30 Best Things to Do in Frankfurt, Germany (2026 Local Guide)

🇩🇪 This guide is part of our comprehensive Germany Travel Guide.

Frankfurt tends to get a bad rap. Travellers flying through its massive airport dismiss it as soulless, a city of bankers and business hotels. We completely disagree.

Yes, Frankfurt is Germany's financial capital — the gleaming skyscrapers along the Main river have earned it the nickname "Mainhattan". But step away from the banking district and you'll find a city with a beautifully rebuilt medieval square, 30+ world-class museums crammed along one riverbank, the birthplace of Goethe, and an entire neighbourhood devoted to tart apple wine.

This guide covers all 30 things to do in Frankfurt we genuinely recommend — from the obvious (Römerberg, Main Tower) to the brilliant and lesser-known (Klassikstadt, Berger Straße, Junges Museum).

Is Frankfurt Safe?

Frankfurt is a very safe city by international standards. The area that gives travellers pause is the Bahnhofsviertel — the streets immediately around the main railway station — which has an open drug scene, particularly on Taunusstraße. It's confronting if you're not used to it, but it's not dangerous.

• Main Station area: Walk purposefully during the day. Avoid lingering at night if you're uncomfortable.
• City centre / Innenstadt: Completely safe at all hours.
• Sachsenhausen: Lively and tourist-friendly, especially in the evenings.
• Bahnhofsviertel at night: Fine for the bar and restaurant scene — just be aware of your surroundings.

30 Best Things to Do in Frankfurt

1. Frankfurt Cathedral (Kaiserdom)

The Imperial Cathedral of St. Bartholomew — known locally as the Kaiserdom — is one of Frankfurt's most important historical sites. Ten Holy Roman Emperors were elected and nine were crowned here between 1356 and 1792. The Gothic tower soars 95 metres above the old town and is one of the city's defining landmarks.

• Cost: Free to enter; tower climb costs a small fee
• Tip: Look for the Wahlkapelle (Election Chapel), where the emperors were chosen — a genuinely powerful piece of history

2. Römerberg (The Historic Heart)

The Römerberg is Frankfurt's historical market square and the most photographed spot in the city. The iconic row of half-timbered houses — the Ostzeile — was painstakingly rebuilt after WWII. The Römer itself (Frankfurt's town hall) has been in continuous use since 1405.

• Best time to visit: Before 9 AM for photos without tour groups; December for one of Germany's most beautiful Christmas markets
• Tip: The square hosts regular markets and events throughout the year

3. Frankfurt Opera House (Alte Oper)

The Alte Oper (Old Opera) is one of Frankfurt's most elegant 19th-century buildings. Destroyed in WWII, rebuilt and reopened in 1981, it now serves primarily as a concert hall. The neo-Renaissance facade and the fountain square (Opernplatz) in front of it are worth seeing even without a performance.

• Tip: Opernplatz fills with people having after-work drinks on summer evenings — great atmosphere

4. Euro Symbol (€)

Frankfurt's role as the home of the European Central Bank is marked by a giant illuminated Euro symbol (€) outside the old ECB building on Willy-Brandt-Platz. It's a free, 5-minute detour and one of the most Instagram-recognisable spots in the city.

• Location: Willy-Brandt-Platz, near the opera house
• Best time: At night when it's lit up

5. Museum Angewandte Kunst (Museum of Applied Arts)

Housed in a striking building designed by Richard Meier, the Museum Angewandte Kunst is one of Frankfurt's most interesting but undervisited museums. The collection spans 5,000 years of design — from ancient Egyptian artefacts to contemporary furniture and fashion.

• Cost: From €12
• Tip: The building itself is worth the visit — one of Frankfurt's best pieces of modern architecture

6. Eschenheimer Turm

The Eschenheimer Turm is one of Frankfurt's best-preserved medieval towers, one of the last remaining gates from the original city fortifications built around 1400. It now has a restaurant at its base.

• Cost: Free to view from outside
• Tip: A natural stop on any walking tour of the old town — great for a photo

7. Klassikstadt

If you've ever wanted to see a collection of lovingly restored classic cars in a beautifully converted factory building, Klassikstadt is for you. Part showroom, part workshop, part event space — all dedicated to classic and vintage cars.

• Location: Orber Straße 4 (slightly outside the centre — worth a taxi or tram)
• Cost: Free entry to browse
• Tip: Check their events calendar; they host regular classic car meet-ups

8. Grüne Soße (Frankfurt Green Sauce)

Grüne Soße (Green Sauce, locally "Grie Soß") is Frankfurt's most iconic dish — a cold herb sauce made from exactly 7 herbs: borage, chervil, chives, cress, parsley, sorrel, and salad burnet. Traditionally served with boiled eggs and potatoes.

Goethe — Frankfurt's most famous son — supposedly loved it. There's even an annual Grüne Soße Festival held each summer.

• Where to try it: Any traditional restaurant in Sachsenhausen
• Tip: Order it as a full meal (with boiled eggs and potatoes) rather than just as a side

9. Apfelwein (Ebbelwoi — Frankfurt Apple Wine)

Apfelwein — known locally as "Ebbelwoi" in Frankfurt dialect — is the city's most beloved drink. It's a tart, slightly fizzy apple cider drunk from a Bembel (the blue-grey painted clay jug) into Gerippte glasses. It divides opinion, but we love it.

The best place to try it is Sachsenhausen, where traditional apple wine taverns have been operating for centuries.

10. Kleinmarkthalle (Frankfurt's Food Market)

The Kleinmarkthalle is Frankfurt's beloved indoor market hall — a three-floor covered market with over 150 stalls selling freshly cut meats, regional cheeses, exotic spices, fresh produce, and prepared foods. It's been operating in various forms since the 19th century and is where locals actually shop.

• Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–6 PM, Sat 8 AM–4 PM (closed Sunday)
• Tip: The upper-floor wine bar is an excellent morning stop. This is not a tourist trap — it's the real Frankfurt.

11. Museumsufer (Museum Embankment)

The south bank of the Main River is home to the Museumsufer — a strip of more than a dozen world-class museums packed into a single kilometre. Frankfurt has one of the highest museum densities of any city in Europe.

Key museums along the Museumsufer:

Museumsufer Festival (August): Every August, the Museumsufer hosts one of Frankfurt's biggest events — over 3 million visitors, live music, food stalls, and reduced museum entry. If you're visiting in late August, plan around it.

• Tip: The Frankfurt Museum Card covers most museums for 2 days — great value if you're visiting several

12. Städel Museum

The Städel Museum deserves its own entry. It's one of Germany's finest art museums, with a permanent collection of over 4,700 works spanning 700 years — Botticelli, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet, Picasso. The modern underground extension opened in 2012 is an architectural marvel.

• Cost: €16 adults (regular admission)
• Tip: The medieval and Renaissance German collection is exceptional and underappreciated even by dedicated art lovers

13. Main Tower (Best View in Frankfurt)

For the best panoramic view of Frankfurt's skyline — the only skyscraper observation deck publicly accessible in the city — head to the Main Tower. At 200 metres, its open-air platform gives a 360° view of "Mainhattan."

• Cost: €9–€10 adults
• Best time: Just before sunset — watch the city lights turn on over the skyline
• Tip: There's also a rooftop bar/restaurant on the 53rd floor; book ahead in summer

14. Goethe House and Museum

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe — one of the towering figures of world literature — was born in Frankfurt in 1749. His birth house on Großer Hirschgraben has been preserved and restored as a museum, and the adjacent Goethe Museum houses art and documents related to his life and work.

• Cost: €10 adults
• Tip: The house itself is the star — four floors of authentic 18th-century interiors. If you've read Faust or The Sorrows of Young Werther, this is a genuinely moving visit.

15. Palmengarten

The Palmengarten is Frankfurt's beautiful botanical garden — one of the oldest and largest in Germany. It covers 22 hectares and includes tropical greenhouses, formal gardens, a rose garden, and a small lake.

• Cost: €7 adults
• Best time: Spring for roses and tulips; winter for the tropical greenhouses when it's cold outside
• Tip: The outdoor concerts in summer are a Frankfurt institution — check the calendar

16. Eiserner Steg (The Iron Bridge)

The Eiserner Steg (Iron Bridge) is Frankfurt's most famous pedestrian bridge — and the place everyone goes for the classic postcard shot of the skyline and Main Tower reflected in the river. Like many European bridges, it's covered in love locks.

• Cost: Free
• Tip: Best photos at golden hour (the hour before sunset) looking back towards the banking district skyline

17. Mainkai (The Riverbank Promenade)

The Mainkai is Frankfurt's main riverbank promenade — running along the north bank of the Main. On sunny days it's packed with cyclists, joggers, and people sitting on the steps watching the river. On summer Sundays, the road closes to traffic and becomes a giant pedestrian and picnic zone.

• Tip: Walk the full stretch from Eiserner Steg east — about 2km of pure atmosphere

18. Frankfurt Sightseeing Cruise

A boat cruise on the Main is one of the best ways to see Frankfurt's skyline from a unique angle. Primus-Linie and other operators run regular sightseeing routes from the Mainkai.

• Cost: From €12–€15 for a standard cruise
• Duration: 1–2 hours
• Tip: Evening sunset cruises sell out fast — book ahead in summer

19. St. Paul's Church (Paulskirche)

The Paulskirche (St. Paul's Church) is one of Germany's most historically significant buildings. In 1848–49, it hosted the first freely elected German parliament — a pivotal moment in the country's democratic history. Today it functions as a memorial and civic hall.

• Cost: Free
• Tip: The circular interior and permanent exhibition on German democracy make it a surprisingly moving visit, even if you're not a history buff

20. Senckenberg Natural History Museum

The Senckenberg Naturmuseum is one of the largest natural history museums in Europe. The dinosaur hall alone — with full-mounted skeletons including a T-Rex — is spectacular, and the overall collection is world-class.

• Cost: €12 adults
• Tip: Allow 2–3 hours. Brilliant for families but genuinely fascinating for adults too.

21. Old Sachsenhausen

Alt-Sachsenhausen is Frankfurt's most atmospheric neighbourhood — a tangle of cobblestone streets south of the Main lined with apple wine taverns, small restaurants, and bars. This is where Frankfurt locals actually go in the evening.

The neighbourhood was largely spared from WWII bombing, so many original buildings survive. It's the best place to experience traditional Frankfurt culture.

• Tip: Go on a Friday or Saturday evening when the streets fill up
• Avoid: The touristy stretch right by the bridge — walk two blocks deeper for the authentic spots

22. Hauptwache

The Hauptwache is Frankfurt's central square — and one of its most recognisable landmarks. The beautiful Baroque building (1730) that gives the square its name was originally a guardhouse; it's now a café. The surrounding area is Frankfurt's main shopping and pedestrian zone.

• Tip: This is the most convenient orientation point in the city centre. The Zeil (Frankfurt's main shopping street) starts here.

23. Schirn Kunsthalle

The Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt is one of Germany's most prestigious exhibition halls for contemporary and modern art. Unlike permanent collection museums, it hosts major temporary exhibitions — past shows have featured Frida Kahlo, Keith Haring, and large survey shows on Surrealism and Expressionism.

• Cost: Varies by exhibition (~€10–€14)
• Location: Right next to the Römerberg
• Tip: Check their current programme — the quality is consistently very high

24. Berger Straße

Berger Straße in the Bornheim neighbourhood is Frankfurt's most charming local street — and a genuine favourite among residents. Stretching over 2 kilometres, it's lined with independent boutiques, bookshops, bakeries, wine bars, and restaurants. The vibe is completely tourist-free.

• Tip: Come for brunch on a Saturday morning — the cafés are excellent and the street market adds great atmosphere
• Getting there: U4 tram to Merianplatz or Bornheim Mitte

25. Deutsches Filmmuseum (German Film Museum)

The Deutsches Filmmuseum is one of Germany's leading film museums — telling the history of cinema from the earliest optical toys through to the modern era. Interactive exhibits, original props, and an excellent screening programme of classic films.

• Cost: €9 adults
• Tip: The Caligari cinema within the museum shows classic and art house films — a great evening option

26. Frankfurt Zoo

The Frankfurter Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in Germany (founded 1858) and one of the most species-rich in Europe. Well-located — walking distance from the city centre — and recently renovated sections make it a genuinely modern experience.

• Cost: €16 adults
• Tip: Easy to combine with a visit to Berger Straße (both are in the east of the city)

27. Liebieghaus Skulpturenmuseum

The Liebieghaus is one of Europe's finest sculpture museums — housed in a beautiful villa on the Museumsufer. The collection spans 5,000 years from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia through Greek and Roman antiquity, medieval and Renaissance sculpture, all the way to Art Deco.

• Cost: €12 adults
• Tip: The garden café overlooking the Main is one of Frankfurt's nicest lunch spots in summer

28. Grüneburgpark

Grüneburgpark is Frankfurt's best urban green space — a large English-style landscaped park just north of the Westend. It's where Frankfurters sunbathe, picnic, and run on weekends. The Korean Garden within the park and the adjacent Palmengarten make it easy to combine both.

• Cost: Free
• Tip: Best on a sunny weekend afternoon — genuinely lovely atmosphere

29. Junges Museum Frankfurt

The Junges Museum (Young Museum) inside the Historisches Museum complex is Frankfurt's dedicated children's museum — but thoughtfully designed enough that adults find it interesting too. Hands-on exhibits explore Frankfurt's history and identity in an accessible, creative way.

• Cost: Included with the Historisches Museum Frankfurt (€8 adults)
• Tip: Great if you're travelling with kids; the Historisches Museum upstairs is excellent for adults

30. Deutschordenskirche (Teutonic Knights Church)

A lesser-known gem in Sachsenhausen: the Deutschordenskirche (Church of the Teutonic Order) is one of Frankfurt's oldest and best-preserved Gothic churches. It contains the remarkable Holbein Altar — a stunning polyptych altarpiece by Hans Holbein the Elder.

• Cost: Free
• Tip: Often overlooked in favour of the Cathedral. This is more intimate and genuinely atmospheric.

Frankfurt Food Guide: What You Must Try

Best Neighbourhoods to Stay in Frankfurt

Day Trips from Frankfurt

Frankfurt's central location makes it one of Germany's best bases for day trips:

• Day Trips from Frankfurt — Heidelberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Rüdesheim, Cochem
• Road Trips from Frankfurt — Rhine Valley, Romantic Road
• Weekend Trips from Frankfurt — Cologne, Nuremberg, Munich, the Moselle Valley

Planning a long layover? See our dedicated Frankfurt Layover Guide — what you can realistically see in 4, 6, or 8 hours.

Practical Frankfurt Tips

• Getting around: The U-Bahn and S-Bahn are excellent. The city centre is walkable. Get a day pass for unlimited trips.
• Airport: Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is connected to the city centre by S-Bahn in just 11 minutes.
• Best time to visit: April–June and September–October for mild weather. August for the Museumsufer Festival. December for the Christmas markets.
• Frankfurt Card: Covers unlimited public transport + museum discounts. Worth buying if you plan to visit several museums over 2 days.

Travelling through Germany? Check out our Indian Restaurants in Frankfurt guide, the Frankfurt Festivals Calendar, and our Europe Road Trip routes for inspiration.