Frankfurt is a contemporary place that’s very much geared up for modern life – perhaps why it has one of the busiest airports in all of Europe. But you don’t have to look very far to find plenty of history and culture that illuminates Frankfurt’s own story and place in German life.
Out with the new, in with the old
While Frankfurt’s skyline is inescapably dominated by enormous modern office blocks and commercial buildings that are impressively high and miraculously constructed, it's the architecture of the old town that really stands out. The Römerberg is a public square right in the very centre of Frankfurt’s Old Town that must be visited.
The square consists of eleven ornate and partially-timbered houses of which all but one had to be painstakingly redesigned and rebuilt after World War Two. Wertheim House, unlike the rest of the Old Town, somehow managed to survive the 1944 air raids which obliterated much of the rest of old Frankfurt. The Fountain of Justice in the square’s centre was built in 1543 and flowed with wine on one celebration day in the 17th century. The current version is a copy, in place since 1988 while the original is restored after being vandalised in 1986.
This square is a real glimpse into Germany’s medieval past and can be admired and explored at any time of year. But it’s at Christmas when Römerberg really comes into its own. The city really embraces the festive period, and the market here is one of Europe’s very best.
The urban garden
The Palmengarten is a truly superb, extensive and lush botanical garden, found on Bockenheimer Landstrasse. Set amongst 54 acres, the Palm Garden, as it’s known in English, is home to numerous greenhouses, all full of rare, exotic and beautiful tropical and subtropical plants. There are picturesque picnic areas, fun-filled children’s playgrounds and even a little spot for boating.
In the chill of winter, heated under-roof displays like the Tropicarium will soon warm you up. This collection of more than a dozen greenhouses, containing fascinating species from deserts, monsoon forests, mangrove swamps and lowland rainforests, is well worth exploring.
Head here on a Sunday and you’ll receive a free guided tour of this little oasis in the middle of one of Germany’s liveliest cities.
Say hi to Heidelberg
Less than ninety minutes’ drive south on Autobahn 5 is Heidelberg, a town famous for the red rooftops of its baroque-style Altstadt (or ‘old town’) and its historic university. The university was established way back in 1386 and is Germany’s oldest educational institution.
But while the university’s rich heritage is impressive, most visitors are drawn to this pretty Baden-Württemberg town because of the sheer romanticism of the city. Not only is it beautiful, it has also been a magnet for writers, artists and poets down the centuries.
Take a drive out to Heidelberg and enjoy following in the footsteps of Goethe, William Turner and Mark Twain. Other attractions include the Heidelberg Castle, the Philosophers' Walk, the Karl Theodor Bridge and, of course, the stunning old town.
Car hire in Frankfurt gifts you the perfect opportunity to explore the city and the many memorable towns and cities nearby, as well as the lush German countryside that surrounds it.
