Orientation

All roads lead to Frankfurt. Well, maybe not all, but most of Germany's Autobahnen converge there. It's neatly pocketed in a valley below the northern Taunus Hills, equidistant from Hamburg and the Alps, in the centre of the greater Rhine-Main region. The Main River flows east-west through the city, separating the north bank's skyscrapers and bustle from the south's more laid-back charms. The massive Hauptbahnhof train station dominates the west of the city, squatting in the red-light district on the north bank, just outside the old city walls; the financial district and trade fair centre are just northwest. A 15-minute walk east brings you to the city's traditional heart, Römerberg in Altstadt.

The pedestrianised and shop-lined Zeil cuts across the north of the city from the baroque Hauptwache building to the drug-riddled Konstablerwache, and further east to the zoo. Go to studenty Bockenheim in the northwest for all things bohemian; cafe-filled, cosmopolitan Bornheim is northeast. The Main's south bank is dubbed Museumsufer for its stash of impressive museums, backed by lovely Sachsenhausen's welcome reminders of old Frankfurt's quaint houses, narrow alleys and apple-wine taverns. Cheapish accommodation clusters around the Hauptbahnhof (very sleazy), Bockenheim and Bornheim, with pricier options in Westend. For food, bevvy and entertainment, head to Fressgasse ('Munch Alley'), Sachsenhausen, Bockenheim and Bornheim.