We arrived bright and early in Frankfurt, Germany and began our self-guided walking tour as soon as we dropped our bags off at the historic Steigenberger Hotel. Our tour for the day included most of the highlights contained in this remarkable city that rebuilt itself almost totally after WWII.
Our first stop was St. Paul’s Church, the birthplace of German democracy in 1848. Its round building, especially magnificent in its simplicity, stands proudly near the Romerberg Square, the heart of the Old Town where picturesque rebuilt half-timbered houses stand proudly as a testament to the resilience of the German people. (The Romer, located in the square is the city hall. The word “Romer” comes from Romans who settled here in the first and second centuries.) The bells of St. Nicholaus Church, also on the square, pealed, and the carillon played as we enjoyed their music. (Miraculously, this church suffered only minor damage during WWII.)
After a quick trip to the Kleinmarkthalle, an indoor market where you can buy prepared food or foods of all sorts to prepare on your own, we decided to return to Romerberg Square for lunch and people watching.
We wandered by Goethe house, the birthplace of Johann Wolfgang Goethe, but didn’t pause to enter. Instead, we walked through the Schirn Kunsthalle, with its creative ceiling on our way to St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral topped by its towering spire.
Our wandering took us down to the Main River and across the Iron Bridge where we walked along the river to take in the views. We were amazed by the number and variety of museums lining its banks. Frankfurt's museum district provides a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.
We were fortunate enough to be in Germany for the start of Euro 2024, the European soccer games. One bank of the Main was covered with food and beer tents, massive television screens, stages, and more. This night, before the games started, the grounds were silent. We came down the first night of the games and were treated to thousands of people, all having fun and definitely enjoying themselves. Supporters of both teams were out in force. Generally, they were easy to identify by the colors they wore, the flags they carried and, in the case of the Scots, the kilts they wore. Two of the Scots told us they weren’t wearing family kilts. They had bought cheap ones so they could wreck them. They did offer to show us that they still were wearing them in the traditional way, sans underwear, but we thanked them and declined. (Beer might have been flowing freely at the event!)
On our second day in Frankfurt, we took a tour to Heidelberg to see the schloss, aka castle, and the town itself. (We booked the day trip through Viator and were pleased with our guide and the transportation.) Disney also used the impressive Heidelberg Castle for inspiration in his castle development. The first castle was begun in the 13th century with construction continuing until the 18th century. Wars, fires, lightning strikes, and other disasters befell the castle. The decision to rebuild the Friedrich’s Wing but nothing else was made around 1900. The remainder of the castle complex has been preserved as ruins.
The castle holds many interesting items, including a terrace with spectacular views of the Neckar River and the city far below.
Exploring further, the castle houses a pharmacy (apothecary) museum with displays explaining medicines as far back as the Middle Ages. An amazing item is hidden in the cellar—perhaps the largest wine barrel in the world. It holds over 58,000 gallons of wine and was built in 1751.
Our visit to the castle was followed by a short trip to the town of Heidelberg itself. We had only time to find a café for lunch where we watched the doors of the nearby city hall as a couple and their wedding party emerged to celebrate their big day.
All too quickly we headed back to Frankfurt and another fun evening—this time enjoying some of the many festivities of the soccer games. Our dinners in Frankfurt were both fun and excellent.
One night we ate at Atschel, for traditional German food. This restaurant features communal tables, but we had a great time visiting with the people sharing the table with us.
The next night we ate at Im Herzen Afrikas, an Ethiopian restaurant that features sand on the floor, relaxed seating, and no silverware. Both places were excellent and very different from each other. (Make reservations!)
What a great two days to visit a city that is often overlooked by tourists!
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