Frankfurt airport is second only to London Heathrow in the list of Europe’s largest airports, so it’s no surprise that this central German city has become one of the busiest hubs in Europe, with over 48 million travellers passing through each year. With over 100 airlines flying to Frankfurt from 300 destinations around the world, getting to Frankfurt has never been easier and it makes for an excellent place to begin or end a European holiday.

While you may be imagining a quaint German town on the river, Frankfurt is nothing of the sort. Heavily bombed during World War Two, very little of the old city remains although an area of the old town quarter has been rebuilt to resemble the attractive squares and cobbled lanes that were once found throughout the city. Instead, expect gleaming skyscrapers (Frankfurt’s Commerzbank is the tallest office tower in Europe at nearly 300 metres), an efficient transport network and world-class shopping. The modern skyline has even given the city the nickname ‘Mainhattan’!

Tourists expecting ‘olde worlde’ Gothic architecture may be disappointed in Frankfurt, but the modern city centre is certainly attractive in its own right, with pedestrianised shopping areas and broad squares where you can enjoy an eisbein or appelwein (more about that later) at an outdoor restaurant while watching the bankers go by.

The rebuilt Romerberg square in the Old Town

Despite, or perhaps because of, its reputation as a commercial hub, Frankfurt has become known as a significant cultural centre. The city boasts 37 museums, half of which are clustered on the southern bank of the Main along the Museumsufer, or Museum embankment. You could easily spend a day or two wandering from the German Architecture Museum to the Liebighaus collection of ancient sculptures and on to the Film Museum. Other museums to explore in this earea include Applied Arts, City History, Modern Art and the Jewish Museum to name just a few.

But when in Frankfurt the two sights you are simply forbidden to miss are Goethe’s House and the Goethe Museum. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany’s renowned poet and writer, was born in the city in 1749 and is its most famous son. The house he grew up in has been recreated to reflect the lifestyle of the period, while the Goethe Museum documents the life and works of this famous poet and his contemporaries. It’s well worth taking a guided tour of these two attractions and letting your guide bring this famous poet to life on the corners and squares of Frankfurt.

Handkas met Musik!
Wandering the city can work up an appetite, but thankfully in Germany it seems that visitors never go hungry. Restaurant portions are enormous and as long as you like large amounts of meat, potatoes and cabbage you’ll never struggle to find a good meal.

One of the nicest places to eat is the historic Romerberg Square, situated in the heart of the old town centre. Order the famed eisbein (pork knuckle) and settle down with a jug of the city’s speciality: apple wine. Made from fermented apples and served in a large stoneware jug known as a bembel, it’s a wonderfully refreshing drink after a long morning pounding the pavements. If you’re looking for an authentic Frankfurt meal you simply have to start off with the Handkas mit Musik; a small round of aromatic cheese simmered in cider and served with onions. You’ll soon find out what the ‘Musik’ refers to!

Rüdesheim is renowned for making Rhine Riesling wine

Depending on how much time you have available, Frankfurt also offers excellent transport links to the rest of Germany and Europe, making day trips out of the city an easy option. The historic university city of Heidelberg is just an hour’s train journey away, while the picturesque winelands village of Rüdesheim on the banks of the Rhine is a similar distance to the north. Famed for their white wines, the town looks more like Tuscany than Germany and makes for a wonderful day out in the countryside. Make sure you take home a few bottles of the famous Riesling!

While it may not have the romance of Paris or historic architecture of London, Frankfurt is a truly world-class city offering superb museums, a good range of hotels and restaurants, and excellent transport connections for when it’s time to move on. And don’t forget, I warned you about the ‘Musik’!

		Visiting Frankfurt Frankfurt is easily accessible from South Africa with a number of major airlines flying direct each day. South African Airways operates direct flights from both Johannesburg and Cape Town. Click here to book your flight. Frankfurt offers a wide range of accommodation from five-star hotels to backpacker hostels, but be aware that when trade exhibitions take place hotel rates are increased by up to 100 percent. Click here for more information from Frankfurt tourism. The city centre of Frankfurt is small enough to cover on foot, but if you don't feel like walking there's an excellent public transport system incorporating railways, trams, buses and an underground system. An excellent way to save money during your stay is to purchase the Frankfurt Card from any of the tourist information outlets around the city. The card entitles you to free use of all public transport in the city (including the train to the airport), 25 percent off regular guided city tours, 50 percent discount on entrance to 21 city museums and a 20 percent descount on certain river cruises. The pass costs €7.80 or €11.50 for one or two days respectively. iafrica.com flew to Frankfurt courtesy of South African Airways and Frankfurt Tourism.