No better way to explore a new place than on foot - soaking in the ethereal rays of the sun and the gentle breeze setting the tone for the late afternoon, we set out to explore the pristine town of Frankfurt along River Main.
Half a day in Frankfurt was all we had, nevertheless, we managed to comfortably traverse the city and all we wanted to see and do in 6 hours.
Given that we visited Frankfurt in the end of April, the weather ranged from 6 to 20 degree, warm clothing is always recommended. Setting out from the B&B Hotel in Frankfurt, we headed in the direction of the river. A city along the banks of a river, gives the place a special charm, atleast that what I think!
Every travel brings about new revelations. I come from a place where there is no dearth for sunlight and hence, probably do not value it enough and here I was at a place where the glorious sun presents itself in its full glory once a while. The green pastures along the banks of the river had people sleeping shirtless to soak in probably all the 'Vitamin D' they could get and the ducks seem to be following the same. It was simply a bliss to sit on a bench by the flowing water to watch the different people pass by - some with a pretzel or a coffee in their hands, some enjoying a beer, some in their jogging tracks, kids on tricycles and others on bicycles with strollers attached ( that's the first I have seen it and I am in awe). The river seemed to be busy as well with boats plying and people could be seen kayaking.
Do not forget to head towards the Eiserner Steg during your stroll, its a footbridge over the River Main with an amazing view of the Frankfurt skyline. On the metal railings of the bridge seen are plenty of padlocks or love locks with names engraved, supposedly believed to strengthen the relationship and keys thrown into the river thereafter. Probably the most photographed landmark in Frankfurt is a must visit simply for the stunning view it offers. And finally, if you do have the time book a cruise on River Main which we did not as we had other places to head to!
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From the padlock covered bridge can be seen a towering Gothic structure and that is the direction we headed next which brought us to the Frankfurt Cathedral also known as the St. Batholomew Cathedral constructed in 14th Century. Climb up the tower ( 328 steps to be precise) for a fee and enjoy a beautiful view of the old town, the river and the museum embankment or simply step into the church for the serenity, it's well preserved architecture, sculptors, paintings and also the historical musical organ. This goes for every church in Germany, just when you think you have seen the best church, Deutschland presents you a better one.
Römerberg, an iconic square in Frankfurt was our next destination. The old town ( Alstadt) is home to many picturesque medieval buildings, popularly called the half timber houses which seems to give the whole of the country a quaint charm.
If you love history, this one is for you - most of these medieval houses were destroyed during the World War and were carefully restored in the medieval style later.
If you want a taste of Deutschland, just pick from any of the cafes/restaurants that line the buildings with all of them having outdoor seating overlooking the iconic buildings and enjoy your food.
Since we belong to the second category, this is what we opted for - our first taste of German food. I would have write a whole new blog to describe the German food alone. While choices of places were plenty at the time we set foot in the old town, everything seemed to quieten down by the time we passed by the old town a second time. If you need options to eat, hit the cafes early on!
One place we wanted to visit and wasn't sure we would make it on time was the Konstablerwache Markt. We managed to just scrape through before they closed for the evening. This is the city's largest farmers market selling wine, fruits, flowers and all sorts of sausages and meat. We loved the ambience it set on a working day evening with people gathered around holding a wine glass chatting and laughing after work with friends before they set off to their houses to be with their families. We sampled the popular Currywurst - sausage cut into bite sized pieces served with tangy tomato sauce spiced with curry powder.
Our first feel of the Deutschland thrilled us and left us wanting for more. With a content tummy, happy heart and eagerness for the days to come, we set out on foot back to our hotel room to the rest our legs which carried us over 10 kms in a span of 6 hours.
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