A tour of Frankfurt with Walk Frankfurt

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There are lots of great things to do and see in Frankfurt. History lovers will enjoy the old town with stories dating back to Roman times, through the middle ages and into the 1800’s. The modern shopping heart of Frankfurt offers a wide variety of shops, quickly accessible by foot, and foodies will love the daily indoor grocery market and the farmers markets hosted at the end of the week.

To answer the frequently asked question, “what will I get to see on a tour?”, I’ve listed the sights below, and most popular tour duration’s, to help you decide what you would like to see on your tour.

A 90 minute tour

This tour focuses on the old town, but also brings you to the Zeil, the modern shopping heart of Frankfurt. The sights are:

  • Römerberg - the main square with the beautiful town hall. This is the heart of the old town.

  • River Main and Eisenersteg - views up and down the river including views of the European Central Bank (ECB) and other skyscrapers.

  • Haus Wirtheim - the only remaining, in tact, 17th century house on the Römerberg.

  • Alte Nikolai church - a small church with foundations from the 12th century and 20th century stained glass windows by Lina von Schauroth.

  • New old town - 35 newly developed buildings bring back to life a part of the old town destroyed in World War II.

  • Roman remains and the Holy Roman Emperors Kaiserpfalz - historic remains, highlighting the importance of Frankfurt throughout the centuries.

  • Kaiserdom - the Emperor’s cathedral. The place of the Holy Roman Empire elections and coronations.

  • Paulskirche - the starting point of German democracy. Open to the public from 10am - 5pm.

  • Kleinmarkthalle - the indoor market. The place to sample traditional Frankfurt boiled sausage and local wine too!

  • Hauptwache - the former 18th century police station and heart of Frankfurt’s modern shopping centre.

  • Deutsche Börse - the old stock exchange and formerly the heart of the banking quarter.

A 2 hour tour

A two hour tour includes the sights listed for the 90 minute tour and extends to include some of the options below. Unfortunately you won’t have time to visit all the options below, so it depends on what you would like to see:

  • Goethe’s house - literature fans will appreciate the chance to visit Goethe’s place of birth (although there is an entrance fee to visit inside.

  • Goetheplatz - a statue dedicated to the author and an area of “high-end” shopping.

  • Fressgass’ - a street of eateries and, in the summer, some great festivals.

  • Alte Oper - the old opera house. Beautiful renaissance architecture at the western end of the city centre.

  • Carmelite cloister - open to the public and displaying the 16th century fresco by Jörg Ratgeb.

  • *Outdoor markets - Konstablerwache and Schillerstrasse

*Farmer’s market are hosted from Thursday to Saturday. They offer a unique piece of Frankfurt life where you join the locals in a glass of apple wine and a bratwurst.

A 3 hour tour

A 3 hour tour will suit you if you want to take a more leisurely pace through the sights of Frankfurt, perhaps stopping for a coffee or even a glass of wine at the indoor market. If you are energetic, and want to achieve your 10,000 steps a day, in 3 hours you can cover all the sights above and also include:

  • Eschenheimer Tor - a remnant of the original medieval wall and a classic piece of 14th & 15th century architecture (the tower being attributed to Madern Gerthener)

  • Bockenheimer Anlage - a beautiful park, leading to the old opera house, following a path that used to be the 14th century city battlements.

  • Memorial to the Jewish victims of the holocaust - to the east of the city is the old Jewish cemetery and memorial.