What to see in 3 days while in Frankfurt, Germany

There is so much to see along the Rhine, especially concerning castles, etc. There are also a lot of events going on all summer long, so make sure you check out the tourist office pages for each of the towns you want to visit, as they will list these events. Things like Old Market days, wine fests, Jousting tournaments, things like that. While staying in Frankfurt, you might want to go to the Saalburg, which is a reconstructed Roman fort near Bad Homburg. Near by is also Hessen Park, which is a wonderful Open Air Museum. The Palace or Residence in Bad Homburg is quite beautiful too. Along the Rhine are some castles you can overnight in, one is a hostel, so quite reasonably priced.

When will you be in the Frankfurt area? I can send you info about what is going on there and the surrounding areas, as the summer is packed with activities.

The Rhine is much closer than Munich or the Romantic Road. I ditto the above suggestion.

When our kids were 11 and 8 we went to Germany and found ourselves in the Frankfurt area, with one full day left before returning home. We had a car and decided to spend the day driving up and down the Rhine, 'castle-hunting'. Germany has these brown signs along highways and roads (much like the historical marker signs in the US) that would have the name of a castle and an arrow. We had no idea where we were going; we'd see a sign that said 'Schloss' or 'Burg' something-or-other and follow the arrow to its destination. It was a blast. Sometimes the castles or fortresses were in ruins; sometimes they were actual castles.

We did tour Marksburg Castle and thoroughly enjoyed it. The kids loved it all. There are other castles that are worth seeing too, so you could certainly plan your day and organize it all. Or you could just take to the highway, follow markers and have an adventure.

In addition to the places already mentioned, I would say that you might consider Franconia (Franken) to the east of Frankfurt. My favorite towns in that area are Würzburg, Bamberg and Rothenburg, all easily reachable by train. Rothenburg is an appealing walled city though very touristy. Würzburg has fortress across the river worth a visit. Bamberg has a medieval city centerand is not so spoiled by tourism. If you are traveling by car stop at the Vierzehnheiligen (14 saints) Pilgrimage Church.

Near Würzburg are several medieval wine villages that can be reached by train (Ochsenfurt, Iphofen, etc.)

Regards, Gary

You might also consider a detailed walking tour of Frankfurt:

Frankfurt on Foot

Bamberg is my favorite town in Germany. It is so beautiful and has great beer. I was there 3 days ago and I never heard English spoken. There were very few tourists.

We have 2 children aged 9. We were in this area last month, and decided to go to the Rhine due to its proximity to Frankfurt. It is a 1 hour drive. There are a number of castles, many with interesting tours, some tours are in German, others in English. Realizing our children's span of attention, we went to Rheinfels Castle, which is in ruins and has no "tour" except a brochure. It is enormous, on a hill that overlooks the Rhine, and is indeed in ruins. The children ran around, used their imaginations, and were amazed by the size of the castle and the view. About 15 minles south, in a town called Rudesheim, there is a cable car that takes you to the top of a large hill, over vinyards. You then walk 30 minutes on a flat trail though forests, to yet another cable car that takes you down, with spectacular views of the Rhine. You can then take a 15 minute boat ride back to your starting point, Rudesheim, a small town with many restaurants, lodging places.

Your problem will be so little time and so many fun things to explore!