Frankfurt day trip - Stadtwald Frankfurt

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Frankfurt has almost 48 square kilometres of forest to the south of the city which is accessible by public transport, bike and car. The forest has well maintained paths for cycling and walking, ponds, meadows and places to eat. A key feature is the Stadtwaldhaus, an informal education centre that, although only offering information in German, can be enjoyed because of it's visual exhibits and animal enclosures.

Getting to the Stadtwald and Stadtwaldhaus

From the city take the number 17 tram in a southerly direction and alight at "Oberschweinstiege". You'll find yourself in the middle of the woods. Head to the front of the tram and there is path that runs across the tram tracks. (The route is marked in blue on the map below) Turn right onto the path and head straight for about 800 metres, crossing a road on the way. Eventually you will see the Stadtwaldhaus on the right. Opening times at the weekend are usually 12:00 - 16:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 - 16:00 on Sundays, but check the website to be sure. At the Stadtwaldhaus you will find recuperating birds of prey who, following injury, are temporarily in an enclosure, a deer field, a pen with wild boars, chickens and even a resident cat. Take the "Rundweg" to enjoy the best views of the deer. 

Walks in the Stadtwald

After you've exhausted the Stadtwaldhaus follow the path back towards the tram stop, cross over the tramlines and head straight along the path for a further 200 metres. Through the trees on the right, is the Restaurant Oberschweinstiege. It's a nice place offering lunch, coffee and cakes and evening meals. The choice is extensive and the food good. If you are still in the mood for exploring the woods after refreshment, there is a lovely walk around the lake "Luderbach" which is next door to the restaurant.

For a more extensive walk you have two options (click here for a map with all the details):

  1. Pink Route 2km (on the map below) - Leave Restaurant Oberschweinstiege via the same path you arrived on, and head back towards the tram stop. Head north (turn right) along the path that follows the tram lines. After 500 metres, or so, the path moves away from the tram lines you will find yourself at a junction. Go under the bridge and follow the road, the Ziegenhüttenweg. This leads you past a number of small garden plots, known in Germany as Schrebegarten. Part away along this small road is a very relaxed cafe called the Frankfurt Art Bar. Stop at the Art Bar for a drink or carry on a little further to the junction of Ziegenhüttenweg and Gablonzer Strasse and turn left. Here, near the corner, is a traditional apple wine tavern, Zum buchscheer, serving hearty portions of traditional Frankfurt food and bembels of apple wine. A little further on from Zum Buchscheer is the tram stop "Louisa" (tram numbers 14 & 17) and the S-bahn, S3 & S4, from here you can catch the tram or S-bahn for your return journey home.
  2. Red route 4km (on the map below) - Leave Restaurant Oberschweinstiege via the same path you arrived on, and continue east (away from the tram stop). After 4 kilometres, or so, you will reach the Goetheturm (Goethe tower). As you walk along the route note the beautiful, tall, beech trees and lush fauna specific to this area of the forest. At the Goethe tower is a childrens play area and a cafe, Schmidt-Peccolo. Between April and the end of October the Goethe tower, standing at 43 metres high, is open for climbing up and it offers great views of the surrounding area.  After all the walking you'll probably want to head home. Walk along Sachsenhaüser Landwehrweg to the bus stop "Sachsenhäuser Warte", where bus routes 30, 36, 954, 960, 961, 962 und 963 depart regularly. Alternatively walk down Wendelsweg to the Seehof park to catch the buses 47 or 48, to Südbahnhof.
Map of stadtwaldhaus, tram stops and walks through the stadtwald frankfurt - Full details also linked here

Map of stadtwaldhaus, tram stops and walks through the stadtwald frankfurt - Full details also linked here

Where to stay in Frankfurt for maximum access to the sights

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This is not a hotel guide, it's a location guide; which location to choose in Frankfurt to maximise being out and about and seeing all the highlights. Frankfurt is a small city with a great local transport system. However, if you want to step out of your hotel and walk into the old town, where do you stay?

There are three key areas that tourists find themselves in. First, the Bahnhofsviertal by the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) which is close to the Messe for the trade fairs and highlighted in red on the map below. Second, the Innenstadt and old town which is the heart of the city and highlighted in blue on the map. Lastly, Old Sachsenhausen famed for its apple wine taverns and lively nightlife, and known as the Brückenviertal highlighted in purple on the map. 

The Innenstadt, old town and heart of Frankfurt

This is the place to stay if you want to step out of your hotel and explore the heart of the city (highlighted in blue on the map). The area is geographically identified by a green park that circles the city centre and the park is the path of the old medieval city walls. Any hotel in this area is central. There are plenty of bars and restaurants in the heart of the city and all are accessible without the need for transportation. Walking to the river bank will take a maximum of 10 minutes and from there you have access to the south side of Frankfurt, Sachsenhausen, with its museums and apple wine taverns. At the end of the night, if you're too tired to walk, a taxi is going to cost less than 10€ to get you back to your hotel. From the airport, getting into central Frankfurt is easy using the S-bahn. The S8 and S9 trains from the airport will bring you to three stops in the city centre - Tanusanlage, Hauptwache and Konstablerwache. My one caveat for this area is the eastern end of the Zeil where the Zeil meets Breite Gasse. This very small, contained area is seedy and run down, so worth avoiding.


Frankfurt Bahnhofsviertal, Hauptbahnhof and Messe

The main railway station is 1km to the west of the city centre and it has the biggest concentration of hotels. Unfortunately it's also the red light district and struggles with a drug problem. The area is outlined in red on the map. The concentration of hotels is a legacy from when the railway station was first built and, at that time, the area was one of the nicest in the city. Post war, Frankfurt made a name for itself hosting World class trade fairs and the trade fair exhibition centre is about 500 metres north of the railway station. These days it is still the place where most tourists book a hotel room, but the reality is you will need to use local transportation to explore the nicer parts of Frankfurt unless you are a keen walker. The area around the station is slowly improving with a few trendy bars and some good Thai and Chinese eateries, not to mention the excellent Turkish restaurants on Münchener Strasse. The hostels in this area, which cater for backpackers, are well maintained, safe and security conscious. If you are booking a hotel close to the railway station then my recommendation is to book one south of Kaiserstrasse. The drugs and red light area tend to be north of this street. The added advantage of being south of the station is that you are close to the river bank, which offers a lovely walk into the old town.
Hotels very close to the Messe (trade fair centre) are also away from the problem areas near the main station. However, this area is geared towards the business traveller and doesn't have much to offer except chain restaurants and a sterile environment.


Old Sachsenhausen, the Brückenviertal

There is very little provision of hotels south of the river in Sachsenhausen (the area with a purple outline on the map.) The international youth hostel is here and very well located for enjoying the night life and offering a quick walk across the bridge into Frankfurt city centre. Being residential, Sachsenhausen is the sort of place to stay if you prefer quieter areas, with plenty of local bars and restaurants but without the city noise. A short walk over the Eisener Steg will bring you to the heart of the old town, or use the local transport system to get around.