Jaunted

Getting to the city from the airport couldn’t be easier, as trains leave the airport terminal for the main Frankfurt station about every 10 minutes for just about 3 euros. Since the city is such an international destination, and one that hosts huge conventions throughout the year, lodging options abound from the big chains like Hilton and Starwood, to more boutique design options like the Roomers or Goldman 25 Hours.

Most tourists’ first stop is the artfully restored Romer, three medieval buildings that were linked together to house Frankfurt’s city hall starting in 1405. Today, they anchor a huge plaza of typical half-timbered houses just a minute’s walk from the huge city Dom, or cathedral, where the Holy Roman Emperors were elected. For a more modern experience, walk a few blocks north to the Zeile, where you can find all the major European chain stores.

Culturally, Frankfurt is a very rich city, with a mile-long ”Museum Embankment” running along the waterfront of the Main (pronounced “mine) River. The most important of these museums is the Staedel Museum, which contains a collection of European art from the Middle Ages to the early 20th Century. Other interesting stops on the path include the Museum of Modern Art, and the Museum of Applied Arts, whose collection of decorative and architectural pieces numbers over 30,000.

Judaica enthusiasts will appreciate the historical exhibits of the Jewish Museum in the former Rothschild Building right on the river, though the Judengasse Museum, which is built over a recently unearthed section of the former Jewish Ghetto on Borneplatz is much more engaging, especially since you can visit the understated Holocaust Memorial just outside afterwards.

Perhaps the most visited museum is the Goethe Haus. There you can learn about the life and writings of Frankfurt’s most famous son while wandering through the author’s family home.

Though not a huge culinary destination, Frankfurt does nonetheless have some very fine restaurants. The best known on the fancy side are Holbein’s next to the Staedel, and Tiger, which has a Michelin-star and is part of a cabaret theater, so there’s a show with your dinner. You can have a trippy lying-down dining experience at Cocoon, though the mood is more laid back and hipsterish at trendy Chalet Multi-Lounge.

Whatever your angle, Frankfurt has something to offer. You can bank on it.

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