On The Ground

Insider tips for travellers to Frankfurt

Insider tips from passionate travellers – Cathay Pacific’s own people

brain tsoi frankfurt

Brian Tsoi

Country manager Germany, Switzerland and Eastern Europe, Frankfurt

The explorer

Autumn is a great time for a stroll along the River Main, lined on both sides with some of Germany’s best museums – an area known as Museumsufer (Museum Riverbank). My favourite part of this area is between the Holbeinsteg and Eiserner Steg bridges.

The Rheingau Wine Festival was in September – but Frankfurt is a fantastic place to try wines from the Rheingau region. Head to the Fressgass – a popular pedestrianised area with restaurants, delis and shops – or the terrace of Bockenheimer Weinkontor for a few glasses of riesling or pinot noir.

For a day trip, head to Heidelberg, a picturesque town an hour away. Take the funicular up to Heidelberg Castle, which has the world’s largest wine barrel – the Heidelberg Tun – and views of the Neckar River and the town below.

suzanne schrim frankfurt

Susanne Schirm

Marketing communications officer – digital sales, Frankfurt

The outdoor type

Frankfurt is known for its financial district – spot the skyscrapers – but also for its abundant nature. The Taunus mountain range, north of the city, offers many possibilities for exploring dense forests and mountain trails: hike the high trails around the Feldberg; visit the Saalburg to learn more about the Roman history of that region; or explore the Kubacher Kristallhöhle, a 30-metre-high cave full of crystals, surrounded by limestone that dates back 350 million years.

I live in the Taunus and love hiking, climbing and biking – it’s the perfect place for these outdoor activities. My favourite hobby is geocaching – a kind of treasure hunt – which is so much fun in this area.

Elmar diebold frankfurt

Elmar Diebold

Financial services officer, Frankfurt

The urbanite

Start the day with a coffee in a traditional roasting house like Wacker’s Kaffee or Kaffeerösterei Wissmüller.

The first stop for foodies should be the Kleinmarkthalle, an indoor food market in the city centre, which gets especially lively on a Saturday. Close to the market is Liebfrauenkirche, a pretty church in Frankfurt’s buzzy core.

Then visit the Goetheturm, a 43-metre-high wooden tower on the edge of Frankfurt City Forest that has panoramic views over the surrounding forest and the city.

Finish the day in one of the city’s apfelwein taverns (try Apfelwein Wagner, Zum Gemalten Haus or Atschel) with a cider and a dish of grüne sosse – a green sauce of herbs, sour cream, oil, vinegar and mustard, served over potatoes or hard-boiled eggs.

frankfurt germany

Cathay Pacific flies to Frankfurt from Hong Kong seven times a week, and elsewhere in Germany codeshare with Lufthansa

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Discovery online brings together all the inspirational travel writing from our two inflight magazines, Discovery and Silkroad. Be sure to look out for the print editions when you next fly with Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon.
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