Spending 3 days in Frankfurt is the perfect amount of time to see all that this beautiful German city has to offer. Although Frankfurt is often overlooked in favour of other cities like Berlin and Munich, there are a lot of great things to do in Frankfurt, especially in the winter when the Frankfurt Christmas Market is on.
Frankfurt’s old town may look medieval but most of the buildings you see today have been recently reconstructed as part of the city’s development project. The history of Frankfurt is a long one though, with evidence that it was inhabited dating as far back as the Roman period. Today it’s known for being a big financial centre but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of historical sites to explore as well.
Flying into Frankfurt
There are two airports in Frankfurt to fly into. We flew into Frankfurt Airport with Ryanair, which was ideal because it was only 40 minutes by train to the city centre. The second airport, Frankfurt Hahn takes about 2 hours to get into the city centre from. Even if the flight is slightly more expensive flying into Frankfurt Airport, I’d recommend taking that option in order to save time.
How to get around Frankfurt
Frankfurt is a very walkable city. There are a lot of buses and trains available if your hotel is further afield or if you want to get out of the city centre for a day trip. We ended up walking most of the time in order to save a bit of money and because we wanted to see more of the city on foot.
During our walks around the city, we kept finding new things and places to explore, perfect for a personalized photo calendar filled with memories.
What to see during 3 days in Frankfurt
Römerberg
The centre of the historic old town is known as Römerberg. It was rebuilt in the late 20th century to its original plans and every house here has its own name. It’s also the spot of many markets and fairs including the Frankfurt Christmas Market. Since we spent 3 days in Frankfurt in December, the market was on in full force which was a highlight of our trip.
Eiserner Steg
Eiserner Steg is the only pedestrian bridge to span the River Main. It’s also the site of thousands of love locks, and is a great spot to take some photos with the city in the background. I would recommend going here in the evening, so you can see Frankfurt’s skyline lit up and reflecting off of the water.
Check out the museums
Frankfurt is full of great museums, so make sure you visit at least one. Historisches Museum, for example, is located right in the heart of Frankfurt’s old town so you can easily add it to your list of things to see in Frankfurt without having to go out of your way.
Frankfurt Cathedral
Frankfurt Cathedral is an absolute must-see during 3 days in Frankfurt. It’s the most dominating building along the city’s skyline and from the 16th century it held the coronation ceremonies of the Holy Roman Emperors.
Explore the streets
From the old town to the newer parts of the city, there are lots of interesting places to be found. Sometimes the best thing to do when visiting a new city is to walk around and see what you stumble upon. If you’re visiting Frankfurt while the Christmas market is on you’ll find that most of the streets are filled with market stalls.
Sachsenhausen neighbourhood
The Sachsenhausen neighbourhood is full of museums, bars and restaurants. It’s a very relaxed area of the city and is located just a short walk over the river from the old town. There are a lot of art galleries in Frankfurt, and many of them can be found in this area too. So if you have time during your 3 days in Frankfurt, take a look around the Sachsenhausen neighbourhood.
Stroll through the old town
Make sure you take the time to walk around the beautiful medieval style streets in Frankfurt. The old town is my favourite area of the city, since I’m a big fan of history. The buildings are all very colourful and reflect a different time in German history. The old town needs to be at the top of your itinerary, regardless of if you’re staying for 3 days in Frankfurt or a few hours.
Alte Oper
The Alte Oper is a stunning building, and if you have time you can purchase a ticket and watch one of the performances here. We didn’t have enough time (or the budget) to do that, but we wanted to visit it anyways to get some photos outside.
Window shop on Goethestrasse
Goethestrasse is a luxury shopping street only a few minutes walk from the opera house. This is where you’ll find all of the high-end shops so if you’re visiting Frankfurt on a budget you may want to skip this one or do some window shopping instead. This is something I would only add to your plans if you have some spare time during your 3 days in Frankfurt.
Eschenheimer Turm
Eschenheimer Turm is one of Frankfurt’s most famous landmarks. It once stood as a city gate as part of Frankfurt’s 15th century fortifications. This medieval tower now stands among modern high rise buildings and also functions as a restaurant.
Take a cruise along the river
Primus Linie cruises are very inexpensive and worth adding to your 3 days in Frankfurt itinerary. You can either take a 50 or 100 minute cruise and you get to see the stunning city skyline along the way. There are a lot of river cruise operators in Frankfurt, but Primus Linie would be my top recommendation. Prices start at €14.50 per adult.
Eat at the Christmas Market
Eating German food is a must during 3 days in Frankfurt, especially if you come across a market. The Frankfurt Christmas Market is one of the largest markets in Europe, and dominates most of the city’s historic quarter. There are various markets on throughout the year too, so if you’re not visiting at Christmas you’ll have other options.
Explore Höchst
Höchst is a great hidden gem in Frankfurt. It’s about a 15 minute train ride from the city centre and it looks like a village from a fairytale. There isn’t a lot to do here but it’s very picturesque and if you have 3 days in Frankfurt you should be able to add it into your plans quite easily.
Hop on a train to Mainz
A short train ride from Frankfurt is Mainz, a charming historic city complete with a cathedral and medieval streets. This is a great option for a day trip from Frankfurt, especially during Christmas because the Christmas market here is amazing. We added Mainz to our 3 day itinerary at the last minute since we had some extra time to spare.
Take a walk around Frankfurt Airport
It may sound weird to recommend an airport as a tourist attraction, but Frankfurt Airport is one of the largest in the world and there is a lot to see here. It took almost 30 minutes for us to shuttle from the plane to the main terminal, that’s how big it is.
Where to stay in Frankfurt
Living Hotel Frankfurt
Living Hotel Frankfurt is located a 30 minute walk from the old town, and public transportation is easily accessible too. We stayed here for 2 nights, in the Deluxe Double Apartment, which had free WiFi, air conditioning, and a large kitchen and dining area. This is a great option for accommodation in Frankfurt if you like staying in an apartment-style hotel room.
>> Click here for the most up to date prices at Living Hotel Frankfurt <<
Hotel Frankfurt Messe
Hotel Frankfurt Messe is located in the western part of Frankfurt, only a 5 minute walk from the Exhibition Centre. It’s a bit of a trek to the old town if you’re walking (50 minutes), but you can easily hop on a bus and be there in no time. We stayed in their Premium Room during our 3 days in Frankfurt, which was a great size and included a jacuzzi bathtub.
>> Click here for the most up to date prices at Hotel Frankfurt Messe <<
Spending 3 days in Frankfurt is just the right amount of time to explore its old town and get a feel for the historical charm behind the modern day financial centre. If you don’t mind colder weather, I would recommend visiting near Christmas so you can enjoy the Frankfurt Christmas Market as well.
If you have any recommendations about where else I should visit in Germany, drop me an email or get in touch via Instagram where you can also follow along with my latest adventures.
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