A Weekend in Frankfurt Germany

I dipped my pinky toe into the grand ocean that is Germany. Ispent the weekend galavanting through Frankfurt with friends. We enjoyed it, and I think you will too! Check out a few things to do in Frankfurt, Germany.

Friday

There were four of us, but only one of us spoke German. Which was surprisingly unproblematic because nearly everyone speaks English. We arrived on the train late Friday evening. It takes a little ove chucked our bags on the floor of our Airbnb then headed to dinner.

Our establishment of choice was Der Fete Bulle which is a burger place (shame on us). But I must admit it was phenomenal. I chose a vegetarian burger and paired it with my first of many hefeweizens (wheat beer). I highly recommend Der Fete Bulle, the service was great, the food was divine and the ambiance is very chic and almost New York like.

We scooped up some beers at a local shop and went back to the Airbnb for cold drinks and conversation.

Breakfast at Cafe Haptwache

Saturday

The following morning we took the train a few stops to the city center. Alas, it was my chance to try some German cuisine. We had breakfast at Cafe Hauptwache. Pictured below is a medley of our group’s choices. A “traditional” French breakfast which according to their menu is a croissant, an overwhelming amount of cheese and of course jam. I must say in my almost two years of living in France I have yet to be served several cheese bricks for breakfast. But, food is food and we had a laugh. The pretzel and sausage were very good, but as I am a ‘give me spice or give me death’ kind of girl, it wasn’t particularly for me.

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After breakfast we switched to adventure mode and hit the streets. The city is a mix of old traditional architecture and new. Coming from a relatively new country, i’m always so taken by being around old establishments that have been standing for hundreds of years.

Something I did notice is that Frankfurts prices were drastically lower than those in Paris. Sure Paris is a must see but if you’re looking for cost effective destinations with equal the amount of culture, you may want to consider Frankfurt.

Frankfurt Cathedral’s View

The cathedral was built in 1550 and restored in the 90s. For a few euros you have the option of climbing to the top for a panoramic view. I must admit that this was the most trying task of the entire weekend. Did I make it? Yes. Was it difficult? Also yes. Sure there were a million steps but the rough part is there’s only room for one way traffic. So while going up the SPIRALING never-ending staircase, one must hug the wall while breathing heavily to allow the opposite flow of traffic to descend. But, the view of the city on such a sunny day was worth it.

Flea Market

After making our way down the stairs through an involuntary game of red light green light, we wandered across the river and happened upon a flea market (Frankfurter Flohmarkt). It was filled with clothes, antiques and garbage alike. Whether you’re down with a flea market or not, it was a sight to behold. Filled with all sorts of people milling about with no particular destination in mind but to enjoy the rare morsel of sunlight on this winters day.

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Good Times for Good People

The Good Times for Good People is a pop culture bar that specializes in cocktails. The menu was a magazine with pop culture references to ET, Star wars and 90s hip-hop. The vibe inside was cozy, and I wish I had more time in there. It was filled with plants, dark walls and a rather large statue of E.T. So, naturally, it was packed but there are heating lamps outside and they provided blankets for weaklings like myself, to cover their sad cold legs.   I had a peanut butter tart which sounded odd but was so delicious. This bar was highly recommended online and I too am joining the wave of humans that urge you to add this spot to your Frankfurt adventure.

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Sunday

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  History Museum
  

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  History Museum
  

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  History Museum
  

History Museum

On our final day we visited, the Historisches Museum of Frankfurt which was a great mix of interactive exhibitions, art, and cultural information. I rarely found an exhibit uninteresting. There is a feeling of gloom once visitors encounter the Holocaust wing of the museum but rightfully so. It was interesting to read the juxtaposition between the horrific ways Nazi’s slowly deprived Jews of their livelihoods before overtly sending them to camps, to the lively, and luxurious lives others lived with swastica ornaments for Christmas and warm thoughts of Hitler in their minds and hearts.

Parting Snitzel

After the museum we had just enough time to enjoy a meal and a final beer. We chassed across the path from the museum to Haus Wertheym. I tried schnitzel for the first time, which is pounded meat thinly coated with bread crumbs. Your girl was NOT a fan. But I can see how people find it enjoyable…. I think . I did not have much luck with German food but I am willing to give more items a chance before giving the entire category a thumbs down

Fun fact Frankfurt is said to be the baking capital of Europe it is only fitting that it is home to this striking monument which is placed in a hub of banks. 

“As the home of the European Central Bank (ECB), Frankfurt is the financial capital of the Eurozone. The bank makes monetary policy decisions for an economic area that is home to around 330 million people and anchors the euro into the global financial system. “
– German Convention Bureau

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We walked off our meal along the river and soaked up the last of the sun before returning to the train station and beginning the journey back home. It was a nice change to depart the hustle and bustle of Paris to the more relaxed yet exciting town of Frankfurt. For my first time in Germany I don’t think I did too bad. In short, if you’re thinking of visiting Germany, TREAT YO SELF to Frankfurt for a good time. Thumbs up to Frankfurt, next stop, Portugal.