12 Top-Rated Places to Explore in Frankfurt – Frankfurt is an old imperial city and a tourist hotspot, featuring endless stunning attractions. Nowadays, the city is regarded as an important commercial and economic hub. However, its impressive buildings dominate the beauty and charm of the place. Besides, the city is home to an extraordinary number of museums and cultural sites, gardens, parks, colorful cities, music avenues, unique shopping centers, trade fairs, and whatnot. Keeping the value of tourism in mind, Frankfurt is now a global city attracting millions of visitors every year.
Its incredible museums and other historical sites cover the subject of science, art, and history. One of the popular activities of the place is its walking tours and crossing the Main through the Eiserner Steg, built-in 1911. The city is also known with other names, Mainhattan and Chicago on the Main. Being a global city, Frankfurt also tops the list of the top ten best cities in the world to live and run business.
Here is a comprehensive travel guide to help you find the popular and best places to explore in Frankfurt.
Romerberg: Frankfurt’s Old Town Center
There lies an important and most-visited attraction in the heart of the Old Town of Frankfurt, Romerberg, a vibrant and illuminated place. It is the most picturesque public square, also considered the busiest pedestrian zone of the city. Moreover, the site is home to several buildings widely famous for their classic and modern architecture and infrastructure. Also, there are so many open-fronted and unique shops spreading across the old town.
The Romer, a cluster comprising 11 buildings that laid the foundation of the medieval-era Old Town Hall, was reconstructed during 1954 and from the 15th to 18th century.
Stadel Museum
The Stadel Museum is a major center of attraction in Frankfurt, its iconic collection of famous paintings from the 14th century gives a world-class tour to the visitors. The most significant art collections are old masters, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Goya, and artists of later centuries, Monet, Beckman, Picasso, and Degas. Above all, the contemporary works of Bacon and Baselitz were highly famous and drew significant attention from tourists for years now.
The museum authority offers English language guided tours and audio guides for those who prefer to go alone. Once you have taken a tour, you can join workshops and talk shows to learn and discover more about the site.
Frankfurt Cathedral
The Frankfurt Cathedral or Frankfurter Dom stands as the most alluring and unique cultural site. The cathedral’s construction was done using red sandstone between the 13th and 15th centuries. The 95-meter tall tower stands erect, and it is one of the few churches in Germany designated as an Imperial Cathedral. Beneath the tower, there is a beautiful Crucifixion by Hans Backoffen, built-in 1509, and the Marienkapelle in 1434. Another major highlight to see nearby the church is the grave-slab of King Gunther von Schwarzburg, who passed away in 1349 in Frankfurt.
The Hauptwache
Hauptwache is considered the busiest pedestrian area in Frankfurt, lies in the middle of the city. The site’s name means ‘Main Guard,’ and it is one of the most significant and widely popular for its combination of modern and historical buildings. The ancient Baroque Guard House, built-in 1730, is considered the well-known attraction, which once accommodated a prison, later transformed into a police station. Surprisingly, it is now a popular cafe in the streets of Hauptwache.
Shopping enthusiasts can find plenty of shopping districts, including Zeil, Liebfrauenstraße, Schillerstrabe, Steinweg, and Straßenzug Biebergasse or Fressgass. There is an enormous underground mall featuring high-end and budget-friendly brands, cafes, and retail shops in Hauptwache. If you want to take sightseeing tours, go to the Altstadt area, Innenstadt, and the River Main areas.
The Old Opera House
The Old Opera House is the heart and soul of Frankfurt, located in the open square of the city and built-in 1880 in a modern Italian High Renaissance style. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in 1981 as one of Frankfurt’s most significant music avenues. The new opera house, Open Frankfurt, and the incredible drama theater, Schauspiel Frankfurt, share a contemporary art venue known as Stadtische Buhnen Frankfurt. So make Spirit Airlines reservations and get ready to take a tour of the famous tourist capital.
The Palm Garden
The Palm Garden is situated on Bockenheimer Landstrasse, the iconic and charming open-natural space covering a massive land of 54 acres. It is one of the most extensive botanic gardens in Germany, opened for public visits in 1871. Its beautiful outdoor botanical exhibits seek significant attention and display several greenhouses, several tropical plant species. There is a playground for children in the garden, perfect for arranging a family-friendly picnic and enjoying breakfast on a sunny day. Guided tours are also available for tourists. One interesting fact about the place is that even the top performer of the era, Buffalo Bill, visited the garden for his Wild West show in 1890.
Senckenberg Natural History Museum
There is no shortage of museums in Frankfurt, and the finest example of a beautiful and renowned museum is the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, located in Senckenberg Gardens. Moreover, it is one of the modern museums in Europe and the second-largest in Germany. Its massive collection of some great masterpieces, including exhibiting the biodiversity of our planet, evolution of humans and other organisms, makes it even more popular among all. Moreover, the museum is home to the largest collection of stuffed birds in the world. It even holds the most comprehensive exhibition in Europe, demonstrating an array of enormous dinosaurs.
Frankfurt Zoo
Frankfurt Zoo is home to more than 4500 animals, featuring more than 510 species, covering 32 acres of land near the city’s old Friedberger Tor. It was first founded in 1858, and it is one of the second oldest zoos in Germany. The incredible animal houses, including the unique Grzimek House, feature the diverse fauna of Madagascar. Moreover, the Borgore Forest has an ape house giving an impression of a natural jungle setting. Besides this, the Nocturnal Animals House and the Bird Hall are the major highlights of the zoo. In addition, a variety of popular and fun events and programs are arranged for tourists, including family festivals, exhibits, and themed tours.
Museum District: Museumsufer
The museum district of Museumsufer lies on the south and north banks of the River Main features a massive collection of more than 16 different and unique museums. One of the major highlights or the centerpiece of the site is the Stadel Art Museum featuring the renowned Museum of World Cultures, considered as one of the top ethnological museums of Europe. It was founded in 1904 and featured more than 65000 artifacts from different parts of the world, including Asia, Africa, North and South America. Moreover, the Museum of Ancient Sculpture is another renowned museum in Frankfurt, built in the 19th century. The historic site is home to an extraordinary collection of Egyptian, Asian, Roman, and Greek sculptures belonging to the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods.
Eschenheim Tower
The Eschenheim Tower was earlier a city gate and now a significant landmark in Frankfurt, built in the early 1400s. It is standing erect to 47 meters in height, and the impressive style of the building and its dimensions dominates the Eschenheimer Gate District. The tower is also home to beautiful cafes and meeting rooms, primarily used by the local historical societies. In addition, there is a Stock Exchange, made in 1879, and now the most famous works in the entire country. The tower was constructed in the initial phase of the 15th century and made it the oldest and unaltered building in Frankfurt Neustadt, now known as the Frankfurt-Innenstadt.
Goethe House and Museum
Frankfurt was the birthplace of the renowned writer of Germany, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and since then, the site’s name has been associated with his name. Although he was born on August 28, 1749, and died in 1765, the place was his home and represented his legacy dating back for years. When you enter the site, you will see an adorned dining room on the main floor of the house, Goethe’s writing room, where he used to pen down his thoughts and his playing area.
Next to the Goethe House, a Goethe Museum features an art gallery of 14 rooms displaying the famous artworks from his time. His most notable works were from the Romantic and late Baroque periods. History enthusiasts can also take guided tours and discover both the properties more deeply. In addition, there is a luxurious shopping center, Goethestrasse, packed with unique boutiques, art galleries, and beautiful cafes.
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art or MMK Museum is globally considered one of the most crucial art galleries of contemporary art in Europe. It is a stunning and versatile building, lies in the city’s heart, and opened in 1991 for public visits. There is a massive collection of around 5000 fine art pieces belonging to more than 450 iconic artists. It dates back to the 1960s to the current age and home to the works of some other famous and leading personalities, including Roy Lichtenstein, Francis Bacon, and Andy Warhol. Make a memorable trip to Frankfurt by making Southwest Airlines reservations in advance and get a chance to explore the notable sights of the city.
