In addition to being an important financial center that houses buildings such as the European Central Bank, there are many tourist attractions that can be visited in Frankfurt – Germany’s fifth largest city with a population of over 730,000. This city is full of history, much of it was damaged during World War II and then rebuilt.
Today, you can appreciate its history by visiting the reconstructed Altstadt (Old Town) which houses the Römerberg, its art by visiting the old house of the famous writer Goethe, and its nature by walking along the Main River.
In this post, I will show you which places you should definitely visit, as well as their entrance fee (if any), timetables, and a brief description.
My top 10 places are:
- Frankfurt Cathedral (Saint Bartholomew Cathedral)
- The Römer
- St. Paul’s Church
- Kleinmarkthalle
- Zeil Street
- Goethe House
- Main Tower
- Alte Oper
- Palmengarten
- Main River Tour
1. Frankfurt Cathedral (St. Bartholomew Cathedral)
Frankfurt Cathedral is not a cathedral, but the main Catholic church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew. This Gothic building was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. From 1356 onwards, kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected there, and from 1562 to 1792 Roman-German emperors were crowned there.
The tower of the cathedral has a viewpoint open to the public at 66 meters high, which is accessed through a narrow spiral staircase of 386 steps.
Tickets and opening hours
Cathedral
Price: free
- Monday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 – 20:00 hrs.
- Friday: 13:00 – 20:00 hrs.
General guided tour of the cathedral
Price: 2 EUR
- Tuesday to Sunday: 15:00 hrs.
Museum
Price: 2 EUR
- Monday: closed
- Tuesday to Friday: 10:00-17.00 hrs.
- Saturday, Sunday + holidays: 11:00-17:00 hrs.
Read more information on the official website of Saint Bartholomew Cathedral.
2. The Römer
Römer (German word meaning Roman), is a complex of nine houses that form the Frankfurt City Hall (Rathaus). The houses belonged to a rich merchant family but were acquired by the city council. It was partially destroyed during the Second World War but later rebuilt.
Tickets and opening hours
You can only see it from the outside.
Read more information on the official website of The Römer.
3. St. Paul’s Church
St. Paul’s Church (Paulskirche) was established in 1789 as a Protestant church, but then in 1848, it was the seat of the first parliament, which met in the church to write a constitution for a united Germany. Unfortunately, they failed because the monarchs of Prussia and Austria did not want to lose power; Prussian troops forcibly dissolved the parliament. Today, the site hosts political and cultural events.
Tickets and opening hours
You can only see it from the outside, unless there’s an event.
Read more information on the official website of St. Paul’s Church.
4. Kleinmarkthalle
The Kleinmarkthalle is Frankfurt’s largest public market. It offers fresh food and flowers. In addition to regional delicacies, it also offers imported products.
Tickets and opening hours
Price: free entrance (just bring money for food and souvenirs).
- Monday to Friday: 8:00-18:00 hrs.
- Saturday: 8:00-16:00 hrs.
- Sunday and holidays: closed
Read more information on the official website of Kleinmarkthalle.
5. Zeil Street
Zeil Street is Frankfurt’s main shopping street. It is a pedestrian area and is the second most expensive street to rent in Germany after Munich’s Kaufingerstraße. 85% of the shops are chains such as H&M, Saturn, Esprit, Zara or NewYorker.
Tickets and opening hours
Price: free
Shops open usually from 10:00-21:00 hrs.
Read more information on the official website of Frankfurt Tourism.
6. Goethe House
Goethe House is the birthplace of the famous writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It was destroyed in World War II and then rebuilt true to the original.
Tickets and opening hours
Price: 7 EUR
- Monday to Saturday: 10:00-18:00 hrs.
- Sunday and public holidays: 10:00-17:30 hrs.
Read more information on the official website of Goethe House.
7. Main Tower
This skyscraper has 56 floors and 200 m (656 ft), but if the antenna needle is included, the building measures 240 m (787 ft). It is Frankfurt’s fourth tallest building, Germany’s fourth tallest building, and Frankfurt’s only skyscraper with a public observatory.
Tickets and opening hours
Observation deck
Price: 7.50 EUR
In summer
- Sunday to Thursday: 10:00-21:00 hrs.
- Friday and Saturday: 10:00-23:00 hrs.
In winter
- Sunday to Thursday: 10:00-19:00 hrs.
- Friday and Saturday: 10:00-21:00 hrs.
Read more information on the official website of Main Tower.
8. Alte Oper
Alte Oper (Old Opera) is Frankfurt’s original opera, which was in use until it was damaged in World War II. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1981, but now functions as a concert hall. The Frankfurt Opera House is now in a modern building nearby.
Tickets and opening hours
Prices and times vary. You can buy tickets online on frankfurtticket.de/
Read more information on the official website of the Opera House.
9. Palmengarten
Open to the public since 1871, Palmengarten is a botanical garden that exhibits tropical and subtropical plants, hence the name “Palm Garden”.
Tickets and opening hours
Price: free
- Monday to Sunday: 9:00-18:00 hrs.
Read more information on the official website of Palmengarten.
10. Main River Cruise
Boats depart from the northern shores of the Main River near the Eiserner Steg bridge – it is a short walk from the Römer.
Tickets and opening hours
Basically, you have the following options (prices vary depending on whether food is included or not, but range from 10 to 70 EUR):
- Short trips (Sightseeing in Frankfurt and other)
- Dinner and evening cruises
- Day Trips
Cruises depart at the afternoon, evening, and night.
There are several providers but one of the biggest ones is Primus Linie. Read more information on the official website of Primus Linie.
How to visit all these places?
You are going to need at least two days to see all these places. On day 1 you can visit all the places that are within walking distance. And on day 2, you can visit the Palmengarten in the morning, then have lunch and then take an evening cruise on the Main River.
Day 1
- Frankfurt Cathedral (Saint Bartholomew Cathedral)
- The Römer
- St. Paul’s Church
- Kleinmarkthalle
- Zeil Street
- Goethe House
- Main Tower
- Alte Oper
Day 2
- Palmengarten
- Main River Cruise
How to transport?
On the first day, you can discover all the places by foot, on the second day you can take the metro (U-Bahn and S-Bahn) to travel those distances that are longer.
Price
It is very easy to use and you can buy a day ticket for around 5.35 EUR.
* The day ticket costs a little less than twice the price of a single ticket.
Route
You can type on Google Maps the name of the place you want to visit and it will create the route you have to follow with the respective trains and times.
Read here more information about the Frankfurt Metro.
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