The Undiscovered Frankfurt
AA
Aizhan Ashimbayeva
Mon, 05 Jun 2023
For many Frankfurt am Main is a transit area, a transfer point, a point between A and B on a long-distance trip, and simply the largest airport in Europe.
For me too, up to certain point, Frankfurt remained a city-mystery, the name of which explained only one thing: it is located on the banks of the river Main.
But eventually, I discovered this businesslike, dynamic but at the same time quiet, cultural, diverse, bright, and friendly city.
The city, which fits the financial center of Europe, the historic neighborhoods with fabulous half-timbered houses, cathedrals, town hall and city towers, and the Museum Embankment with a variety of museums - the joy and the outlet of avid museophiles, art galleries and theaters, the largest international exhibition center Messe Frankfurt, and charming Palmengarten - Botanical Garden, where you can relax from the bustle of the city and enjoy all the delights of wildlife (a kind of Central Park in New York, but in its mini version).
And if you happen to have a few hours before your flight, you can use this chance to dive into this active and charming business center of not only Europe but the entire continent.
Start your exploration of the city from the center, which is active, picturesque, and atmospheric. Take the S8 and S9 lines, get off at Hauptwache station, and get to Hauptwache Square. The square is very picturesque: there is a building of the former guardhouse with a charming cafe from 1903, the Church of St. Catherine with a bell tower and original fountains.
From the Hauptwährte, the Römerberg square and the oldest town hall in Germany - the Römer are at hand. When you get to the square, you suddenly find yourself in a fairy tale: the gingerbread half-timbered houses, the town hall, the cathedral, St. Paul's Church, and the fountain of Justice - all in one place and very cute to the eye.
In the souvenir shops, you can buy souvenirs with the symbols of the square.
Römerberg is especially colourful in December when the Christmas fair is held on the square. Walking down the aisles, you can taste the local delicacies, and sweets, and warm up with hot mulled wine or cider. The most delicious hot dog happened to me exactly here at the fair. Imagine frosty December, the snow, the evening, and delicious farmer's sausages grilling, the aroma of which spreads throughout the area. I did not even ask whether these wonderful sausages are halal, as I devoured them in seconds and immediately reached for the second portion. But I'm sure there are halal options if you want to try these Christmas gifts of the fair. The important thing is to ask before the mouthwatering hot dog hits your mouth.
A couple of blocks from the historic center is the Goethe House Museum, next door to which is the Goethe Art Gallery containing works by masters from the poet's era.
Frankfurt is rich in museums, there are about 40 in the city. And the embankment of the Main is called the Museum Embankment (Museumsufer) for a reason - there are about 16 along the coast. Museums are diverse, for every taste and colour, and connoisseurs can enjoy plenty of each of them. If you have time, take a leisurely stroll through the Museum of German Architecture and Museum of Applied Art, followed by a tour around the German Film Museum and the Städel Art Gallery.
Hauptwache Square is also the starting point of the Zeil shopping street with its many stores, cafés, restaurants, and even a fitness club with a swimming pool.
The main attraction of Zeil I think is the MyZeil shopping center. I'm sure you won't pass by this ultra-modern and sophisticated building with its mesmerizing architecture.
It is impossible to describe it with words, you need to see it with your own eyes and go inside to wonder at the idea of the famous Italian architect, Maximiliano Fucas. It is a kind of masterpiece, a piece of modern art, which once seen is impossible to forget. Imagine a whirlpool, made entirely of glass panels, which runs through the building, through all the floors. Inside the complex there is no a single right angle and, thanks to the design of special glass panels, it is very bright and comfortable.
Inside the mall, in addition to the stores, cafes, restaurants, and playgrounds, there are terraces and viewing platforms with stunning views of the center of Frankfurt. They are especially good during sunset and at night, when the city twinkles with bright lights and leaves an unforgettable impression. Keep in mind that all establishments, including grocery stores, are closed on Sundays. But even with MyZeil stores closed, you can safely go up to the verandahs and enjoy the view of the city at your leisure.
Whichever season I visit the Zeil, it is always active: in winter it is famous for Christmas fairs and bright and unique window decorations, in spring and fall there are mini-concerts and performances by various musicians and street actors. Once in August, I went to a wine and cider festival. It was the most wonderful and fun night I had in the town: young wine flowed, cafes and restaurants put out their best sets for sampling, fashion stores staged fashion shows of new collections, and love and joy were in the air.
The same night I had a return flight home. Unpacked suitcases and a bunch of gifts purchased were waiting for me in the hotel - waiting to be placed in the luggage, and preferably without excess weight. My body was filled with a mix of wines and the desire to stay for a couple more days while this holiday of life lasted. Not all kinds of wines have been tested, after all!
Since I love walking, it is not difficult for me to walk a couple or three blocks, especially in a European city, where such walks are especially enjoyable.
So, again, from the same initial point of our route Hauptwache in a 10-15 minutes walk there is a business quarter of banks. Yes, that’s where all the head offices of the European and international banks, world-famous companies, and conglomerates are situated. The symbol of the European currency, the euro €, is also located here
At lunchtime the main street of the quarter is closed and for a couple of hours it turns into a solid cafe for white-collar workers. You can eat there a variety of dishes for every taste, though on the go. But again, you will save time on seating and ordering menus. This option is more suitable for those who are making an express acquaintance with the city.
Since Frankfurt is an international city, besides German cuisine, you can also find Turkish, Uzbek, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese food here. These are the ones I have seen and tasted. And especially good among them are Turkish and Uzbek dishes! Honestly, I've never tried the local food, except for an unforgettable hot dog from the fair. Google and Tripadvisor can recommend you much more than I can. I, who takes a kazy with me on every trip)
I have a special love for the Palmengarten or Botanical Garden. It is such a cozy green corner in Frankfurt, with ponds, gardens, rose gardens, tropicarium, bamboo grove, enclosed greenhouse pavilions, greenhouse, where palms, ferns, vines, and all kinds of tropical and subtropicals grow at their pleasure and even has a subantarctic house and a garden of cacti and succulents.
After all the sights you have seen and the kilometers you have travelled, it is nice to retreat to this charming green oasis, admiring the treasures of exotic flora and enjoying the aromas and beauty of exotic plants and flowers.
During the warmer months there are benches and lounge chairs throughout the garden, both seated and reclining, similar to the Parisian ones from the Tuileries Garden. One summer day I got so comfortable sitting on such a bench that I even fell asleep, and was awakened by a sudden downpour! It was raining so heavily that I managed to get soaked through on my way to the greenhouse. On the way, I managed to pick delicious apples, knocked down by the downpour. I ate them with a great appetite, waiting for the downpour to end. The apples were delicious and juicy, compared to the store-bought apples. Isn't that a little adventure?
Palmengarten is beautiful in any season:
- in winter, when you can enjoy the tropics and subtropics in greenhouses and hothouses, moving from one climate to another;
- in summer, when everything is in bloom and you can admire the ponds and waterfall outdoors;
- in fall, when the riot of colours is spilling over - scarlet mixed with yellow, green trees along with the blooming bushes of various, extraordinarily beautiful peonies and other flowers unfamiliar to me;
- especially beautiful in spring, when the gentle pink clouds of sakura, magnolia, and apple blossom are all around, and numerous bushes and trees unfurl their petals. I guess that's what paradise might look like.
So, you have time to get back to the airport. Whichever area of the city you are in, getting back is not difficult, the subway map is quite simple, there are not many lines, and all the trains and buses run strictly on schedule. You can take a cab if you have run out of time and exceeded the limit of your mini-tour of the city.