Frankfurt
Germany · Country profile
Frankfurt is the financial capital of Germany and one of the great business and transport hubs of Europe, a compact, dynamic city on the river of the Main whose famous skyline of the glass towers rises above the only individual silhouette of its kind in the whole of the country. Beyond the towers and the stock exchange, the city holds the half-timbered old town, the riverbank museums of the embankment, the enormous book fair and the lively districts of the Sachsenhausen, and its apple wine, its brule chairs and its direct, frank welcome give it a character quite its own. Frankfurt is the great airport and rail crossroads of the continent, the home of the European central bank, and a genuinely human, walkable, culturally rich city beneath its high-rise facade.
About Frankfurt
Frankfurt is a city in Germany. The city's documented population is around 833,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Euro (EUR) and German is spoken; the dialling code is +49. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Frankfurt Airport.
The Skyline, the Old Town and the River of the Main
Frankfurt is a compact, efficient city that mixes the glass towers of the financial centre with the half-timbered lanes of the rebuilt old town and the cheerful riverside life of the Main. The famous skyline is best seen from the bridges of the river, and the museum embankment with its concentrated cluster of the great galleries is the cultural heart. The city is easy, walkable and surprisingly green, and the evenings in the apple wine taverns of the Sachsenhausen give it a genuinely local, unpretentious life. As the great hub of the continent, it is also the natural base for the whole region of the Rhine and the Main.
The Seasons, the Euro and the Hub of the Continent
The best seasons are the spring, when the apple trees of the region bloom, and the autumn, when the book fair fills the city; the summers can be hot and the winters grey and wet. The old town, the museum embankment and the towers of the skyline are the essential visits, and the river with its boats and its bridges is the classic walk. The euro is the currency, the German is the language with the English widely spoken in the businesses, and the cards work everywhere. The city is safe, orderly and easy, with the superb public transport and the great station connecting the whole of Europe.
The Museum Embankment, the Sachsenhausen and the Apple Wine
The rebuilt old town of the city, with its half-timbered houses, its cathedral and its old square, rose again from the ruins around the celebrated iron bridge, and the even taller towers of the skyline provide the dramatic backdrop of the whole centre. The museum embankment, the cluster of the great museums along the south bank of the river, holds one of the densest museum quarters of Europe, and the apple wine taverns of the Sachsenhausen, with their regional cooking and their famous tart wine, are the great local institution. The river banks, with their lawns, their beaches of the summer and their concert halls, are the green heart of the city, and the enormous trade and the banking life of the towers give the whole its working rhythm.
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- Country
- Germany
- Population
- 833,000
- Coordinates
- 50.0379, 8.5622
- Capital
- Berlin
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- German
- Calling code
- +49
- Country code
- DE
Entry requirements for Germany
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Germany for tourism.
Getting to Frankfurt
Airports we list for Frankfurt:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Germany
Other cities we cover in Germany:
Frequently asked questions
Is Frankfurt the capital of Germany?
No — the capital of Germany is Berlin.
What currency do I need in Frankfurt?
The local currency is the Euro (EUR). Languages spoken in Germany include German.
What is the dialling code for Germany?
The international dialling code for Germany is +49.
Which airport should I fly into for Frankfurt?
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is the airport we list for Frankfurt.
How far is Frankfurt from the nearest airport?
Frankfurt is about 188 km from Düsseldorf Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Germany?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Germany visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Frankfurt? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.