Frankfurt is an important commercial and economic center of Europe due to its central location in the state of Hessen, Germany.
This ancient imperial city is dominated by buildings and carries nicknames like “Mainhattan” and “Chicago on the Main“.
Frankfurt Germany
How to spend 3 days in Frankfurt Germany
In this 3-day itinerary in Frankfurt, discover the main attractions of the city.
Day 1 in Frankfurt
On your first day in Frankfurt explore the old town. Start by visiting the beautiful Römerberg, one of the symbols of the city. Several buildings and attractions are located on the square or in the surroundings such as St. Nicholas, Paulskirche, MMK, Frankfurt Cathedral.
Head to Iron Footbridge (Eiserner Steg) and enjoy the view of the Main river. Take a stroll along Goethestrasse, the city’s most elegant street with many luxury shops, and head to Goethe House. Hauptwache, another famous square, is located close to the Goethe House.
End the day by visiting the Main Tower for panoramic views of Frankfurt.
Things to see
- Römerberg
- Nicholas
- Paulskirche
- MMK Museum of Modern Art
- Frankfurt Cathedral
- Iron Footbridge
- Goethe House
- Hauptwache
- Main Tower
Day 1 Itinerary Map
Day 2 – Day Trip from Frankfurt
On the second day, make a day trip to one of the nearby cities such as Würzburg or Heidelberg.
Day 2 Itinerary Map
Day 3 in Frankfurt
On the third day in Frankfurt start by visiting the Frankfurt Zoo, after a visit to the zoo pass by the Eschenheimer Turm, a tower from the 1400s that now houses a café and meeting rooms.
Another important building in the city is the Alte Oper, located on Opernplatz.
Head to the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, one of the most modern natural history museums in Europe.
Things to see
- Frankfurt Zoo
- Eschenheimer Turm
- Alte Oper
- Senckenberg Natural History Museum
Day 3 Itinerary Map
Sights in Frankfurt
1. Römerberg
The Römerberg is located in the heart of the old town. The square has an irregular shape and in its center is located the Fountain of Justice (Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen).
Römerberg, 67354
2. Frankfurt Cathedral
The Frankfurt Cathedral is located in the center of Frankfurt. It is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew. It was built in the 13th and 15th centuries in Gothic style.
Domplatz 1, 60311
3. Paulskirche
The Paulskirche is located on the Paulsplatz. It was built between 1790 – 1833 and restored in 1948.
The Church is important political symbolism in Germany and became in 1849 the seat of the Parliament of Frankfurt, the first publicly and freely elected German legislative body.
Paulsplatz 11, 60311
4. Alte Nikolaikirche
The Alte Nikolaikirche is one of the symbols of the city. It is located in the old town. The church has 51 bells, 4 are used to resonate and 47 are used for chimes.
Römerberg 11, 60311
5. Goethe House
The Goethe House where the greatest German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born and where he lived from his birth in 1749 until 1765, shows how his family and employees lived.
There are many rooms to be explored from the sumptuous decor of the dining room on the main floor to the top floor office where he wrote many first of his works.
Großer Hirschgraben 23-25, 60311
6. Naturmuseum Senckenberg
The Naturmuseum Senckenberg is one of the most modern natural history museums in Europe.
The museum houses Europe‘s largest collection of large dinosaurs.
Senckenberganlage 25, 60325
7. Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is considered to be one of the most important galleries in Europe of contemporary art. It was opened in 1991.
Domstraße 10, 60311
8. Alte Oper
The Alte Oper was built in 1880. It is located in the heart of the Opernplatz.
It remains one of the most important concert halls in the city.
Opernplatz 1, 60313
9. Frankfurt Zoo
The Frankfurt Zoo is home to more than 4,500 animals representing at least 450 different species.
It is the second oldest zoo in Germany.
Bernhard-Grzimek-Allee 1, 60316
10. Palmengarten
The Palmengarten is Germany‘s largest Botanical Garden.
The gardens offer leisure facilities such as children’s playgrounds and picnic areas.
Siesmayerstraße 61, 60323
11. Hauptwache
The Hauptwache area is undoubtedly one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the city.
It is famous for its mix of historic old buildings and recent modern structures.
An der Hauptwache
12. Eschenheimer Turm
The Eschenheimer Turm was built in the early 1400s. It is 47 meters high and still impresses with its dimensions.
Today the tower houses a café and meeting rooms.
Eschenheimer Tor 1, 60318
13. Commerzbank Arena
The Waldstadion has been updated several times. At the beginning of the new millennium, it was completely refurbished and received a new concept as the Commerzbank Arena.
Mörfelder Landstraße 362, 60528
14. Main Tower
The Main Tower is 200 meters high. The construction of the Main Tower was completed in 1999, a tall building with a facade made entirely of glass was first built in Europe.
This building is particularly popular with people from Frankfurt and tourists. It has an observation platform accessible to the public with a restaurant.
Neue Mainzer Str. 52-58, 60311
Where to stay in Frankfurt
1. Fleming´s Frankfurt
The Fleming´s Frankfurt is located 15 minutes by tram from the Frankfurt Messe.
Rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV, minibar, safe.
Lange Str. 5-9, 60311
2. Hilton Frankfurt City Centre
The Hilton Frankfurt City Centre is located approximately 15 minutes walk from the Römerberg.
Rooms feature contemporary decor with a large window overlooking the city or park.
The hotel has a swimming pool and sauna.
Hochstraße 4, 60313
3. Marriott Frankfurt
The Marriott Frankfurt is located near the Messe.
Rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV, minibar, safe, work desk.
Hamburger Allee 2, 60486
Malls and Department Stores in Frankfurt
1. My Zeil
The My Zeil is located near the Hauptwache.
Brands: Adidas, Bench, Guess, Pandora, Gant, Swarovski.
Zeil 106 1. UG- 7. OGU-Bahn Station Hauptwache, 60313
2. Karstadt Frankfurt
Karstadt is a German department store chain with many stores in Germany.
The company features brands like Cacharel, Clarins, Coach, Desigual, Estée Lauder.
Zeil 90, 60313
3. Skyline Frankfurt
The Skyline Frankfurt is located 850 meters from the Messe.
Brands: Marc O´Polo, Mango Kids, Mango, Pandora, Zara, Zara Home, Swarovski.
Europa-Allee 6, 60327
4. Galeria Kaufhof Frankfurt
Galeria Kaufhof is a German department store chain with many stores in Germany.
The company features brands like Esprit, S. Oliver, Tom Taylor, Gerry Weber, Tommy Hilfiger, Bugatti, Olymp.
Zeil 116-126, 60313
5. Hessen Center
The Hessen Center is located 7 km from the old town.
Brands: Bonita, Douglas, Tom Tailor, Vero Moda.
Borsigallee 26, 60388
6. Wertheim Village
The Wertheim Village is an outlet located in Wertheim 88.5 km (55 miles) from Frankfurt.
Brands: Fossil, Coach, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Gant, Escada, Lacoste, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger.
Almosenberg, 97877 Wertheim
Plan your Trip
Frankfurt has easy train access from various cities in Germany. Famous cities nearby: Mannheim, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Koblenz, Wiesbaden.
Distances
Mannheim – 84.2 km (52.3 miles)
Heidelberg – 88.7 km (55.1 miles)
Stuttgart – 206 km (128 miles)
Koblenz – 127 km (78.9 miles)
Wiesbaden – 39 km (24.2 miles)
Cologne – 189 km (118 miles)
Würzburg – 119 km (73.9 miles)
Baden-Baden – 175 km (108 miles)
Frankfurt Germany Map
Book Your Trip
Book Your Accommodation
Book your hotel with Booking.com as they consistently provide the cheapest and lowest rates.
Book Your Flight
Find cheap flights to Germany by using Momondo. Momondo is a flight search engine that searches a lot of different airlines, including many budget carriers.
Book a Train Ticket
Check the train routes and schedules with Omio. Omio is an authorized Deutsche Bahn ticket seller, which compares and combines transport options for complete flexibility.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, and cancellations. It’s a protection in case anything goes wrong. You can book your travel insurance with Travelexinsurance.com.
See also
20 Top Things to do in Frankfurt
10 Best Hotels near Romerberg Square Frankfurt
The Best Beer Gardens (Biergarten) in Frankfurt
Top 10 Hotels Near the Frankfurt Messe
10 Suggested Itineraries for Germany + Top Destinations
Outlets & Department Stores in Germany: Shopping Guide