Frankfurt Layover Guide (FRA)

Frankfurt Sightseeing Cruise: 1 or 2 Hours

One of the defining things in Frankfurt’s environment is definitely the River Main. This is a chance to take a cruise on the river and see Frankfurt’s towering skyline from the water. Sailing downstream takes you towards Griesheim, through the urban areas of Frankfurt towards the Western harbour and the museums along the embankment. While sailing upstream takes you past the beautiful embankments of the river main towards the Eastern harbour of the city with the Sachsenhausen district and its museum embankment. » book this tour

Frankfurt: Hop-on Hop-off Day Skyline or Express City Tour

See Frankfurt in comfort in an open-top double decker tour bus which gives you a tour of the city while letting you listen to commentary in up to 10 languages. You can mark off all the landmarks on your tourist list such as the beautiful St. Paul’s Church, the famous, the unique Palmengarten, the Goethe House, the impressive medieval Römer building and the famous Senckenberg Museum. Find about Frankfurt’s bustling financial district or take a stroll along the museum embankment. This bus tour allows you to get off at any stop. » book this tour

Frankfurt: Old Town Guided Walk

Visit the newly reconstructed Frankfurt old town with a certified tour guide while enjoying an urban history tour and discovering famous landmarks like the St Paul’s Church, the Römer City Hall and the Emperors’ Cathedral. The tour offers great views of the city skyline and its unique architecture. Take this chance to explore the famous Museum Embankment. » book this tour

The Palm Garden

This is one of the largest botanic gardens in Germany covering over 50 acres. This garden has beautiful outdoor plant exhibits arranged according to their geographical origin and greenhouse that have numerous species covering tropical and subtropical plants. There are also many picnic spots, playgrounds and boating activities.

Time required: Set aside an hour or 2 to enjoy the Palm Garden.

Airport to here: Taxi takes an average of 20 minutes while public transport typically takes 25 minutes.

The Hauptwache

The Hauptwache which means the Main Guard is a highly regarded square in Frankfurt and is surrounded by main shopping areas, a mix of old historic buildings and newer modern housing. One of the most famous buildings here is the old Baroque Guard House which lends the square its name. It was established in 1730 which it served the city’s militia but after many iterations, it is now a cafe.

Time required: Set aside 2 or 3 hours to explore the Hauptwache.

Airport to here: Typically takes a Taxi 15 minutes and public transport takes 25 minutes.

Frankfurt Kleinmarkthalle

This popular market hall has been standing since 1954 and within its, 150 square meters are stalls with delicious food, located on Hasengasse. This is the place to find some of Germany’s finest produce as well as the best place to try local specialties such as the famous green sauce, cheese, pastries, and sausages.

Time required: Set aside 2 or 3 hours to enjoy the market.

Airport to here: Typically takes a Taxi 25 minutes and public transport takes 30 minutes.

Liebeighaus

This building certainly looks like a castle but in fact it was once a villa belonging to Heinrich Baron von Liebeig. He gave the city the villa in his will for a fee and asked the city to keep an art gallery within its walls all of the time. Now the Liebeighaus has thousands of visitors each year to see an impressive art collection with some aged over 5000 years.

Time required: Set aside 2 or 3 hours to explore the Liebeighaus.

Airport to here: Typically takes a Taxi 15 minutes and public transport takes 25 minutes.

Main Tower

Getting a bird’s eye view of a city is one of the most common things among tourists like to do in a foreign city. Main Tower offers this a really impressive view and it stands as one of the only skyline observation decks in Frankfurt. The Main Tower is also home to Haleba art collection, a restaurant and lounge, a fitness center, radio, and even a television studio.

Time required: About half a day.

Airport to here: Taxi takes an average of 20 minutes while public transport typically takes 30 minutes.

Römerberg

Römerberg is a historic square with medieval architecture and a center for coronations, trade fairs, festivals, and Christmas markets at the heart of Altstadt. It is the home to Römer, the Ortzeile, Paulsplate, the old St Nicholas Church, the Historical Museum, Frankfurt Cathedral, the River Main and the fountain of justice is in the middle of the square. One of the best times to visit is in December when the freely accessible yet spectacular Christmas Market is set up for all to enjoy.

Time required: Half a day.

Airport to here: Typically takes a Taxi 20 minutes and public transport takes 30 minutes on average.

Frankfurt Zoo

For the children and animal lovers, this is a great place to observe the impressive animal kingdom in one of Germany’s oldest zoos. The exhibits vary from displays of Madagascar to marine life and crocodiles. This is the home of about 4500 animals consisting of about 500 different species. There are a lot of snacks, drinks, and ice cream stands.

Time required: At least 2 hours.

Airport to here: Taxi takes an average of 25 minutes while public transport takes 40 minutes.

Goethe House and Museum

The Goethe House is the birthplace of Germany’s most famous author and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The house is located at 23 Grosser Hirschgraben. It provides authentic impressions and insights into Goethe’s youth and how these surroundings influence his later work. The Goethe museum features a vast collection of paintings, graphics, and art from Goethe’s time.

Time required: At least an hour.

Airport to here: Typically takes a Taxi 20 minutes while public transport can take up to 30 minutes.