Three days is the ideal length for Frankfurt. It is enough to see the old centre, spend a proper day among the museums, enjoy the skyline and an evening or two in Sachsenhausen, and still leave room for something a little further afield. The centre is compact enough to walk, so the itinerary below keeps each day in one area and avoids zig-zagging across the river.
Before you start
Base yourself in the Innenstadt, the Bahnhofsviertel or Sachsenhausen, and note that many museums close on Mondays and the Kleinmarkthalle is closed on Sundays. If you are travelling in winter, check the shorter daylight hours and the reduced hours at the Palmengarten and the Main Tower, and in Advent expect the old centre to be crowded. The Hilton Frankfurt City Centre, the Frankfurter Hof and The Trip all work as bases for this plan.
Day one: the old centre and the skyline
Start early at the Römerberg, when the stepped gables of the Römer and the half-timbered Ostzeile are quiet. Walk through the lanes of the New Old Town to the Kaiserdom, the red sandstone cathedral where German kings were elected, and step inside. If the weather is clear and you have the energy, climb the tower for the view across the old town and the river. Then walk to the Kleinmarkthalle for lunch, which is a short stroll north, and graze on sausages, cheese and the local green herb sauce. In the afternoon, consider TimeRide, a virtual reality session that shows the old town as it looked in the 19th century, which makes more sense once you have just walked through its rebuilt successor. Finish with the Main Tower deck in the late afternoon for the skyline at dusk, then take dinner on the south bank.
Day two: museums and the river
Cross the Eiserner Steg, the iron footbridge, to the Museumsufer, the row of museums along the south bank. The Städel is the heavyweight, with seven centuries of European art, and it needs a good two to three hours. If you have children, swap it for the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, whose dinosaurs are the best rainy-day bet in the city. Eat lunch at a cafe by the river, then spend the afternoon on a Main river cruise if sailings are running, or walk the riverbank paths. In the evening head into Alt-Sachsenhausen for apple wine and a traditional supper, which is the most Frankfurt thing you can do.
Day three: choose your own adventure
This is the flexible day. In dry weather, the Palmengarten is a lovely botanical garden with glasshouses that make it a good option even in winter, and it pairs well with a lazy lunch. If you want to leave town, the Rhine Valley and Heidelberg are the two classic day trips, each running as a full day by tour or by train. The Rhine gives you castles, vineyards and a river cruise, while Heidelberg offers a famous ruined castle and a handsome old town. Choose the Rhine in late spring through autumn, when the cruise and the vine terraces are at their best, and Heidelberg whenever you want a university town with plenty of indoor options.
If you only have two days
Combine day one and day two as written and skip the afternoon extras. If you have four days, add the second day trip or a slow morning wandering the Bahnhofsviertel for its mix of cuisines.
Getting around
Walking covers the old centre and the Museumsufer. For longer hops, use the U-Bahn, trams and S-Bahn, which are frequent and straightforward, and buy a day ticket if you plan several rides. Taxis and ride-hailing are available when your feet give up. The airport is connected to the central station by regular trains, so you can be in your hotel quickly after landing.
Booking and timing tips
Reserve the cruise, the VR session and any food or day tour a few days ahead in busy seasons. Keep the Main Tower for the clearest part of the day, because the viewing platform is weather-dependent. Carry a little cash for small taverns and market stalls, since cards are not accepted everywhere in Germany. Tipping is modest: round up the bill or add around five to ten percent in a restaurant. Above all, leave an evening free for no plan at all, because the best moments in Frankfurt are usually the unplanned ones, such as a glass of apple wine in a courtyard with strangers at the next table.
