Walking in Frankfurt: Old Town, Banks and River
Walking in Frankfurt: Old Town, Banks and River
Frankfurt looks different at three times of day, so these walks follow the clock: old town in the morning light, the bank towers at midday, and the river museums as evening comes. Together they add up to under nine kilometres.
Morning: the old town loop (2 km)
Meet at the Römerberg, in front of the Fountain of Justice. After the Römer, enter the Neue Altstadt, which opened on 9 May 2018 after six years of rebuilding on the site of the medieval lanes lost in 1944. Admire the Goldene Waage, then pass through the Archaeological Garden. The Kaiserdom comes next, free to enter, and the Domturm tower is €3 for adults and 328 steps. Close the loop at Paulsplatz. Allow about two hours. Tower times are on dom-frankfurt.de .
Midday: Mainhattan (3 km)
From the Hauptbahnhof, follow Kaiserstraße, the broad central boulevard, to Willy-Brandt-Platz and the illuminated blue Euro sign. From there, Neue Mainzer Straße leads past the Commerzbank Tower. Main Tower rises on the same street, and the platform costs €9 for adults, though it closes in bad weather. Wind up through the green Taunusanlage to the Alte Oper, built in 1880. This route takes about two hours. Avoid cutting through Taunusstraße, Elbestraße and Moselstraße near the station, particularly in the evening. Opening hours are on maintower.de .
Evening: along the Museumsufer (3.5 km)
Begin on the Eiserner Steg and cross to Schaumainkai on the south bank. The walk passes the Museum Angewandte Kunst, the German Film Museum and the German Architecture Museum, then the Städel at number 63. Plan on about two and a half hours, including a coffee stop. The Städel is closed on Mondays and stays open to 21:00 on Thursdays. Beyond the museums, the lanes of Alt-Sachsenhausen open up, and a plate of Frankfurter schnitzel with green sauce at a wooden table makes a fitting end. Bring cash for the taverns.
Small print for walkers
The river path is for walking, and for swimming the city’s Brentanobad and Stadionbad pools are the places to go. A single RMV ticket is €3.80 if tired legs need a tram. Pickpockets operate around the Hauptbahnhof and crowded transport. If you want a guide with you, you can look at Frankfurt walking tours on Viator . The activities page lists where to eat and drink on the way.
Tip: sequence the three walks over two days, with the old town and Mainhattan together and the Museumsufer on its own.