Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt, Germany: Where Banking Towers Meet Beer Gardens

Why Your Group Will Love Frankfurt

Frankfurt doesn't pretend to be cute. This is Germany's financial capital—glass skyscrapers dominating the skyline, slick metro lines, business hotels everywhere. But here's the thing: underneath all that corporate polish, you'll find apple wine taverns older than your great-grandparents, a museum strip that rivals Berlin's, and a food scene that goes way beyond sausages. It's one of the best things to do and see in Frankfurt Germany—balancing high-rises with half-timbered houses in Römerberg square, where you can literally watch centuries collide. For a group trip, Frankfurt works because it's compact enough to navigate without constant Uber debates, international enough that your vegetarian and your carnivore both eat well, and genuinely interesting without requiring a PhD in art history.

The city also happens to be insanely well-connected. Your squad can fly in from different cities and meet at one of Europe's biggest airports, then be drinking Apfelwein in Sachsenhausen within 30 minutes.

Getting There & First Steps

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is a major European hub, which means direct flights from basically everywhere and competitive prices if you book a few months out. The S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 run straight from the airport to Hauptwache station in the city center—€5.35, takes 15 minutes, runs every 10-15 minutes. Skip the €35 taxi unless you're landing at 3am with eight bags.

Once you're in, grab a day pass for Frankfurt's public transport zones. The group day ticket (Gruppentageskarte) covers up to five people for €11.30 total across all trams, buses, and metro lines. If you're more than five, split into two groups and still pay less than individual tickets.

Download the RMV app for routes. Frankfurt's grid is logical—the Main River cuts through the center, Hauptbahnhof (main train station) anchors the west side, and most things you want are within the central ring.

Top Group Activities in Frankfurt

Städel Museum is the anchor of the Museumsufer (Museum Embankment), a string of 13 museums along the Main's south bank. The Städel covers 700 years of European art, but it's not exhausting—you can hit the highlights (Rembrandt, Monet, contemporary stuff) in 90 minutes, then grab beers along the river. Group tickets get a small discount if you're six or more.

Main Tower observation deck gives you the skyline view everyone wants for Instagram. It's the only skyscraper open to the public, 200 meters up, €9 per person. Go at sunset if the weather's decent—the city lights up against the river, and you'll understand why they call this "Mainhattan."

For things to do in frankfurt city that feel less touristy, rent bikes and follow the Main River path east toward the Osthafen district. This old industrial port area is turning into Frankfurt's creative zone—street art, outdoor clubs like Hafen 2, weekend food markets. It's where locals actually hang out on Saturdays.

Kleinmarkthalle is the central market hall, open Monday through Saturday. Come hungry around 11am. There's a stand called Schreiber that does the best Bratwurst in the city (cash only), and you can grab fresh pretzels, cheese, olives, and wine to assemble a picnic. Grüneburgpark is a 10-minute tram ride north—big green space, way less crowded than the main plazas.

Where to Eat & Drink

Sachsenhausen is the neighborhood everyone mentions for traditional Apfelwein taverns, and yeah, it's a bit touristy, but it's still legit. Adolf Wagner serves fermented apple wine in the traditional stone pitchers (Bembel) alongside Handkäse mit Musik (marinated cheese—smells funky, tastes amazing) and massive schnitzels. Expect to share long wooden tables with strangers. The vibe is loud, warm, exactly what a trip with friends needs on night one.

Foodie-focused groups should hit Kleinmarkthalle (already mentioned, but worth repeating) and then head to Frau Rauscher in Bockenheim for dinner. It's a wine bar with rotating small plates—think cured fish, seasonal vegetables, natural wines. Reservations essential for groups over four.

For late-night eating after the clubs, Dauth-Schneider in Sachsenhausen stays open until 1am and serves proper German food without the tourist markup. Cash only, no frills, perfect drunk schnitzel.

The craft beer scene is smaller than in Berlin but growing. Naïv near Hauptwache has 20+ taps and a younger crowd. For cocktails with a view, Oosten sits right on the Main's north bank—outdoor seating in summer, decent tapas, strong gin selection.

Where to Stay Together

Hostels: Frankfurt Hostel in Sachsenhausen has private group rooms (6-8 beds) for around €35-45 per person per night. Clean, social common area, five-minute walk to the Apfelwein district.

Apartments: Airbnb or Vrbo in Nordend or Bornheim neighborhoods work well for 6-10 people. Expect €50-80 per person per night for something spacious with a kitchen. These neighborhoods are residential, quiet, but connected by tram to the center in 10 minutes.

Hotels: If you're doing separate rooms, the Motel One chain has multiple Frankfurt locations around €70-90 per room. They're minimal but modern, and the locations near Hauptwache or Römer put you in the middle of everything.

Budget Breakdown

Low-end: €45-60 per person per day. Hostel bed, grocery store breakfast, one sit-down meal, mostly public transport, free museum days (many are free Saturdays), supermarket beers.

Mid-range: €90-120 per person per day. Airbnb share, meals at mid-tier restaurants like those in Kleinmarkthalle, museum entries, a few cocktails, maybe a splurge dinner.

High-end: €180+ per person per day. Hotels, nicer restaurants, clubs with cover charges, Main Tower, guided tours, cocktail bars.

Money-saving tips: The Museumsufer Ticket (€21) gets you into all 38 participating museums for two consecutive days—massive value if you're into that. Also, Frankfurt has a thing called the Frankfurt Card, but honestly, skip it unless you're doing multiple paid attractions daily. The group transit pass is a better deal.

Worth splurging on: A proper dinner at Seven Swans, a Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant in a medieval tower overlooking the Main. It's €120-150 per person with wine, but the setting and food are unforgettable, and it's one of the top things to do in frankfurt germany for groups who care about food.

Ready to Plan? Use BangerTrip

Coordinating eight people's museum preferences, dinner reservations, and who actually wants to climb the Main Tower versus who just wants to day-drink along the river—that's the real challenge of traveling with friends. BangerTrip handles the alignment before you land: everyone votes on what matters to them, you see the group's actual priorities (not just the loudest voice), and the itinerary builds itself around what your specific crew cares about. Whether that's art museums or apple wine crawls, you orchestrate the trip. We handle the rest.