In Frankfurt, tradition and innovation seamlessly coexist in a city poised to be crowned World Design Capital 2026. Founded in the first century and once prized by the Holy Roman Empire, Frankfurt’s energy and elegance unfolds across 43 districts, from Bankenvertiel’s soaring skyscrapers in the hi-tech banking district to Romerberg’s 15th-century gabled town hall.

The EU’s bustling financial hub brims with culture, cuisine and green spaces, inviting visitors to explore before heading to a rooftop terrace for sunset cocktails or a Sachsenhausen pub for a jug of traditional apple wine.

Cultural Capital

Frankfurt’s airport, a major international hub, is just 15 minutes from downtown via a direct train. Once in this highly walkable city, cultural discoveries await at every turn. Along the River Main, Frankfurt’s Museum Embankment boasts 39 exhibition sites, including the Städel Museum, which spans seven centuries of European art.

The stage at Schauspiel Frankfurt, the restored Alte Oper, the award-winning Frankfurt Opera and the English Theatre present a wide range of productions for show goers. Live music is a must-see. Jazz fans will find a thriving scene in a city that hosts Germany’s oldest jazz festival.

Big City Energy

Frankfurt stands out with a skyline that includes 20 of Germany’s 21 skyscrapers, earning it the new nickname, “Mainhattan.” Yet history is woven into its urban fabric. The city’s New Old Town has been lovingly restored guided by pre-war architectural blueprints. The revitalization of this historic heart makes it a lively hub of bars, cafés and galleries.

It’s Easy Being Green

Encircling the city, Frankfurt’s 80-km Green Belt offers scenic parks and forest trails for hikers and cyclists. The botanical Palmengarten, one of Europe’s largest, provides a more leisurely green escape, with manicured gardens and a historic 19th-century greenhouse.

The city’s urban apple orchards further its green reputation and produce Frankfurt’s famed UNESCO-certified apple wine—a tart, cider-like drink made from sour apples.

The region’s culinary scene is just as distinct. Frankfurt is known for potatoes with green sauce, a creamy concoction of herbs, yoghurt and egg yolk, and handkäs mit musik (meaning “hand cheese with music”). This slightly sour cheese is marinated in oil, vinegar and onions, and topped with caraway seeds. These traditional dishes are staples in nearly every apple wine pub in Sachsenhausen. Frankfurt’s largest populated district also marks the endpoint of the 40-km hiking route known as the Apfelwein Straße or Apple Wine Street.