The Tattoo Adventure in Auld Reekie was exciting, but exhausting.
Needing to rejuvenate, yet stick within my travel budget, I decided to stay close to home for my City Break Adventure over Labor Day weekend.
Mainhattan was the chosen destination.
No, this is not an incorrect spelling. It’s actually a sobriquet for the city of Frankfurt, Germany.
Mainhattan is a term referring to Frankfurt’s skyline, particularly its central business district, the Bankenviertel. The word is a mash-up of Main, the river on which Frankfurt lies, and Manhattan.
Did you know Frankfurt is the only German city with a skyscraper skyline? Most of Frankfurt’s downtown area was destroyed by Allied air bombardment during World War II. This left copious room for, and little resistance against, building modern high-rises.
The city is also one of Europe’s leading financial centers, playing host to numerous banks and service providers.
Another fun fact, according to the German Workplace Ordinance, workplaces must receive as much daylight as possible and be equipped with artificial lighting that is appropriate for the safety and health protection of employees. This is why a lot of the high-rise buildings are slim but have a lot of windows.
Just dropping some ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ knowledge on ya’ll.
GETTING THERE
Getting to Frankfurt was simple. I simply took the S-Bahn from my home to the closest station to my hotel. The S-Bahn is a rail system serving many metropolitan regions in Germany. Basically, it’s like London’s Underground or Paris’ Metro. Since I have a pass, I simply jumped on the next train and off I went toward Frankfurt am Main.
Fifty-five minutes later, I arrived at The Westin Grand Frankfurt hotel, my lodging for this adventure.
BEST BREAKFAST EVER!
Seriously, this was the best hotel breakfast I ever had during any of my adventures. Recommend getting breakfast included in the room rate. If you don’t, it is still worth €33. Honestly, if anyone can’t find something on this breakfast buffet, that person is just being pretentious and unjustifiably picky.
The Westin’s location was a main factor as to why I selected it over many other, and cheaper, accommodations. The hotel is a quick 2-minute walk from an S-bahn station where you can reach various parts of the city, and the airport without having to change trains.
I had a wonderful stay at the Westin, and would stay here again, no problem. Customer service was phenomenal.
My Deluxe King room was spacious and clean. The bed was comfy and outside noises were kept to a minimum. The bathroom was a bit tight, but very functional. Amenities were quality and extras were provided upon with request with no hassle. Television had multiple English-speaking channels.
Room service was okay, though I did have to use the Marriott app chat to reach them. Nevertheless, reception responded to my chat quickly and no long waits.
The in-house restaurants weren’t exciting, but you’re spoiled for choices the moment you step out the hotel’s entrance.
Now, where did I explore? First up:
RÖMER
The medieval Römer building is one of Frankfurt’s most important landmarks, so it was a ‘must-see’ on this adventure. It served as Frankfurt’s city hall for more than 600 years. Nowadays it is a popular wedding location.
Römerberg
Römerberg is a must see on any visit to Frankfurt.
Römerberg, the historical old town centre, including its splendid half-timbered houses, was rebuilt according to the original plans in 1986.
Trade fairs and markets have been held in the Römerberg since the Middle Ages, attracting visiting merchants from all over Europe. The tradition continues to this day with Frankfurt’s spectacular Christmas market, one of the oldest and largest in Germany.
Ostzeile
On the east side of the Römerberg, you’ll find the Ostzeile, a row of six half-timbered houses.
Although most of the original 15th and 16th century buildings were destroyed during the air raids of 1944, the houses on the Ostzeile were faithfully restored during the 1980s. Each bears its own evocative name, including Große Engel (Great Angel) and Goldener Greif (Golden Griffin).
Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen
The Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen (Fountain of Justice), standing in the center of the square in front of the Römer, dates back to 1543. Its bronze statue depicts Justitia, the Roman goddess of justice, armed with her sword and scales.
The monument has been renovated several times over the years – according to legend, wine flowed from the fountain at the 16th century coronation of Emperor Matthias, causing a commotion worthy of immediate repairs.
Frankfurt ‘New’ Old Town
Dom-Römer Quarter is the centre of the old town of Frankfurt am Main, which was reconstructed from 2012 to 2018 as part of a major urban development project called the Dom-Römer Project. It aims to give the old town quarter between the Römerberg square and the Cathedral (Dom) new life.
EISERNER STEG
The Eiserner Steg is a footbridge spanning the river Main in the city of Frankfurt, Germany, which connects the centre of Frankfurt with the district of Sachsenhausen.
The first wrought iron bridge was built in 1868. It was replaced in 1911/1912 by a slightly larger cantilever bridge. It is 170 meters long and consists of riveted steel trusses with two bridge piers.
The bridge was blown up by the Wehrmacht in the final days of World War II, but rebuilt shortly afterwards in 1946. It was fully renovated in 1993.
The views from the bridge on a clear day are amazing. I enjoyed taking a stroll across from Frankfurt to the Sachsenhausen district, where I continued toward Schweizer Straße, the street where two of Frankfurt’s most traditional cider houses, Zum gemalten Haus and Wagner are located.
Frankfurt and Its Apple Wine
Yes, I am a teetotaler, but I love hearing about the history of Frankfurt’s apple wine. I wanted to join a decent walking tour entitled Frankfurt and Its Apple Wine, but the €170 price tag was a little too steep. I bought a nice book about Frankfurt and its popular drink at a local book store instead.
MyZeil is a nice shopping mall in the city center. It was only a 7-minute walk from my hotel, so I thought I should check it out. I didn’t do much shopping beyond a visit to the Lego store and Chiptole. I did ride the MyZeil Expressway, which is the longest unsupported indoor escalator in Europe.
A hop on/hop off bus tour is usually the convenient way I orient myself to the new city. Frankfurt offered two versions of its Hop On/Hop Off Bus tour: Express and Skyline. A combined ticket cost €24 and includes both tours.
The first was the ‘Express Tour.’ This is the classic sightseeing version that takes visitors around the city, highlighting top attractions. This tour took us around Goethe House, Museumsufer the Sachsenhausen Pub District, and Römer.
Tour was about an hour and provided a nice glimpse of the city, including some areas I hadn’t considered exploring.
The Skyline Tour passes by major skyline sights like Main Tower, Eschenheimer TorTown Gate and the historic Hauptwache Square. The tour centers on showing some of the buildings that feature in Frankfurt’s skyscraper skyline.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There is more to do in Frankfurt that I initially believed. Another City Break is certainly needed to explore more of the museums, parks, restaurants and festivals.
I’m learning that you don’t always need to explore faraway lands to learn about the world. Sometimes, staying ‘in-town’ can provide the same awesome exploration opportunities.
NEXT ADVENTURE
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