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The best cool new places to visit, stay and eat in Frankfurt

Frankfurt’s city centre. Photo: Siqui Sanchez/Moment RM
Frankfurt’s city centre. Photo: Siqui Sanchez/Moment RM

Germany’s financial capital is shaking off its sleepy reputation, and restaurants, bars and shops are popping up everywhere

Big banks, trade fairs, and sterile skyscrapers: That’s the landscape that comes to mind when most people think of Frankfurt. And, while it’s true that Frankfurt is Germany’s suit-filled business capital – nearly one in five residents works in the financial sector – the city has become increasingly cool, with ambitious restaurants in the red-light district and hipster-friendly boutique hotels popping up alongside old-school pubs that pour apple wine.

“In the late ’90s, a lot of creative people moved from Frankfurt to Berlin,” says James Ardinast, co-founder of Ima, one of the city’s most influential hospitality companies.

“But in the last five years, they have been coming back. The scene here is not as over-hyped,” he continues. “And the people here are a bit more hungry.” As a result, he says, “the city is really finding itself; new projects are popping up in every corner”.

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That’s great timing, on Frankfurt’s part. With Brexit looming, the city is preparing to welcome 10,000 of London’s 25,000 finance professionals. They’ll join one of Europe’s most internationally diverse populations: Frankfurt counts residents from more than 180 nations, and it’s been steadily gaining 15,000 transplants per year since roughly 2013. For a city of just 736,000, it’s the type of hyper-accelerated growth that spurs construction and major international investment. To wit, companies such as Goldman Sachs Inc. and Morgan Stanley are scooping up office space in the city’s shiniest new towers.

Here’s how to navigate all that’s new and exciting in this fast-evolving destination – whether you’re moving in or making it your new hub for business trips.

The neighbourhoods to know

Most of the banks, such as Deutsche Bank AG and Credit Suisse AG, have corporate headquarters in city centre skyscrapers, but Frankfurt’s banking quarter, or Bankenviertel, isn’t a clearly defined neighbourhood. Still, Frankfurt is an easy city to explore. It’s compact and highly walkable. Prioritise these areas and you’ll get a good lay of the land.

The city centre: Newcomers who want to get their bearings should start by strolling down the Zeil, the longest pedestrian shopping boulevard in the country, which is lined with international boutiques, department stores, and cafes. Peel off towards Goethestrasse, a charming, tree-lined, cobblestone street lined with such luxury shops as Gucci and Prada, and then head towards Schaumainkai, on the south side of the Main River. That’s where many of the city’s museums – including the prestigious Staedel Museum and Museum Angewandte Kunst – are located. On Saturday mornings, you’ll also find a flea market sprawled along the river banks.