Explore Frankfurt’s Old Town, Frankfurt, Germany

When flying internationally, many people have a connecting flight through Frankfurt. When this happens to us, we usually just waste a few hours at the airport before catching a flight to our primary destination. On this trip, though, we chose a different approach. We decided to spend a few days in Frankfurt to explore its historic centre, as well as the nearby cities of Heidelberg and Mainz, and we are so glad that we did. It turns out that there’s a lot to see in Frankfurt’s Altstadt (Old Town), and it deserves more than a quick stopover.

Here’s what you can see when you explore Frankfurt’s Old Town. While in Frankfurt, why not take a day trip to either Heidelberg or Mainz or both. Click on the links to see our posts from those charming towns.

While it isn’t an authentic Old Town, Frankfurt’s Altstadt is a captivating re-creation of the city’s medieval days. Its history dates back to ancient times, but in the Middle Ages, it became a major economic centre. During this era, the fortified city was filled with half-timbered houses packed tightly together along winding streets. This lovely centre was almost completely flattened at the end of WWII, but today it has been completely rebuilt. Even though the reconstruction is very recent, we think they did a great job in bringing the old centre back to life. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).