The best things to do in Frankfurt combine the city’s historic centre, striking skyline, excellent museums, riverside walks, green spaces, and distinctive Hessian food culture. Start around Römerberg and the New Old Town, see Frankfurt from above at Main Tower, then cross the Main for museums and Sachsenhausen.
Frankfurt is especially easy to explore on a short city break because many major sights sit within walking distance of the centre. One full day covers the highlights, while two days give you more time for museums, gardens, and neighbourhoods. You can check the eskimo article too, is Germany Worth to visit?.
Best Things to Do in Frankfurt
Explore Römerberg and the New Old Town
Römerberg is the natural starting point for sightseeing in Frankfurt. The historic square is surrounded by distinctive façades and sits beside the Römer, Frankfurt’s town hall.
From here, walk into the New Old Town between Römerberg and Frankfurt Cathedral. The district opened in its current form in 2018 and combines reconstructed historic buildings with new architecture designed to fit the old street pattern. (Visit Frankfurt)
It is a compact area, so allow roughly an hour if you mainly want to walk, photograph the streets, and continue toward the cathedral.
See Frankfurt from Main Tower
Frankfurt’s skyline is one of the features that separates it from most German cities, and Main Tower offers one of the clearest views of it.
The building rises 200 metres, while its public viewing terrace sits at around 187 metres. From the top, you can look across the financial district, Old Town, Main River, and surrounding region. (Visit Frankfurt)
Opening hours vary between summer and winter, so check the official Main Tower information before visiting, particularly if you want to arrive close to sunset. Main Tower visitor information
Walk Along Museumsufer
If you are deciding what to see in Frankfurt beyond the Old Town, head to Museumsufer along the Main River.
Frankfurt has an unusually concentrated museum scene, with 26 museums located close to the river and city centre according to the city’s tourism board. (Visit Frankfurt)
Even without entering several museums, the riverbanks make a pleasant walking route. The Eiserner Steg pedestrian bridge also gives you an easy connection between the historic centre and Sachsenhausen.
Visit the Städel Museum
The Städel Museum is one of Frankfurt’s strongest choices for art lovers. Its collection spans around 700 years of European art, covering periods from the Middle Ages through modern and contemporary works. (Städel Museum)
As of August 2026, regular opening hours are 10am to 6pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with late opening until 9pm on Thursday. The museum is normally closed on Monday. Regular admission starts at €19, although prices and special opening hours can change. (Städel Museum)
Check the official Städel Museum visitor information before your visit.
Climb Frankfurt Cathedral
St Bartholomew’s Cathedral, commonly called Frankfurt Cathedral or Kaiserdom, adds a very different skyline view.
Its Gothic west tower rises to around 95 metres, and the church has deep connections to Frankfurt’s imperial history. (Visit Frankfurt)
The cathedral is only a short walk from Römerberg, making it easy to combine with the Old Town rather than treating it as a separate excursion.
Slow Down in Palmengarten
For a break from city streets and skyscrapers, visit Palmengarten, one of Frankfurt’s major botanical attractions.
The garden includes landscaped outdoor areas, greenhouses, and collections covering plants from different climate zones. It works particularly well on a two-day visit when you have more time beyond the historic centre.
Palmengarten is open daily. As of August 2026, opening hours are 9am to 7pm from March through October and 9am to 4pm from November through February, with some holiday exceptions. (Palmengarten)
Check the official Palmengarten website for current visitor information.
Eat Your Way Around Kleinmarkthalle
Kleinmarkthalle is one of the best stops if your Frankfurt plans involve food rather than another museum.
The indoor market covers around 1,500 square metres and has more than 150 stalls selling produce, spices, prepared foods, and international ingredients. Local options include Frankfurt Green Sauce, traditionally made with a mixture of fresh herbs. (Visit Frankfurt)
The market is generally open from Monday to Saturday and closed on Sunday, but individual stall hours can differ.
Try Frankfurt Apple Wine in Sachsenhausen
Cross the Main to Sachsenhausen for one of Frankfurt’s most recognisable local traditions: Apfelwein, or apple wine.
Old Sachsenhausen is known for traditional apple-wine taverns where the drink is commonly served from a stoneware Bembel into ribbed glasses known as Gerippte. (Visit Frankfurt)
Pair it with regional food such as Green Sauce if you want a more distinctly Frankfurt experience. You do not need to drink alcohol to enjoy the neighbourhood itself, which is also an easy evening stop after visiting the museums along the river.
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Walk or Cycle Along the Main River
You do not need a ticket to enjoy one of Frankfurt’s easiest activities.
The paths along the Main connect the city centre, Museumsufer, Sachsenhausen, bridges, parks, and skyline viewpoints. Walking here around late afternoon also gives you a good view back toward Frankfurt’s high-rise district.
For a simple route, start around Römerberg, cross Eiserner Steg, walk west along the Sachsenhausen bank, then cross back toward the city centre.
What to See in Frankfurt If You Only Have One Day
If you only have one day, focus on central Frankfurt rather than trying to cover every attraction.
A practical route is:
- Start at Römerberg and walk through the New Old Town.
- Visit Frankfurt Cathedral.
- Continue toward Kleinmarkthalle for lunch or a snack.
- Walk through the centre to Main Tower for the skyline view.
- Head toward the Main River and Museumsufer.
- Cross into Sachsenhausen for dinner or an evening walk.
This route keeps most of your sightseeing concentrated around the centre and avoids spending too much of a short visit in transit.
If you want to visit the Städel Museum properly, allow around two hours and consider skipping another attraction rather than rushing through both.
How Many Days Do You Need in Frankfurt?
One day is enough for Frankfurt’s main sights, including Römerberg, the New Old Town, Main River, Main Tower, and Sachsenhausen.
Two days are better if you want to visit the Städel Museum, Palmengarten, explore several neighbourhoods, or spend more time around Museumsufer.
Frankfurt also works well as a base or stop on a wider German itinerary because of its major railway station and international airport. Before planning around a Sunday or public holiday, it is worth checking Germany Public Holidays 2026, as shop opening patterns and transport frequency can differ.
Getting Around Frankfurt
Central Frankfurt is highly walkable. Römerberg, the cathedral, Kleinmarkthalle, the riverfront, and several museums are close enough to combine on foot.
For longer distances, Frankfurt has U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram, and bus services. Public transport is useful for places such as Palmengarten or when travelling between the central station, airport, and different neighbourhoods.
The Frankfurt Card is also aimed at visitors and combines local public transport with discounts at participating museums, attractions, and tours. (Visit Frankfurt)
For current routes, fares, service changes, and airport connections, check official local transport information before travelling.
Mobile Data While Exploring Frankfurt
Mobile data is useful in Frankfurt for checking U-Bahn and S-Bahn routes, storing digital attraction tickets, navigating between the Old Town and Sachsenhausen, finding restaurant reservations, and monitoring train or flight changes. Reception is generally stronger across central Frankfurt, although signal can weaken underground, inside some stations, and in dense indoor spaces.
An Eskimo Germany eSIM plan can cover a Frankfurt trip, while Eskimo’s network of 175 countries and regions is useful if Germany is one stop on a wider European or international itinerary. No-expiry fixed data means any unused fixed data can remain available for a future trip instead of needing to be used before your Frankfurt stay ends. (Eskimo Travel)
New users can also claim free 500MB of Global Data.
FAQs:
What are the best things to do in Frankfurt?
The best things to do in Frankfurt include exploring Römerberg and the New Old Town, visiting Main Tower, walking along Museumsufer, seeing the Städel Museum, visiting Palmengarten, and experiencing Sachsenhausen’s apple-wine culture.
What can you see in Frankfurt in one day?
In one day, you can comfortably see Römerberg, Frankfurt Cathedral, the New Old Town, Kleinmarkthalle, Main Tower, the Main riverfront, and Sachsenhausen if you keep your route concentrated around the centre.
How many days are enough for Frankfurt?
One day covers Frankfurt’s main sights, while two days give you enough time to add a major museum, Palmengarten, neighbourhood exploration, and a slower evening in Sachsenhausen.
Is Frankfurt easy to get around without a car?
Yes. Central Frankfurt is walkable, while U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, and buses cover longer journeys. A car is unnecessary for most city sightseeing.
What is Frankfurt best known for?
Frankfurt is known for its modern skyline and financial district, historic Römerberg, major museums along the Main, international airport, book-fair heritage, and local apple-wine culture
