Romantic Frankfurt: Skyline, Cider, Palms
Romantic Frankfurt: Skyline, Cider, Palms
Frankfurt does romance with glass, not cobbles: a skyline that glows at dusk, a river you can walk beside, and a cider tavern with beams older than the bank towers. This plan strings together one evening and one slow morning, with prices in euros.
Evening: Main Tower at dusk
Time your arrival at Main Tower (Neue Mainzer Straße 52) for sunset. Tickets cost €9 for adults, with the platform partly open to the air and partly under glass. The last ascent goes up 45 minutes before closing, and the tower shuts in bad weather. In summer, Friday and Saturday open until 23:00. In winter, Sunday to Thursday closes at 19:00, so a winter sunset visit suits Friday or Saturday, when closing is 21:00. Confirm the day’s hours on maintower.de . The Frankfurt Card takes 20% off.
Dinner: Alt-Sachsenhausen
Walk down to the south bank after dark. Away from the louder bars of Klappergasse, the timbered rooms at Daheim im Lorsbacher Thal and Atschel are the places for slow cider. Apfelwein comes in a stoneware Bembel, so share one between you, and order it pur or sauergespritzt. Daheim im Lorsbacher Thal has been operating since 1803. Mains such as Frankfurter schnitzel with green sauce run roughly €16 to €22. Bring cash, since several of these taverns prefer it.
Walk: Eiserner Steg and the river
Between tower and tavern, cross the Eiserner Steg, the 1869 iron footbridge. The 170-metre span gives the best frame of the skyline, and the walk across is free at any hour. Boats pass beneath and the towers reflect in the Main. The river is for looking at, and the municipal Brentanobad and Stadionbad are the places for a swim.
Morning: the Palmengarten glasshouses
Spend the next morning among orchids and water lilies in the Palmengarten (Siesmayerstraße 61), where the 1869 Palmenhaus and the Tropicarium make a warm indoor walk on a cold day. Entry is €9 for adults. Rowing boats on the lake cost about €6 for half an hour, which suits two. See palmengarten.de .
A Thursday alternative
On Thursdays the Städel Museum stays open until 21:00. A late hour with Botticelli, Vermeer and Monet, then supper across the bridge, makes an easy evening. Adult entry is about €17 to €19, and the museum is closed on Mondays. See staedelmuseum.de .
Where to stay
A room in the Altstadt or Sachsenhausen makes the evening walks short. You can check rates on Booking.com and choose by neighbourhood. Around the Hauptbahnhof, watch your bags. For other ideas, the sightseeing page describes the old town.
Tip: book the tower for Friday or Saturday in winter, and walk to dinner before the taverns fill.