JADE-MAGIC WOK
Moselstr. 25
CHINESE
069 27 13 59 88
This cozy little Chinese restaurant not far from the Hauptbahnhof serves up cheap and tasty meals. Try the entrees with Sa-Cha Soße, a flavorful difficult-to-describe Chinese sauce. The recommended specials have plenty of entrees for only €5.
From the Hauptbahnhof, walk straight down Kaiserstr. and turn right onto Moselstr. If you speak Chinese with the owners, they’re likely to give you free dessert. Entrees €4.10-12.50. Open daily 11:30am-11pm.
South of the Main
ADOLF WAGNER
Schweizer Str. 71
GERMAN
069 61 25 65 www.apfelwein-wagner.de
Saucy German dishes and some of the region’s most renowned Apfelwein keep patrons of this famous corner of old Sachsenhausen jolly. Sit with storied regulars and try some of the Grüne Sosse that you keep hearing about. Head inside for classic German decor, or stay outside for prime people-watching.
U1, U2, or U3: Schweizer Platz, then head south on Schweizerstr. to restaurant on left. English menu available. Entrees €7.30-13. 0.3L Apfelwine €1.60. Open daily 11am-midnight.
NIGHTLIFE
If you’re just looking for a low-key night with a few drinks, head to Sachsenhausen on the southern side of the city. Head between Bruckenstrasse and Dreieichstrasse for an authentic German experience, with rowdy pubs and taverns specializing in local Apfelwein (also known as Ebbelwoi). The complex of cobblestone streets centering on Grosse and Kleine Rittergasse teems with cafes, bars, restaurants, and Irish pubs. While nightlife can be fickle, Frankfurt has thriving clubs and prominent DJs, mostly between Zeil and Bleichstrasse and the nearby Hanauer Landstrasse. In general, things don’t heat up until after midnight. Wear something dressier than jeans and sneakers if you want to get past the picky bouncers.
North of the Main
COCOON CLUB
Carl-Benz-Str. 21
CLUB
069 90 02 00 www.cocoonclub.net
Oozing with ultra-hip coolness, this popular club epitomizes trend-setting design with intergalactic decor, curvy walls, fluorescent pods, and “membranous” separators. Dress well to get past the bouncers.
U11, U12: Dieselstr., then walk down Carl-Benz-Str. until you get to the club. Cover €15. Open F-Sa 9pm-6am.
PULSE AND PIPER RED LOUNGE
Bleichstr. 38A
BAR, CLUB
069 13 88 68 02 www.pulse-frankfurt.de
An all-in-one with two dance halls, two lounges, a restaurant, and a summer beer garden, Pulse is swanky and chic. Despite its size, the club manages to maintain a cozy feel as bartenders warmly greet regulars on their way in. A smoking section, Piper, comprised of a separate bar and lots of lounge space is one of the largest public smoking areas in Frankfurt. Although officially a gay club, Pulse enjoys a mixed clientele, especially at their restaurant.
U1, U2, or U3: Escehenheimer Tor, then move 1 block north and 2 blocks west on Bleichstr. Martini M, all martinis €5. Happy hour Th, all cocktails €6.50. Restaurant entrees change monthly, generally €6-22. Beer €2.80-4. Cocktails €8-10. Pulse open M-Th 11am-1am, F11am-4am, Sa noon-4am, Su noon-1am. Piper Lounge (entry within Pulse) open daily at 6pm and closes with Pulse. Kitchen open until 11pm.
JAZZKELLER
Kleine Bockenheimer Str. 18a
JAZZ CLUB
069 28 85 37 www.jazzkeller.com
Founded in 1952, Jazzkeller is the oldest jazz club in Germany and has hosted a large number of jazz masters, including Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Wednesday nights are reserved for jam sessions by local groups, while Friday nights are the DJ-ed “Swingin’-Latin-Funky” dance nights. Live performances take place the other nights of the week.
U6 or U7: Alte Oper, then head west on Kalbacher Gasse, turn right onto Goethestr., then turn left into the small back alley. Cover W and F €5, €12-20 on other nights. Open W-Th 9pm-late, F 10pm-3am, Sa 10pm-late, Su 8pm-late. Opening time subject to change.
SWITCHBOARD
Alte Gasse 36
CAFE
069 29 59 59 www.ad36.de
More a community center than an actual club, Switchboard is Frankfurt’s go-to for the gay and lesbian community. An information center in the basement has walls filled with free pamphlets, and the bartenders (all volunteers) are also extremely knowledgable about the city’s sexual health resources. Although much of the clientele is older, many students also go for the homey atmosphere.
U1, U2, or U3: Eschenheimer Tor, then move with traffic down Bleichstr. for 3 blocks and you’ll see it on the right. 2nd floor has counseling offices, schedule appointments in advance by phone. Anonymous AIDS testing M 5-7:30pm, €15. Beer €2.30-3.20. Shots €1.80. Long drinks €5.80. Open M-Th 7pm-midnight, F-Sa 7pm-1am, Sa-Su 7pm-11pm.
South of the Main
SAM’S SPORTSBAR
Kleine Rittergasse 28-30
BAR
069 66 36 90 20 www.samssportsbar.de
The American theme of this bar might make it a turn-off, low drink prices excuse any kitsch. With €4 cocktails all day and €1 shots after midnight, Sam’s is the cheapest bar in the popular Sachsenhausen district, and you’ll always find it brimming with young people. Its signature burgers were voted the best in Frankfurt, though in Germany, that statement doesn’t go quite as far as it would in America.
Bus #46 (from the Hauptbahnhof) or Tram 14: Frankensteiner Pl., then head down Frankensteinerstr. which turns into Kleine Rittergasse. Beer €2.50-4.10. Mixed drinks €7-8. Entrees €6-29. Open M-W 4:30pm-1am, Th 4:30pm-2am, F 4:30pm-4am, Sa noon-4am, Su noon-1am.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Frankfurt has a large variety of venues that bring you everything from opera to musical theater, rock bands to symphony orchestras. Tickets can be bought from Frankfurt Ticket (069 1340-400 www.frankfurt-ticket.de Open M-F 9am-8pm, Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-6pm.), or at its office at the B level of the Hauptwache U-Bahn station (open M-F 10am-6pm, Sa 10am-4pm).
Stadtische Buhnen
This modern complex in the financial Willy-Brandt-Platz is home to two main companies: the Oper Frankfurt and the Schauspiel. Both also hold regular performances in the Bockenheimer Depot, a converted train depot (Carlo-Schmid-Platz 1, take the U4, U6, or U7: Bockenheimer Warte.069 134 0400 www.bockenheimer-depot.de).
OPER FRANKFURT
Untermainanlage 11
OPERA
069 134 04 00 www.oper-frankfurt.de
The new digs of Frankfurt’s renowned opera company are situated by the financial district, and the chunky building suits the modern interpretations performed within. Check out the big cloud sculpture that drapes around the lobby.
U1, U2, U3, U4, or U5: Willy-Brandt-Platz, then head toward the big euro statue. Tickets include use of local public transit 5hr. before the performance until the transit shutdown. Tickets €9-130, students ½-price. Box office open M-F 10am-6pm, Sa 10am-4pm.
SCHAUSPIEL
Neuer Mainzer Str. 17
THEATER
069 134 04 00 www.schauspielfrankfurt.de
Frankfurt’s premier theater company puts on about 25 productions a year, many of them experimental. The complex consists of three venues: the Schauspielhaus is the largest theater stage in all of Germany, the Kammerspiele is kept completely black to prevent distractions, and the Box is an intimate venue with only 66 seats.
U1, U2, U3, U4, or U5: Willy-Brandt-Pl., then head toward the river on Neuer Mainzer Str. Tickets include use of local public transit 5hr. before the performance until the transit shutdown. Tickets €10-44, students €6-10. Box office open M-F 10am-6pm, Sa 10am-4pm.
Other Venues
THE ENGLISH THEATRE
Gallusanlage 7
THEATER
089 242 316 20 www.english-theatre.org
The largest English-language theater in continental Europe, the English Theatre has 300 seats and puts on between 6-8 shows per season, ranging from dramatic tragedi
es to light-hearted musicals.
U1, U2, U3, U4, or U5: Willy-Brandt-Pl., then walk past the Euro statue and turn right onto Gallusanlage. Tickets generally €21-34, student tickets (not available for Sa performances) €14-23. Performances Tu-Sa 7:30pm, Su 6pm. Box office open M noon-6pm, Tu-F 11am-6:30pm, Sa 3pm-6:30pm, Su 3pm-5pm.
ALTE OPER
Opernpl. 1
CLASSICAL MUSIC
069 134 03 75 www.alteoper.de
Once an ornate opera house, performances here now mostly consist of classical music rather than opera. Although Frankfurt does not have their own symphony orchestra, the city is often a tour stop for internationally renowned orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. The hall is also home to the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Competition, held every other October.
U6 or U7: Alte Oper. Shows vary in price, students under 27 pay ½-price. Box office open M-F 10am-6:30pm, Sa 10am-2pm.
DIE KOMÖDIE
Neue Mainzer Str. 14-18
THEATER
069 28 43 30 www.diekomoedie.de
This cozy little theater produces lighter theatrical fare, with all productions in German. U1, U2, U3, U4, or U5: Willy-Brandt-Pl., then walk toward the river along Neue Mainzer Str. Tickets generally €20-30. Box office open M-F 9am-5pm.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICE: (069 21 23 88 00 www.frankfurt-tourismus.de In the Hauptbahnhof near the main exit, next door to the car rental. Brochures, tours, and maps €0.50-1. Books rooms for a €3 fee, free if you call or email ahead. Open M-F 9:30am-5:30pm, Sa-Su 9am-6pm.) Alternate location. (Römerberg 27 Books rooms. Open M-F 9:30am-5:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-4pm.)
• TOURS: ( Afternoon tours €26, students €21, under 12 €10. 25% discount with a Frankfurt-Card. Evening tours €16, students €12, under 12 €5. Afternoon tours depart daily 10am and 2pm (in winter 2pm) from the Romerberg tourist office, 15min. later from the Hauptbahnhof tourist office. Tours available in 14 different languages and last 2½hr. Evening tours (1½hr.) depart from the Hauptbahnhof at 5:45pm.)
• BUDGET TRAVEL: STA Travel. (Bergerstr. 118 069 904 36 970 www.statravel.de U4: Höhenstr., then walk with the flow of traffic down Bergerstr. Books national and international flights and sells ISICs. Open M-F 10am-7pm, Sa 10am-4pm.)
• CONSULATES: Australia. (Neue Mainzer Str. 52-58, 28th fl. 069 90 55 80 Open M-Th 9am-4:30pm, F 9am-4pm.) US. (Gießenerstr. 30 069 753 50 Open M-F 8am-4pm. Closed holidays and the last Th of the month.) Ireland. (Gräfstr. 99 069 977883883 Open by appointment only.)
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: At any bank. Banks in the airport and the ReiseBank at the Hauptbahnhof (069 24278591 Open daily 7:30am-9pm.) have slightly worse rates but, unlike most banks, stay open during the weekend. Deutsche Bank. ( Right across the street from the Hauptbahnhof.) American Express. (Theodor-Heuss-Allee 112 069 9797 1000 Open M-F 9:30am-6pm, Sa 10am-2pm.) Germany’s only remaining American Express branch exchanges currency, handles travelers’ checks, and arranges hotel and rental car reservations.
• INTERNET ACCESS: Plenty of Internet-Telefon stores can be found on Kaiserstr., directly across from the Hauptbahnhof. CyberRyder (Töngegasse 31 Internet €1.30 per 15 min. Drinks €1.50-3. Open M-F 9:30am-10pm, Sa 10am-10pm, Su noon-9pm.) Boasts itself as Frankfurt’s 1st internet cafe, CyberRyder has computers and Wi-Fi in a cozy cafe setting.
• POST OFFICE : (inside the Hauptbahnhof, opposite track 16. Open M-F 7am-7pm, Sa 9am-4pm.)
• POSTAL CODE: 60313.
Local Services
• GAY AND LESBIAN RESOURCES: The Switchboard contains a gay information center. (Alte Gasse 36 069 29 59 59 www.ag36.de Take the U- or S-Bahn to Konstablerwache.) It also has the Cafe der AIDS-Hilfe Frankfurt, a popular bar/ cafe run by the local AIDS foundation. ( Anonymous AIDS testing M 5-7:30pm, €15. Open Sept-June M-Th 7pm-midnight, F-Sa 7pm-1am, Su 2-11pm; Jul-Aug M-Th 7pm-midnight, F-Sa 7pm-1am, Su 7-11pm.) Another solid resource is the AIDS Anoyme Beratungsstelle. (AIDS Anonymous Information Center 069 21243270 www.gesundheitsamt.stadt-frankfurt.de.)
• LAUNDROMATS: (SB Waschsalon, Wallstr. 8 Near Haus der Jugend in Sachsenhausen. Wash €3.50, dry €0.50 per 10min. Open daily 6am-11pm.)
Emergency!
• EMERGENCY: 110.
• FIRE AND AMBULANCE: 112.
• PHARMACY: Apotheke im Hauptbahnhof. (train station’s Einkaufspassage 069 23 30 47 Take the escalators heading down towards the S- or U-Bahn trains, then turn left. Open M-F 6:30am-8pm, Sa 8am-9pm, Su 9am-8pm.)
Getting There
By Plane
The largest and busiest airport in Germany, Frankfurt’s Flughafen Rhein-Main (180 537 24636) is the gateway to Germany for thousands of travelers from all over the world. From the airport, S-Bahn trains S8 and S9 travel to the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof every 15min. ( Tickets €3.80. Buy from the green Fahrkarten machines before boarding.) Most public transportation and trains to major cities depart from Airport Terminal 1. Take the free bus (every 15min.) or walk through the skyway to reach the terminal from the main airport. Taxis to the city center (around €20) can be found outside every terminal.
By Train
The Hauptbahnhof is located in the west side of the city, close to the river: 0180 519 4195; www.bahn.de for reservations and information. Trains leaving from Frankfurt include those to Berlin ( €90-150. 4 hr., 2 per hr.); Köln ( €30-90. 1-2hr., 3 per hr.); Munich ( €40-90. 3-4hr., 2-3 per hr.); Heidelberg ( €16-26. 1-1.5hr., 2-3 per hr.); Dresden ( €60-110. 5-8hr., every hr.); Amsterdam, NED ( €49-140. 4-5hr., every 2 hr.); Paris, FRA ( €59-140. 4-5hr., 6 per day); Basel, CHE. €60-100. 3hr., 1 per hr.)
By Ride Share
Mitfahrenzentrale, (Stuttgarterstr. 12. Take a right on Baselerstr. at the side exit of the Hauptbahnhof (track 1) and walk 2 blocks toward the river. 069 19440 www.mfz.de Open M-F 9:30am-5:30pm, Sa 10am-2pm.) Arranges rides to Berlin (€20), Munich (€15), Köln (€11), Amsterdam (€20), Vienna (€24), and other cities.
Getting Around
By Public Transportation
Buy your tickets from the green-blue Fahrkarten machines immediately before boarding; tickets are automatically validated upon purchase and are valid for 1hr. Check first if your destination qualifies for a “short ticket” by looking through the stops at the top of the machine, and then punch in the appropriate number before selecting the type of ticket you want. For rides within Frankfurt, use the code “50” ( €2.30. Open M-F 6-9am and 4-6:30pm and Sa-Su all day €2.40, children €1.40. Short rides €1.50, children €1. Day tickets €6, children €3.60, group of up to 5 adults €9.50.) Failure to buy a ticket results in an immediate €40 fine, and Frankfurt is notorious for checking, especially during rush hour.
By Taxi
069 23 00 01, 069 23 00 33, or 069 79 20 20.
By Car Rental
At the Hauptbahnhof by the Reisezentrum, you’ll find the offices of Avis (0180 55577 Open M-F 7am-9pm, Sa and holidays 8am-5pm, Su 10am-4pm), Europcar (0180 58000 Open M-F 7am-8pm, Sa 8am-7pm, Su 8am-7:30pm), Hertz (01805 333535 open M-F 7am-9pm, Sa-Su and holidays 8am-5pm), and Sixt. (0180 5252525 Open M-F 6:30am-9pm, Sa 8am-5pm, Su and holidays 8am-7pm.)
By Boat
Several companies offer Main tours, departing from the Mainkai on the northern bank near the Romerberg. KD. (069 285728 www.k-d.com €7.80 per person. 1hr. round trips aboard the MS Palladium daily between Apr and Oct at 10:30am, noon, 2, 3:30, 5, and 6:30pm.) Primus-Linie (069 1338370 www.primus-linie.de) cruises to a variety of towns along the Main, making for great day trips.
By Bike
Deutsche Bahn (DB) runs the citywide bike rental, Call a Bike. Look for the bright red bikes with the DB logo on street corners throughout the city. Retrieve unlocking code by phone or online (0700 05225522 www.callabike.de), bikes are €0.10 per min., €15 per day. Another similar company is NextBike, but you must return bikes to specific locations throughout the city (www.nextbike.de Bikes are €1 per hr., €8 per day.)
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If you ask the average traveler about this Bavarian capital, you’ll hear beer, beer, and more beer. The birthplace of Oktoberfest, Munich (pop. 1,350,000) prides itself on making some of the world’s finest brews, providing beer gardens and halls with the source of merriment and pleasure. Yet those who look past the city as a bastion of alcohol will find that it has much more to offer. As the third largest city in Germany, Munich is also a thriving center of European commerce, and some residents even call the city “Toytown” for its relative wealth and ease of living. World-class museums, parks, architecture, and a rowdy art scene mix the archaic with the modern in a city that is, contrary to some misconceptions, not drowning in booze. Most of the time. Many Muncheners (not Munchkins) also head to Salzburg for a day (only 1½hr. away by train).
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 93