With 36 museums, innumerable galleries (including more than 100 for contemporary art), theatres and nightclubs, Frankfurt’s cultural life is diverse.
The Alte Oper (old opera), the Städel Museum, the Schirn Museum and the Museumsufer, the museum embankment along the river Main with a string of museums, are just some of the cultural high points in this city. Note that many museums close on Monday and offer free admission on Wednesdays.
Frankfurt’s opera performances and museum concerts are led by the world-famous conductor Paolo Carignani. International stars from the world of classical cabaret appear at the Tigerpalast (Heiligkreuzgasse 16–20, Tel: 9200 220, website: www.tigerpalst.com), and the Festhalle (Festival Hall, Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 1, Tel: 7575 6404) hosts big names in rock and pop. Frankfurt is a multi-cultural city, and this international atmosphere is refl ected in the theatres: there are two English, one French, a Russian, a Japanese and an Italian theatre, in addition to the municipal opera and theatre venues. Check out the English Theatre (Kaiserstrasse 34, Tel: 2423 1620, Website: www.englishtheaterfrankfurt.de), a fl ourishing company that performs only in English.
If you’re an art lover visit the Städel Art Institute (Dürerstrasse 2, Tel: 6050 980), one of the leading art museums in Germany. Over 700 years of European history are represented in a collection of 2,700 paintings, 600 sculptures and 100,000 prints and drawings by artists ranging from Dürer, Holbein and Cranach to Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet, Van Gogh and Cézanne to Matisse and Picasso, Bacon and Baselitz, Serra and Palermo. The Museum of Modern Art (Museum für Moderne Kunst, Domstrasse 10, Tel: 2123 0447) has a permanent collection and hosts temporary exhibitions of modern art. Be sure to visit the museum embankment, Museumsufer, where you can wander in and out of a string of museums that include the German Architecture Museum, German Film Museum and the Museum of World Cultures). Head south of Römerberg to see the Historisches Museum (Saalgasse 19) and don’t miss the spectacular model in the foyer of the city from the ’30s. The best of the gardens and parks in Frankfurt are the Palmengarten (Siesmayerstrasse), 50 acres of gardens where there are summer concerts, evening festivals and exhibitions. Take a city sightseeing tour on board the Ebbelwei-Express (apple wine express)—it’s an extremely pleasant, traditional way to experience Frankfurt. This historic tram picks up at the tourist information point in the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) and passes many of Frankfurt’s sightseeing attractions.
Excursions
The main tourist office in Frankfurt is located in the railway station and they have a comprehensive selection of information about tours and places to see and visit. (Hauptbahnhof, Tel: 2123 8800). Sightseeing tour If your time is limited, the best way to see the city is to take a guided sightseeing tour (in English) by coach. The 21/2 hour tour picks up at the Hauptbahnhof tourist office and includes the Römerberg (old town centre), Goethe House and a visit to Main Tower’s spectacular observation platform (200m) from where you get a spectacular bird’s eye view of Frankfurt.
River cruise If you want to go on a river cruise, go to the Mainkai (Am Eisernen Steg) where you can choose from a choice of short and long cruises on the Main and Rhine.
Heidelberg Take a short trip out of the city to the pretty university town of Heidelberg, one hour away by train. The imposing ruined castle is one of the finest examples of German renaissance architecture.