Most of Frankfurt's sights, nightlife, restaurants, and hotels lie in the Stadtmitte (town center). However, chances are you'll cross the Main River to visit the museums or Apfelwein (apple-wine) taverns in the Sachsenhausen area as well. It is also possible that you'll seek out both restaurants and hotels in the increasingly fashionable Westend. Most of the other areas of Frankfurt probably will not concern you, unless you're hunting for intriguing restaurants in the Nordend (North End) or even nightlife in the Ostend (East End).

You can explore Frankfurt’s compact Altstadt and Innenstadt on foot. Nearly all the main sights lie within the boundaries of the old town walls (which today form a stretch of narrow parkland around the Altstadt) or are just across the river along the Museumsufer (Museum Embankment), where several museums are located along Schaumainkai, the street that runs directly parallel to the river Main.

The Römerberg, in the historic heart of the city, is an ideal place to begin your exploration of Frankfurt. Once the site of Charlemagne's fort, it grew into a prominent marketplace in the Middle Ages. Now, its reconstructed half-timbered houses look out over the animated square. Just east of the Römerberg, the red-sandstone Kaiserdom rises over the foundations of buildings dating back to the Roman times. Although called a "Dom," it isn't technically a cathedral, though it did host the coronation of ten Holy Roman emperors between 1562 and 1792.

The Zeil runs to the north of the Dom/Römerberg area between the twin transportation hubs of Konstablerwache and Hauptwache. Frankfurt's prime shopping district lies in this area, with the MyZeil mall and all the international brands in a pleasant pedestrian zone. The Hauptwache itself, an 18th-centruy baroque guardhouse, stands just a stone's throw from the Börse (stock exchange). The Goethe Haus and Goethe Museum lie a few minutes away by foot to the west of the Dom/Römerberg area. Continuing further west, the skyscrapers of the financial district, jokingly called "Main-hatten," rise out of where the western ramparts stood until the 19th century. The Main Tower with its candy-cane antenna is the only one accessible to the public.

Even further west, and past an admittedly unappealing district that often tarnishes visitor's impressions and should be avoided if possible, stands the Hauptbahnhof. If you're arriving by train, walk down the safer Kaiserstrasse straight in front of the station to get to the financial district and Stadtmitte, or take the U-Bahn two stops to Dom/Römer.

The Main River is south of the Dom/Römerberg area, flowing from east to west. At some point during your stay, you'll want to cross it on one of the pedestrian bridges or the Alte Brücke, which offers a nice view of the entire downtown. A row of no less than eight museums line the south bank between Friedensbrücke and the Eiserner Steg. In the evening, this often overlooked area also draws locals and visitors alike to the Alt-Sachsenhausen district with its congenial apple-wine taverns. Other attractions, like the Frankfurt Zoo and the Palmengarten, lie further afield, but are only a short ride away via the handy U-Bahn.

The Neighborhoods in Brief

Altstadt

The River Main divides Frankfurt. Most of the historic sights and several museums are found in the Altstadt on the north bank. Concentrated in the city center around the Altstadt are hotels, restaurants, and nightlife. The Altstadt contains an even older section referred to as the Innenstadt, or Inner City. The Hauptbahnhof is located at the western edge of the city center. As you walk out of the station, Baselerstrasse is on your right and heads south toward the River Main. You have a choice of streets heading east to the Altstadt: Münchner Strasse leads directly into Theaterplatz, with its opera house; Taunusstrasse goes to three of the major Altstadt squares in the southern part of the city—Goetheplatz, Rathenauplatz, and the Hauptwache.

Westend

The exclusive Westend district, west of the Altstadt, is a residential and embassy quarter. It was the only part of Frankfurt that was not destroyed during the Allied bombing of the city in World War II. The huge, modern Frankfurt Messe (trade-fair convention center) is considered part of the Westend.

MuseumSufer

The embankment (Ufer) along the river’s south side, is the site of many prominent museums, some of them housed in former riverside villas.

Sachsenhausen

This district on the south side of the river, is a popular entertainment quarter filled with Frankfurt’s famous apple-wine taverns.

Street Maps -- Arm yourself with a detailed street map, not the general overview handed out by the tourist office. Maps are sold at most bookstores and news kiosks.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.