Frankfurt is Germany’s financial and business center, and one of the most industrial cities in Germany. Frankfurt is home to more than 2,000 factories, Germany’s central bank and the stock exchange, so it’s no wonder Frankfurt flights are packed with international business travelers converging for meetings and conferences. But there’s more to Frankfurt than big sells and manufacturing.
Frankfurt is one of Germany’s largest cultural cities and a huge supporter of the arts. Germany travelers head to Frankfurt for ground-breaking art expositions and international trade fairs. The world-famous International Book Fair attracts writers and authors booking cheap flights to Frankfurt to meet with international publishers for the sale of book rights and translations. In between expos and exhibitions, visitors to Frankfurt can admire Europe’s tallest office building, enjoy five-star cuisine and shop retail boutiques before boarding a Frankfurt flight back home.
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Summers are warm and fluctuate between sunny and rainy. Spring and fall are mild with temperatures in the 50s and 60s (F), and winter is cold with wet days. July and August are the warmest months with temperatures usually in the mid- to upper-70s. January is the coldest month with temperatures in the mid-20s.
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Peak Season:
The tourist season runs from May to late October, and the major convention season covers March through May, September, and October. Travelers booking flights to Frankfurt for a business convention should book early and reserve hotel rooms ahead of time.
Off Season:
Even with the heat, rain, and crowds of June and August, you can find cheap flights to Frankfurt. The cold and stormy weather of November through February generally brings fewer visitors than the rest of the year.
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Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Distance: 6 miles southwest
Drive time: 20 mins.
The Airport Train Station, beneath Terminal 1, has German InterCity trains and S-Bahn commuter trains to Frankfurt and nearby cities. If you arrive in Terminal 2, take the Sky Line shuttle to Terminal 1. The RMVPlus (public transportation) web site has directions from the airport via bus and rail or by car to Frankfurt.
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Most of the center of Frankfurt can be covered on foot. Driving in Frankfurt is an option and reasonably priced parking is available downtown, but the traffic, accidents, and construction can make driving an aggravating experience. Frankfurt’s public transportation, the RMV (Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund), runs a network of fast, modern subways, trams, and buses through Frankfurt. You may want to get a Frankfurt Card that allows unlimited travel within the greater Frankfurt area.
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- Not just a financial center, Frankfurt is also a trade fair center, hosting fairs and festivals throughout the year. These events include the International Music Trade Fair, International Jazz Festival, Wilhelmstrassenfest Theatrium street festival, the world’s largest Book Fair, and a month-long Christmas Fair—to name just a few. Check the Trade Show and Events calendar to see what will be in town while you’re there.
- Many of Frankfurt’s museums are closed on Mondays and many have free admission on Wednesdays.
- Frankfurt is the place to shop for high-quality electronics and sports equipment; top-of-the line European fashion; and the best of European wines, breads, cheeses, and sausages.
- Two popular outdoor activities are swimming and inline skating. Swimming centers often have slides, waterfalls, and other amusements. "Freikörper" or "FKK" on a sign indicates that the park or beach allows nude sunbathing. Tuesday nights, from March until October, thousands of inline skaters are on the road. The event starts at the Ignatz Bubis Bridge and is 26 miles long, but the route always changes. The event is free and anybody can join.
- Bicycling is also a popular activity in Frankfurt. The Stadtwald has paths that are well-tended and flat. There are many bike paths along both sides of the Main River and also the Nidda River (in the Heddernheim, Eschersheim, Hausen, and Rödelheim districts). For something more strenuous, try the paths of the Taunus Hills.
- As a techno center, Frankfurt has no shortage of dance clubs, and you can dance the night away at many clubs. Frankfurt is also a leading center for jazz, and jazz musicians can be found anywhere from cafés to the Old Opera House. Sound of Frankfurt is a giant, outdoor music festival held every July with live bands, DJs, and techno, house, rock, rap, and Latin American music. Party goers fill the pedestrian zone around the Ziel, and there’s enough space for each concert to have its own party.
- Sachsenhausen (Frankfurt's "Left Bank") is where you’ll find Apfelwein (apple wine) taverns. Apfelwein dates back to the late 790s, and a tavern with a pine wreath over its door makes its own apple wine.
- You’re in a large city and need to stay on the alert for pickpockets, particularly around the Hauptbahnhof, and the Hauptwache and Konstablerwache subway stations. When traveling by subway at night, choose a car where there are other people. Security personnel travel in the front car after 9 p.m. Women are rarely bothered, and women often enter Frankfurt bars and clubs alone. Also, many car parks have a Frauenparkplätze, women-only, section.
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Frankfurt Airport (FRA). The airport is situated 8 miles south west of the center of Frankfurt.
Frankfurt airport is a Lufthansa hub. You can often get a good deal on the air fare by flying through London rather than direct to Frankfurt. London is a hub for low-cost airlines and charter flights.
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