Traveling in Frankfurt-am-Main guide

(All pictures are taken by me)
Romer, september 2015

Frankfurt is one of my favorite cities to visit. Hometown of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, it is considered one of the largest german cities and a hub of business and finance activities. Actually, this "divergence" between the old city (part of which was bombarded in World War II and then rebuilt) and the skyscrapers is overwhelming. You can really notice it when standing in the middle of the Untermainbrucke bridge and look at Sachsenhausen first and then over to the other bunk of the river. First things first.

How do we get there? 1. By plane. Frankfurt has one of the largest and busiest airports in Europe, serving hundreds of (inter)continental destinations every day. 2. By train. In the central train station (Hauptbahnhof), operate trains uniting all corners of the country and long-distance trains (ICE) to France, the Netherlands, Begium, Luxemburg, Denmark and Switzerland.
Do people speak english? Yes, most people do and are willing to help you out when needed.
Is it expensive there? It's less expensive than most major european cities but still not as cheap as central and eastern Europe.
What about the food? There's a large selection to choose from. Traditional dishes that include sausage (wurst), handkasse, a (sour milk, I believe) cheese, lots of pastries and great apple cider (apfelwein).
What about vegans, though? Covered. There are vegan and vegan-friendly places in the city, from falafel shops to restaurants.
Where to eat and drink? My favorite question! I have a go-to restaurant where I always eat whenever I'm in Germany called Dean & David. It offers vegetarian-friendly meals, cold-pressed juices and smoothies among others. Einstein Kafe is a chain that offers lovely brakfasts, amazing pastries and sweets and really, really good coffee. Right next door, there's Pitchers, a british-style pub. Apart from beers and cocktails, they also serve very tasteful burgers, mozzarella sticks and BBQ wings. Moving towards the other riverbank, we find K'ties, located near the flea market of Sachsenhausen, is a really cute and cozy french style bistrot with a selection of omelettes, quiches, pastries and cakes. Sachsenhausen is the best choice if you want to enjoy a good glass of apple cider, in one of the numerous traditional taverns.

View from the Zeil deck.
Some sort of manifestation is going on at Hauptwache (september 2015)

On the bank of Main river, about to go to Sachsenhausen

Public transportation? Like in most geman cities, there's a railway (S-Bahn) and an underground line (U-Bahn) operating, as well as a bus line and a tramway. As I said before, if you plan to be on the move all day, a day ticket is a great investment. In Frankfurt, a single ticket costs around 2.50 euros*, and is one-way only. That means that, if you need to take the tramway and switch to the S-Bahn, you'll have to buy two tickets. You can buy tickets at vending machines in stations, or directly from bus drivers. (Pro tip #1: there are no validation machines in the station so don't panic if you can't find them. Pro tip #2: there's also the option of a short-trip ticket that costs around 1.75 euro* and serves a small distance.)
Getting to the city from the airport? Take the S8-S9 lines.

*ticket prices may be subject to change

Eiserner Steg

Love locks on Eiserner Steg

Hauptbahnhof

What to do? As I said, Frankfurt covers many (and I mean many) sightseeing aspects. There's the shopping district in Hauptwache, with malls located side by side. There's Goethe's house, the Main tower, where you can see the entire city from the dock (entrance is around 6.5 euros; the deck is not open to the public during bad weather conditions) & the European Central Bank, the Deutche Bundesbank and the Stock Exchange (Borse) buildings, the old Opera (alte Oper) and the Romer. On the other bunk of Main, there's Sachsenhausen, the old, medieval part of the town with a pub in every corner. On saturdays, there's a huge flea market in Schaumainkai, between Eiserner Steg and Holbeinstrasse. Also, let's not forget the Museumsufer, the museum embankment in Schaumainkai.
Where to stay? You can find decent and average-priced hotels around the central train station. More expensive choices are always located near the center. You can also find decent hotels but moderately pricy hotels in Sachsenhausen.