Here’s our Frankfurt Anti-Tourist Guide to make sure you take the best of it while feeling like a local.
Known as the financial capital of Germany and even called “Manhattan” due to its skyline with high-rise buildings, Frankfurt has a lot more to offer than that. Check out our Frankfurt Anti-Tourist Guide and get ready to start your best journey!
Immerse yourself in the cosmopolitan vibe of vibrant neighborhoods of the city, diverse culinary scene, and a wide range of cultural events and activities.
Let’s find answers to the most important questions about traveling to Frankfurt to have the most amazing experience there!
How many days should I save to visit Frankfurt?
Tricky question! You could really spend weeks discovering all the cafes, art galleries and museums in Frankfurt like in many European countries. But if you are backpacking or Interrailing and your travel time is limited, a couple of days would be enough to visit all must-see spots in Frankfurt.
Now that this is covered, our next question is…
What are the main highlights of Frankfurt?
1. Frankfurt’s Music Scene
a) Classical Music and Live Music in Frankfurt
Dive into the historical heritage of this city and explore the classical music scene and live music events in Frankfurt. If you are a fan of classical music don’t pass by The Alte Oper which is a prestigious Old Opera House. You will find a large array, ranging from classical concerts, opera performances, and ballet productions. Frankfurt is also buzzing with great jazz clubs like Jazzkeller and concert halls like Batschkapp for live jazz music venue lovers.
b) Electronic music and festivals in Frankfurt
Frankfurt is also famous for playing an important role in electronic music development. Techno, house, and trance lovers will definitely find great venues for raving here. Many regular and occasional music festivals with different kinds of electronic music genres and other music genres are happening in Frankfurt and its surroundings as well. Such as World Club Dome, Osthafen-Festival, Festival14Family, Stoffel, and many more.
c) Clubbing in Frankfurt
Frankfurt has a very vibrant nightlife, so we get that it can be a bit overwhelming to find your spot. Don’t you worry, the city has something for every musical preference and every vibe. Our suggestion is to start your night by pre-drinks with fellow travelers at Five Elements’ bar and discover the best bars in Frankfurt by joining the Pub Crawl. Find out more here here. For a better understanding of clubbing in Frankfurt we have an article dedicated to Frankfurt’s Nightlife! Our top club choices would be: Gibson Club, Jezzkeller, and Velvet Club.
2. Where to Eat in Frankfurt
Frankfurt holds special spot in any list for the best foodie destinations in Europe, we made a list with another 9 destinations here. Thanks to its the multicultural background, Frankfurt’s gastronomic spread stands out for its diverse and vibrant scene.
- Don’t miss out on the opportunity to try Frankfurt traditional foods like Handkäse mit Musik (marinated cheese), Grüne Soße (green sauce), or Frankfurter Rippchen (smoked pork chops) with sauerkraut. Our top pick of traditional restaurants is Zum Gemalten Haus, Lorsbacher Thal, and Apfelwein Dax. All of them have an authentic atmosphere and interesting history behind them.
- Bahnhofsviertel – is a Frankfurt district full of delicious Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine shops.
- Zeil Street Food Market – another street food place. You will be amazed with the offer featuring Vietnamese pho, Mexican tacos, Lebanese falafel, Korean bibimbap, and other culinary delights with roots from all around the globe.
3. What to see in Frankfurt
For us, the best way to discover a city is by walking and that’s why we highly recommend joining the Best Walking Tour in Frankfurt. It covers all the must-see sites in the city, such as:
- Kaiserdom (St. Bartholomew’s Church)
- Palmengarten (botanical garden)
- Goethehaus
- Stadel Museum
Learn more interesting information about these and other main spots in Frankfurt here.
If you have more than a couple of days in Frankfurt, we suggest you take the opportunity to explore its surroundings too. Heidelberg, Burg Eltz, Cochem, Rüdesheim am Main, Mainz – our article about Best Day Trips from Frankfurt will help you decide what suits you the most.
Did you know that Frankfurt takes 12th place in the Top of 42 Instagramable Hot Spots in Europe? Check them out to choose your next destination!
4. Alternative places in Frankfurt
Now that we’ve covered the main points everyone should see in the 2 days in Frankfurt, here’s our bonus section with some off-the-beaten-path attractions for you:
- Bockenheim – a multicultural neighborhood with a vibrant range of colorful murals, graffiti, and urban art installations. Perfect for street art lovers!
- Hafenpark – a lesser-known green area where you can enjoy nature, walk around, or have a picnic. And all that with amazing views of the Main River.
- Hauptfriedhof – one of the Europes largest cemetaries. We know it may seem unconventional but it is surely worth visiting for its beautiful park, historical tombstones, and peaceful atmosphere
- Schaumainkai Flea Market – antiques, vintage items, and clothing. Get to know more about this and others worth visiting Europe’s flea markets here.
5. Bonus tip:
Frankfurt is fully connected to other bustling cities in Germany, or neighboring countries. Whether you are planning your trip, or where to go next, we have a gift for you. Famous Hostels is on a journey to promote sustainable tourism, pushing trains and buses traveling as opposed to flying.
For that, we partnered with Flixbus & Eurail and created a calculator that compares your carbon emissions if you are traveling by train or bus versus planes, and convert it into a direct discount at over 45 hostels in Europe.
Discounts go from 5% to 20% based on the distance you go, and we are now offering 10% discount vouchers for newbies at our Eco-Wanderer platform. Sign up now, and start saving while jumping into the community of the best hostels in Europe.
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