Frankfurt, located on the River Main, is the largest city in Central Germany. It is home to the European Central Bank and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as well as nearly 370 banks, making Frankfurt the financial capital of Europe. This would also be why it has a reputation as a place for business and been given such nicknames as ‘Bankfurt’ and ‘Mainhattan.’ The city also has some of the tallest buildings on the continent such as the Commerzbank Tower. Frankfurt’s skyline is just breathtaking as are the sunsets, although the vibrancy of the sunsets is in part a product of air pollution. Sometimes you just need to take the good with the bad. The Main River bridges, especially the eastern ones, offer great views of the city and the setting sun but for the best views of both, take the elevator to the viewing platform at the Main Tower which rises 200 metres above the city. There is also another side to Frankfurt’s character. Much of the city was destroyed by bombings during World War II. Only a small portion of the city’s original architecture remained intact. After the war during the 1950’s, Frankfurt set out to rebuild the city and restore what it could of its former glory. The city drew strength from the destruction and takes great pride in its rebirth.

In the past two decades, Frankfurt has spent over 200 million euros (nearly 305 million Canadian dollars) on improving their cultural attractions and entertainment, most notably on the museums. Whether you are interested in art, history, plants, cultures, architecture or music, you will find a museum in Frankfurt that will perfectly suit your tastes. The majority of museums in Frankfurt are located near Romerberg or on the banks of the River Main in a district called Museumsufer. One of the best museums in Frankfurt is the Naturmuseum Senckenberg (Nature Museum Seckenberg) which showcases exhibits on plants, animals, minerals and the like. The dinosaur skeletons and stuffed prehistoric creatures are among the major attractions here. Art lovers won’t want to miss the chance to visit the German Architecture Museum, the Stadel-Museum, the Museum of Applied Arts and Liebieghaus. Culture and history buffs will treasure a chance to visit Judisches Museum (Jewish Museum) which pays homage to Frankfurt’s Jewish community dating back nearly 200 years with special attention paid to The Holocaust. Also make the time to visit the Museum of World Cultures, the Museum of Communications and Museum Judengasse. If you are in Frankfurt at the end of April and planning on taking in a number of museums, you won’t want to miss Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums). One night every year the majority of the city’s museums are open until the wee hours of the morning and bus tours will take you from one to the next. There are also all kinds of events planned throughout the evening like dances, performances and special exhibits.

Of course no vacation to Frankfurt would be complete without sampling some of the fine local cuisine. Some of the city’s specialties include grune sosse – a green sauce made with rich cream or mayo with herbs like chives, sorrel and parsley, rippchen mit kraut – tender pork chops with sauerkraut, handkas mit musik – curd cheese with oil and vinegar, uncooked onions and served with bread, and the world famous sausages. To help wash down all this food, make sure to try the local favourite, apfelwein, a locally brewed apple wine. Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse is the best place in the city for dining, nicknamed the Fressgasse. Fressen is the German word for ‘devour’ which seems pretty appropriate. If you are interested in sampling some traditional foods try these great restaurants: Zum Klaane Sachsehauser, Frankfurter Haus and Zum Eichkatzerl. On your next European vacation take the time to explore the multifaceted city of Frankfurt. It will be well worth it. The best time to visit Frankfurt is late spring to early fall. Summers are warm and sunny with temperatures averaging around 25˚C but temperatures can rise as high as 35˚C. That kind of intense heat can also bring with it light showers which offer some relief. Winters are cold and rainy and the city very rarely sees any snow. Be prepared for cold weather with temperatures dropping as low at -10˚C.