Sightseeing tips for Frankfurt

The Pirate has brought his ship into dry dock and is coming down to Frankfurt for 3 days next week, tue, wed & thur, am staying at a hotel near the main central train stn. Question, where is a good place to go and meet a few brits in the evenings maybe not too far from the train stn and if by any chance someone knows where the nearest FITCOM is, please let me know . Many thanks in advance for any advice.

Avast there shipmate!

The area near the Hbf is pretty seedy, iwht lots of Druggies and sex shops. If by 'FITCOM' you mean fitness company, then there is one in Kaiserstrasse (the main street from the Hbf to Centre).

Across from the Hbf is the Irish Pub, and I forget it's name. If you want more pubs, the I recommend that you go to Sachsenhausen (take the S-Bahn to Lokalbahnhof).

Thanks for the advice.

when using the strassenbahn ticket machines, press the red button for a franfurt ticket and not the green button for a short trip. the difference is about 17cents but the fine for going one stop outside of the "short trip" range is €40.

Better safe than sorry.

(if I've got the colours wrong, somebody please correct me or at least confirm what I have said, don't want to feel pirates cutlass anywhere near my guts :doh: )

I thought the Kaiserstr. FITCOM was women only?

Oh and the pub is called o Reillys it is ok if you don't mind paying a small fortune for a few drinks.

Yes can confirm Einzelfahrt Frankfurt is red and the short trip is green

Cheers Muff,

ps, it is possible to haggle over the fine... as i have discovered to my cost :$

Its only three days but am grateful for any tips so Thanks !

well here i am in Frankfurt and jeeezz what a dump ! Sorry folks who live here , please don't take it personally but here near the train station and surrounding ares is the pits ! maybe further out its better but my first impression is " oh shit where have i landed " ! Nevermind, found the FITCOM and will be down there tonight, after that i think its better to stay in the hotel. too many weird folk wondering about.

Very much so. If you have a hotel near the Hbf, it is easy to find your way home when you're blind drunk; the more it stinks of piss the nearer you are... :doh:

Go to the Alter Oper (Fressgass), Hauptwache and Konstablerwache areas they are much better. As I mentioned before, Sachsenhausen can be good fun too.

I find Frankfurt a bit soulless and I contribute that to the town planning curtesy of the RAF carried out in 1944...

yes just went with the ubahn to konstaberlerwache , thats where the fit com is and walked it back to the hbf, 2 days to go, maybe get a drive out somewhere else tomorrow.

Hey FFFFFFrankfurts...

I'm new and what some suggestions on what to see and do in Frankfurt ...

1. Hot clubs/pubs (not just for xpats)
2. Cool Restaurants
3. Spas & Suanas ... (me seem to have a little fetish for the beauty thing)
4. English speaking clubs

And above all, we're still apartment searching ... looking for something beautiful & cozy (70+sqm) in Bornheim, Sachenhausen, Nortend or Westend. Pm me if you got the goods ...

Thnx,
Cheri

Frankfurt is not so bad. Admittedly the area round the Hauptbahnhof is a little shady and the Irish pub opposite is a bit dire!!

Cheri,

I live in Bornheim /Nordend and I tend to stick around there when I am socialising. There are a few places on Bornheimer Landstrasse that we go to for bars and I also like nordbar. I have also recently started going out in Ostend and there are some nice bars and restaurants.

If I really crave English, then I will go to the Irish bar on the Zeil (which was recommended to me on here when I first joined) although it has always been dead whenever I have been. There is an Irish bar opposite the train station but it is not for me. There is also an English pub on the road where I work (Westendstrasse) - I have never been in but I think it is part of a chain.

There is an English speaking club, which someone told me about when I first joined the Britboard. I think the thread will still be around somewhere.

And saunas and spas, I don´t know anything about!

hey j-m,

i really like frankfurt :$ ... although, coming from Toytown-munich, i'm slowly adjusting!!!

big thanks for the pub tips!! prost! we'll work on the spa thing ... although, i'm thinking that "bad homberg" would be the place to be!!

at the moment, we're looking for an apartment ... no luck so far, we've seen over 19 now!! ergg!!! if you know of any super-duper apartment-hunters, or know of anything in borheim, sachenhausen or westend ... please pm me ... the help would be greatly appreciated!!

cheri

Yes Bad Homburg is the place for spas

The Taunus Therme is really good but since I work around the corner I can no longer go there.

Hey peeps,

I'm looking for a place in Frankfurt where I can buy glass beads & things needed to make jewlery ...

Thanks!

BMP!

There must be somone out there in Frankfurter-land who knows of such a store where I can find the workings needed to make jewelery (lots'a beads, clasps, string).

I need my bead-shop!!

If anyone wants a bead store rec. in Munich ... I know of a great place; PM me.

I am THINKING that there is a store on Berger Strasse (Bornheim) that sells them

thanks j-m, i live just off of bergerstrasse ... i'll do the hunt tomorrow

any idea where on bergerstrasse? it's a long ... strasse!!

I am so glad you are close because I am not 100% sure... But there is a shop near Höhenstrasse (walking from Höhenstrasse towards Merianplatz, it is on your left). It also sells stuff like Mai Tse Tung cushions. If not there, then go down further past Merianplatz and there are some little jewellery type shops there which be of help. Let me know how you get on because I have some friends who might know more than me. Good luck and sorry so vague

Yo' FRANKFUTERS!!!

Anyone know of ...

An Asian-supermarket in the Bornheim area?

A Korean-Imbiss?

Domo!!!
Willy

I use the Asian supermarket down by the Hauptbahnhof, it has the best selection. There are a couple of Chinese shops around though. There is one on Glaubergstrasse

Big thanks for all your replies & pm's ... we're slowly getting settled in Frankfurt.

Girls, Girls, Girls ...

I need a hair stylist recommendation, someone who isn't too pricey, good with colours/foils and is up to date on current trends. German language not a problem.

Thanks in advance!

Willy

Hi all-
I have a friend coming into town in a couple of weeks for business and I'd like to show him some of the sites in Frankfurt. Problem is, I don't know any!! Any ideas?

Keep in mind that drinking loads of good German beer is probably going to be very high on the agenda.

Cheers,
Rebecca

It depends on what your friend is interested in seeing/doing.

Some of my favorites:

Museum für Moderne Kunst
Domstrasse 10
60311 Frankfurt am Main
http://www.mmk-frankfurt.de/

Zoo Frankfurt
Alfred-Brehm-Platz 16
60316 Frankfurt am Main
http://www.zoo-frankfurt.de/index_e.htm

Palmengarten Frankfurt
Palmengartenstraße: U6, U7 to Station Bockenheimer Warte
http://www.palmengarten.frankfurt.de/englisch/englisch.htm

Alte Opera
* See what's playing!
http://www.oper-frankfurt.de/

Why not do an apfelwine tour through Saschenhausen, with a must stop at Wagner (and order the various meat platter if you're in a large group) - or go up the Main tower? Or take a boat ride along the river ... or rent bikes and tour around Frankfurt, through the old/new areas? Also, check out what festivals are happening during the visit ...

I'll ask around the office today and see what else I can dig up from the locals!!

You could try the ebbelwei express tour - supposed to be fun - only runs at weekends though check out: bus tour

Also I usually do the top of main tower - about €5 euros to get up but great views and a very good restaurant/Bar - pricey though

And the usual walking tour - if you go to information at the Hauptbahnhof they have a map for a walking tour of the centre costs 50 cents - that is worthwhile doing - I've been here over a year and there was stuff on there I hadn't seen!!

I also have a list of all fests on in the area so if you give me dates I can let you know what fests are on in hessen!

Andy

Hi Andy, do you have a link for the Frankfurt fests? If no, can you post the fests for August? Thanks. I have visitors also ...

ummm... Cherie? Thanks for the help dear, but we've met so I think you know the opera is definitely OUT of the question!! I'm not exactly the most cultured person on the planet (plus I'm a typical American... which I think says a lot!). :$

Andy, I will PM the dates as soon as I know for sure. Thanks!!

Fests for august are : If that's not enough I can give you Septembers!!
Although Warning!!! Some are one stall in a tiny village!!

29.07.2005-31.07.2005 Wertheim Altstadtfest
30.07.2005-31.07.2005 Bad Schwalbach Int.Motorweekend US Cars
30.07.2005-31.07.2005 Seligenstadt Brauereihoffest
31.07.2005 Aschaffenburg/ Dalbergstr. Dalbergfest
03.08.2005-26.08.2005 Friedrichsdorf/ Innenstadt Friedrichsdorfer Sommerbrücke
04.08.2005-08.08.2005 Eddersheim Fischerfest
04.08.2005-08.08.2005 Gernsheim Fischerfest
04.08.2005-08.08.2005 Inheiden Seefest
04.08.2005-08.08.2005 Offenbach Bierfest mit rund 60 verschiedenen Biersorten
05.08.2005-06.08.2005 Bad Nauheim Altstadtfest (ohne Sperrstunde...)
05.08.2005-07.08.2005 Assmannshausen Rotweinfest
05.08.2005-07.08.2005 Rüdesheim/ Assmannshausen Rotweinfest
05.08.2005-07.08.2005 Schlüchtern Weizelfest
05.08.2005-07.08.2005 Walluf/ La-Londe- Platz Weindorf
05.08.2005-07.08.2005  Flörsheim-Wicker  Wickerer Weinfest 
05.08.2005-08.08.2005 Frankfurt - Römerberg - Mainkai Mainfest
05.08.2005-08.08.2005 Hallgarten Winzerfest
05.08.2005-08.08.2005 Nierstein Winzerfest
05.08.2005-08.08.2005 Oberursel Weinfest
06.08.2005 Bad Soden-Salmünster Altstadtfest
06.08.2005 Hanau - Wilhelmsbad Wilhelmsbader Sommerfest
06.08.2005-07.08.2005 Aschaffenburg/ Schloss Carillonfest
06.08.2005-07.08.2005 Bad Camberg Höfefest
06.08.2005-07.08.2005 Frankfurt - Rebstockgelände Afrikanisch-Karibisches Fest
06.08.2005-07.08.2005 Kronberg - Altstadt Bilder- und Weinfest
06.08.2005-07.08.2005 Oberursel Rheingauer Weinfest
07.08.2005 Tauberbischofsheim- Miltenberg Autofreies Taubertal
08.08.2005-11.08.2005 Königstein Taunus Königsteiner Burgfest
10.08.2005-14.08.2005 Bad Soden-Salmünster Hessische Ballonmeisterschaft
12.08.2005 Frankfurt Nacht der Kirchen
12.08.2005-14.08.2005 Bad Soden-Salmünster/Kurpark Brunnenfest
12.08.2005-14.08.2005 Wertheim Burgweinfest
12.08.2005-15.08.2005 Alzenau - Innenstadt Stadtfest
12.08.2005-15.08.2005 Oppenheim Weinfest
12.08.2005-21.08.2005 Neu-Isenburg - Wilhelmsplatz Weinfest
12.08.2005-21.08.2005 Wiesbaden/ Schlossplatz Rheingauer - Weinwoche
12.08.2005-21.08.2005  Wiesbaden- Marktplatz  Wiesbadener Weinfest 
13.08.2005 Koblenz 50. Rhein in Flammen
13.08.2005 Mespelbrunn/ Schloss Weinfest
13.08.2005-17.08.2005 Frankfurt - Bornheim   398. Bernemer Kerb
15.08.2005-31.08.2005 Frankfurt/ Oper (für Kinder) Opernspiele
16.08.2005 Kleinkahl Rochusfest
17.08.2005 Frankfurt untere Berger Str. Berner Mittwoch Strassenfest
19.08.2005-21.08.2005 Eltville-Rauenthal Weinfest
19.08.2005-21.08.2005 Frankfurt - Töngesgasse IV. Antoniterfest
19.08.2005-21.08.2005 Frankfurt/ Töngesgasse IV. Antoniterfest
19.08.2005-21.08.2005 Rauenthal Kirchweih u. Weinfest
19.08.2005-22.08.2005 Mainz-Kostheim Winzerfest
19.08.2005-22.08.2005 Rüdesheim-Assmannshausen Weinfest
19.08.2005-23.08.2005 Frankfurt Sachsenhausen/ Paradiesplatz 515.Sachsenhäuser Brunnenfest·Paradiesplatz  
19.08.2005-23.08.2005 Rüsselsheim Rüsselsheimer Markt
20.08.2005 Bad Hoburg v.d.H Luftschiffparade
20.08.2005 Kernstadt Bad Soden am Taunus, Königsteiner Straße Sommernachtsfest
20.08.2005-21.08.2005 Darmstadt Marktplatzfest
20.08.2005-21.08.2005 Kleinkahl Sonnenblumenfest
20.08.2005-21.08.2005 Offenbach/ Rumpenheim Mittelalterlicher Markt
20.08.2005-21.08.2005 WI-Biebrich  Mosburgfest 
20.08.2005-22.08.2005 Frankfurt/ Kalbacher Stadtpfad Kirchweih Kahlbach
20.08.2005-24.08.2005 Bad Vilbel Bad Vilbeler Markt
21.08.2005 Mönchberg Bartholomäusmarkt
21.08.2005-28.08.2005 Bingen Rochusfest
26.08.2005 Schlosspark Freudenberg Folklore im garten 
26.08.2005-04.09.2005 Miltenberg Michaelismesse
26.08.2005-04.09.2005 Wiesloch Winzerfest
26.08.2005-05.09.2005 Würzburg Weinparade am Dom
26.08.2005-27.08.2005 Eppstein Burgfest ab 20:00 Uhr
26.08.2005-28.08.2005 Frankfurt Museumsuferfest 2005
26.08.2005-29.08.2005 Mainz Weinmarkt
27.08.2005-28.08.2005 Aschaffenburg Stadtfest
27.08.2005-28.08.2005 Königstein Taunus Kellerfest auf Burg Falkenstein
27.08.2005-28.08.2005 Worms Backfischfest
27.08.2005-29.08.2005 Taunusstein-Bleidenstadt Bleischter Kerb
28.08.2005 Bad Nauheim Quellendankfeier
31.08.2005 24. Internationale Hessen-Rundfahrt der Rad-Elite
31.08.2005-09.09.2005 Frankfurt Rheingauer Weinmarkt Frankfurter Fressgass

Great work Andy, thanks!

I would recommend from the festival list above:

13.8. – 17.8. Bernemer Kerb, Obere Berger Straße – Fest

26.8. – 28.8. Museumsuferfest

31.8. – 9.9. Rheingauer Weinmarkt, Fressgass, 11 – 23 Uhr

Especially "Dirty Wednesday" in Bornheim on 17.8 where you can carry on drinking till 4am in the morning

And places I took my friends to last year (already mentioned):
Wagners: http://www.apfelwein-wagner.com/
Blaubarts: a cellar bar off the Fressgasse
Top of Maintower
The 1 hour boat ride they were not so impressed with. I hear the longer one which takes you to the RheinGau is much better.

Quite helpful!! Thanks you 3.

And for those of you who will be there you if you go to the right stand you will be served your beer by none other than a few select Britboarders - myself included!

Some friends of mine are running a stall there and I have been roped in as apparently I will be able to sell more beer

If you want a nice relaxing evening I'd recommend the Taunus Therme or Kur Royal in Bad Homburg, very relaxing. You could follow it up with a trip to the Casino or if you want beers and good steak then head over to the Zeppelin brauhaus, very tasty, menu is on their website!! If you are going to the Casino you need to be well dressed, shirt and tie for the guys!

These are all in or next to the Kur Park, about a 10 min walk from the S-bahn. Takes about 20 mins from the Hauptbahnhof in Frankfurt, take the S5 towards Friedrichsdorf.
The brauhaus is not close to the Kur Park, prob best to take a taxi from there. Also the Kur Park is a lovely place just for taking a walk.

Here are links to them:
http://www.taunus-therme.de/en/index.html
http://kur-royal.de
http://spielbank-bad-homburg.de/en
http://www.badhomburger-brauhaus.de/

Rebecca if you do decide on Taunus Therme although I am not sure you will let me know I have some day passes.

I cannot use them anymore as it is only five minutes aways from work and everybody from here goes there!

Sorry, bit off topic!
Where do you work Purple Muffin?
I used to work in Bad Homburg.

I work for Fresenius and there are so many people here in HG you always see somebody you know wherever you go!! I am so glad I live in Frankfurt!

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Used to live in HG, nice place but too quiet. Louisenstrasse was like a ghost street at 10pm, no one to be seen!! Used to do work with Amadeus, across from the bahnhof!

Is this a spa or... ? Is there nudity involved in any way, shape, or form? (I already had a shocking experience at a schwimmbad here, not looking to repeat that one! )

Why - was there a mirror??

Rebbeca do not take them in that House where we was in :$

Yes it is! This is why I cannot go to Taunus Therme any more as half of my office go there

Yeah, there is nudity involved. Don't even think of wearing a swimsuit in there as you would get strange looks and you will be asked to remove it. Happened to some people I know who were visiting and were not too comfortable with taking off their clothes! But saying that, it's very relaxed, all ages and all sizes. So no matter what size or shape you are in, no one will care. You can bring a dressing gown and wear it when you are not in the actual sauna, just leave it on the hook at the door when you enter!

well, they say they don't care ... but there are a lot of furtive glances going on.

Well I don't care normally I would just rather not run into people from work in there!!!

Well I care!! Nudity = bad. This is not a boyfriend and in truth I barely know the guy. I met him in London at our hotel bar, and we drank for a couple of nights together and sort of hit it off (beer always accelerates the bonding process!!). We've kept in touch via email because he travels a lot and I knew eventually our paths would cross again, either here or back in Chicago. That's why I'm a bit lost as to what I'm supposed to do with this dude for 2 days... but I'm not getting naked in front of him!

Did I mention I am American? We have the whole repressed sexuality thing going on, you know. Nudity = bad!! If I am in an actual room full of naked people, my heart is likely to stop.

P.S. HI A3!! No worries, I wasn't planning on taking him to the gay bar (unless he wants me to).

Many years ago, I met a girl in Taunus Therme and we had a few dates.

The strange thing is that normally a man would take a woman out for a few dates and hope to see her naked. In this case I had seen her naked first and then went out or a few dates.

But seriously, I did mention to my German friends that people wear their swimming costumes in saunas back in England. They just laughed and said, 'typically English'.

My ex German and Polish girlfriends actually enjoyed going to such places, as it is quite relaxed and actually quite romantic. The first time I ever went I was quite apprehensive though, but after the initial shock I felt so free. Thank goodness though that there is no nude volleyball in these places. :$

Is there anything special on next weekend (2nd - 4th Sept)? Preferably something that involves being fully clothed? Visitors coming, blah, blah , blah...

The HESSEN Newcomers Festival - Wiesbaden's Kurhaus
Sunday, 4 September 2005 from 1-6 p.m.

***The event consists of an extensive exhibition of services, clubs, and
organizations in the area. Parallel to the exhibition, seminars will present practical
information about living in the region. In addition, there will be musical
entertainment on the Hessischer Rundfunk stage, as well as food and drink.***

Admission to the event is free.

Newcomers Festival Organizing Office
email: info@welcome-to-hessen.de
www.welcome-to-hessen.de

PS @ hw3004, I've been to the Munich Newcomers Fest - me thinking similiar concept, just different city - not sure your guests would be soooo interested in going - but for those who are new to the area, it's a great way to get to know Hessen and what it has to offer - esp. if you're looking to network!

where did Lisaclontz go? she has lots of suggestions!!!