the Renaissance Fountain of Justice, dating to 1543, and on the opposite side of the square stands the 15th-century Old St Nicholas Church, which is incredibly came through the war without major damage.

Most of the handsome half-timbered houses to the east and west have bar and restaurant terraces on their ground floors for an Apfelwein and pretzel.

Related tour : Old Town Wonders Exploration Game and Tour

7. Palmengarten

Opened in 1871, Frankfurt’s botanical garden sweeps across 22 hectares, where plant species from all parts of the globe are displayed in greenhouses or the open-air.

The specimens are organised according to their region: One glass pavilion contains a sub-Arctic landscape, while there’s a tropicarium for rainforest and two separate structures for the desert environment.

Some of these are from the 1980s while others go back to the 19th century and were restored after the park was returned to the city’s hands in the 1960s.

There are exhibitions and performances in the historic Festsaal, while Jazz im Palmengarten is the world’s oldest open-air jazz festival, going back to 1959.

8. Eiserner Steg

Spanning the River Main between the centre of the city and the Sachsenhausen area, Frankfurt’s iron footbridge has had an eventful 150 years since it was completed in 1869. It has been rebuilt twice, the first time in 1912 when the Main was made navigable to larger boats, and again after the Nazis blew it up in the last days of the Second World War.

There’s an elegance in the bridge’s metal frame, and the best time to cross is late in the day when the low sun illuminates the high-rise towers in the Bankenviertel.

The Eiserner Steg has also been taken over by the fashion for love locks, which are fastened to every available surface.

On both banks of the Main there’s a band of parkland at the waterfront, planted with lawns, flowerbeds and pollarded trees.

On sunny days in summer you’ll pass families taking picnics, while in the evenings offices there are large crowds relaxing and chatting over beers.

The best photographs can be taken from the left bank just east of the Museumufer, where the skyscrapers rear up on the opposite bank.

Be sure to come by when the sun’s going down or at night when the Bankenviertel is lit up.

Related tour : Hop-on Hop-off Day Skyline or Express City Tour

10. St Paul’s Church

On Paulsplatz, St Paul’s Church is a building of great significance, not just for Frankfurt but Germany as a nation.

It began as a Lutheran church in 1789 and was designed with a circular plan according to the protestant principles of the time, ensuring that every member of the congregation could hear the sermon.

In 1848 that round format made St Paul’s the ideal seat for the first democratically elected parliament in Germany.

And in turn, this would form the basis for German constitution.

Parliament meetings only lasted for a year before religious services returned, but the church’s place in history was sealed as a symbol of freedom and the birthplace of German democracy.

Included in : Frankfurt: 3-Hour Bike Tour

11. Senckenberg Natural History Museum

If you have a child currently going through his or her dinosaur phase, Germany’s second largest natural history museum needs to be on the agenda.

There are anatomically up-to-date, life-sized models of dinosaurs welcoming you at the entrance, and inside are fossils of a triceratops, iguanodon, t-rex, diplodocus, parasaurolophus and a psittacosaurus.

There’s much more to see apart from dinosaurs, like an enormous catalogue of animal specimens that includes a quagga, a species of zebra extinct since the 1880s.

You can also view a cast of Lucy, a 3.2-million-year-old skeleton of an australopithecus afarensis a close ancestor to modern humans.

12. Old Sachsenhausen

For hundreds of years the district of Sachsenhausen was a village distinct from the rest of Frankfurt, but still granted the protection of the city’s enormous ring of walls.

The fertile left bank of the Main was given over to farming.

And when the climate became a little cooler in the Little Ice Age, apple orchards replaced vineyards, and from the 18th century the bars in the quarter started serving cider (Aplfelwein). One of the perennial must-dos in the Frankfurt is to cross the Eisener Steg for a jaunt around the cobblestone streets in Sachsenhausen.

Pop into an Apfelweinkneipe for a glass of cider and a plate of green sauce (we’ll explain later!), in a neighbourhood that buzzes with party-goers on weekend evenings.

13. Hauptwache

At Frankfurt’s geographical centre and a busy transport hub, Hauptwache is as good a place as any to sample daily life in Frankfurt.

The plaza is at the western end of the Zeil, Frankfurt’s long pedestrianised shopping street, brimming with high street chains and big German department stores like Karstadt.

At the heart of the Hauptwache is the structure that gave the square its name.

The Baroque Hauptwache building dates to 1730 and was a barracks for the city’s Stadtwehr militia, at a time when Frankfurt was a free city-state.

Since those days it has been a prison and a police station, and now houses a much-loved cafe.

14. Schirn Kunsthalle

If you know you’ve got a trip to Frankfurt coming up, one of the first things to do is check what’s on at the Schirn Kunsthalle.

Designed in the 1980s, the hall is the main venue for temporary art exhibitions in Frankfurt, and the standard is superb.

The Kunsthalle is in an international network and collaborates with the Pompidou Centre, the Guggenheim Museum, New York’s MoMa, Moscow’s Hermitage and Britain’s Tate Gallery.

There have been celebrated retrospectives for Munch, Giacometti, Frida Kahlo and Marc Chagall, as well as more specific exhibitions on anything from Matisse’s collages to the art of Paris during the Belle Époque.

15. Berger Straße

While Zeil is all about chain stores and malls, Berger Straße has a bit more character.

The street begins by Bethmannpark on the east side of the Innenstadt and heads northeast for almost three kilometres into the Bornheim neighbourhood.

The lower part of the street, closest to Frankfurt’s centre, is full of family-owned shops and stylish, one-of-a-kind boutiques, all a world away from the Bankenviertel.

In between the shops are independent restaurants and quirky bars, at possibly the best neighbourhood in Frankfurt for nightlife.

16. Deutsches Filmmuseum

The German Film Museum approaches its subject from a few different angles.

The exhibitions handle broad topics like the technological origins and development of cinema, tracing its invention in 1895 through the advent of sound in the 1930s into the 21st century.

For budding moviemakers, the museum also breaks down exactly how a director is able to tell a story in this medium.

There are regular in-depth exhibitions on important figures from film history; Kubrick, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Romy Schneider have all featured.

And finally, there’s a cinema screening artistically significant films and classics.

Silent movies are accompanied by a live performance on a Wurlitzer pipe organ.

17. Frankfurt Zoo

Germany’s second oldest zoo dates to 1858 and is open 365 days a year.

The location is 11 hectares of landscaped parkland to the east of the Innenstadt.

It’s all an environment for 4,500 animals from more than 500 different species.

Like the best zoos, the attraction is constantly improving, adding “Ukumari-Land” a great new space for its Andean spectacled bears, looking like a real canyon.

The zoo also has preservation at a guiding principle and participates in breeding programmes for seven species.

When you come make sure to plan your day around the various feeding times, which bring you closer to crocodiles, penguins and seals.

18. Liebieghaus

On the riverfront in the Museumsufer, the Liebieghaus is a sumptuous 19th-century villa containing a sculpture museum.

The Liebieghaus was commissioned by the textile magnate Baron Von Libieg as a retirement home in the 1890s.

Not long after he died the building was acquired by the city and turned into a museum.

It now holds the sculpture collection for Frankfurt’s Städtische Galerie, which was hand-picked at the start of the 20th century to provide an overview of more than 5,000 years of sculpture.

The exhibits are a delightful mixture, jumping from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, to the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical styles.

There are calvaries, an Ancient Greek discus-thrower, Romanesque heads, a marble statue of Athena and fragments from Gothic tombs.

19. Grüneburgpark

Between the Goethe University and the Palmengarten is one of Frankfurt’s favourite spots to meet up, hang out and relax.

When the weather’s good the Grüneburgpark’s endless lawns are decked with groups of students from the university, and families on days out.

The 30-hectare English-style park was designed in 1877 on land that once belonged to the Rothschild family.

Before then it had been in the hands of the banker Peter Heinrich von Bethmann Metzler, and his guests included Goethe and the writer Bettina von Arnim.

Look for the Korean Garden with two pagodas, laid out to coincide with the 2005 Frankfurt Book Fair

20. Museum Angewandte Kunst

Frankfurt’s museum of applied arts is in a mesmerising building by the American architect Richard Meier.

In the 1980s he created a bright, airy gallery, inspired by Le Corbusier’s International Style, taking up the grounds of the Neoclassical Villa Metzler and attached to it via a footbridge.

Inside there are European textiles, paintings, furniture and porcelain from the 1100s to the 2000s, as well as beautiful pieces from the Neat East, China and Japan.

The museum puts an accent on certain periods and movements, like the Baroque and Art Nouveau, and entire rooms in the Villa Metzler have been decorated in a given style.

21. Eschenheimer Turm

Very little of Frankfurt’s titanic medieval wall has made it to the 21st century: It was mostly pulled down at the start of the 1800s when the defences were modernised.

The ten-storey Eschenheimer Turm, guarding the northern wall, was also up for demolition.

But in the end it was spared and became a monument, against the wishes of the Comte d’Hédouville, ambassador of the occupying French forces.

The tower, erected at the start of the 15th century, is the oldest unchanged landmark in Frankfurt and was designed by Madern Gerthener, who also worked on the cathedral.

Just for that reason it’s worth a detour, even if you can’t go inside unless you get a table at the posh restaurant now based here.

22. Klassikstadt

To visit this unforgettable classic car attraction you’ll need catch an RB or RE train east to the industrial area close to Frankfurt-Mainkur station.

In the atmospheric confines of a former clinker brick factory there’s a restoration facility for privately owned prestige cars.

You can peek over the shoulder of experienced craftsmen and engineers, servicing engines, fixing instruments and stitching leather fittings.

The line up of Porches, BMWs, Jaguars, Mercedes and many more brands is a real treat, and to show how seriously the Klassikstadt takes its business, they’re stored in glass cases to regulate humidity.

Also at the Klassikstadt are dealerships for Aston Martin, McLaren and Lamborghini so if you’re a car enthusiast you may need to cancel any plans for the rest of the day.

23. Green Sauce (Grüne Soße)

There’s nothing elegant about the old Hessian speciality, green sauce, but you do have to give this condiment a try when you’re in Frankfurt as it’s delicious.

The sauce has a thick consistency and an egg base, and that green tone comes from its seven fresh herbs: Parsley, borage, chervil, chives, burnet, cress and sorrel.

Green sauce always comes with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs.

Apparently it was also Goethe’s favourite dish, so you’ll be in good company.

24. Apfelwein (Ebbelwoi)

The only true pairing for a serving of green sauce is a glass of tart Apfelwein, which despite the name, is best compared to cider.

Apfelwein has been the drink of choice at Frankfurt’s taverns (Kneipen) for more than 250 years.

And like best traditional drinks, Apfelwein has its own paraphernalia: It will be brought to you in a Bembel, a stoneware pitcher painted with filigree patterns, and is poured into a glass with a ribbed pattern, known as a Gerippte.

You’ll also be handed a Deckelchen, a small wooden disc to keep flying insects out of your glass.

And as for the flavour, well it’s both refreshing and sour, and cuts through the creaminess of the green sauce.

If you really catch the Apfelwein bug there’s a tourist train serving the best taverns in summer.

25. Kleinmarkthalle

Close to the Zeil shopping street is a hangar-like indoor market that toes the line between a traditional fresh produce market and a cosmopolitan food experience.

There are 156 stalls trading every day of the week except Sunday, so you can feast your eyes on the best cheese, meat, vegetables, fruit, confectionery, bread and pastries from the region.

And appropriately for a city as multicultural as Frankfurt the market has dozens of places to pick up Turkish, Spanish and Italian specialities: Make a lunchtime visit for tapas, a panini, oysters, bratwurst and much more at the bars above the main hall.

25 Best Things to Do in Frankfurt (Germany):

• Museumsufer
• Städel Museum
• Goethe House and Museum
• Frankfurt Cathedral
• Palmengarten
• Eiserner Steg
• St Paul's Church
• Senckenberg Natural History Museum
• Old Sachsenhausen
• Schirn Kunsthalle
• Berger Straße
• Deutsches Filmmuseum
• Frankfurt Zoo
• Liebieghaus
• Grüneburgpark
• Museum Angewandte Kunst
• Eschenheimer Turm
• Klassikstadt
• Green Sauce (Grüne Soße)
• Apfelwein (Ebbelwoi)
• Kleinmarkthalle

The Ultimate Frankfurt Travel Guide for 2024

Although I grew up only 2.5 hours away from Frankfurt I never really explored the city as much as I should have. My first time visiting Frankfurt was only in 2006 during the FIFA World Cup football in Germany.

We slept outside on the grass on the river side in a sleeping bag. It was the adventurous end of an epic night out after Netherlands played against Argentina. That experience has always resonated with me and ever since I am a fan of visiting Frankfurt. 

Here are all my travel tips and recommendations to also make your trip to Frankfurt one to remember.

Although Frankfurt is one of the biggest cities in the country it is not really one of the most popular tourist spots in Germany. Cities like Berlin, Munich and Cologne draw more tourists on average than Frankfurt. The city is a business hotspot and most people that travel to Frankfurt are there for business. This is not surprising regarding the fact that Frankfurt is the European banking capital. That said the city definitely has a cosmopolitan vibe and many expats from all over the world live in the big apple of Germany.

In this Frankfurt travel guide you will find multiple Frankfurt travel tips, some facts about the city, 16 unique things to do, a walking tour, an itinerary and some nice hotel recommendations. basically all you need to make the most of your city trip to Frankfurt.

Are you traveling to Frankfurt by plane and looking for the best way to stay connected? You can buy a prepaid sim card on arrival at the airport, but it is not recommended. Check out my guide for  buying a sim card at Frankfurt Airport in 2024 .

you may also like...

Theere are much better sim card deals and e-sim card plans for Germany and I am sure you will like my article about buying a sim card for Germany in 2024 .

Best time to visit Frankfurt

No need to mention that the best months for a trip to Frankfurt are the summer months in Europe. That said, July and August can get hot and since it is the holiday season many people travel to Frankfurt. Good thing about the peak season is that there are events on a daily basis, so it just depends what you are looking for. If you are a fan of Christmas markets then plan your Frankfurt city trip in the weeks before Christmas. Usually they start around the last week of November.

How to get to Frankfurt

Traveling to Frankfurt by train? Pretty sure you found out that can be expensive! The bus is surely a cheaper option. Traveling by bus to Frankfurt is cheap and convenient. Check out the prices below in the public transport search engine.

Powered by 12Go system

The 12Go transportation search engine will give you all the options for you to compare: bus, train, flight and you can directly book online and reserve your seat.

Also check out my article about the  best way from Aachen to Cologne  for more tips on how to get around in Germany.

Some cool facts about Frankfurt

• Frankfurt has a massive forest in the heart of the city and is within walking distance from the old town.
• There is only 1 skyscraper in the top 15 highest buildings in Germany that is NOT located in Frankfurt. This is why this is called the Big Apple of Germany.
• The headquarters of the European Central Bank is located in Frankfurt.
• Frankfurt was heavily bombed in WW2.
• This is the city of Goethe. The famous German Poet was born here and lived all his life in Frankfurt.
• More than 25% of the people living in Frankfurt are expats.
• Frankfurt Airport is the biggest airport in Germany and is the 4th biggest airport in Europe.

16 Things to do in Frankfurt

1. enjoy a drink in a rooftop bar.

As I mentioned before already you have to go up one of the skyscrapers when you visit Frankfurt. There are 3 bars that really stand out.

1.1 City Beach

There is a €4 entrance fee for this rooftop bar on top of a parking lot. Finding the entrance is a little challenging but once you up on the roof the views are good.

There are two small pools, loads of beach chairs, sand and uncomplicated vibes.

1.2 Long Island Summer Lounge

This is the posh version of City Beach with a proper dress code. Officially no flip-flops and shorts allowed. Entrance fee is €6 but the views at Long Beach Summer Lounge are better. The rooftop is higher as City Beach as well. 

1.3 Oosten am Main

According to locals the most laid-back skybar is Oosten am Main. Since it is a little walk out of the center it has the best skyline view as well. Uncomplicated local vibe is guaranteed here. Sipping a cocktail for sunset is definitely one of the best things to do in Frankfurt.

2. Hop-on-hop-off bus

A standard things to do in Frankfurt, but quick and easy to see all the tourist spots in Frankfurt when you don’t have that much time. There are several lines to choose from. Buying a ticket online is cheaper than on the bus itself or at the street vendors.

3. Viewing terrace Frankfurt Airport

Often listed as one of the most exciting things to do in Frankfurt with kids is the viewing platform at Frankfurt Airport. This covered area is a great place for spotting airplanes taking off and landing. There is a Food Court and a Mc Donalds if you get hungry.

4. Walk through Old Town

The old part of the city is actually called Romerberg and was rebuilt the traditional way after the second World War. The medieval colorful buildings are a favorite instagram spot in Frankfurt. In summer there are many terraces lined up for having a drink, in winter this place is heaven for Christmas market lovers.

5. Tricycle ride around Frankfurt

For those that are willing to see the best places to visit in Frankfurt from the back of a bike they can take one of the tricycles around the city. Be aware that these guys are expensive! For 30 minutes you already pay more than €22 or 2 kilometer is €8. It is a cool but rather expensive way to explore Frankfurt.

6. Marvel at the Euro sign

This huge sculpture of the Euro stands in front of the European Central Bank on the Willy-Brandt square and is pretty big. Probably about 30 meters high. There is some info about the Euro on the base of the sign, but there also is a Euro information center and book shop next to it. Although it is more like a gift shop.

7. Lock your Love at Eisener Steg bridge

The bridge that also got destroyed during World War 2 was reconstructed straight after and is now famous for people locking their love with a padlock. From this walking bridge you will have a good view over the skyline and the boulevards on both sides. It connects the old town of Frankfurt with Sachsenhausen, the place to go out at night. But more about what to do in Frankfurt at night later!

8. Ignatz-Bubis bridge instagram spot

If you are not going up on one of the rooftop bars then head to the Ignatz-Bubis bridge for the best skyline photos. Also a great Instagram spot in Frankfurt and cool for sunset. Another free thing to do in Frankfurt.

9. Try Apfelwein

Apparently this kind of apple cider is home to Frankfurt and a a popular drink around the city. Frankfurt is home to many idyllic cafes and traditional bars where they happily serve you their signature drink called Apfelwein. 

Not sure if this is one of the best Frankfurt travel tips because I did not like it. I much rather had the a normal beer with a Frankfurter wurst on the side! :)

10. Visit the Goethe House

Located just a few minutes walk from Central Station is the Goethe Haus. Here the famous German Poet was born in 1749. There are 4 different floors to explore and learn about his life. Entrance fee is €7 and it is open from 10am to 6pm. A weekend in Frankfurt is not complete without visiting the Goethe House.

11. Viewing platform cathedral tower

On of the best things to do in Frankfurt is to climb up to the viewing platform 66 meter above the city. The cathedral tower is open to the public for the best city views. Costs are €5 and you will have to walk a lot of steps, but the view is worth it.

12. Free walking tour

If you feel like you have crossed off all the things to do in Frankfurt then join one of the free walking tours and get to know the city through the eyes of a local. Free walking tours are tip based tours and depart every day around 10am and 2pm. There are a couple different ones so check your meeting point online.

13. Viewing platform Main Tower

If amazing city views are your thing then head up to the viewing platform of the main tower when you visit Frankfurt. Entrance fee is €7,50 but you will get unobstructed city views!

14. Have breakfast/lunch at the river side

Simply one of the most gorgeous places to visit in Frankfurt is the river side. Big lawns with some trees and a boulevard where active people bike, run and skate. The park on the Main river is a perfect spot to picknick. It is relaxed and one of the best ways to enjoy this city. Definitely add a picknick on the river side to your trip to Frankfurt.

15. Go out at night in Sachsenhausen

The place to go out in Frankfurt at night is Sachsenhausen just across the river. Here many quaint pubs are lined up next to each other and is the bustling heart of the city at night. If you spend a weekend in Frankfurt I am sure you are willing to end up here in one of the many traditional German bars.

16. Enjoy a coffee at a floating restaurant

There are a couple boats where you can grab a drink or have lunch/dinner but not so many. A great one is below the Eisener Steg bridge with great views, also close by is the Döner Boat.

Things to do around Frankfurt

If you are visiting Frankfurt for more than just a weekend then you might be interested in some things to do around Frankfurt. Have a look at these great day trips from Frankfurt.

1. Burg Eltz

This Harry Potter like castle became a popular tourist spot in Germany after it went viral on Instagram. Visiting Burg Eltz is free and can be reached by car from Frankfurt center within 2 hours.

2. Rudesheim

This picturesque town on the banks of the Rhine River actually is a UNESCO world heritage site and less then an hour away from Frankfurt. Walk through the cobblestone streets of the old town and marvel at the castles and vineyards on the hills around you. There also is a cable car for a scenic ride.

3. Michelstadt

Looking for more fairy tale towns then drive towards Michelstadt. This medieval and idyllic town dates back to more than 1,000 years ago. In summer a great spot to have a drink on one of the many terraces. In winter famous for its Christmas markets.

Some more Frankfurt travel tips

• Bring cash! Germany is a third world country when it comes to wireless payments. Creditcards nor bankcards are often not accepted.
• Don’t take a boat tour on the Main River! Why? Boring!
• There is a zoo, but I don’t support this thing to do in Frankfurt.

Events in Frankfurt

Major events in the city are:

• Christmas Markets: start end of November
• Main Festival: first week of August (pop-up amusement park across the city)
• Appel Wine Festival: mid August
• Wäldchestag: beginning of June (like summer Christmas markets in the forest)
• Wine Festival: begining of September (culinary event)

When I visited Frankfurt the Main Festival was taking place.

How to get around Frankfurt

Going around Frankfurt is made easy by the U-Bahn which goes underground as well as overground. Day tickets cost around €7 and single trip tickets cost €3. Be aware that if you are with two people or more it is cheaper to buy a group ticket for the U-Bahn. Group tickets for up to 5 people valid all around the city cost only €11.

Depending on the kind of Frankfurt city trip you are planning there is no real need to take the public transport. Most of the things to do and places to see in Frankfurt are within walking distance.

How to get from Frankfurt airport to the city center

There is a train called S-Bahn which connects Frankfurt Airport with the city center and takes only 10 minutes. There are loads of lines from the airport to the city for example 1, 8 and 9. Tickets cost €5 for a single trip.

Don’t get fooled by the airport Frankfurt/Hahn if you are planning to travel to Frankfurt. It actually is a 2 hour drive from the city and when you ask me the name of the airport it is a tourist trap. A bus ticket into the city cost €15.

Where to stay in Frankfurt

1. 5 star hotels in frankfurt.

• Jumeirah Frankfurt: luxury hotel - click here for the rates on  booking or check  Agoda .
• Sofitel Frankfurt Opera: very central: click here for the rates on  booking or check  Agoda .

Another iconic place to stay in Frankfurt is the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof right in the middle of the city. Click here for the  Booking rates  or the Agoda rates .

2. Boutique hotels

• Moxy Frankfurt East: hip and stylish - click here for the  booking rates or here for  Agoda .
• Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer - click here for their rates on Agoda .

3. Under €50 hotels

• EasyHotel Frankfurt City Center - click here for the  Booking or Agoda  rates.
• FreddApp One: click here for the  Booking or Agoda  rates.

My Frankfurt travel tips

Together with Ave I found a cheap but surprisingly good hotel pretty much in the city center. There were actually a couple nice hotels to choose from with good ratings and great locations. On top of my hotel I also found a couple other Frankfurt budget hotels for less than €50 a night and a rating around 8 out of 10. I will list them all later when talking about where to stay in Frankfurt.

We actually ended up staying in Hotel Primus in Sachsenhausen just across the river from the city center. It was less than €50 a night. In fact Sachsenhausen turned out to be a nightlife hotspot but more about that later in the things to do in Frankfurt section. As I traveled to Frankfurt by car I was happy the hotel offered a parking spot for just €10 per day.

As soon as we arrived we dropped our bags at our room and headed out to not miss the sunset. It was perfectly timed when we crossed the bridge towards the old city as the sun was setting through the skyline of Frankfurt. For this reason Frankfurt is also called the Big Apple of Germany as it has one of the most impressive skylines in Europe. Nothing compared to any American city but hey this is all we have in Europe! LOL

We were lucky that on the days we visited Frankfurt there was actually the MainFest on the river side. In the main street along the river there were loads of eateries, beer gardens and attractions lined up and for food lover Ave it was heaven to see all the different types of Bratwurst and snacks. Of course we had to taste a couple and drink beers.  

When traveling to Germany an obvious thing to do is to eat sausages and drink pints!

Slowly waking up the next morning we decided to grab breakfast at the super market and brought a blanket to the river side. There is a lovely lawn with some trees for shadow along the boulevard of the Main river. It was hot this August in Frankfurt and we moved slowly into the shade where we found a great spot to picknick with some of the best views of the skyline. 

If you are looking for one of the best places to visit in Frankfurt then surely add this spot to your list.

We continued our Frankfurt city tour across the Eisener Steg bridge famous for its many love locks. No Ave and I are besties, not a couple! We met on a press trip on my birthday last year. It was at the World Travel Writers’ Conference in Maldives . So no love lock for us! LOL

On the other side of the river there is actually a cool floating restaurant called the Döner Boat. Of course Kebab is not a typical German dish, but did you know the Döner Kebab was originally invented in Berlin by a Turkish immigrant? Cool fact right? Anyway if you are looking for a fun place to eat good Döner Kebab in Frankfurt then the Döner Boat is a great place. There is also another proper floating restaurant next to the bridge with the love locks. Great place for a drink with views over the city skyline.

We continued our walking tour of Frankfurt by crossing the bridge back into the center again and we walked up to the massive Euro sign on a big square. Cool place for taking a photo of what is probably the biggest euro sign in the world. Put here because the Central European Bank is located in Frankfurt. It was already time to sit down and have a beer after. It was boiling hot, but we found a good place to have a Weissen Beer on the rooftop terrace of the Galeria Kaufhof.

We enjoyed the great city views before we kept on strolling through the city center. Eating ice cream, snacks and drinking beer on the terraces along the way. We marveled at the colorful houses on the old town square and the narrow streets around the cathedral, one of the coolest places to visit in Frankfurt.

To spend the rest of our afternoon we looked online for what to do in Frankfurt and found two popular rooftop bars. Online we saw that one of these places actually had a city beach. Something I actually expected at the river side like they have in most cities around Europe, but in Frankfurt they have a rooftop beach with amazing views over the city.

If you want to see more about our trip to Frankfurt you can check out Ave’s 100K+ YouTube Channel , I tell you she is funny!

I hope you liked all my Frankfurt travel tips! May there be things that I forgot to mention or that you think I should add to the list then please leave me a comment.

If this Frankfurt travel guide was helpful planning your city trip please pin this on Pinterest or share the link on Facebook. It is a small thing for you to do, but can make a big difference for me. Thank you very much in advance.

I hope you have an awesome trip to Frankfurt!

• frankfurt airport

Weather & Climate

Frankfurt Airport Guide

Neighborhoods to Know

Public Transportation

Best Hotels

48 Hours in Frankfurt

Day Trips From Frankfurt

Top Things to Do

Free Things to Do

Things to Do with Kids

Frankfurt's Best Museums

The Best Restaurants in Frankfurt

Nightlife in Frankfurt

Where to Try Apfelwein in Frankfurt

Best Time to Visit

The Best Time to Visit Frankfurt

TripSavvy / Christopher Larson

Frankfurt is the gateway to Germany for many visitors. Its international airport delivers millions of travelers to the city for business, conventions, or pleasure.  

Events take place throughout the year, so there is no bad time to visit , but the weather may be best in the shoulder seasons of spring ( frühling ) and fall ( herbst ). The very best time to visit Frankfurt is in October, the month of the Frankfurt Book Fair . Frankfurt is also the perfect central location to explore the rest of the country with its superb connections by road and rail .

Here is a complete guide to the best time to visit Frankfurt with information on weather, events, and festivals.

Weather in Frankfurt

Frankfurt isn't known for its great weather, but there are plenty of warm, sunny days. The city has a temperate oceanic climate and four distinct seasons.  

After a long, cold winter, Frankfurt is so ready for spring ( frühling ). As sunshine starts to pierce the cloud cover, temperatures quickly rise to 50 to 65 degrees F. There are still rainy days, but the chill is leaving the air.

During summer, Frankfurt is one of the warmest places in the country with temperatures averaging around 75 degrees F but can reach the high 90s F. Frankfurt has better air conditioning than much of the country, but it is still relatively rare. June is the sunniest month of the year, but never rule out the rain. Autumn ( herbst ) is when things begin to cool down. Temperatures range from the low 40s to high 50s F until the real cold of late November when the wind picks up, and snowflakes can fly.

Temperatures can drop below freezing in the heart of winter. Average lows dip down to 25 degrees F, and snow usually happens several times in the season, although it doesn't often accumulate. Ice is widespread, so bring slip-proof boots and be careful driving. Make sure to pack your winter gear , particularly if you want to get out of the city and enjoy some winter sports .

Popular Events and Festivals in Frankfurt

The German calendar is full of events , but two significant festivals draw the biggest international crowds to Frankfurt.

Frankfurt Book Fair : The Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM) is a showcase of the best in the written word . It is the world's largest trade fair for books, which takes place over five days every October and draws more visitors than any other book fair.

Christmas in Germany:  Christmas in Germany is when everything is a bit more magical. You might not realize how many Western Christmas traditions root in Germany. Frankfurt's weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets) open in late November and run through New Year's Eve .

The city can get quite busy with the many trade fairs that occur throughout the year, so be prepared for similar crowds and higher hotel prices during those dates.

January in Frankfurt

After-Christmas is a quiet time in Germany where the tourists have left, and prices are at their lowest. The city is usually cold and dark, with plenty of rain. As Frankfurt is a major city, few things are closed besides some of the smaller restaurants, and nearby castle ruins may not be accessible depending on the weather. On the other hand, it is an excellent time for museums .

• Modern Frankfurt isn't very religious, and Three Kings Day ( Dreikönigsfest or Epiphany) isn't an official holiday , but some locals still celebrate.

February in Frankfurt

This is the ideal time to leave the city and head to the ski slopes. Or you can enjoy year-round activities like the farmers and flea markets . For a bit of warmth, visit the Palmengarten for the feel of the tropics.

• Carnival, or Karneval, is the major festival in February. The center of the celebration is in Cologne , but many other cities—like Frankfurt —have their own parades and parties.

March in Frankfurt

The first day of spring is in March, and Germans are happy to step outside and open the biergartens , with the help of a warm jacket.

• Germans' favorite vegetable, spargel (white asparagus), makes an appearance this month. "The "King of Vegetables" can be found in grocery stores, restaurants , and markets, with many festivals heralding its arrival.

April in Frankfurt

Spring fairs and festivals arrive in April, and the weather is finally starting to get warm. Admire the pink flowers of the kirschbäume (cherry blossoms) and get ready to party.

• Spring Dippemess is the largest folk festival in the Rhine-Main region. There are food stalls, rides, and games through early May.
• Easter in Germany is a major holiday. Colorful eggs, grocery carts full of chocolates, and Easter trees are and fountains all light up the city. (Of course, Easter can sometimes fall in March).
• This month ends with Walpurgisnacht when the witches come out to play.

May in Frankfurt

Just before peak travel season of summer, May in Frankfurt features fantastic weather, prices have yet to climb, and crowds are low.

• Erster Mai is a chaotic celebration of labor rights in other cities, but in Frankfurt Tanz in den Mai is more popular.
• Wäldchestag (Forest Day) is the high point of the Whitsun holiday. Locals leave work and gather in the forest by midday to celebrate their connection with nature.

June in Frankfurt

Sommer has arrived with warm temperatures and long, sunny days at the riverfront. Unfortunately, summer translates into the highest airfares and hotel rates as well as crowds.

• The Opera Square Festival ( Opernplatzfest ) offers the best of food, setting, and music in one of the most beautiful squares in the city.

July in Frankfurt

July brings more summer festivals and cruises along the Main River.

• Christopher Street Day (Gay Pride) usually happens this month with a weekend of joyous rainbow parade.

August in Frankfurt

August is a hot time to visit the city. The mercury keeps rising, and everyone needs a break. This means many small businesses and restaurants go on holiday, and visitors should expect some closures despite the influx of visitors. People escape the heat by visiting the city's many attractions meaning lines and crowds are at their peak.

• The Apple Wine Festival celebrates Frankfurt's local drink, ebbelwoi, or apfelwein .
• The Main Festival takes place at the romantic Römerberg, where the Fountain of Justice transforms into a wine fountain. There are also kid's rides, games, music, and treats.
• A celebration of the city's fantastic museums, the Museum Embankment Festival is one of Europe's most significant cultural festival with arts and music.
• Rheingau Wine Festival allows winemakers to showcase their latest vintage. The Freßgass' becomes a culinary mile with more than 100 stands offering wine .

September in Frankfurt

Herbst and the changing of the leaves are an idyllic time to visit Frankfurt. As temperatures drop, so do airfares, hotel rates, and crowds.

• Once again, the city is gripped by a folk festival with Autumn Dippemess . This folk festival is great for young and old with wild rides and tasty bites.

October in Frankfurt

Fantastic weather usually continues for this month with the biggest trade fair of the year taking place

• Tag der Deutschen Einheit (Day of German Unity) is a national holiday every Oct. 3. There is one main celebration that rotates around the country each year.
• The Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM) is the biggest book festival in Germany with star authors, demonstrations, signings, and talks. It takes place throughout the city.

November in Frankfurt

November temperatures drop dramatically by the end of the month. Crowds are also at a low so that you can visit the city's top sites without the lines.

• St. Martin's Day ( Martinstag ) on Nov. 11 is mostly for children where they parade the neighborhood with hand-decorated lanterns and sing songs.
• Watch for Christmas markets opening at the end of this month.

December in Frankfurt

Christmas is in the air in December, as well as the cold. That said, everyone seems a little sweeter, and even though the crowds can be high as people visit the city as well as transferring through, it is a great time to visit. Along with the many traditional events and markets, Germans celebrate each advent quietly at home with family.

• New Year's Eve ( Silvester ) is a major party in Frankfurt. Practically every restaurant, hotel, and club will hold an event.

The best time to visit Frankfurt is in October, when the weather is pleasant and during the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Frankfurt is the largest financial center in continental Europe. It also has a futuristic skyline and the busiest airport in Germany.

Three days in Frankfurt gives you plenty of time to tour the city's historic monuments and museums, and to explore the surrounding area.

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide.  "Passengers at Frankfurt Airport."

Weather and Climate. "Climate and average monthly weather in Frankfurt, Germany." Retrieved Jan. 30, 2021.

The Best Time to Visit Cologne

Weather in Munich: Climate, Seasons, and Average Monthly Temperature

Your Trip to Frankfurt: The Complete Guide

The Best Time to Visit Spain

Spring in Germany: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

Best Time to Visit Germany

November Festivals in Germany

The Best Time to Visit Munich

The Best Time to Visit Naples, Italy

The Best Time to Visit the Bahamas

The Best Time to Visit Nuremberg

Germany Guide: Planning Your Trip

Festivals in Germany in July

The Best Time to Visit Dubai

The Best Time to Visit New York City

The Frankfurt Book Fair: The Complete Guide

• South Africa
• Afghanistan
• North Korea
• Adventure + Outdoors
• Amusement Parks
• Backpacking Trips
• Boating + Cruises
• Budget Travel
• Bus + Train Travel
• Coasts + Islands
• Country Trips
• Fall Vacations
• Family Vacations
• Green Travel
• Heritage + History
• Honeymoons + Romance
• Inspiration + Guide
• Landmarks + Attractions
• LGBT Travel
• Markets + Bazaars
• National Parks + Reserves
• Nature + Wildlife
• Parks + Gardens
• Pets + Animals
• Photography
• Airlines + Airports
• Budgeting + Currency
• Business Travel
• Celebrity Travel
• Customs + Immigration
• Deals + Rewards
• Family Travel
• Hotels + Resorts
• Luggage + Packing Tips
• Offbeat News
• Photography Tips
• Responsible Travel
• Solo Travel
• Tech + Gear
• Travel Etiquette
• Travel Warnings
• Bars + Clubs
• Celebrity Chefs
• Restaurants + Cafés
• Wine + Vineyards
• Beach Hotels
• Boutique Hotels
• Hotel Openings
• Hotel Reviews
• Luxury Hotels
• Mountain + Ski Resorts
• Spa Resorts
• Vacation Rentals
• Asia Cruises
• European Cruises
• Festivals + Events
• Museums + Galleries
• Style + Design
• Travel’s Best
• Hotel with Agoda.com
• Hotel with Booking.com

Coron itinerary 5 days — What to do & how to…

Arashiyama travel blog — The fullest Arashiyama travel guide with top…

India trip tips — 9+ things to know before going to…

Explore Fenqihu old street — What to do in Fenqihu in…

Where to go in Kunming? — 15+ top Kunming attractions &…

All about tips in Nepal — How much to tip in…

Cambodia travel tips — 15+ what to know & things to…

When is the best time to visit Kyoto? — The best,…

Must eat in Georgetown — 10+ famous, must-eat & best street…

Must eat in Melaka — 10+ famous Malacca street food &…

Hong Kong Soya sauce Chicken Rice and Noodles — The first…

Hong Kong food culture — Hong Kong cuisine tells the historical…

Top hotels in Siem Reap — 8+ best places to stay…

Top hotels in shanghai — 15+ best hotels in Shanghai

Top hotels in Malacca — 10+ good & best hotels in…

Top places to stay in Bali — Top 10 best areas…

10 must-know things for your best first time European river cruise

Top 3 best luxury cruises in Halong Bay, Vietnam

Cherry blossom festival Korea 2024 — Top 5 cherry blossom festivals…

Ghibli museum blog — The fullest Ghibli museum guide for first-timers

Kyoto festival — Top 10 best events & most famous festivals…

National Palace Museum Taipei blog — What to see in National…

Japanese waterfall — Top 10 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan in…

19+ most beautiful towns in Europe every tourist need to visit…

Georgia travel photos — 20+ captivating photos show Georgia is heaven…

Explore Damnoen Floating Market — The oldest floating market of Thailand

Visiting Fenghuang Ancient Town — One of the most charming ancient…

Mekong Delta travel blog — Beyond rivers of Southwestern Vietnam

14 reasons why you should travel when you are young

Shigaraki Tanuki – An animal symbol of good luck in Japan

Living in the charms of cave houses in Andalucia, Southern Spain

20+ jaw-dropping tiny homes around the world

Frankfurt travel blog — the fullest frankfurt travel guide for first-timers.

Romantic, beautiful and tinged with antiquity are what people usually think of Germany, including its quaint but equally modern cities. However, in the current travel world, in addition to familiar names on the German tourist map such as Berlin, Bavaria, Potsdam, Munich, Hamburg… trippers are more choosing to travel to Frankfurt. So, is Frankfurt worth visiting, what to do in Frankfurt and how to plan a perfect budget trip to Frankfurt for the first-time? Let’s check out our Frankfurt travel blog (Frankfurt blog) with the fullest Frankfurt travel guide (Frankfurt city guide, Frankfurt guide, Frankfurt tourist guide, Frankfurt visitor guide) from how to get there, best time to come, where to stay, best places to visit, what to eat and top things to do in Frankfurt to find out the answer!

• Zugspitze blog — The fullest Zugspitze travel guide for a spectacular Zugspitze trekking trip
• Dresden travel blog — The fullest Dresden travel guide for first-timers
• Bonn travel blog — The fullest Bonn travel guide & what to do in Bonn Germany
• Munich travel blog — The fullest Munich travel guide for first-timers
• What to buy in Germany? — 19+ best gifts, souvenirs & best things to buy in Germany

When traveling in Germany, you cannot forget to visit Frankfurt – The 5th Germany’s largest city and the economic center of Europe. Coming here, you will be overwhelmed by the bustling scene on streets, the vibrant rhythm of daily life and modern architecture with skyscrapers. You will have an opportunity to admire countless massive constructions, luxury headquarters of the world’s leading banks, insurance companies and high-rise buildings that can’t help but make people overwhelmed and captivated.

It can be said that Frankfurt is a combination of the vibrant characteristics of cities in North America, both with deep and slow beauty coming from dozens of museums and splendid classical architectures. In addition, the scenery of the skyline is also an important highlight of Frankfurt. If you are a lover of art, nature or simply want to explore a wonderful German city, never miss Frankfurt! With the places to visit as well as the useful travel tips we suggest below, you will surely have a great trip.

Frankfurt travel blog: Overview of Frankfurt

Frankfurt (full name Frankfurt am Main) is a city in the state of Hessen, western Germany. Frankfurt stretches 30km along the romantic Main River. With this location, the city has transformed itself into one of Germany’s busiest trading hubs.

This city is considered not only the financial capital of Germany but also of Europe with modern skyscrapers located close to the river Main. The headquarters of the European Central Bank and other major banks such as Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank and Dresdner Bank are all concentrated in Frankfurt. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is also one of the largest stock exchanges in the world. Frankfurt is also an important fairground city around the world. In addition, Frankfurt is also an important intersection of Germany and Europe.

As the 5th largest city in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt is known as the leading financial center in Europe and recently this city also entered the top 15 most ideal cities in the world. Frankfurt is located on two banks of the romantic Main River, to the southeast of the hilly region of Taunus and in the southwestern region of Germany. Moreover, this is also the venue for many important trade fairs, such as the Frankfurt Auto Show (International Motor Show Germany) or the Frankfurt Book Fair. It is also the birthplace of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Specifically, Frankfurt has long been an important interchange in all three forms: River, rail, road and air. Accordingly, Frankfurt connects the route from Switzerland and southern Germany to the center. The city’s status became increasingly important when the Main Canal was built in 1880. Currently, Frankfurt Airport is the largest airport in Germany and one of the busiest in Europe.

International trade fairs have been held in Frankfurt since 1240 and the city is now Germany’s leading commercial, financial and high-tech center. Every year, there are many book, automobile and computer fairs held, bringing together the top names in the manufacturing industry (including automobiles, machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, printing materials and foodstuffs…). This city also has very famous traditional sausages.

Frankfurt travel blog: When to come?

Frankfurt is a city with temperate oceanic climate with four seasons of the year. The summers are extremely hot, but the winters are extremely cold. In particular, the rainfall in Frankfurt is always evenly distributed among the months of the year, but in winter, it usually rains more.

Summer is usually sunny with an average temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius. However, in midsummer the temperature can peak up to 35 degrees Celsius, with scorching heat. However, in the summer, there are also sudden rains that make the temperature drop a lot. And winter is extremely cold, often the temperature will fall in the range of -10 degrees Celsius, but rarely snow, but rain often occurs.

The best time to explore Frankfurt is in late spring and early autumn because at this time the weather is very pleasant, cool, fresh air, not too hot nor too cold.

And if you are a lover of fairs, you can choose to visit Frankfurt from August to October. At this time, Frankfurt will be the venue for 2 huge fairs which are:

• August: The time of the fair Frankfurt Motor Show (Automobil-Ausstellung)
• October: The time for the Frankfurt Book Fair Buchmesse (Frankfurter Buchmesse)

Note: If you choose to come Frankfurt from August to October, this is the peak season that most tourists choose to go. Therefore, the number of visitors is very crowded. Therefore, to avoid the situation of running out of tickets, or running out of rooms, you should book flight tickets and hotels early.

Frankfurt travel guide: How to get to Frankfurt?

Frankfurt Airport is the largest airport in Germany and one of the largest airports across Europe, the distance from the airport to city center is 13 kilometers and serves as the main hub for Lufthansa which is the flag carrier of Germany. There are many international airlines operating flight routes here such as Vietnam Airlines, Aeroflot Russian, Qatar Airways, Thai Airways, China Southern Airlines… To find the best routes as well as good airfares based on your departure point, you can go to Google Flights , Skyscanner , Kayak to hunt.

There are three options for getting from Frankfurt Airport to the city center: Train, bus or taxi. If you choose the train, it will take you about 40 minutes to travel and the cost is around 4.65 EUR. Travel by airport bus is faster 30 minutes with a ticket of about 4.35 EUR.

However, to avoid wasting time looking for a car, getting lost or being “challenging price”, try Klook Airport Transfer service !

Frankfurt guide: Getting around Frankfurt

Frankfurt is one of the most modern and principled cities in Germany as well as in the world, when using any public transport in this city you will be amazed by the accuracy and civility as well as the smart and convenient transportation system here. This is also one of the tourist attractions of Frankfurt.

The public transport system in Frankfurt all use a common ticket, to use these vehicles, you can buy a ticket at ticket vending machines at any stop or station. In addition to the one-time-use tickets (single tickets), you can also choose to buy a day ticket, a journey ticket, etc. to save more if you travel a lot.

To getting around Frankfurt, you can choose to visit the city by metro, train, tram and bus.

Metro (U-Bahn): Trains run every 2 to 5 minutes in the city center. Frequency will slow down from 10 to 20 minutes/trip after 8pm.

Train (S-Bahn): Runs every 3 minutes during rush hour and slows down, every 15 to 30 minutes at night or in the suburbs. Trains start at 4am or 6am for some special routes and end at 8pm.

Bus: Bus stops are marked with a circular sign with the letter “H.”, tickets are available at U-Bahn, S-Bahn or purchased directly from the driver. Night buses run from 1am to 4 am.

Bike: And a very relaxing experience that most visitors find interesting is to go by bicycle to explore the city. You can rent a bicycle in Frankfurt for about 12 Euros. There are also many bicycle or e-bike rental shops in the city such as Electric Bike Frankfurt, Frankfurtbiketour.com, Fahrradverleih Bellorange, ListNRide, Nextbike… from 10am to 6.30pm, rental price stating at €12. Frankfurt has a dedicated bicycle lanes, so you can ride your bike here without any worries.

Taxi: Taxis are quite expensive and are plentiful in the city center. Start at €2 and add at least €1.53 per kilometer.

Frankfurt travel blog: Where to go and what to do in Frankfurt?

Romerberg and old town.

The place is considered the heart of the city that you should visit is the Romerberg square. This square is located right in the city center. And if visitors come here, they will be captivated by its quaint and bustling beauty. This is also a regular place for trade fairs and many major city events. It has medieval architecture with the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen fountain (Fountain of Justice), which once sprayed free wine for visitors to enjoy when Holy Roman Emperor Matthias ascended the throne.

The Römerberg is a picturesque public square in the heart of Frankfurt’s Old Town (Altstadt). Not only tourists, many people of the city also like to come here to take a walk, enjoy the bustling atmosphere or participate in interesting activities such as the Christmas market…

The square is famous for the cluster of 11 buildings that make up the medieval Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), which has been immaculately preserved since 1954. Coming to Römerberg, we should also visit the elegant Royal Great Hall (Kaisersaal), the venue for splendid banquets. Other notable structures in Römerberg include the 14th-century Gothic church of Saint Leonhard, Church of St. Nicholas, the History museum (Historisches Museum Frankfurt) was founded in 1878 and the six buildings in the traditional Ostzeile style…

Senckenberg Museum (Frankfurt travel blog)

Address: Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Hours: 9AM–5PM

One of the famous tourist attractions in Frankfurt that you should visit is the Senckenberg museum. This is a museum displaying many unique and valuable collections, including dinosaur skeletons dating back millions of years.

Städel Museum

Address: Schaumainkai 63, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Hours: 10AM–6PM/Monday: Closed

The Städel Museum (Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie) owns expensive painting collections, dating back to the 14th century. It is also the most important museum in the complex of Frankfurt’s museums. Here, you should take the time to admire the works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Goya and later artists such as Monet, Degas, Beckman and Picasso.

To better understand the works, you can take a tour with an English-speaking guide or, visit workshops, talkshows, and the on-site library.

Römer (Old Town Hall)

Address: Römerberg 23, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The town hall was chosen as the meeting place of the city council, located in the heart of Frankfurt’s old town. The facade of this town hall consists of 3 gables and is designed in a very unique terrace shape.

On the second floor of the town hall, visitors can also visit the Emperor’s Hall, or Kaisersaal. You will learn more historical stories here, and a small fee will be collected when you visit the site. If your trip coincides with December, it will be great to experience the Christmas market before the holidays. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy local dishes and buy many souvenirs for their loved ones.

Römer – The town hall with classical German architecture, experiencing a long history of 6 centuries. This is where the coronation banquets of many Roman emperors in history took place. Römer is located in the heart of Frankfurt’s old town, so you can combine it with other tourist attractions easily.

Location: Neue Mainzer Straße 52-58; Frankfurt; Hesse, Germany

This is the tallest building in Frankfurt, one of the top attractions when traveling here. If you come here at night, you will enjoy the vibrant city scene, the whole city is immersed in shimmering bright lights. In addition, you can enjoy many delicious dishes and sip a glass of fine wine at Main Tower restaurant & bar.

This 56-storey skyscraper located in the Innenstadt district of Frankfurt. The name of this building is named after the main river nearby. As can be seen, this is the only high-rise building in Frankfurt with a public observatory. Take the elevator to the top of the building nearly 200m, you will have a panoramic view of the beautiful shimmering city in front of you. And what’s more, you can enjoy delicious cocktails and meals at  its bar and restaurant.

Palmengarten

Address: Palmengarten der Stadt, Siesmayerstraße 63, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Hours: 9AM–7PM

It is one of three botanical gardens in the Westend-Süd district. This botanical garden has an area of ​​​​about 22 hectares where many other plant species grow. And if you are a lover of nature and plants, this garden is a great choice for you.

Located in Bockenheimer Landstrasse, The Palm Garden is the largest botanical garden in Germany with 22 acres in size, opened in 1871. Splendid in design, the natural appeal comes from the garden’s vegetation attracted many leading artists of the time, including Buffalo Bill.

The highlight of The Palm Garden is the lush vegetation distributed in ideal living conditions (perfectly simulated), the greenhouses growing tropical and subtropical plants. In addition, this Frankfurt tourist attraction also impresses with boating activities, children’s playground… and especially Europaturm – a 337m high telecommunications tower nearby.

Not only seeing and enjoying the green space, visitors can also go for a boat tour, enjoy the wines or specialties of the Frankfurt, play a few golf games or even enjoy the musical performances right in the garden.

Eiserner Steg

Address: Eiserner Steg, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Coming to Frankfurt, remember to visit the Eiserner Steg bridge. In addition to serving the travel needs of the people here, Eiserner Steg is also an ideal place for couples and put love locks on the bridge with the desire for a lasting love.

St. Paul’s Church

Address: Paulsplatz 11, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Hours: 10AM–5PM

St. Paul is a historical and political church of Frankfurt. The church played an important role in the revolution of 1848 as it became the home of liberals to elect the first German Parliament. Every 3 years, the church of St. Paul will host a ceremony to award the Goethe Prize – Germany’s most prestigious literary award. Here, you can learn more about German history, admire works of art and admire the vast main hall.

The large church hall has an oval shape and next to it is a clock tower that is individually designed and made of precious and beautiful dark red sandstone. Stepping inside, visitors will feel the whole atmosphere of meetings and discussions about politics from the past in the hall. And to this day, this venue hosts the event and presents the Goethe literary prize every three years.

Frankfurt Cathedral

Address: Domplatz 1, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Hours: 9AM–12PM, 1:15–8PM/Friday, Sunday: 1:15–8PM

Frankfurt Cathedral or Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew is one of the “gems” of Germany and a symbol of the city of Frankfurt with its unique Gothic beauty.

Apple Cider

This is the place to provide cider, the typical drink of Frankfurt. In Frankfurt, when strolling through the cobbled streets of Sachsenhausen, don’t forget to visit this old and wonderful Apple Cider.

Eschenheimer Tower

Address: Eschenheimer Turm, 60318 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Hours: 12PM–1AM/Friday, Saturday: 12PM–3AM

The Eschenheimer Tower, which began construction in the 1400s, remains a relic from the old city walls of Frankfurt. At 47 meters high, the tower is huge in size and dominates the Eschenheimer Gate area. Currently, the tower houses a meeting room used by local historic societies.

Kleinmarkthalle Market

Address: Hasengasse 5-7, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Hours: 8AM–6PM/Sunday: Closed

The next destination is also a shopping place that you can choose when coming to Frankfurt, Kleinmarkthalle, which is known as the two-story market. Like many other cities, the main hall of Kleinmarkthalle was destroyed by bombs in 1944. The main hall you see today was restored and completed in 1954. This is the extremely loved site by locals. Drop by here, where you can buy fresh meats, cheeses, dried fruits, fresh flowers, and sweet treats like chocolates and pies. After walking around the market, you can stop by the Markt-Stubb cafe to enjoy delicious food and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

Grüneburgpark

Address: August-Siebert-Straße 22, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

This place is Frankfurt’s largest park and attracts many tourists to visit. Perhaps because the natural space is spacious, airy, and the atmosphere is fresh, people come here to walk and relax. Although Frankfurt has many parks, Grüneburgpark is still the most popular park. Located near two university yards, many young people often come here, as well as civil servants come to relax after working.

Address: Opernpl. 1, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The Alte Oper theater was the city’s grand theater in the past, and is now used as a concert hall. Visiting the theater, visitors will be able to see an extremely monumental building and unique work by sculptural details, intricate Renaissance architecture and kept intact according to the original design from 1880.

In addition to visiting the theater space and its interior alike, visitors can also register to book tickets and attend concerts of classic musical and comedy works in the world. The capacity in the hall of the Alte Oper theater is up to 2,500 seats. Enjoy and immerse yourself in this impressive art space.

This is where the legendary first operas such as Carmina Burana, Carl Orff performed. This is not only a historical building, this is also a beautiful architectural work of the era. You should come here once to admire the bare traces of time and create beautiful shapes to every corner of the theater.

Goethe’s House

Address: Frauenplan 1, 99423 Weimar, Germany Hours: 9:30AM–6PM/Monday: Closed

This is an old house located in Zeil, passed through many owners, since 1733. Now it has been restored in memory of the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Inside the house, you will admire an ancient architecture from the early 18th century. It is also a small museum displaying relics, famous and precious works of the poet Goethe.

Goetheturm (Wooden Tower)

The unique wooden tower, built in 1967, is a symbol worth visiting and admiring when coming to Frankfurt. The tower after World War I was restored and replaced by a new tower. Every weekend or fun festival, tourists or people around come here to be extremely bustling and vibrant.

In addition to the above places, there are still many other great places in Frankfurt that a travel lover cannot ignore such as:

• German Architecture Museum (Address: INTERIM ! Das Originalmuseum ist geschlossen: (am Schaumainkai, Henschelstraße 18, 60314 Frankfurt am Main, Germany/Hours: 12–7PM; Monday: Closed) – The museum displays many designs of high-rise buildings and architecture in general. There is also a small coffee shop. Admission fee for adults €6.00, children €3.00.
• German Film Museum (Address: Schaumainkai 41, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany/Hours: 10AM–6PM; Monday: Closed). The German Film Museum exhibits the art and history of filmmaking. Closed on Monday. Admission fee for adults €4.00, children €1.50.
• Messe Frankfurt is one of the largest exhibition centers in the world, hosting many exhibitions big, small and great.
• Holzhausen Castle in Adolph von Holzhause Park.
• Bethmann Park.
• Forest Playground “Carl-von-Weinberg”
• Forest Louisa Playground.
• Fountain of Myth: Called a “fairytale fountain” with the image of a water goddess, the Fountain of Myth in Innenstadt is a perfect place to rest and feel the old charm of the bustling cosmopolitan city of Frankfurt.

Frankfurt travel guide: What and where to eat?

When traveling to Frankfurt, you definitely cannot ignore the excellent cuisine here. And the KaisserStrasse area is the ideal dining place for you. This is a place where you can find a lot of delicious food and savory drinks. Especially the Turkish and Middle Eastern food.

Especially, every day at 3pm, you can join the outdoor buffet here. A variety of street foods such as: Grilled meat, grilled fish, traditional German sausages, smoked meat, cakes, fruits, specialty dishes… You just need to take the plate, choose the food and pay to have a full meal without having to move much. Remember to order more German beer and fermented famous apple juice Ebbelwei to enjoy.

So when coming to this city, what food should we enjoy? Don’t miss the following list!

Grüne Soße: Green sauce with boiled eggs and boiled potatoes. This special condiment is made from seven different herbs: Borage, cherries, watercress, parsley, salad burnet, sorrel and chives. If you are more sophisticated, you can eat it with chicken or beef breast. This soup has a unique aroma, a rare cool taste.

Frankfurter Würstchen: This is a famous German sausage dish. It is a long sausage made from pork. You can serve it with white bread, mustard and vegetables.

Handkäs mit Musik: Handkäse mit Musik is the name of a traditional cheese in Frankfurt. Handkäse mit Musik is handcrafted by hand and then shaped into squares, round… topped with cheese topped with onion, salt and pepper sauce. Handkäse mit Musik is often used in appetizers, the cheese is light yellow in color, with a slightly pungent taste. Because it is made from yogurt, the dish is high in protein and low in fat, making it a nutritious dish for dieters.

Sauerkraut: Sauerkraut is a familiar dish in the daily meal of the people of Frankfurt. The main ingredients of this dish include roasted pork and sautéed sour cabbage. When eating Sauerkraut, you will see a long combination of sweet and fatty flavors mixed with the mild sourness of marinated cabbage, stimulating the palate.

Bockwurst: Talking about German cuisine, it is impossible not to mention sausages. Of the more than 200 different types of German sausages, Frankfurt’s Bockwurst is the most appreciated. This sausage is made from ground veal and pork, seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika… then smoked with oak wood, extremely fragrant. In addition to be grilled, Bockwurst also combines with bread, pasta… to diversify flavors for visitors to choose from.

Frankfurter Kranz: Aka Frankfurt Crown Cake is a dessert loved by the people of Frankfurt. The cake is soft and fluffy, shaped like a ring, consisting of 3 main horizontal layers: sponge cake, butter cream and strawberry jam. The surface of the cake is covered with krokant seeds, crispy caramel… for decoration, it looks very pretty. It’s quite similar to the birthday cake you get to eat but has a very creamy and delicious butter and cream.

Apfelwein: If Germans are famous for beer, in Frankfurt, people love Apfelwein cider. The sweet and sour taste of apple cider captivates anyone who tastes it. The most famous and delicious cider is served in the Sachsenhausen region.

Frankfurter Rippchen is an all-time favorite dish. The dish consists of pork with mashed potatoes and mustard. Best dish when eaten hot, quite suitable for making a nutritious breakfast.

Rindswurst is another sausage based on beef recipe known since 1894. It is a long tradition of Frankfurt. Not too fussy, you can eat this dish with rye bread and mustard and you can feel its great deliciousness.

Frankfurt travel blog: Shopping

Zeil is the main shopping street in Frankfurt, it is also one of the most bustling shopping streets across Europe. There are many shops such as Galeria Kaufhof or Karstadt, shopping complexes such as Zeilgalerie and many other shops, mostly fashion. In addition, visitors can also buy at Goethestrasse, or buy souvenirs at Bockenheim, or Schillerstrasse.

However, you should also note, the shopping stalls here are usually open from morning to 8PM, only a few large malls close at 10pm and most do not open for sale on Sundays. You should consider choosing the right time to buy goods for yourself as well as souvenirs for friends.

Frankfurt blog:Where to stay?

Surely when it comes to Frankfurt, it is impossible not to mention convenient places to stay here. Let’s take a look at a few places.

If you want to stay in an area close to the center without being too hustle and bustle, Zentrum-Altstadt is an ideal place. It has many ancient buildings and is close to beautiful attractions such as Romerberg square or churches with classical architecture such as St. Bartholomew Cathedral, Paulskirche.

If you want to stay close to the entertainment center, then Bahnhofsviertel is a suitable choice. This place focuses on entertainment facilities, red light district. In addition, Bahnhofsviertel is also quite famous for its large, peaceful green grounds.

An area that is quite suitable if you want to explore the ancient history of Frankfurt is Sachsenhausen . It is known for Museumsufer, a series of riverside museums covering topics as diverse as Jewish art, film, architecture and history. In the Old Quarter there are many lively cider pubs, bars and clubs. You can see many people riding bicycles or rollerblading along the romantic Main River.

Gutleutviertel is a bit more modern than Sachsenhausen. This place also has a lot of restaurants, located along the romantic Main River. You can visit the beautiful glass Westhafen tower here. Besides the ancient gardens, the rows of apartment buildings follow each other closely, making visitors feel the blend of classic and modern very clearly.

Bornheim neighborhood is suitable for those who want to find a peaceful space. This area is located outside the city center, east of Frankfurt. It has interesting cobblestone streets, tree-lined boulevards and maze-like alleys that are quite interesting.

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt ( Agoda , Booking )
• Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer ( Agoda , Booking )
• Hilton Frankfurt City Centre ( Agoda , Booking )
• Adina Apartment Hotel Frankfurt Neue Oper ( Agoda , Booking )
• Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport ( Agoda , Booking )
• Hotel Hamburger Hof ( Agoda , Booking )
• 25hours Hotel The Goldman ( Agoda , Booking )
• Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Center ( Agoda , Booking )
• Roomers ( Agoda , Booking )

Check out more top and best hotels in Frankfurt on Agoda.com or Booking.com

Before you go

However, if you are just a “newcomer” coming to this city for the first time, make a note of a few Frankfurt travel tips below to arrange a suitable itinerary, as well as integrate faster with the its atmosphere!

• Apart from specially planned days, most shops are closed on Sundays in Germany.
• In Germany you don’t need to tip the wait staff much, just pay a small amount to round out the bill. On the other hand, do not leave coins on the table, you can tip the staff when calling to pay.
• The area around the station, including many bars and restaurants, is quite mixed, although security here is much better than in previous years. So, be careful to avoid renting rooms or visiting these places!
• Frankfurt has dedicated bike lanes with a fairly large area, pay attention to them if you are driving on your own beyond tourism.

Considered a global city, Frankfurt is in the top 10 most livable and workable cities. It is also an important center for cultural activities and tourism. The city is a harmonious combination of art, historical sites, magnificent buildings, bustling shopping centers to outdoor entertainment areas. Frankfurt deserves to be the dream tourist city of anyone if coming to Germany.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Frankfurt you can refer to

• Frankfurt Card
• DISCONTINUED Frankfurt Historical Walking Tour
• Frankfurt Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Skyline Tour (Open-Top)
• Rhine Valley Day Tour from Frankfurt
• Frankfurt: River Main Sightseeing Cruise with Commentary
• Frankfurt: Hop-on Hop-off Day Skyline or Express City Tour
• From Frankfurt: Rhine Valley Day Trip
• Frankfurt: Old Town Wonders Exploration Game
• Heidelberg 6-Hour Tour from Frankfurt
• Frankfurt: TimeRide VR Time Travel Experience Ticket
• Frankfurt: Shared or Private Walking Tour
• Frankfurt: 3-Hour Bike Tour
• Frankfurt: Scary Sightseeing Tour with The Hangman
• Frankfurt: Night Pub Crawl through Alt-Sachsenhausen
• Frankfurt: Green Areas Segway Tour with Guide
• Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour: Cathedral, Financial District & More

Read more Germany guide here .

Related articles

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Coron itinerary 5 days — what to do & how to spend 5 days in coron, arashiyama travel blog — the fullest arashiyama travel guide with top things to do in arashiyama, explore fenqihu old street — what to do in fenqihu in a day trip, where to go in kunming — 15+ top kunming attractions & best places to visit in kunming, must eat in melaka — 10+ famous malacca street food & must try food in melaka.

What to do in Alishan? — 5 top attractions & best things to do in Alishan, Taiwan

Hong kong food culture — hong kong cuisine tells the historical story of the whole land.

Melaka food blog — Experience Melaka delicacies, arrived at by Trishaw

Alishan travel blog — The fullest Alishan travel guide for first-timers

Editor picks.

Coron itinerary 5 days — What to do & how to...

Arashiyama travel blog — The fullest Arashiyama travel guide with top...

India trip tips — 9+ things to know before going to...

Popular posts.

What to buy in USA? — 17+ must buy in USA...

Must buy souvenir in Taiwan — Top 17+ most famous, cheap...

Must buy in Korea — Top 23 cheap, famous & best...

Popular category.

• Inspiration + Guide 1456
• Trip Inspiration 468
• Thailand 209
• Food + Drink 207
• Coasts + Islands 193
• South Korea 168
• Vietnam 166
• Travel Photos 144
• Work for Us
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

Is Frankfurt safe to visit? A comprehensive safety guide

Frankfurt is home to the busiest airport in all of Germany as it is the country's business and financial center as well as the headquarters of the German Stock Exchange and the European Central Bank. Aside from business trips, people who come here on vacation often spend time in the many museums by the River Main. Frankfurt is also home to some great landmarks like the Gothic-styled cathedral Dom and the Eiserner Steg . If you have an interest in architecture you might be impressed by the buildings in this city, since it has some of the highest skyscrapers in all of Europe.

On average, over 3.5 million people visit Frankfurt each year, and the Frankfurt am Main area is home to just under 800,000 citizens making it Germany's most populous city. The town sees the highest number of visitors during the summer and fall, mostly between the months of June and October. If you want to visit the city when it is quieter, avoid these months. For example, the winter is also a splendid time to visit since the Christmas markets are set up, providing a sensational activity.

The next time you vacation here, plan to use Bounce luggage storage in Frankfurt . Each storage location is vetted to ensure high standards of quality are reached, and you can drop off any size bag as well. From Römerberg to Museumsufer , travel light and see as much as you can.

Is Frankfurt safe to visit right now?

If you want to join the other millions of people traveling to Frankfurt you'll be glad to hear that Germany is ranked 17th on the 2021 Global Peace Index , meaning that it is generally a very safe country. Currently, in 2023, there is a travel advisory, and foreigners entering Germany are reminded to be cautious. Travel restrictions are set to change with time, so take a look at what your own government suggests before booking your vacation to the German state of Hesse.

On top of that, each city can have petty crimes that can sometimes cause trouble for tourists. In the Frankfurt am Main area you'll have to be aware of pickpockets. Below we list useful Frankfurt safety tips to help you stay at ease while having a marvelous time, but we also recommend reading other safety guides before visiting. Every article will have something useful to offer.

Top petty crimes and scams in Frankfurt affecting tourists

Although some areas in Frankfurt are perfectly safe, it is considered to be one of the most dangerous cities in Germany according to its crime statistics.

Pickpocketing

Pickpockets can be found in basically all of the top tourist destinations, and they are in Frankfurt as well. Just like in other cities, petty theft often occurs on public transport or busy tourist attractions where there are lots of people. Because of this, we recommend you be extra aware of your surroundings and your belongings if you're spending time in the main train station or if you're sightseeing at a particularly popular spot.

The items you need to bring with you, like your wallet or smartphone, are safest deep inside your bag. If you need easy access to your funds, consider using a money belt. Be aware that some thieves can snatch things directly from your pants pocket.

Scammers aren't particularly common in Frankfurt but they do exist, and if you enjoy traveling a lot you might encounter them in other cities too. Particularly in Frankfurt, be aware of fake police officers who can be identified by strange behavior, like asking to check your money. You should also be wary of taxi drivers who may try to overcharge visitors unfamiliar with the city.

Is Frankfurt safe to visit alone

Lots of people travel to Frankfurt on their own for business and it is a safe city for solo travelers. You won't be at risk of any major crimes.

Since Germany is in 25th place on the Bounce Women Travel Safety Index , females exploring this city on their own are safe as well. It is a wonderful place to test out solo travel, just be aware when walking alone and at night.

Safest neighborhoods in Frankfurt

Frankfurt has lots of incredible neighborhoods to explore, below are a few of the safest neighborhoods to visit.

Innenstadt is the downtown of Frankfurt and, since it is located in the heart of the city, it has access to almost anywhere. It is pretty safe, too, and a fabulous locale for international restaurants and trendy bars.

This quiet and secure neighborhood is perfect for families, with the Frankfurt Zoo as well as the Schwedlersee found here. Admire interesting buildings with architecture from different eras.

With plenty of chic hangout spots, this laid-back neighborhood is a great place to visit. Frankfurt is an expensive city, but this area is a bit more affordable compared to other districts.

Is Frankfurt public transportation safe?

As a main hub for business, Frankfurt am Main sees lots of people from around the world. Both locals and visitors will want to see Old town and more, and the public transport system does a good job of getting you from one place to another. There are also a fair amount of taxi drivers.

In Frankfurt, there are two types of trains; the aboveground railway, or S-Bahn, and the underground subway, or U-Bahn. Both are relatively efficient and said to be safe as well, but we do recommend that you remain aware late in the evening. If you're by yourself, ride in a car that has other people so that you aren't alone.

Emergency numbers in Frankfurt

If you're ever in a situation where you don't feel safe there are resources to contact for help. We recommend keeping a list of these emergency numbers in your wallet or on your phone during your trip, as well as a note with your embassy number.

• Emergencies: 112
• German Red Cross: 069 719 1910
• Samaritans English-Language Support Line: 0800 181 0721
• Police Advice and Information: 069 7550

Visiting Frankfurt safely

When it comes to exploring a new place, your safety should matter the most. Frankfurt can absolutely be a destination to be enjoyed without worry. Before you book your plane tickets to the Frankfurt am Main airport, make the most of the preplanning excitement by doing your research and making a fun filled itinerary.

Explore the world

Love discounts and traveling?

Sign up for our newsletter to get insider travel tips and a 10% discount delivered straight to your inbox.

No spam here, just the good stuff.

Get the Bounce app

Instantly find locations nearby to drop off your luggage wherever you go.

How to Plan a Trip to Germany (Your Step by Step Germany Trip Planner for Traveling to Germany for the First Time!)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my  disclaimer policy.

You’ve decided to visit Germany. Hooray! Whether you’re looking for bustling cities, sandy beaches, alpine hiking, intriguing history, fairytale castles, delicious food, fun festivals or friendly people, Germany is the perfect European vacation destination.

Not only is there a tremendous amount to do, see, eat, and experience in Germany, you can easily combine a visit to Germany with other European destinations. Germany is easy to get around in by train, bus, car or bike, and many people speak English.

You’re probably wondering…where do I even begin with planning my dream-come-true vacation to beautiful Deutschland? 

Where should I go? Is it better to take the train or rent a car? What are the must-see cities and attractions? Which ones should I skip? Where’s the best place to stay? What should I eat and drink?

Join our FREE Germany Trip Planning Facebook Group!

Don’t worry! We’re here to help you narrow down your travel options, plan your itinerary , and book your trip with ease. It’s actually quite easy to plan a trip to Germany by yourself with the information in this article, on this site and with some help of some online booking engines.

To reduce overwhelm and help you plan your ideal vacation, we cover everything you need to know to get started planning your trip to Germany . And if you have any questions, you’re welcome to ask us in our free Germany travel Facebook community or send us  an email . 

Ok, let’s begin!

• 1 Meet Your Germany Travel Guides
• 2 Overview of Regions
• 3 Where to Go in Germany: Itineraries and Planning
• 4 Want more itinerary ideas? Are you a big city person? Check out… 
• 5 Prefer smaller historic, picturesque cities? Check out…
• 6 What about cute little villages with “Fachwerk” (half-timber) architecture? There are so many! Here are a few ideas…
• 7 Looking forward to visiting fairytale castles?
• 8 Like islands and water? Take a look at…
• 9 What about nature, hiking, and national parks? Consider…
• 10 Passports & Visas
• 11 What’s the Best Time to Go to Germany?
• 12 Germany Booking Timeline
• 13 What’s the Weather in Germany Like?
• 14 What Time is it in Germany Right Now?
• 15 What’s the Best Way to Get to Germany?
• 16 Where to Stay in Germany
• 17 Getting Around Germany
• 18 What to Wear in Germany
• 19 My Absolute Favorite Travel Clothing Items
• 20 What to Eat in Germany

Meet Your Germany Travel Guides

Hi, we’re Cate and Aaron, and we love helping people plan amazing trips to Germany. While Aaron has visited Germany several times (and is our chief rental car driver!), I lived there for 4+ years, have spent nearly 30 years of my life going back and forth between the US and Germany, and have traveled to all corners of the country.

I also taught German for several years and have a PhD in German Applied Linguistics, which means I’ve gotten to know Germany from several different angles. We’re so excited to help you plan your dream trip to Deutschland! 

Overview of Regions

Northern Germany  – Hamburg is the largest city in this region but there are other must-visit smaller cities like Lübeck , Stade, Bremen, and Lüneburg. Northern Germany also has the beautiful beaches of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, the Wadden Sea national park, and the islands of Sylt, Flör, and Heligoland. Northern Germany is flat and great for biking. It looks so different from Bavaria! Combine a trip to Denmark with a visit to northern Germany.

Eastern Germany  –  Berlin is of course the feature city in this region, but Dresden, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Quedlinburg, Bautzen, Erfurt, and Weimar are smaller must-see cities. There’s also the Harz mountains, Swiss Saxony national park , Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes in Thuringia, Wernigerode castle, the Schwerin Palace, and Sansouci in Potsdam. Combine a trip to eastern Germany with a visit to Poland or the Czech Republic.

Central Germany  – This region offers bustling cities like Cologne , Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt , smaller cities like Aachen, Wiesbaden, Koblenz, and plenty of cute villages. There’s also the Rhine and Mosel river areas, vineyards, the Eifel national park, castles , and beautiful rolling hills. Combine a visit to central Germany with a trip to the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, or France.

Black Forest/Baden-Württemberg  –  Stuttgart is the largest city in this region, and smaller cities like Baden-Baden, Heidelberg, Freiburg , Tübingen, and Ulm also warrant a visit. Vineyards and wineries, spa towns, castles (such as Hohenzollern or Lichtenstein ), waterfalls, Lake Constance, cute villages, and hiking are also features of the Black Forest /Baden-Württemberg region. Combine a trip to France or Switzerland with a visit to southwestern Germany.

Bavaria/Alps  – Munich is the feature city of Bavaria ( Oktoberfest! ), along with smaller cities like Regensburg, Nuremberg, Würtzburg, Bamberg, and Passau. There’s also the famous Zugspitze, Eagle’s Nest, Neuschwanstein castle , and Chiemsee lake, as well as lovely alpine towns like Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden . Combine a trip to Bavaria with a visit to Austria, Czech Republic or Switzerland.

Click here for what to do in Munich!

Where to Go in Germany: Itineraries and Planning

There’s so much to see and do in Germany! Here’s some info to get you started on your itinerary (you can also check out this article with 10-14 day itinerary ideas ). 

If you have just a few days,  I recommend focusing on one city and a day trip (e.g., Hamburg with a day trip to Lübeck or Munich with a day trip to Neuschwanstein ).

If you have a week,  you could visit 2 cities (plus 2 day trips) in different parts of Germany and allot one day for travel between cities (e.g., a few days in Munich with a day trip to Chiemsee, travel day to Berlin, then a few days in Berlin with a day trip to Potsdam). Or you could spend a week touring one region of Germany (e.g. the Black Forest or the Rhine and Mosel areas).

If you have two weeks,  you can see a lot of Germany! You could, for example, start in Berlin, then visit Hamburg, take a day trip to Lübeck , then visit the Rhein river area, stop in the Black Forest , and end your trip in Munich. You could easily do this trip via train or car. Take a look at a couple 10-14 day itineraries we’ve outlined to give you a sense of how much you can do in that amount of time.

Grab our FREE Germany Trip Planning Checklist Now!

How long does it take to travel around Germany by train? 

It’s quick and easy to travel around Germany by train. Here are some sample travel times to give you an idea: 

• Berlin to Hamburg – 1 hour 45 minutes 
• Berlin to Munich – 4 – 4 1/2 hours
• Hamburg to Lübeck – 1 hour 
• Hamburg to Cologne – 4 hours 
• Hamburg to Munich – 5 hours 40 minutes 
• Frankfurt to Nuremberg – 2 hours 
• Stuttgart to Munich – 2 1/4 hours 
• Munich to Berchtesgaden – 2 hours 

I use and recommend the official German rail system website to check travel times and book train tickets (point-to-point, saver tickets, and discounted regional tickets). I book all of our train tickets here!

Want more itinerary ideas? Are you a big city person? Check out… 

• Cologne / Düsseldorf

Prefer smaller historic, picturesque cities? Check out…

• Lübeck
• Würtzburg
• Tübingen

What about cute little villages with “Fachwerk” (half-timber) architecture? There are so many! Here are a few ideas…

• Wernigerode
• Quedlinburg
• Dinkelsbühl
• Rothenburg Ob der Tauber
• Berchtesgaden

Looking forward to visiting fairytale castles?

• Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau (the “Disney castle”)
• Castles near Frankfurt
• Castles near Cologne
• 16 castles to visit in Germany

Like islands and water? Take a look at…

• Husum (North Sea)
• Timmendorferstrand (Baltic Sea)
• Lake Constance (Bodensee)
• Titisee 

What about nature, hiking, and national parks? Consider…

• Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park
• Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park 
• Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park
• Jasmund National Park
• Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park
• Müritz National Park
• Lower Oder Valley National Park
• Harz National Park
• Kellerwald-Edersee National Park
• Hainich National Park
• Eifel National Park
• Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park
• Saxon Switzerland National Park
• Bavarian Forest National Park
• Berchtesgaden National Park
• Black Forest National Park

How about a road trip? Why not drive the…

• German Timber-frame Road (northern to southern Germany)
• Romantic Road (Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, north/south)
• Castle Road (Bavaria to Baden-Württemberg, east/west)
• Wine Road (Palatinate wine region, north/south)
• Fairytale Route (from Hanau to Bremen, south/north)
• Black Forest High Road (Baden-Württemberg, north/south)
• Alpine Route (Baden-Württemberg to Bavaria, east/west)
• Volcanic Route (Rhein River and Eifel mountains, north/south)

Passports & Visas

If you’re from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries, you do not need a visa to enter Germany (at the time of publishing this article). You do, however, need a valid passport with at least 3 months validity AFTER your planned departure date.

Play it safe and have MORE than 6 months validity on entrance to Germany! You also need at least 2 blank passport pages at the time of your arrival. Check your passport NOW so you have plenty of time to renew it if needed. Do not wait until the last minute to do this (been there, done that – it’s expensive and stressful)!

Germany is part of the Schengen zone, which means you can stay in Germany for up to 90 days without a visa. If you visit other countries in the Schengen zone before or after Germany, that counts towards your 90 days and reduces the amount of time you can spend in Germany. While on the automatic 90-day tourist visa you may not work but you can engage in business.

What’s the Best Time to Go to Germany?

The best time to visit Germany is whenever you can get there! No, seriously! There’s no best time of year for your  Deutschland   tour because there’s no bad time of year to visit. I’ve traveled all over Germany in spring, summer, fall, and winter and enjoyed every single season (Cate here, writing this article, by the way).

When should  you  travel to Germany? Well, it just depends on what you’re looking for…

Summer  is when you’re most likely to have warm (even hot) sunny weather. But it’s not guaranteed. I’ve had hot steamy summers in Germany (like last summer when we traveled during a heat wave), cold rainy summers, and everything in-between.

Fortunately, even if you encounter rain in the summer it likely won’t last more than a few hours or at most a couple days before you’ll see the sun again. The benefit of summer travel is that you’ll have nice long days for sight-seeing because the sun doesn’t fully set until about 10pm. If you’re interested in beaches or mountains, summer is a great time of year to visit.

Note, however, that not all hotels, cars, and restaurants use A/C. If you really hate hot weather, play it safe and avoid Germany in the middle of the summer. (Although, to be honest, in all of the summers I’ve spent in Germany, there have only been a few days in the summer that I’ve found truly unbearable without A/C.) If you  must  have A/C, be sure to confirm that your room or rental car has it.

Summer can also be a more crowded time to travel, since so many families make use of summer break. Book accommodation early for the most options and best prices!

Winter  travel in Germany can be cold but beautiful. One of my favorite times of year to travel in Germany is during the four weeks of advent at Christmas.

Yes, it gets dark early (by 5pm or a bit earlier) but the lights, decorations, and Christmas markets more than make up for it. Plus, you can go skiing and enjoy other winter activities.

I was just in Germany for a couple weeks in December and the weather was perfectly fine 90% of the time. There was only one day where the weather was truly miserable and even on that day there were enough breaks in the weather to enjoy my day trip exploring a new town and a new Christmas market. 

Germans don’t let winter keep them from enjoying outdoor activities, hiking to strolling through a Christmas market or enjoying a coffee at an outdoor cafe. Don’t let it stop you, either! Just bundle up, grab a mug of Glühwein, and you’ll be fine!

Fall and spring  are also great times to visit Germany. In the fall you’ll enjoy crisp mornings and cool evenings and seeing the leaves change color.

In the spring you’ll experience the joy everyone feels when they can once again sit outside at cafes and restaurants. The weather can vary quite a bit day to day but if you travel late in the fall or early in the spring you can score great deals and will find smaller crowds.

Germany Booking Timeline

I’ve booked flights, accommodations , and tours and tickets a few weeks before my arrival, and I’ve booked them several months in advance. Book early if you:

• Are traveling during peak summer, Christmas market or ski season
• Have very specific travel dates or lodging, transportation, sight-seeing needs
• Are visiting big cities
• Are on a tight budget
• Are visiting during a special event, such as Oktoberfest 

I usually start looking at my options as early as possible so I can figure out what a good deal looks like for my travel dates. I then set up flight alerts and start earmarking AirBnB’s and hotels. I begin booking whenever I find something that meets my needs and fits my budget. 

Here’s a general booking timeline to get you started:

6-12 months in advance:

• Research and book your international flights
• Research travel insurance
• Plan your travel itinerary and dates
• Research and book flights within Germany or Europe
• Research travel options within Germany (rental car, train bus, etc)
• Research accommodation options (book if you find great deals or if availability is limited)
• Make sure your passport is up-to-date (you need at least 6 months left on it when you enter Germany) and apply for a new one if it isn’t

3 – 6 months in advance:

• Book accommodation
• Book trains or busses (usually 90 before your travel dates is the earliest you can book but always check if you can book earlier – the best deals go fast)
• Book rental car
• Book tours, events, and tickets
• Book travel insurance 
• Review your travel wardrobe and gear and purchase the items you need  

1 month in advance:

• Book any remaining attractions and tours
• Book airport transfers or plan how you will get to your lodging
• Purchase a sim card for phone or check how you can use your current phone service in Germany (e.g., I can use my Verizon phone service for a $10/ a day fee)

1 week in advance: 

• Print out or ensure that you can easily access all bookings, tickets, and travel info on your phone (make sure you can access everything without data or wifi!)

1 day in advance:

What’s the Weather in Germany Like?

What will the weather be like when you visit Germany? Well, it depends on the time of year and where you are. Weather in Germany can be somewhat unpredictable no matter the time of year.

I recommend being prepared by wearing layers, packing an umbrella or rain jacket, and remembering that the weather will likely change soon. And, as I said earlier, don’t let any kind of weather stop you from enjoying Germany! 

Summer.  Germany comes alive in the summer with everyone and their dog (literally, there are dogs everywhere) outside enjoying the nice weather. Average high in the summer is 80F.  

Be warned…it can rain in the summer but it doesn’t usually last that long. It can also be super hot in the summer…but again, scorching temperatures doesn’t usually last that long.

Fall.  Such a beautiful time of year in Germany with the leaves changing colors and cool, crips mornings and evenings and warm days. One of my favorite times of year in Germany! In September, the average high is 67F and by November it’s around 47F.

Winter.  Bring your scarf, hat, and mittens because German winters can get cold! Average temps hover around freezing with warmer days in the 40s/50sF. While it can snow anywhere in Germany, you’ll find the most snow in southern Germany. Winter weather doesn’t mean everyone hides inside, though. On the contrary! Do what the Germans do – bundle up and enjoy the outdoors.

Spring.  I love being in Germany on the first spring day because  everyone  heads outside to enjoy the sun and everyone is in such a good mood! Early spring will see a high around 47F but by late spring it’s more like 67F.

What Time is it in Germany Right Now?

Germany is in the Central European Time zone (CET) or UTC+2. It’s 6 hours ahead of the US EST, 7 hours ahead of CST, 8 hours ahead of MST, and 9 hours ahead of PST.

Daylight savings in Germany in 2020: time “falls back” on October 25 and “springs forward” on March 29. Write these dates in your calendar so you don’t accidentally miss any flights or trains (been there, done that)!

What’s the Best Way to Get to Germany?

It depends on where you’re coming from and where you’re going.  When flying from outside Europe, many people fly into Frankfurt (FRA), the largest airport in Germany and one of the largest and busiest airports in Europe.

The benefit of flying into Frankfurt is that it has a ton of direct flights, and once you reach Germany you can easily take a commuter flight, train, bus or rental car to your final destination.

The downside? The airport is huge, busy, and I’ve noticed prices into Frankfurt have been higher than regional airports in Germany.

I used to  always  fly into Frankfurt , and then take a train, bus or rental car to my final destination. But recently? I’ve found that it’s easier (and sometimes cheaper) to bypass FRA and fly into other German cities, such as Munich , Hamburg , Berlin , Düsseldorf ( Cologne ) or Stuttgart .

You might even be able to find a direct flight from the US (I’ve flown direct Atlanta – Stuttgart and Washington DC – Munich, for example). Otherwise, you’ll change planes somewhere in Europe and take an easy 1-3 hour flight to Germany. We’ve changed planes in London, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Paris, and Vienna, for example. You could also fly into another European city and then take a train, bus or rental car into Germany.  

A Few Notes About Flying Into FRA (Frankfurt Airport) and Traveling Onwards

If you take a commuter flight from Frankfurt  (FRA) to your final destination in Germany, you’ll go through passport control in FRA and then to your connecting gate. Super easy. Most flights from FRA to elsewhere in Germany are an hour or less in duration.

If you’re traveling onward by train from Frankfurt,  you can transfer to the train right at the airport below Terminal 1. If your train leaves from the main station in Frankfurt, you can either take the S-bahn or a regional train from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof (main station) in about 10-15 minutes.  

Important:  you’ll find cheap “savings fare” train ticket prices if you book your ticket online well ahead of your arrival. Be sure to book your ticket for  at least  a few hours after your flight’s arrival time into FRA.

Be warned: getting through passport control, customs, picking up your checked luggage, and making your way to the train station can take longer than you think. And if your plane from the US (or elsewhere) is delayed…well, it’s easy to miss your train and have to buy a new, much more expensive ticket on the spot. Personally, I would book a saver fare train ticket for a train that leaves 3-5 hours after my international flight’s arrival time – at the minimum. And that’s still cutting it close if there’s any kind of delay!

Tip: If you want maximum flexibility and peace of mind, buy a “flex ticket.” You’ll pay more but these tickets aren’t tied to a specific train. So if your flight is five hours late, you can take a train later in the day without changing your ticket or losing money.

These tickets also you to stop somewhere en route to your final destination for a couple hours, and then get back on a different train (e.g., stop in Stuttgart for a couple hours on your way to Munich). So if you arrive on time, you can work in a short excursion on the way to your final destination (store your luggage at a locker in the train station). If your flight is late, just go directly to your destination. These tickets are also refundable before the first day of travel.

For ultimate flexibility and peace of mind, spend the night in or around Frankfurt and book a saver fare train for early the next morning. 

You can also easily pick up a rental car at FRA  and drive to your final destination. Aaron and I have done this a few times and never had any problems.

The one problem we do have? Staying awake long enough to drive to our destination! We usually keep the driving distance to an hour or two on the day of our arrival and drink a lot of coffee. Sometimes we pull over at rest area and take a nap. 

If you want to rent a car at the airport and are concerned about driving while jet lagged, consider picking up the car and then spending the night in nearby town, such as Wiesbaden (I spent an enjoyable few days there before catching my flight home a few years ago). 

If you’re catching a bus  from the city center to travel onwards, S-bahn 8 or 9 will zip you into town quickly and cheaply in about 10-15 minutes. Buy tickets at any of the ticket machines before you board the S-bahn.  

You can also catch busses  into Frankfurt and elsewhere in front of Terminal 1 (arrivals level) and Terminal 2 (level 2).

You’ll find taxis  in the same general area. It takes about 20 minutes to get into downtown Frankfurt by taxi.

Flying to Germany from Elsewhere in Europe

These days it’s super easy and generally inexpensive to fly to Germany from all over Europe. Here are a couple tips:

When booking your international flight, you might be able to include a stop-over in the city where you’ll transfer to your Germany flight. I used to do stopovers in London, and a couple years ago I did an awesome stopover in Iceland. TAP also offers free stopovers in Lisbon or Porto.   

I highly recommend looking into both flying and taking a train (or bus) into Germany, especially if you’re arriving from a neighboring country and not on a stopover. Of course, if you’re flying from cities like London, Barcelona, Rome or Oslo, flying is the best option. But if you’re traveling from Paris, Vienna, Copenhagen or Prague, for example, a train might be the better way to go.

Even if the actual flight is only an hour, you have to factor in the time it takes to travel to the airport, go through security, potential flight delays, and then traveling to your lodging once you land. A 5- or 6-hour train ride might actually take less time than a 1-hour flight when you total it all up!

Traveling to Germany By Train, Bus or Car

Traveling to Germany from other European countries by train, bus or car is easy. Train travel is generally simple, comfortable, and quick. Most train stations in Germany are located in the city center, so it’s easy to get to your lodging via taxi or public transportation. 

If renting a car in another country, just double check that you’re authorized to take the car out of the rental country. If you are, you’ll have no problems crossing the boarder and driving around Germany. 

Busses tend to cost less than trains, and you can find some amazing deals, but to be honest, I still prefer taking trains over busses. Trains are more comfortable, you can get up and walk around, and they’re almost always faster than busses. Plus, they don’t get stuck in traffic.

Tips for Booking the Best Flights with Cash or Miles: 

• Start looking for flights early,  especially if you’re traveling during peak season. I booked our mid-June flights in late January. While we found low mileage flights for very specific weekend travel dates, we could have found better flight times had we booked even earlier. 
• Track flights  through google or look at options in Hopper so you’ll know a good deal when you see one.  
• Look for last-minute deals.  When I decided to go to Germany in December I didn’t start looking for flights until early November (the trip was a last-minute decision). Because I was flexible on travel dates and went early in the month, I found excellent tickets using miles. This doesn’t always happen, but it never hurts to look for deals, even if your travel dates are right around the corner. 
• Fly in or out of smaller regional airports  (e.g., Berlin , Hamburg , Stuttgart , Munich , Düsseldorf). When I booked our flights for mid-June I couldn’t find anything into Frankfurt using miles. But I did find flights into Berlin and out of Stuttgart, and that actually worked even better for that trip ! For my recent December trip , I found that flying in and out of Stuttgart used the lowest amount of miles and had the best schedule. I’ve also flown into Hamburg and Munich airports.

Where to Stay in Germany

Germany has so many options for lodging:

• Vacation rentals (e.g., VBRO, AirBnB)
• Hip boutique hotels
• Quirky hostels
• More traditional HI hostels
• Large hotel chains
• American-styles hotels (Hilton, Marriott, etc)
• Family-run Pensionen (bed and breakfast)
• Camping (RV and tent)

When we’re in Germany we typically opt for AirBnB (I like having a kitchen to make breakfast) or a smaller family-run Pension or boutique hotel. We used to stay in hostels when we was younger (they’re pretty nice in Germany) but even then I found Pensionen to be very affordable – sometimes  more  affordable than hostels – especially when traveling with one or two other people. If we’re spending the night near an airport or train station and want convenience and ease we’ll stay at a larger chain hotel .

Whether you’re looking for luxury or budget accommodations, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in Germany! To help you get started, check out our Germany hotel guides.

Breakfast  is often included with lodging in Germany (but not always). Sometimes breakfast will feature fresh bread or Brötchen (delicious German rolls), cold cuts and cheese, butter and jam, and tea and coffee. Other times there will be an extensive breakfast buffet that includes things like yogurt, museli, a variety of breads, meats, cheeses, and even hard-boiled eggs. You’re unlikely to find things like omelets, bacon, pancakes, waffles, and hot oatmeal.

If you’re looking to save money on lodging,  book rooms with a shared bathroom. (This is typically only an option in smaller or older hotels and not an option I come across as often anymore.) Sometimes that will mean sharing a full bathroom with other guests on your floor, and other times you’ll have a sink and/or shower in your room and will share a toilet located in the hallway. Shared bathrooms are more common in smaller Pensionen than in hotels.

These days I prefer the convenience of having a full bathroom in my room but I’m not averse to sharing a hall bathroom when needed (takes me back to my younger backpacking days – ha!). I’ve never had to wait to use a shared bathroom or had any trouble with them. Sometimes there are two or more bathrooms per floor. If you do opt for a shared bathroom, bring flip-flops!

Hostels can be a great option for families,  as many offer family rooms. Hostels typically offer a simple breakfast and sometimes dinner. While accommodations are simple, some hostels can be in spectacular locations. The hostel in Bacharach, for example, is in an old castle on a hill and offers a gorgeous view of the town below and the Rhine river!  

Getting Around Germany

One of the benefits of traveling in Germany is that it’s super easy to get around the entire country. You have so many transportation options.

You can rent a car and drive from place to place. Or you can stick to trains and busses. Or ride a bike – there are tons of bike paths throughout Germany.   

If I’m primarily visiting big cities I prefer taking the train or a bus to get from one city to another. When I spend more time in smaller cities or want to take day trips to harder to reach places, I prefer having a car.

For our recent summer trip to Germany, we rented a car at the Berlin airport and returned it to the Stuttgart airport. We didn’t take trains or busses at all. We got a car so we could go to places that aren’t as easily (or quickly) accessible by train. We didn’t use the car every day, though. We walked and used public transportation when exploring cities.    

Speaking of public transportation, Germany’s is one of the best! It’s super easy to get everywhere you want to go via the S-bahn (above ground metro), U-bahn (underground metro), Strassenbahn (street car), and city bus. Taxis (and Uber/Lyft, where available) are also convenient options, though more expensive than public transport.

There are also car-share programs that you can look into. I haven’t used any of them and don’t know how convenient they are for travelers but it doesn’t hurt to check them out.

German cities are very walkable, so it’s easy to get around by foot. And, if you’d like to bike around like a local, there are lots of places to rent bikes (or scooters!) around town or maybe even at your hotel or AirBnB. If you’re more interested in just one afternoon of biking, try a city bike tour!

A few transportation tips:

• For the best train ticket prices book your ticket via the official German rail system website in well in advance. I book all of our tickets there. Note: if you pre-purchase your ticket at the lowest price you have to take the specific train you booked. If you miss that train, you have to buy another ticket. 
• If you don’t mind taking slower regional trains you can get some really cheap tickets and regional day tickets. You may not want to use these tickets to go from Munich to Hamburg, but they’re great for day trips, whether traveling solo or with others.
• Busses are often less expensive than the train (though not quite as comfortable and often slower).
• There are Eurail options for Germany, and they’re a great choice if you value flexibility and ease or if you want to make stops while traveling (eg., stop in Cologne for a couple hours while traveling from Hamburg to Munich).
• If you plan to rely on public transportation in the cities you visit, buy a day pass (or perhaps a multi-day or week pass) rather than individual tickets. Also check to see if there are group day tickets or if young kids can ride free. Note: there’s often a small additional fee to bring a bike or a large amount of luggage on public transportation. There are often less expensive day passes for travel starting after 9am. 

What to Wear in Germany

Check out my packing list for Germany!

Layer, layer, layer!  The weather in Germany is often unpredictable so your best bet is to bring layers so you can customize your wardrobe on the fly. Since rain is a possibility any time of year, you may want to bring a light rain jacket or an umbrella.

Bring comfortable shoes.  You’ll no doubt walk all day long (often on cobblestone), so bring your most comfortable, supportive shoes. Be sure to break in your shoes  before  you travel. There’s nothing worse than realizing a day into your trip that your shoes pinch your toes or give you huge blisters. (Bring along moleskin, just in case. I always have  this kind  in my day bag!) I typically bring a good pair of walking shoes appropriate for the season (e.g., boots in the winter) and a nicer pair of flats (sandals in the summer).

You can wear jeans.  Some people say  never travel with jeans  but I’m not one of those people. I love traveling with jeans! They’re comfortable, I can wear them a few times without having to wash them, and I feel less like a tourist wearing them because everyone wears them. If you like jeans, wear jeans.

Scarf, hat, gloves.  If you’re traveling in the winter or even late fall or early spring, definitely bring a warm scarf, hat, and gloves or mittens. Or buy them in Germany and take them home as a souvenir! Almost all of my winter accessories are from Germany. Even if you’re not traveling in colder weather, I recommend a  travel scarf with a hidden pocket  for ease and security.

You can wear shorts in the summer.  Shorts are more popular in Germany than they used to be, so if you like them and are comfortable in them, wear them. That said, do also bring summer dresses or skirts and or lightweight pants to wear when shorts are too informal.

Bring a comfortable day bag or purse.  When you’re out and about all day you want a comfortable bag or purse to hold your travel essentials – wallet, phone, camera, ipad/kindle/book, umbrella, journal, etc. For peace of mind, you may even want one with special security features.  Click here to read my guide for buying the best travel purse.

My Absolute Favorite Travel Clothing Items

Merino wool camisole/tank  – These camisoles are the BEST for travel! They’re soft, comfortable, easy to hand wash, and they never stink. This might be TMI but a few years ago, when I was traveling solo around Europe, I wore the same merino wool tank each day for 14 days in warm spring weather. It never smelled bad! Since that experiment I don’t typically go that long without washing my tanks, but I like knowing that I could!  Click here to read more reviews and buy a merino wool camisole/tank.

Foldable flats  – I splurged on a pair of foldable leather flats a few years ago, and after I broke them in I started really liking them. I wouldn’t recommend them for a full day of walking (especially on cobblestones) but I like to bring my foldable flats along for a change of pace or when I want the option of wearing a cute pair of shoes but don’t want them to take up much space in my suitcase.

Merino wool shoes  – I bought a pair of dark grey merino wool walking/tennis shoes a couple years ago and I LOVE them! I can wear them barefoot in the summer, and not only do my feet stay relatively cool, my shoes don’t stink when I take them off at the end of the day. I can throw them in the wash if they get dirty (though mine still look great 2 years later), they pack flat and don’t take up much space in my suitcase or travel backpack, and the heel is thick and cushioned. You can also buy replacement merino wool insoles without having to buy a new pair of shoes.

What I don’t like: the pair I have doesn’t have enough arch support for me and there’s not enough padding under the ball of my foot. The first few times I wore them they were uncomfortable after walking all day and I was super disappointed! But after adding an arch support and a gel insert under the ball of my foot (I like  this one ) I loved them and now wear them all the time while traveling and at home. Many people love them from the start!  Click here to to read reviews and check out merino wool shoes.   

What to Eat in Germany

You’ll never go hungry while traveling in Germany! While you can always find traditional items like Schnitzel, Spätzle, Rouladen, and Bratwurst, there are plenty of healthier options, including those that are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.

Many restaurants now cater to special diets and accommodate allergies, as do some specialty grocery stores. Aaron has a meat allergy and frequently eats gluten-free and has never had a problem finding delicious food in Germany.

These days Germany has a wide variety of restaurants to ft all budgets featuring cuisine from all over the world (except Mexican…I’ve yet to find good tacos in Germany). So you won’t be stuck eating Schnitzel every day – unless you want to!

We usually eat breakfast at our AirBnB or hotel, enjoy a nice lunch at a restaurant we’ve stumbled upon, and then grab a Döner, salad or pizza for dinner. We also often picnic using ingredients from the bakery and grocery store or farmer’s market.

Traditional German dishes to try:   Schnitzel, Spätzle, Rouladen, Bratwurst, Sauerbraten, Schweinehaxen, Maultaschen, Currywurst, Leberkäse, Flammkuchen, Sauerkruat, Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Quark, all kinds of German breads.

Quick lunches and snacks on the go:  Döner, Falafel, Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes), Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), Bratwurst, Currywurst, salads, Brötchen filled with meat and/or cheese, fresh pretzels, pastries, cakes. Click here to see the best German street food!

Desserts & sweet treats:  Schwarzwälderkirchtorte (Black Forest Cake), Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake), cheesecake, Stollen, Frankfurter Kranz, cake, Donauwellen cake, Berliner, Lebkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen (plum cake), all kinds of pastries and chocolate – just to name a few! Click here to see the 10 must-try German desserts and sweets.

Beer:  every kind you could ever imagine! I usually just ask for the local beer unless there’s a specific one I know I want to try.

Christmas: This is the best time of year to be in Germany, partly because of the many delicious holiday treats like Lebkuchen, Stollen, Glühwein, and so much more. Click here to read more about what to eat in Germany during the Christmas season.

Want to try German food now? Click here to see where to buy delicious German food online!

Got a question about traveling in Germany? Join our free Germany trip planning community or  send us an email!

Cate has been traveling to Germany for 30+ years. She has lived in Germany, taught college German, and has a PhD in German Applied Linguistics. She loves helping travelers plan their dream trips to Germany!

Similar Posts

How to Tour the 23+ Best Castles in Germany in 2024

Best Things To Do And See In Cochem, Germany

Best Castles To Visit Near Frankfurt, Germany

Tips for Visiting Hamburg for the First Time

What to Do In Berchtesgaden, Germany (Including Eagle’s Nest And Surrounding Area)

Best German Translator Apps for English Speakers

Here’s how we can help you plan your perfect trip in 2024.

GERMANY TRAVEL PLANNER:  Just getting started? Have questions about Germany’s confusing train tickets or how to find the best guided tours? Not sure which parts of Germany should be in your itinerary (and what to leave out)? Our  Germany Travel Planner  answers those questions and more via how-to videos, our interactive Germany Planning Map, City Cheatsheets, and MUCH more. Click here to unlock the best of Germany the easy way!

GERMANY TRAVEL CONSULT:  Feeling overwhelmed? Itinerary just not coming together? Wonder if a few tweaks would take your trip to the next level? Book a Mini or Full consult with Cate! She’ll help you create or tweak your itinerary, recommend train tickets/passes, hotels, things to do, guided tours, show you how to buy train tickets, orient you to specific cities, help you plan out day trips, and answer your Germany travel questions.

ACCOMMODATIONS:  We recommend using  Booking.com  since they have widest range of accommodations available from hostels, boutique hotels, luxury chains, aparthotels, at the best prices. Check out our  accommodation guides  for specific recommended hotels.

WHAT TO PACK: If you’re bringing your phone, be sure to bring this plug adapter , this power bank , and this wrist strap . They’ve been lifesavers for us! You can see our other packing essentials here and here .

TICKETS & TOURS:  For guided tours, day trips, private tours, and skip-the-line tickets,  Get Your Guide  is our go-to!

TRAINS & BUSES:  To research train schedules and buy tickets or a Germany Rail Pass, we recommend the official  Deutsche Bahn (German Rail System)  website (and download their DB Navigator app). For buses, look at  FlixBus  , which offers tickets for routes within Germany and to other European countries. FlixBus is often cheaper than trains but can take longer.

69 Comments

I enjoyed reading this information. My husband and I would like to stay in Germany for 2 to 3 months in 2022. I am interested in staying in the area of Bamberg with the plan of visiting other regions in Germany via a rental car. Either at the end or beginning of our stay we would like to visit France (especially Paris). I have so many questions. But our hope is to have basically our last trip on our own and experience more of the everyday lifestyle. Up to this point we have only traveled via being guest of Viking River Cruise and tours.

Hi Donna! 2-3 months in Germany sounds awesome! Since you’ll be there so long, you might want to consider spending 1 month in 3 different regions or 1.5 months in 2 regions. Otherwise you’ll be doing a lot of overnight or multi-night trips if you want to see other regions. Are you thinking about renting an AirBnB? If you want to experience the everyday lifestyle, I highly recommend it. Feel free to email me if you have questions as you start planning. 🙂

Hi! Thank you for this awesome post. It’s very useful. I wanted to ask you a question. I’m planning to travel to Germany as soon as the pandemic starts to be less dangerous. I want to go to Germany for 2 months, how many cities do you think is possible to visit? And also how much money do you think is possible to use everyday for food if my budget is small? Thank you very much!

Hello! Two months is a good amount of time to visit Germany, and you should be able to see and do quite a lot! Just how many cities depends on how quickly you like to travel and what you want to do in each place (e.g., just see the highlights or live like a local). If you want to stick to big cities you could spend 1-3 weeks in each and take lots of day trips to see the surrounding area.

If that’s the case, you could rent an Airbnb (or similar), which would not only save you money on lodging (they’ll often give discounts for stays of 1 week or longer) but also make it easier to make some inexpensive meals at the Airbnb (and it’s easy to make German dishes “at home”!) and maybe even do laundry for free.

If you want to be on the go the whole time, moving from city to city (big, medium, and small), it will be more expensive unless you stay at hostels (or super cheap hotels). And remember to factor in the constant packing and unpacking, time getting to/from the train station (or airport)…that gets tiring when traveling for a couple months!

I recommend coming up with a budget, then looking at what kind of lodging fits that budget (hotels, hostels, longer Airbnb stays, Couchsurfing, etc). Then think about what you most want to do in Germany (live like a local, just spontaneously explore, see specific sights, have specific experiences, etc) and what you want your daily experience to be like (e.g., do you want to feel relaxed each day and get to know fewer places or be on the go, packing and unpacking, moving from place to place). Neither is better than the other, it’s just important to get clear on what kind of experience you want!

A few ways to reduce your budget: – Eat in fewer sit-down restaurants. Eat breakfast at “home”, buy snacks and drinks at the grocery store and bring them with you each day, cook some meals each week at “home”, pick up lunch from a grocery store or bakery and eat in a park, etc. Make eating dinner in a sit-down restaurant a special occasion. Doing these things will save you money and you’ll eat healthier!

– Take busses or slower trains to travel around Germany. There are regional train passes you can purchase that allow travel in a specific area very inexpensively. Travel will be slower and there are some restrictions on when you travel (often not during rush hour) but you’ll save money and often you’ll see some out of the way sights. You can also get good deals on flights but once you factor in travel to the airport (time and cost), time to check in, waiting to board, potential delays, and then getting from the airport to your final destination, it’s often just easier to take the train.

– Buy standard train tickets in advance. You can get nice discounts on faster train tickets if you book far enough in advance.

This might be more info than you wanted but I hope that helps you start planning your trip! Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂

• Pingback: Europe Through the Seasons: The Best Time to Visit - Intentional Travelers

Great post full of detailed information on all aspects of travel in Germany. When travel reopens in Europe we’re planning on a 2 week trip in Germany with our adult son. He’s an avid soccer fan so we’ll need to plan the trip around the soccer schedule so he can see as many games as possible. We are considering Eastern Germany with a short trip into Poland or Northern Germany with a few days in Denmark. We’d really appreciate your expertise and suggestions. Although we’ve traveled extensively in many western and eastern European countries, we have not spent a great deal of time in Germany. Thanks. J.

Hello! I’m back working on this site now and am happy to help. I’ve got more articles and resources coming but let me know if you have any specific questions!

Hi Both The Ueckermann family 9-10 adults and 2 little once to experience Germany in Oct 2023. Central G and Netherlands will be awesome. We need to do all planning and funds estimates please assist. We live in South Africa and hopefully COVID 19 not a factor any more. Plan 2-3 weeks depending on the funds regards Engela

Hi Engela! Let me know if you have any specific questions about planning your trip to Germany. Happy to help!

HI, I was having trouble with your email 🙂 so sorry I am just replying here. I was hoping you could help us and I wasn’t sure if you offer buying tickets and guidance of our specific places we would like to visit. Anxiously wanting to hear back from you, Anne

Hi Anne! I just sent you an email. 🙂

Hello Cate! Such a well written article with great info! My husband and myself would like to travel to Germany in Oct. of 2022, possibly with my then 16 year old son as well. We want to go in October so we can also experience Octoberfest. I cant have beer because I have celiac’s. IS THERE OTHER ALCOHOL DURING OCTOBERFEST OTHER THAN BEER? WHAT IS THE WEATHER IN OCTOBER AND DOES OCTOBERFEST RUN THE FULL MONTH? IS THERE A CERTAIN AREA WE SHOULD STAY TO REALLY EXPERIENCE OCTOBERFEST AND ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES TO AVOID DURING OCTOBERFEST? We are overwhelmed with planning our trip because we don’t even travel within the US and I feel like there’s so much we want to experience in such a short period. We would like to go for 2 weeks. We want to go because both our families are from Germany. My family comes from Nuremburg (sp) and my husbands family Bavaria but we are unsure which part. This trip is important for us to try to learn about our family roots. DO YOU KNOW WHERE WE COULD GO IN GERMANY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR GENEOLOGY? We would like a more of a laid back approach to experiencing Germany. I dont want to necessarily feel rushed every single day but I do understand that some events and places we would want to visit would need to be scheduled and we are ok with that. I would like to do the Air bnb but know nothing about them. I would like less stress worrying about transportation such as missing busses. We are interested in castles, picturesque views, experiencing floating on the Rhine River perhaps. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON AIR BNB’S THAT PROVIDE BREAKFAST AND ANY IDEAS ON AREA’S TO VISIT BASED ON EVERYTHING I’VE PROVIDED? P.S……our last name literally translates to “the German”. We have had so many Europeans tell us that when they hear our name…LOL

CORRECTION: This is Lisa Nemec. My hubands family is Bohemian. We believe his family crossed over from Czech.

Hi Lisa! There are plenty of other drinks at Oktoberfest, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding something. The weather at that time of year can vary but in late September to early October it’ll likely be warm during the day and cooler in the evening. Oktoberfest is mostly held in late September but I believe it goes until Oct 2 in 2022. There are a lot of hotels and AirBnB’s within walking distance of Oktoberfest (also walking distance to downtown) but book early because they fill up quickly! You’ll also pay a premium at that time of year. Some people prefer not to stay near the main train station but other people don’t mind it.

As to where you could go in Germany to find out about your genealogy, I’d start by searching the genealogy sites online and get as much specific info as you can. You can then try a site like http://www.genealogienetz.de/index_en.html (I haven’t used it, just found it).

If you have 2 weeks, you could fly in and out of Munich and focus on Bavaria. While in Munich you could take a couple day trips to Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Neuschwanstein, the Alps, etc. You could see a lot at a laid-back pace in 2 weeks!

AirBnB’s are great if you’re going to be somewhere for at least a few days, want a little extra space, a kitchen, etc. Even just being able to make breakfast, coffee/tea, and keep drinks cold for when you come home in the evening is so nice. But you don’t typically get hotel-like services like a prepared breakfast, new towels each day or linen changes. If you want to be walking distance to lots of things in Munich, a hotel near downtown could be a great option. If you’re ok with being in a neighborhood, an AirBnB could be a good choice. There are so many great neighborhoods in Munich so you really just need to look at price, amenities, and distance to the things you want to see. I’ve stayed at hotels near Marienplatz and in an AirBnB further away (maybe a 10-15 minute walk + U-bahn ride to Marienplazt) and I enjoyed both.

I hope that helps!

• Pingback: 12 Most Popular German Drinks & Beverages You Must Try In Germany | travel-boo | Portugal & Spain Travel Blog

HELP……I have been put in charge of coming up with an itinerary for my hubby and 4 of our friends for travel in July 2022. I truly have no idea what I am doing. What we are looking for are castles, beautiful scenery and history (although I have been told that they do not want to go to concentration camps). The following is the tentative itinerary I have come up with. We are looking also, for moderate priced Inns/quaint hotels and castle stays centrally located. Any changes/suggestions/comments would be GREATLY appreciated. We will be renting 2 cars. 1 night Munich drive to Nuremburg 3 nights Nuremburg – drive to Fussen 1 night Fussen – drive to Ettal 3 nights Ettal – drive to Unterwossen 1 night Unterwossen – drive to Salzburg Austria 3 nights Salzburg Austria drive to Munich 1 night Munich – fly home

Hi Linda! Your itinerary looks good for a 2-week trip. Here are few suggestions:

-If you’re flying into Munich, you could drive right to Nuremburg on the first day, since it’s only a couple hours drive from Munich airport. If you pick up your car, drive into Munich, settle into a hotel, and then drive to Nuremburg the next day, you’re using a lot of time for driving/checking in/unpacking/packing and you won’t get to see much of Munich. If you go right to Nuremburg on arrival day and stay for 3 nights, you could add a night to the end of your trip so you have 2 nights in Munich or add a day to Salzburg and keep Munich at 1 night.

-Fussen and Ettal are pretty close to each other so you could stay 3-4 nights in one and then take a day trip to the other. I like to reduce the number of one night stays as much as I can during 1 and 2 week trips for the reasons I mentioned above. You could also stay in Ettal and make day trips to both Fussen and Unterwossen and cut out 2 1-night stays.

-If you don’t want to see Munich, I’d keep that at 1 night and stay near the airport at the end of your trip. If you do want to see Munich, I’d give that 2 nights minimum.

I hope that helps! I think you’ll really enjoy your itinerary!

• Pingback: Can I Go to Germany Right Now? (Your COVID-19 Questions Answered) - My Germany Vacation

Thankyou for all the wonderful suggestions! I’m visiting Germany closer to Christmas for two weeks.

That’s my favorite time to be in Germany! Everything is so beautiful and festive. You might be interested in my Stuttgart Christmas Market article – even if you won’t be near Stuttgart, it will give you an idea of what you can do, see, and eat at any Christmas market. I also talk about 6 other nearby Christmas markets that are super fun to visit. 🙂 Enjoy your trip!!

I had all but given up on our delayed 25 yr Wedding Anniversary(07/28/2020 delayed to Sept 2021, due to covid) trip to Germany. Then I found your website! It reinvigorated our desire to NOT CANCEL our plans! We have a son in Kaiserslautern(rhein main air force base) , and want to split a 2 week trip between seeing 7-8 days traveling in Germany( Berlin, Munich, Cologne, and Stuttgart) and Paris. And then 6 to 7 day visiting our son. We had all but given up, until I read your article. Thanks! I wish that there were some way to have everything planned for us in advance! But, your post at least has assured us that we can make this happen on our own. Thank you very much!!

Definitely don’t cancel your plans, even if you have to postpone! (We had to postpone our anniversary trip, too – such a bummer!) You can definitely make your trip to Germany happen. Here are a few ideas for you…

You could fly into Paris, then travel to Kaiserslautern to see your son and do a day trip to Stuttgart (visit the Christmas market if you’re there in December or nearby Esslingen any time of year) and then either visit Munich and the area around there (fly out of Munich) or travel up to Cologne and over to Berlin (fly out of Berlin).

It’ll be a lot to try to see Paris, spend several days in Kaiserslautern, and also see Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich, and Berlin but if you can combine things – like if your son can go with you to visit Stuttgart and Munich or Cologne and Berlin, you could see a lot of the places you’re interested in. Flying into one city and out of another will help a lot, too.

You could also fly into Munich, then go to Kaiserslautern via Stuttgart, take a short trip to Paris, then go to Berlin via Cologne and fly out of Berlin. Or do the same but start in Berlin and fly out of Munich.

You’ll have a great time no matter your itinerary! 🙂

Your website is a such a great resource! I have a ton of questions about planning a trip, I’m just going to send you an email.

Thank you Komal

Got it and replied 🙂

What is a good budget for 2 adults in Germany for two weeks?

It’s nearly impossible to give a guideline because it depends on so many things – your travel style, what kind of transportation you want to use, your accommodation & restaurant preferences, etc. I know that’s not very helpful in the short-term but it would be less helpful for me to give you a specific budget not knowing any specifics about you or your trip plans. Plus, most travelers like to splurge in one area and cut back in another but that’s so different for each traveler.

What I recommend is this: start looking at flights, transportation, and accommodations well before you want to book them in order to get an idea of what each costs for your travel dates. Add everything up for 2 weeks and then decide if you’re ok with that amount so far, keeping in mind you’ll still need to add on food, souvenirs, tickets/tours, insurance, and anything you need to get before you leave (clothes, luggage, passport, etc). I like to do this research before I book flights/transport/accommodations. That way I get an idea of what will be my splurge and where I will need to reduce costs to keep within the budget that’s right for me. Everyone’s ideal budget is so different!

hi i am planning to travail to Germany in December 2021 with my family , any idea

My big tip for Germany in December: visit the Christmas markets (if they’re open this year)! You’ll find one in nearly every German city, town and even small villages. They’re outdoors so dress warmly and enjoy the food, drink, and stalls. They’re a great place to pick up souvenirs and gifts, too.

Days are short in December, and some touristy sites do shut down in winter, so keep that in mind. But you’ll still find plenty to do after dark, especially if you’re in bigger cities. As long as you take these two things into consideration, you’ll have a great visit no matter where you go!

Hi, my partner and I are wanting to visit Germany in January 2022. I have previously stayed in Wurzburg for 3 weeks and dream of taking my partner there.Seeing as I went with school a few years ago we didn’t really have a chance to look around other parts of local Germany. Where would you recommend us to go whilst in that area? We like architecture (but not too much…) we’re in our 20’s so we also want to have fun 🙂 we’ll either be driving (we live in France) or we’ll be going by train. Will the Christmas markets still be on? I doubt it but you never know… Thanks

Also, we are wanting to go with our dog. Would that be possible or too complicated?

You could easily go to Munich and spend a few days there – lots to see and lots of places to have fun. (I had a great time there in my 20s!) There are also a lot of day trip options – Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, Neuschwanstein, Passau, Regensburg, etc. You could also stop in Nuremberg on your way to Munich. All of that is easy by car or by train – and if you go by train, you could probably do those day trips using a regional train pass. Or you could do guided day trips and not have to plan anything! I’ve got some listed in my Munich guide – https://www.mygermanyvacation.com/munich-travel-guide/

It looks like the Christmas markets are on for 2021 but they could always get canceled in the coming weeks. Most have their last day on Dec. 24 so unfortunately, you won’t get to see them if you visit in January. That just means planning another trip to Germany for December 2022! 🙂

Germany is pretty dog-friendly so it’s probably do-able. But there are likely museums and other sites that might not allow dogs inside. If you mostly want to spend time outdoors, and your dog is ok with possibly very cold/wet/windy weather, or if you can leave the dog at your lodging for part of the day, it might work ok.

Hope that helps!

Hi Cate, you have put together a terrific planning guide. Thanks. Our 4 children just gave us a trip back to Germany in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. We lived in Erlangen from Aug 1972 – 1973. We are excited to go back but we are debating between a Rhine river cruise or going on our own. We’ll probably go sometime in May/June or Sept/Oct 2022.

How exciting!! It’s so fun to go back and revisit where you used to live in Germany. Aaron and I did that in 2019 and had such a good time seeing what had/had not changed. I’m excited for you!

I’ve heard people say great things about Rhine river cruises. If you don’t have time to or don’t want to do much trip planning, that’s a great option. The downside is that you’re more limited to what you can do and see. If you have time and interest in planning your own trip, you can definitely do it. And since travel is coming back, I’ll be focusing on this site a lot more in the coming months and helping people plan their trips, so I’ll be here to help you, too. 🙂

Hi Cate, We have wanted to visit Germany (from the US) for a few years now and have finally decided to make it happen, but had no idea where or how to start. Your article is full of valuable information. Thank you. At least we now have a starting point. Our trip isn’t for another year, but it will go quickly. So excited and thank you for all the information.

You’re welcome! I’m so excited for you already. 🙂 The next year will fly by and you’ll be on a plane bound for Germany before you know it. Now that travel is coming back, I’ll be focusing on this site a lot more so be sure to come back when you’re ready to plan your trip. I’m working on lots of guides and helpful resources! 🙂

Hello. My grandfather expressed interest in going to Germany in 2022. More specifically, he wants to go to ‘The Battle of the Bulge’ where his older brother passed away in World War II. We would also like to go to the Holocaust Memorial. I have been trying to research/plan this trip but would be open to suggestions. We are from the US and could spend about a week out there. I am grateful that I stumbled across your blog as it is very informative and interesting! 🙂

Hello! That sounds like it will be a wonderful trip for your grandfather! If you’re talking about visiting the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin (highly recommended), you could fly right into Berlin (their new airport!) and spend half of your time seeing the city, then head to Brussels and take a Battle of the Bulge day tour! I found one here that you can look at (aff link): https://www.getyourguide.com/bastogne-war-museum-l35043/bastogne-battle-of-the-bulge-tour-from-brussels-t169657/?partner_id_Y5UOFLS It looks like it also goes into Luxembourg so you could get 3 countries in one trip. 🙂 If you have enough time, you could take a day trip to Brugges or Ghent – both are 30-60 minutes from Brussels. You could then fly out of Brussels back to the US. To get from Berlin to Brussels you’d probably want to fly but it’s a short flight and you could probably get an early morning or a late afternoon flight so it wouldn’t take up your whole day. Hope that helps with your planning!

Hi, your site is wonderful and has some great information! I am traveling (solo) to Germany in late April and will be there for one month. I have been to Munich/Bavaria/Salzburg before so I’d planned on focusing my trip on the rest of Germany. I’m flying into Berlin and was planning on staying there 4-5 nights, then I’m not sure where to go. I was thinking of spending a week in an area and going on day trips; for example, the Black Forest, the middle Rhine area, maybe Harz Mountain. But I also want to see some cities like Cologne, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Trier, and Hamburg. So maybe a bit of both cities and countryside? Do you have any thoughts? Thanks!

I definitely recommend choosing 3-4 locations where you can stay for a week or so and then take day trips. You could do longer stays in Berlin and Hamburg – there’s tons to do and see in each city, as well as lots of day trip options. You could also do Cologne or try a smaller town on the Rhein or Mosel and explore that area in more depth. For the Black Forest you could stay in the university town of Freiburg and day trip to towns/hiking in the Black Forest, as well as Basel and Colmar/Strassbourg). You could also choose 3 locations for longer stays (e.g., Berlin, Hamburg and Freiburg) and then do a couple of 2 or 3-night stays as you travel between cities, e.g., a short stay in Wernigerode or Quedlinburg (Harz mountains), Trier, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, or Tübingen on your way to Freiburg. Tip: if you want to do a lot of day trips, make sure you stay where it’s fairly quick and easy to get to the train/bus station! Since you’ll be there for a month you have lots of flexibility and plenty of time to do and see a lot of the areas you mentioned!

@Cate, Thank you so much! I’m really enjoying going through your site, too!

Looking for a good travel guide book for Germany any recommendations?

Rick Steve’s is always a good one! I’ve used his guidebooks a ton. You can get his Germany guidebook on Kindle or as a hard copy (aff link): https://amzn.to/33z7d59

@Cate, Thanks

So excited to find your site! My husband and I will travel from Texas to Bavaria for 7-10 days in September. I am in charge of all the planning. I’m thinking Munich & surrounding area and Salzburg. Do you have any suggestions? I’m also pondering some organized day tours..

Munich is a wonderful home base for seeing lots of great sites in Bavaria! You could easily spend 1-3 days in Munich (especially if you’re there during Oktoberfest) and then take day trips to places like Neuschwanstein, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Salzburg, Linderhof, Chiemsee, Berchtesgaden, Nuremberg…just to name a few! You can easily do all of that by train and mix it up with some organized day tours here and there. I’ve been working on a Munich guide that will have ideas for day trips and tours so keep an eye out for that!

Hello Cate, Your blog is very helpful. Like to seek your help and guidance. I am from Singapore and not familiar with Germany. Both me and my wife intend to fly to Amsterdam where my daughter is attending university and spend 18 days vacation with her in Europe during her break. Am planning 7 days touring Germany. Tentatively looking tourist site at hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart and then off to another country eg. france, switzerland or Italy for another 7 days. then travel back to Amsterdam to fly home. Any advise how we can optimize the traveling as we are not familiar with these region? Appreciate your kind assistance. regards, Perry

It will be so much fun to travel with your daughter! It might be difficult to fit Hamburg, Berlin and Stuttgart into 7 days. On the train it takes about 6 hours from Amsterdam to Hamburg, 3 hours from Hamburg to Berlin, and over 8 hours from Berlin to Stuttgart. While all three of those cities are amazing, I recommend choosing either northern or southwestern Germany, rather than trying to hit all three (or make the Germany part of your trip 10 days).

You could, for example, travel from Amsterdam to Hamburg, then to Berlin, and fly from Berlin to France or Italy. That would give you plenty of time for travel, city exploring and day trips.

Or take the train from Amsterdam to Stuttgart and explore that area. Stuttgart is close to France, so you could spend several days seeing both southwestern Germany (Stuttgart, villages in the Black Forest, Freiburg, Baden-Baden, etc) and French cities like Strassbourg, Colmar and Mullouse. You could also very easily go to Basel in Switzerland! It’s a long train ride from Amsterdam to Stuttgart so I’d look into flights. Stuttgart is a great airport to fly into!

Hi, my family and I would like to visit Germany this summer. My husband and I have two teenagers (15 and 13), and one of them is reads a lot and it is very interested in history. We would like to visit german cities but also, some concentration camps. Our plans is to spend two weeks there. Any suggestions?

You’re going to have so much fun in Germany! Everywhere you go there’s so much history, so it just depends on what kind of history you’re looking for. For a 2-week stay you could easily visit 2 (maybe 3) different parts of Germany without feeling like you’re spending your whole vacation on the train or in the car. You could, for example, fly into Munich, visit the city and Dachau concentration camp, take a few day trips to Salzburg, the Alps, Neuschwanstein, Nuremburg, etc – there are so many options!…then visit the Black Forest area, the Rhein/Mosel area, the Hamburg area or the Berlin area and fly out of that second city (Stuttgart, Cologne/Düsseldorf, Hamburg or Berlin). If you want to focus on 2 main areas, say Munich and Berlin, you could do a 1-2 night stopover in a city in-between. Hope that helps you get started on your planning! 🙂

@Cate, We are from USA planning on attending next years NfL game if possible. We are a large group 10-15people who would also like to see the culture and history. Open to staying in Berlin, munich, or anywhere else as long as accessible to get to game. We want to fly out wed night from BOS be there Th F S Su (game in Frankfurt) leave M. Anything you would recommend?

Hi! I just now saw your question. If you’re flying into FRA and have Th, F, and S to do some sight-seeing, I’d stick to the Frankfurt area and do day trips. If you go to Berlin or Munich you’ll spend most of your time in transit and checking in/out of hotels. We’ve got a Frankfurt guide on our website and also a castles guide – so you could spend a day exploring FRA, then a day visiting a castle, and then 1 day visiting a nearby city like Heidelberg, Nürnberg or Rothernburg ob der Tauber. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. We’ve also got a Germany Trip Planner and one-on-one travel consults, too. And lots of info on this website. We’re happy to help!

I just found your great website! We have just drafted a 3 week trip plan to Germany and Austria and I would love your thoughts about it!. Is late May better than June? (I really can’t do heat without AC!)

– [ ] 2. Land in Vienna- 2 nights… – [ ] 3. Take tour or just Spend a day in the sprawling Schönbrunn Palace, – [x] 4. Rental car to Take KM 29 for about an hour to Burg Liechtenstein drive an hour to Melk Abbey Then Steyr From Melk, Steyr 1 night stay – [x] 5. Spend a little time, touring the Steyr Mannlicher! – [x] 6. Wake up early and bike 15 minutes to spend the morning exploring more of Halstatt before the day-trippers.. Sky Walk salt mine – [x] 7. After lunch, enjoy more the beauty of Salzkammergut area! on to Salzburg in time to return the rental car. we will stay in the old town (Salzburg 3 nights) – [ ] 8. See Salzburg – [ ] 9. Take guided tour to Eagles nest – [ ] 10: To Munich by 2 hour train.. taxi to hotel, Sleep Munich 2 nights … – [ ] 11. Guided tour all day— Dachau and Munich sites – [x] 12 Slow morning to rest, checkout, cab, 1.5 hour train to Oberarmagau for lunch and stroll. Rent car in Garmish and Drive another hour to Sleep in Hohenschwangau 2 nights Maybe take 30 minute Schloss Hornschwangau Castle tour before closing if time – [x] 13 Visit Neuschwanstein! (Hohenschwangau castle first if not last evening) then rent a bike and go a mile -7 minutes to Tegelberg luge ride – [x] 14 drive 2.5-4 hours but first stop for lunch and see Ulm Cathedral. Going Opposite the crowds arrive in afternoon to stay in nearby Rothenburg 3 nights. See stunning Rothenburg – [x] 15 After coffee and quiet streets, walk the medieval wall. If crowds arrive, leave and drive a short way and tour the Bad Weinsheim Frankonian Open Air Museum – [x] 16 Drive 30 min to Ansbach, park and Take 30 min train and10 min cab into Neuremburgfor day. – [x] 17. leave in early morning and drive 3-5 hours through To St Goar take B9 along the Rhine from Bingen arrive in time to tour Burg Eltz and then maybe return car in Emmelshausen this day or next. Take cab back down to nearby St Goar for 3 nights. – [ ] 18 See Burg Eltz castle if not seen yesterday and then see Marksburg castle – [ ] 19 REST maybe just board a boat for a relaxing Rhine River cruise from Sant Goar. We will disembark to visit small Bacharach and back again by train. – [ ] 20 Depart by 70minute train to Frankfurt airport Or would it be better to do the trip in reverse, starting with Germany first? Thank you!!

It’s not usually super hot in May but it can be hot in mid-late June. The last time we were there in June (2019) it was incredibly hot and there isn’t as much a/c there…but you never know, I’ve had cold and rainy June visits, too. If you want to be more sure of not-super-hot weather, I’d go in mid-late May or early to mid-June — as long as you’re ok with the possibility of some not-so-warm days. If you go in mid-late June and don’t love hot weather, book hotels with a/c, rent a car with a/c, and plan to buy a lot of cold drinks. No matter the weather, it’s always fun to travel around Germany! 🙂

You could easily do your itinerary either way so I’d just look at whether flights are better into Vienna/out of FRA or vice-versa. Check the hotels you want to stay in to make sure they have availability — I’ve actually reversed my itinerary before due to hotel availability!

You’re planning to cover a lot of ground in 3 weeks and be on the go go go, which some people find more tiring than expected…but if you know your travel style, then go for it! 🙂 3 nights in one place gives you 2 full days, which is a good amount of time for most places. 2 nights means 1 full day, which can be enough in some locations but if you do many in a row, it can feel like you’re constantly checking in/unpacking/packing/checking out, and can get super tiring if you’re doing a lot of day trips.

Be sure to plan in time for getting ready, eating breakfast, packing, checking out of the hotel, getting to the train station/car rental – it often takes up more time than you’d expect. Trains aren’t as punctual as they used to be, so keep that in mind for what you plan on arrival after a train trip.

An idea — instead of taking a train to Oberammergau, then to Garmisch to rent a car, then driving to Hohenschwangau, I’d rent a car in Munich and drive to each place. It will probably be less expensive to rent in Munich and easier than doing the train and car pick-up (especially with luggage!).

For the longer drives, plan on them taking longer than what’s estimated in google maps because there’s often traffic! If you miss the traffic and arrive early, it’ll be a nice bonus!

Your idea to add in some guided day tours is a good one – it’s a nice change from having to figure everything out yourself and can feel like a mini vacation from your vacation.

Overall, you’ve got a really fun trip planned!

Hi Cate! I love your clear way of describing and explaining. My husband and I are invited to a wedding outside of Berlin the last weekend in April. From there we would love to head to the spas in Baden-Baden .. what else would you suggest to see in the Baden-Baden area and without driving the best transportation option? We can stay up to about 10 days. Thank you!

Thank you for your nice comment! 🙂 I’d take the train from Berlin to Baden-Baden. It’s about 6 hours and you can relax and see the sights along the way. You could fly from Berlin to Stuttgart but by the time you travel to the airport in Berlin (the new one is further out than Tegel was), check in, wait to board, fly, and then take the train from Stuttgart to Baden-Baden, it’s at least as long as – if not longer – then taking the train.

When in Baden-Baden you could visit Gengenbach, the Black Forest, Triberg (cuckoo clocks & waterfalls), Tübingen, Stuttgart/Esslingen, Lichtenstein Castle, Hohenzollern Castle, Freiburg, Basel (Switzerland), Strassbourg (France), Colmar (France) — just to name a few! You should be able to reach all of these places via train/bus. The Black Forest Open Air Museum is also a lot of fun! I’m working on guides to several of these locations – and some are already on the site – so check back soon for new ones. 🙂

You should be able to get a free KONUS train pass, which enables you to travel throughout the Black Forest region for free. I don’t think it works for every place I listed but it will get you to several of them. Here’s more info about the KONUS card: https://www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info/planen-buchen/konus-gaestekarte (you can switch to English if it’s in German).

You could fly out of Stuttgart airport or travel up to Frankfurt and fly out of there. Strassbourg or Basel might work, too.

@Cate, that really does! Thanks again,

You’re very welcome!

• Pingback: Best 31 Things to Do in Stuttgart, Germany in 2022 - My Germany Vacation
• Pingback: 10 Days in Germany: Itinerary Ideas For the Perfect Trip - My Germany Vacation
• Pingback: Perfect Berlin in 2 Days Itinerary: What to Do & See - My Germany Vacation
• Pingback: Vacation In Germany - Touriago

I am planning a trip with my husband, 18 year old daughter, mother in law and myself. We will have 8 nights total flying Munich to Amsterdam or vice versa. Interested in the Christmas markets, of course, castles (would love if we could stay the night in a castle if that’s possible), and just getting an authentic German experience. My mother in law found family ancestry in Stuttgart, so she would like to stop there. The other areas that we have an interest in are Frankfurt, Cologne (wonder if there is such thing as a day cruise on the Rhine River), and maybe Hamburg (for the canals, but I’m not sure December is the best time of year for that). Although, I’m not sure we’ll be able to see all those cities in just 8 nights, as we would also like 1-2 nights in Amsterdam.

We plan to rent a car and I will be doing the driving. We live in Colorado so I’m familiar with winter driving, but wonder if I can use Google maps while traveling through Germany.

Would love your thoughts or suggestions on this.

Thank you, Lea Ann

Hi Lea Ann, you’ve got the makings of a magical winter trip! All of the places you mentioned will be beautiful in December because of the Christmas markets. Stuttgart, for example, has a huge, old Christmas market (plus there are 2 other really beautiful ones nearby) and there are 2 nearby castles you can visit. Hamburg and Cologne and also wonderful cities (Frankfurt too but I’d skip it on a short trip unless you have a specific reason to go there).Amsterdam is also a lot of fun and a great place to fly in or out of.

It’s a lot to fit into 8 nights so you’ll definitely need to hone in on just a few places, otherwise you’ll spend your entire trip packing/unpacking/driving. 🙂

You can use google maps in Germany and that’ll make getting from place to place easy. But unless you want to stop at specific sights between cities, you could easily take the train, since you’re going to big cities (you don’t need a car in any of the cities you want to visit). If you don’t mind parking the car at each hotel in the city, a car can give you more flexibility.

You can also stay in a castle in Germany! We’ve got a guide for that right here so you can see which one you like best.

It’s hard to get more specific about an itinerary here in the comments without taking to you and getting a better sense of your interests and needs but we’ve got lots of resources to help you — Christmas market guides (definitely take a look at the Stuttgart one!), city and hotel guides , and we’ve also got a Germany Travel Bundle with an interactive Germany Travel Map, City Cheatsheets, and other resources, and I do one-on-one trip planning consults .

And be sure to join our travel planning Facebook group !

@Cate, thank you for your quick response and feedback! I’ll check out the links you shared and I’ve joined your Facebook group.

You’re welcome! Glad you joined the group! 🙂

Hi Cate , I have visited Germany but only Düsseldorf for my sugery. I will like to take my wife and kids with me this time I have an appointment in December might use the opportunity to take them for Christmas holiday . I have 12’night in total . 5 night in Düsseldorf can you please advise which city we can visit for the rest days and we are not leaving Germany until 26th. So I want them To enjoy the Christmas but I don’t know which city to choose .I will you to please give me where the kids can enjoy the trip age 8 ,6 and 3 . Do we fly back from Düsseldorf or from Another city ? Thanks for your help.

If you’d like to fly out of the Düsseldorf airport, you could spend the second part of your trip in Cologne so you could visit the markets there, in Bonn, and surrounding area (e.g. a day trip to Aachen).

If you’re ok with flying out of a different airport, you could go to Stuttgart (good Christmas markets in the area and a couple castles), Munich (good markets and day trips) or Berlin (good markets and day trips) and fly out of any of those airports.

Most everything will be closed on Dec 25 and the latter half of Dec 24 so keep that in mind when doing your daily planning.

Hope that helps with your planning!

Hi, Thank you for the detail page. I and my family will be visiting to watch a NFL game in Frankfurt and had some travel ideas outside of the city that I have not found solutions for. First, are US citizens allowed to rent cars without a permit? We want to travel to Stuttgart and Munich for some museums and possibly Berlin, but I’ve yet to figure how time and distances for the trip as these do seem to be quite a distance from each other. Then, we would end the trip back in Frankfurt to travel back to the US, unless we find an airline in Berlin. Do you have suggestions? This would be a 7-14 day trip, depending on cost. Thank you

Hi Marco! Yes, you can rent a car with just your US driver’s license. While not required, an int’l driver’s license can be helpful if you get pulled over or in an accident (you can get on at AAA). You can check distance between those cities via google maps (it’ll show you both driving and trains). I always add 25% to the times they suggest because there’s a good chance you’ll encounter traffic somewhere. We use google maps for all of our road trips in Germany. You could definitely do Frankfurt – Stuttgart – Munich – Berlin – Frankfurt (stay near airport on the last night) in 14 days. If you don’t want to drive from Munich – Berlin – Frankfurt, you could return the car in Munich and then take the train to Berlin and back to Frankfurt. Hope that helps you get started on your trip planning!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Warnings and insurance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide as well as support for British nationals abroad which includes:

• advice on preparing for travel abroad and reducing risks
• information for women, LGBT and disabled travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

Related content

Is this page useful.

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

Find cheap flights to Frankfurt am Main from $156

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a kayak user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to frankfurt am main departing on 6/18. fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to frankfurt am main.

Save 22% or more Compare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track prices Not ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Filter your deals Choose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Bundle and save Save money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Cheap flight deals to Frankfurt am Main

Flights to frankfurt am main - travel insights & trends, get data-powered insights and trends for flights to frankfurt am main to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more., what is the cheapest flight to frankfurt am main.

The flight route New York to Frankfurt am Main was the most popular route on KAYAK over the last 3 days. A return flight could be found for $428. Also in the last 3 days, Newark was the most budget-friendly place to find a flight to Frankfurt am Main with one-way tickets at $156 and $428 round-trip.

How much is a flight to Frankfurt am Main?

On average, a flight to frankfurt am main costs $977. the cheapest price found on kayak in the last 2 weeks cost $320 and departed from new york john f kennedy intl airport. the most popular routes on kayak are chicago to frankfurt am main which costs $1,068 on average, and san francisco to frankfurt am main, which costs $1,234 on average., see prices from:, what is the cheapest day to fly to frankfurt am main, based on kayak data, the cheapest day to fly to frankfurt am main is tuesday where tickets can be as cheap as $1,017. on the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is saturday, where prices are $1,136 on average., what is the cheapest time of day to fly to frankfurt am main, the cheapest time of day to fly to frankfurt am main is generally in the morning, when flights cost $527 on average. the most expensive time of day to fly to frankfurt am main is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $967., what is a good deal for flights to frankfurt am main, if you’re looking for cheap airfare to frankfurt am main, 25% of our users found tickets to frankfurt am main for the following prices or less: from charlotte $425 one-way - $853 round-trip, from new york john f kennedy intl airport $452 one-way - $873 round-trip, from san antonio $470 one-way - $959 round-trip., how far in advance should i book a flight to frankfurt am main, to get a below average price, you should book around 0 weeks before departure. for the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 74 days before departure., which is the cheapest airport to fly into in frankfurt am main, prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in frankfurt am main is karlsruhe söllingen airport, with an average flight price of $62., which airlines fly to frankfurt am main, airlines flying the most to frankfurt am main from united states are lufthansa, united airlines and condor. see the amount of flights per week for popular airlines flying to frankfurt am main., which airline offers the most flights to frankfurt am main, of the 4 airlines that fly to frankfurt am main, lufthansa offers the most flights, with around 706 per week, followed by eurowings with 59 flights per week., how many airports are there in frankfurt am main, there are 6 airports in frankfurt am main: frankfurt airport (fra), cologne/bonn airport (cgn), karlsruhe söllingen airport (fkb), frankfurt-hahn airport (hhn), saarbruecken ensheim airport (scn) and mannheim city airport (mhg). the busiest airport is frankfurt airport (fra), with 83% of all flights arriving there., how long is the flight to frankfurt am main, the duration of your flight to frankfurt am main depends on your departure and arrival airports. obviously any flights that include a layover will also be longer. the most popular routes to frankfurt am main on kayak are from boston , which takes 7h 00m, new york , which takes 7h 40m, miami , which takes 9h 10m, and san francisco , which takes 10h 45m., how many direct flights to frankfurt am main are there each day, there are around 54 direct flights from within united states to frankfurt am main every day. most flights depart in the afternoon, with 4:00 pm the most common departure time and 60% of flights departing in the afternoon., how many direct flights to frankfurt am main are there each week, each week there are around 372 direct flights from within united states to frankfurt am main. the most common day for departures is friday, with 15% of flights taking off on this day., how many long-haul flights are there to frankfurt am main each week, there are not any medium-haul (3-6 hour flight duration) or short-haul (up to 3 hour flight duration) flights to frankfurt am main. instead, there are 374 long-haul flights (6-12 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from new york., how many cities have direct flights to frankfurt am main, from the united states, there are direct flights to frankfurt am main from 26 cities. the city with the most direct flights is new york, with 49 direct flights each week., good to know, when to book flights to frankfurt am main, faqs - booking frankfurt am main flights, which frankfurt am main airport is closest to central frankfurt am main.

Out of the 2 airports in Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt Airport is the nearest to the city center (7 miles). You'll travel 64 miles to reach the center of Frankfurt am Main if you land in Frankfurt-Hahn

On average, a flight to Frankfurt am Main costs $977. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost $320 and departed from New York John F Kennedy Intl Airport.

How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Frankfurt am Main?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Frankfurt am Main.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Frankfurt am Main?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Frankfurt am Main is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Frankfurt am Main?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Frankfurt am Main with an airline and back with another airline.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Frankfurt am Main?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Frankfurt am Main up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Frankfurt am Main

• Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Frankfurt am Main flight deals.

Prefer to fly non-stop to Frankfurt am Main?

Find which airlines fly direct to Frankfurt am Main, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Nonstop departures

United States to Frankfurt am Main

ANA, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, +97 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, +98 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, +94 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, +95 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, +100 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, +101 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, +95 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, +96 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, +99 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, +100 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, +96 more

ANA, Aegean Airlines, +97 more

Nonstop returns

Frankfurt am Main to United States

Book cheap frankfurt am main plane tickets, recent round-trip flight deals, search by stops, search by airline, search by price, recent one-way flight deals, recent domestic flight deals, last minute flights to frankfurt am main, last minute flight, train and bus deals, flights to frankfurt am main, return flight deals:.

Frankfurt am Main - United States

Cabin classes:

Browse origins:.

• Flights  » 
• United States

Browse destinations:

• Worldwide  » 
• Germany  » 
• Frankfurt am Main

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

$216 cheap flights to frankfurt.

Bundle Your Flight + Hotel & Save!

Add a place to stay

Direct flights only

Featured airlines

Find Your Flights to Frankfurt FRA

Cheap flights to Frankfurt ( FRA)

Get started finding a cheap flight to Frankfurt on Expedia by either choosing a deal on this page or entering into the search bar your travel dates, origin airport, and whether you want roundtrip or one-way airfare. You can filter for flexibility, number of stops, airline, and departure/arrival times to find the best flight for you.

We recommend using the ‘Flexible Dates’ calendar at the top of the page to see the price of plane tickets on the surrounding dates. This allows you to pick the cheapest days to fly if your trip allows flexibility and score cheap flight deals to Frankfurt.

Roundtrip prices range from $440 - $440, and one-ways to Frankfurt start as low as $216.

Be aware that choosing a non-stop flight can sometimes be more expensive while saving you time. And routes with connections may be available at a cheaper rate.

Airlines that fly to Frankfurt ( FRA)

You have several options for which airline you choose to travel with to Frankfurt. There are 2 airlines flying into FRA: Condor. 

Cheap plane tickets may be available from different airlines at different times and with unique terms. It’s best to understand the details of each airline’s offer before judging its value.

For example, if you plan to check a bag or bring a carry-on, check whether the cheap airfare deal includes a baggage allowance. If not, verify whether the baggage fee is higher than the difference of other airline plane ticket deals offering free checked/carry-on baggage in exchange for a slightly higher airfare. 

Additionally, your preferred frequent flyer membership programs may influence your choice of cheap airline. Expedia allows you to enter your membership numbers during checkout to earn points from your airline and Expedia Rewards—all while getting a great deal and planning all your travel in one online platform.

Find the best deals

At Expedia, we source many flight deals from multiple providers, so you can easily find the best deals that are right for you. A great strategy for getting the best deals can be to make sure you book and travel at the optimal times. Airfare to Frankfurt (FRA) varies throughout the year based on seasonal demand. You’ll see the lowest rates for roundtrips to FRA in April and in April for one-ways.

Cancellation & flexibility

To change or cancel eligible flights, go to ‘My Trips’ and navigate to your itinerary. If you booked within the last 24-hours, you might be able to cancel your flight for free. Learn more about flight changes or cancellations from our customer service portal . Some plane tickets are available with no change fees, which you can filter for during your search.

Frequently asked questions

• Wherever you’re coming from, flying can be an enjoyable experience if you’re prepared. First, pack your travel documents, passport and medications. Next, toss in a little extra in-flight entertainment to while away the hours. A juicy book and a tablet filled with your favorite series are fantastic options. If you’re hoping to get some sleep, a memory-foam neck pillow and noise-canceling headphones are also worth squeezing in.
• There’s a lengthy list of items you shouldn’t pack in your carry-on baggage too. Flammables, explosives and sharps are strictly prohibited in the cabin — they often include knives, razor blades, flares and aerosol cans. Some sporting equipment, like martial arts weapons and baseball bats, also generally can’t go in your hand luggage. Your airline’s website will have a full list of what you can and can’t bring on board.
• The aisles of a plane aren’t designed to be a catwalk. Layer up in comfy clothes and bring a pullover since it can get cool in the cabin during long-haul flights. Sneakers or enclosed, flat shoes are ideal for longer journeys.
• Consider wearing compression socks or tights to help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This blood clotting condition can be caused by prolonged periods of sitting, especially on long-distance journeys. Performing foot and leg exercises in your seat or walking around the cabin are good ways to improve your circulation.

Get up to 100% off your flight to Frankfurt when booking a Flight + Hotel

Trending flights to frankfurt.

Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $216 for one-way flights and $440 for round trip, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.

• Top Flights Destinations

From Other Airports to Frankfurt

Flights to cities near frankfurt, top frankfurt hotels, more popular airlines.

• Expedia's Latest Trends

Top Flight Destinations

• Flights to Munich
• Flights to Berlin
• Flights to Hamburg
• Flights to Nuremberg
• Flights to Stuttgart
• Flights to Düsseldorf
• Flights to Cologne
• Flights to Hannover
• Flights to Bremen
• Flights to Leipzig
• Flights to Bonn
• Flights to Heidelberg
• Flights to Dresden
• Flights to Dortmund
• Flights to Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Flights to Freiburg im Breisgau
• Flights to Kiel
• Flights to Essen
• Flights to Lübeck
• Flights to Rostock

Top Flight Destinations In the World

• Flights to United States of America
• Flights to Japan
• Flights to Philippines
• Flights to Costa Rica
• Flights to Italy
• Flights to India
• Flights to Thailand
• Flights to Mexico
• Flights to Greece
• Flights to Dominican Republic
• Flights to Bahamas
• Flights to South Korea
• Flights to Ireland
• Flights to Australia
• Flights to Spain
• Flights to Vietnam
• Flights to New Zealand
• Flights to China
• Flights to Germany
• Flights to Canada
• Chicago to Frankfurt (ORD - FRA)
• Newark to Frankfurt (EWR - FRA)
• Los Angeles to Frankfurt (LAX - FRA)
• Washington to Frankfurt (DCA - FRA)
• Miami to Frankfurt (MIA - FRA)
• Tampa to Frankfurt (TPA - FRA)
• Detroit to Frankfurt (DTW - FRA)
• Boston to Frankfurt (BOS - FRA)
• Fort Lauderdale to Frankfurt (FLL - FRA)
• New York to Frankfurt (LGA - FRA)
• Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Center
• Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt
• Maritim Hotel Frankfurt
• Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport
• Darwin Airline SA Lugano
• Evergreen International
• Ghadames Air Transport
• Aircompany Kokshetau
• Royal Airways Limited
• Vietnam Air Service Co.
• West Caribbean Costa Rica
• Olympus Airways
• Bulgarian Air Charter
• Branson Air Express
• Deutsche Bahn

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Share this page:

Germany Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 26, 2023, germany - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Exercise increased caution in Germany due to  terrorism .

Country Summary: Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Germany. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

Read the  country information page for additional information on travel to Germany.

If you decide to travel to Germany:

• Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.
• Follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter . 
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Germany.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Travel Advisory Levels

Assistance for u.s. citizens, germany map, search for travel advisories, external link.

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

• Germany Tourism
• Germany Hotels
• Germany Bed and Breakfast
• Germany Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Germany
• Germany Restaurants
• Things to Do in Germany
• Germany Travel Forum
• Germany Photos
• All Germany Hotels
• Germany Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Germany
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Flying into Frankfurt - Germany Forum

• Europe    
• Germany    

Flying into Frankfurt

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Europe forums
• Germany forum

Any advise or suggestion is highly appreciated.

3 replies to this topic

Is it 6 days including arrival & departure or before you head to Strassbourg?

• is 9 minutes enough? 6:31 pm
• Passport 4:58 pm
• How to get to my hostel in Berlin 4:51 pm
• Visiting museum island 3:50 pm
• Bremen Christmas 3:34 pm
• Germany Road Trip 2:51 pm
• Munich Hauptbahnhof and MVG Service Center 2:32 pm
• FRA to Worms on a 13 hour layover. 2:10 pm
• Kid's Birthday Suggestions? 1:20 pm
• 49Euro Deutschland Ticket 1:01 pm
• New train question 11:33 am
• Help with DB train website 11:30 am
• Looking for a Rhine River cruise (day trip) from Mainz 11:06 am
• Can you bring a daypack (small bag) into Annafest Forccheim? 10:32 am
• Best Places to Travel in Germany 8 replies
• Getting from Zurich to Munich by train - please help 3 replies
• Christmas market dates 2012 11 replies
• Rhine River day cruise help 28 replies
• What are the "do not miss"sights of southern Germany 4 replies
• Don't rent a car from SIXT.....that's all I am saying! 510 replies
• Trip to Germany and gifts 7 replies
• Closest Train Station to US army Base in Grafenwoehr 3 replies
• Need help with planning from Berlin to Munich 9 replies
• Frankfurt Trains 7 replies

Germany Hotels and Places to Stay

• Can tourists use the 49-Euro-Ticket?
• DB changed the schedule - do I need a new ticket?
• Is cash still king in Germany?
• Can I travel the Romantic Road by public transportation?
• Are shops closed during holidays?

Discovering Deutschland: The Best Places to Visit in Germany

I f you've ever dreamed of exploring grand castles, basking in rich culture and history, or indulging in some of the world's best beer, Germany is the place to be . With a myriad of breathtaking landscapes, bustling cities, and quaint towns, it's a place where old-world charm meets modern elegance.

• Germany, Europe's second most visited country, has a unique blend of historical wonders and modern innovation.
• The country is renowned for iconic sites such as Neuschwanstein Castle, which inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle.
• From the lively atmosphere of Berlin to the romantic landscapes of the Rhine Valley, Germany offers a varied travel experience.

Beholding the Magnificence of Berlin

Berlin, the country's capital, is a city of rich history and vibrant life. Don't miss the iconic Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall's remnants, a stark reminder of the city's turbulent past. Meanwhile, the Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site housing five world-renowned museums. It's truly a treasure trove for art and history enthusiasts.

Bavaria: Castles, Beer, and Beautiful Landscapes

Bavaria is Germany's picture-perfect region. Here, you'll find the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle, perched atop a rugged hill, overlooking the serene Hohenschwangau valley. Bavaria is also home to Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival. A journey along the Romantic Road is a must-do, showcasing medieval towns and pristine countryside.

The Romantic Rhine Valley

The Rhine Valley, with its steep vineyards, ancient castles, and charming towns, is postcard-perfect. A river cruise on the Rhine is the best way to soak in the beauty of this region. Don't forget to sample the local Riesling wine!

Heidelberg: A Blend of Romance and Academia

Heidelberg is a quintessential university town, renowned for its baroque architecture and romantic setting. The Heidelberg Castle, overlooking the Old Town and the Neckar River, is a sight to behold. Wander around the Old Town, with its narrow lanes and historic buildings, for a leisurely day.

Maritime Charm of Hamburg

Hamburg, Germany's gateway to the world, is a city of canals, bridges, and elaborate buildings. The Elbphilharmonie, a stunning concert hall, and the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district are among the must-see sites in the city.

Germany, with its mesmerizing blend of old and new, is sure to leave you enchanted. As American travel writer Rick Steves says, ""Germany is a beautiful combination of deep history and modern innovation, offering visitors a chance to explore ancient castles, picturesque villages , and bustling cities."" Pack your bags, and let Germany weave its magic on you!

Black Forest: Germany's Enchanted Woodland

For nature enthusiasts, the Black Forest is a paradise. The region offers some of the best hiking trails in Germany, winding through dark fir forests, serene lakes, and charming villages. Don't miss the chance to visit the Triberg Waterfalls, one of the highest waterfalls in Germany, or the quaint town of Baden-Baden, famous for its thermal spas.

Leipzig: City of Music and Art

Leipzig, often known as 'the new Berlin', is a buzzing city with a thriving arts scene. It's famed for its musical heritage - as the city where Johann Sebastian Bach spent a large part of his life and where Felix Mendelssohn established Germany's first musical conservatoire. The city is also home to Spinnerei, a former cotton mill turned art hub, where artists create, exhibit, and sell their works.

Nuremberg: Stepping Back in Time

Nuremberg, a city steeped in history, offers a fascinating glimpse into Germany's past. Visit the Nuremberg Castle, a symbol of the city, and explore the Old Town with its half-timbered houses and gothic churches. The Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds, a museum on the site of former Nazi party rallies, provides insight into one of the darkest times in human history.

Frankfurt: The Manhattan of Germany

Frankfurt, known for its impressive skyline, is a bustling metropolis with a lot to offer. The city is the financial heart of Germany, hosting the European Central Bank. Don't miss the Palmengarten, a beautiful botanical garden, or the Städel Museum, one of Germany's preeminent art institutions. And for a taste of traditional Frankfurt, visit the cider taverns in the Sachsenhausen district.

German Cuisine: Beyond Bratwurst and Beer

German cuisine is hearty and diverse, with each region having its specialties. Try bratwurst, a type of German sausage, or pretzels in Bavaria, Sauerbraten (pot roast) in Rhineland, and fresh seafood dishes in the northern regions. Don't forget to taste German beer and wine - with over 1,300 breweries and vineyards along the Mosel and Rhine river, there's plenty to sample!

Kevin Erickson, your experienced travel guide, hopes that this journey through the captivating landscapes, historic landmarks, and unique culture of Germany inspires you to pack your bags and explore the country yourself. Remember, the best travel experiences often come from veering off the beaten path and making your unique journey.

What is the best time to visit Germany?

Germany can be visited year-round, but the best time depends on your activities. For sightseeing and city tours, spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are ideal, while winter is perfect for Christmas markets and skiing.

What are some must-try foods in Germany?

Bratwurst, pretzels, Sauerbraten, and currywurst are must-try dishes. Don't miss the local beers and wines, and try a piece of Black Forest Gateau in its place of origin!

Is Germany expensive to visit?

Germany is relatively affordable compared to other Western European countries. Costs can vary depending on the region and the type of travel experience you prefer.

Do I need to know German to travel in Germany?

While it's always helpful to know a few phrases in the local language, English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tourist areas in Germany.

What are some local customs I should be aware of?

Germans value punctuality, so be on time for any appointments. When eating, it's polite to say 'Guten Appetit' before starting. Always use formal addresses ('Sie' in German) unless invited to use the informal 'du'.

• German National Tourist Board
• Rick Steves' Europe
• Official Website of Neuschwanstein Castle

TUI shares rise on return to Frankfurt bourse

• Medium Text

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach Writing by Miranda Murray Editing by Friederike Heine, Kirsten Donovan

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Business Chevron

Japan's March core inflation slows, weak yen complicates BOJ move

Japan's core inflation slowed in March and an index gauging broader price trends fell below 3% for the first time in over a year, data showed on Friday, as analysts warn yen weakness could complicate the central bank's policy deliberations.