This 1200-year-old city originally founded during the 1st century BC by Celtic and Germanic tribes were once a vital inland port in the heart of the Rhine-Main region. Now, Frankfurt's modern skyscrapers form a part of the city's identity. The skyline is truly unique; thanks to its extraordinary architectural blend of tradition and modern buildings and the city plays host to Europe's largest skyscraper. .

The city is home to beautiful cathedrals, art galleries and many museums, many of which dot the river's banks. Frankfurt am Main also displays its own distinct style of contemporary and historical art and culture, ranging from antique sculptures to the Museum of Modern Art's semi-annual Change of Scenery exhibitions.

It is also home to one of the world's finest ballet ensembles and hosts international guest performances of the highest order on a regular basis. The city's numerous theatres and the concert house Alte Oper offer Frankfurt's stage aficionados and lovers of fine arts a comprehensive and diverse program of events. At the same time, Frankfurt am Main is a metropolis for techno and dance-floor music.

The Römer, Frankfurt's town hall and enduring symbol, displays full-length portraits of all 52 emperors of the Holy Roman Empire in a hall with a spectacular hand-carved wooden ceiling. Traditional half-timbered houses in the Romerberg Square look dramatic against the 21st-century skyline of the new Frankfurt, which now surrounds the Square. .

The center with its shopping streets, cafes, bars and market stalls makes it a fun place to relax and stroll. Just across the bridge, on the Southern side of the Main River, you will find Sachsenhausen with its renowned South-bank museums and famous Apple-Wine pubs, making it the part of Frankfurt most visitors remember best.

Sachsenhausen, believed to be the most elegant district of Frankfurt, boasts many charming cafes; wine bars, boutiques and vibrancy found nowhere else in the city. Sachsenhausen boasts the best and most entertaining flea market in Frankfurt, the banks of the river are covered with market stalls every Saturday morning offering the best bargains around.

The banks of the river, streets and squares of Frankfurt make ideal places for open-air events and over 100 folk festivals and street celebrations take place each year. Many of these traditional festivals can be traced back as far as the Middle Ages and have gained recognition well outside of Frankfurt's city districts. The array of festivals attracts over 20 million people annually and these numbers are increasing continuously.

Frankfurt also has many excellent restaurants, especially along the Grosser Bockenheimer Strasse, with its cafés, delis, and restaurants, makes deciding difficult! You can enjoy everything from traditional specialties like Tafelspitz (boiled beef), sausage, and potato dumplings to nouvelle cuisine.

Along the Zeil, one of Germany's busiest retail streets, you'll find great shopping and in the evening dance clubs, and music bars galore, the possibilities for nightlife are endless. Frankfurters love jazz, and the city offers more jazz clubs than many cities in America.

Because of its central location, Frankfurt makes for an ideal place to be based for excursions to places of interest outside of the city, including Heidelberg, Wiesbaden, Königstein, Kloster Eberbach, a monastery surrounded by vineyards, countless castles. Dusseldorf, Bonn and Koln are only two hours away by train. Frankfurt is truly an ideal place to study the language and if you wish, you can combine this program with a "split city" program with our school in Dusseldorf.

Our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture and customs. Below are some of our recommended highlights. Some tours and packages can be organized when booking your program, please see the program price page for more information.

city tour
The city is home to beautiful cathedrals, art galleries and many museums, many of which dot the river's banks and are in walking distance of each other. The Römer, Frankfurt's town hall and enduring symbol, displays full-length portraits of all 52 emperors of the Holy Roman Empire and is worth visiting. After your tour, stroll across the bridge, on the Southern side of the Main River, to Sachsenhausen and relax in one of its famous Apple Wine pubs.

museums
Goethehaus: (Goethe's House) The birthplace of Germany's most outstanding poet (1749-1832). The original house, which had been open to the public since 1863, was destroyed in WWII; the present building is a meticulous reproduction of the original. Jüdisches Museum: (Jewish Museum) This recently opened museum details the history of Frankfurt's Jewish community, which at one time was the second largest in Germany. Museum für kunsthandwerk: (Museum of Applied Arts) A monument to good taste, the Museum of Applied Arts contains beautifully crafted objects from all over the world. Tädelsches Kunstinstitut und Stadtische Galerie: (Städelsches Art Institute & Municipal gallery) The Städelsches has a good, solid collection of art from the 14th century to the present.

historical & architectural sites
Höchst Höchst: is one of the few areas of Frankfurt that escaped bombing during World War II. You can still see original half-timbered buildings and cobblestone streets. Römer: (City Hall) The Römer is actually the city hall, and while it may not be as elaborate a building as others in Germany, its history is distinguished nonetheless. Der Dom: The cathedral rests on Carolingian foundation dating from 852 A.D. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, the Cathedral was enlarged in the Gothic style. Die Paulskirche: In the church of St.Paul, a classical building and the house where the first German parliament met. Die Alte Oper Frankfurt: Concert hall, built in 1873. Der Eschenheimer Turm: The most striking of the remaining gates, built in 1428. Die Liebfrauenkirche: The Church of Our Lady was built in 1308 and enlarged in the 15th century.

palmengarten
The Palmengarten is on 50 acres and the gardens display numerous beautiful and interesting plants throughout the year. It also offers a variety of recreational activities including guided tours, summer concerts, evening festivals and exhibitions. It is known worldwide for its ample collections of tropical plants. The Tropicarium is one of the largest complexes of greenhouses. It displays tropical plants including Orchids, Bromelias, Palms, Ferns, succulents and many others. These plants are arranged largely according to their natural habitats such as rain forest, mangrove, mountain rain forest, monsoon and trade-wind forest, Savannah, thorn forest and different types of vegetation approaching desert.

senckenberg museum of natural history
The Senckenberg is one of the biggest natural history museums in Germany. In the exhibitions you will experience the exuberant variations of life (biodiversity), the evolution on our planet and the changing of the earth through millions of years. The results of recent research activities in biology, palaeontology and geology will be placed in the galleries.

frankfurt zoo
The largest zoo in Germany and one of Europe's best has 3,200 animals of 600 species. It features an exotarium with polar, tropical, jungle, and sea environments. The African Veldt enclosure is home to numerous species of antelope and ostriches. There is also a bear castle and a darkened exhibit where you can see nocturnal animals going about their nightly business. Children love the animal nursery, where they can watch zoo keepers care for young creatures whose parents are unable to do so. The baby apes are especially engaging. Don't miss the daily monkey feeding at 3:45 PM.

excursions

heidelberg
Steeped in tradition, this town located about 1 hour South of Frankfurt is home to seemingly contrasting worlds. The fairy tale setting has captivated imaginations and inspired creative hearts for centuries, from writers such as Goethe, Eichendorff, Hölderlin, Jean Paul, Victor Hugo, and Mark Twain to name just a few. It has more than 10 museums, many private galleries and five playhouses.

Browse the shops along Germany's longest pedestrian zone - and dive into the cozy side streets of the Old Town with their many fascinating shops Take a walk on the Philosopher's Path, one of Europe's finest scenic overlooks, with expansive views of the Old Town and Heidelberg Castle. Subtropical plants thrive along the southerly slopes it meanders through. Continue on up to the Saints' Mountain (sporting a lookout tower, an amphitheater, and the ruins of St. Michael's Basilica). Königstuhl, the mountain on the opposite side of the Neckar River, is another excellent place to hike. Take the historical funicular train to the top for a ride you'll never forget.

wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a famous spa town located about 30 minutes drive from Frankfurt and is connected by a local regular train service. The attractions are numerous: spacious parks, antique shops, a picturesquely medieval city center, festivals and cultural events all year round, attractive leisure facilities, and not least the surrounding region, with the Taunus hills and the River Rhine, with its scenic vineyards and romantic castles.

mainz
Mainz has an impressive past and after a 2000 year history, Mainz has remained young. Where once Romans, the Emperor Barbarossa, the Bible printer Gutenberg or acknowledged Electors made their mark, now people and economics have made this Rhine metropolis their picturesque home. Must sees include: the City gate from about 1200, Schönborner Hof dating back to 1670, the Old University, Rheingoldhalle, Theater and the Carmelite Church.