Page 26 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2024

FRANKFURT:
This Stadt (City)
is Anything but Staid
BY KAREN BURSHTEIN
FRANKFURT IS GERMANY’S financial powerhouse capital and its state-of-the- art airport is a European hub that continues to set benchmarks on all levels. Think busiest, most efficient, and unrivalled in connectivity. Not bad for an aviation portal that is home to the country’s mothership, Lufthansa.
But within minutes of deplaning, you can be on a medieval square of timber-frame houses. Nothing beats taking seamless direct transit to the heart of the city from Frankfurt Airport.
As you explore Frankfurt’s distinct neighbour- hoods, visit its museums, taste its culinary offerings, and join in the conversation about which is the best apple wine bar, you’ll soon dis- cover what a hip and dynamic city it is, too.
A City Put Together Like a Puzzle
Nestled along the river Main at the edge of Ger- many’s largest city forest, Frankfurt appears like a jigsaw puzzle, complete with 43 notable districts. There are the skyscrapers that have bestowed the nickname “Mainhattan.” In Old Sachsenhausen, today’s hip neighbourhood that dates back to the 12th century, order the famous apple wine at one of its traditional pubs. You can visit the 13th-cen- tury Höchst Castle in Höchst, Frankfurt’s oldest neighbourhood, then head to the river Main, and catch a ferry to Schwanheimer Düne nature reserve. You’ll see how much nature intertwines
with urban planning. When they say Frankfurt is a green city they aren’t just talking currency.
“Culture for One and All”
There’s an incomparable collection of museums that offer a wide range from prehistoric to avant-garde. The Museum Embankment Festival (Aug. 23–25) is one of Europe’s largest cultural events, attracting mil- lions of visitors. The city hosts seasonal gallery nights where you can mingle with locals and get to know emerging artists. Like the city itself, musical offerings span centuries. DJs spin on rooftop bars and classical musicians treat you to concerts in a 12th- century church. Frankfurt is also the city of Goethe and the famous Frankfurt Book Fair (Oct. 16–20).
Flex the Sporting Muscles in 2024
This summer soccer fans will gather for the much- anticipated sporting event of UEFA EURO 2024 (select dates in Frankfurt: June 17, 20, 23, 26–July 1). Head to Deutsche Bank Park to take in a game or gather at Frankfurt’s official fan zone located along the riverbank for big-screen viewing of the live broadcast. More football mania? Visit the city’s soccer shrine dedicated to Frankfurt’s famous football club at the Eintracht Frankfurt Museum. DS
TRAVEL PLANNER
Frankfurt travel information visitfrankfurt.travel
DID YOU KNOW?
In Frankfurt, you can eat across the globe. But there are two local not-to-miss specialties—Frankfurt Green Sauce, said to be Goethe’s favourite dish, and of course, the sausage most associated with the city.
26 DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2024
PHOTOS: #VISITFRANKFURT/#VISITRHEINMAIN | #VISITFRANKFURT/DAVID VASICEK