What do you think of when you hear ‘Frankfurt’? Chances are, you probably don’t think much at all. If you do, you may imagine a city full of suited banker types. And that it is quite stuffy and dull when compared with the likes of Berlin or Munich. Thus, if you find yourself visiting this year for one of the five UEFA Euros football matches in Frankfurt, then you may be confused! What is there to do in this city when you’re not watching the footy? Or, what to eat and drink besides beer and sausages? If this is you, then keep reading our 7 top tips for the UEFA Euros in Frankfurt 2024.
1. Spend time at the Fan Zone
Frankfurt has the majestic River Main running through it, and there is plenty of space to walk and sit on either side. For the duration of the Euros, 1.4 kilometres of this riverside will be transformed into a Fan Zone. The Euros in Frankfurt Fan Zone will air all 51 matches across ten screens, including a giant screen floating on the river itself! Up to 30,000 fans can enjoy the Fan Zone at once.
Firstly, there will also be four stages hosting concerts and open-air film screenings, and there is even a gaming area for those who prefer playing football while sitting down. Secondly, there are two football pitches for those who have football fever to play on. In our opinion, the most exciting one on offer is the giant floating football pitch in the river—don’t fall in.
The area is entirely free to access. Furthermore, the nearest stations to access it are the Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) and Willy-Brandt-Platz, but it is really in the centre, so if you’re staying around the Innenstadt, you can just walk there.
The motto for the Fan Zone is: ‘United by Football. United in the heart of Europe.’ And it does look set to be that way.
2. Eat Grüne Soße and drink Apfelwein
Germany is known for its beer and sausages, but the local specialities of Hessen, the region of which Frankfurt is the capital, are even more delicious! Grüne Soße, or green sauce, is a bright sauce made of yoghurt, sour cream, and seven different herbs, which gives it its distinct green colour. Grüne Soße is served cold, usually with hard-boiled eggs and potatoes. It is just perfect for warm summer weather, refreshing and hearty at the same time.
Another local speciality is Apfelwein or apple wine. Many outside of Germany know it as cider. As a cider-guzzling Brit myself, I was thrilled to know it is a local speciality. It is every bit as spectacular as I’d hoped and comes in a variety of strengths and styles (e.g., cloudy, clear) to suit every palate.
If you are convinced, as you should be, have a look at these traditional German restaurants where you can sample Grüne Soße and Apfelwein.
Frankfurt is home to incredible cuisine from around the world, so if you start to find German food too bland or beige for your palate(!), then try one of the many other phenomenal restaurants that can take you from Asia to the Americas. Our UEFA Frankfurt guide has a specially curated list.
3. Plan your route to Frankfurt in advance
Frankfurt will be heaving during the UEFA Euros, with up to one million visitors expected. That’s a LOT of people trying to get in and around Frankfurt.
Despite being Germany’s biggest airport and one of Europe’s biggest, the Frankfurt Airport is in need of an upgrade, including its signage. It can be really confusing to figure out how to get into the city by public transport. (You can obviously take a taxi, but save yourself the €40 for beer or 10).
For a straightforward guide to help you navigate the Frankfurt Airport and make your way into the city, check out our extensive and downloadable UEFA Euro guide. It includes pictures and directions to make your journey easier and stress-free.
4. Enjoy the city’s green areas and stunning views
If you are, dare I say, football-d out at some point during your trip, then this tip in 7 tips for the UEFA Euros in Frankfurt 2024 is for you!
There are free parks like the big Günthersburg Park, the wonderfully landscaped Bethmann Park with a Chinese Garden, and the Grüneburg Park. A paid option that is totally worth the €9 entry (free for kids till 17) is the Palmengarten. An enormous botanical garden which has a gorgeous palm house, a tropical greenhouse you will get lost in, and a plethora of water features and wildlife. There is even a mini-golf area, and you can hire pedal boats on the lake. While you’re there, try Cafe Siesmayer for delicious cake (my favourite is the namesake, the Siesmayer Torte).
For stunning views of the city, the only one with a skyline in Germany, giving it its nickname ‘Mainhattan’, then go to the Goethe Tower in the south of the city. Standing at a dizzying 43 metres high, the viewing platform is accessible after climbing 196 steps. Not for the faint-hearted or those with bellies full of beer. It is free to climb, and there is a restaurant and playground at the bottom and lovely greenery to wander around afterwards if your legs haven’t turned to jelly by then. To get there, from Frankfurt Sud station, take the 48 bus for 10 minutes to Goetheturm, a 30-minute journey total from central Frankfurt.
If you are coming with your kids and they need a place to blow off some steam, then do them and yourself a favour and visit one of the best playgrounds in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt and the surroundings are unbelievably green, including the Taunus region and the City Forest. Read more about things to do in Frankfurt in our handy guide.
5. Bring your swimming costume for the Euros in Frankfurt
Ok, hear me out on this one. Though you were probably not thinking of packing your bikini or swimming trunks to watch football, and though you can’t actually swim in the River Main, I would highly recommend bringing your cossies to Frankfurt. Why? Frankfurt has a wonderful climate, especially in comparison to the more northern cities of Berlin and Hamburg (sorry, not sorry). And in June and July, it is not unusual for temperatures to reach over 25 degrees Celsius (over 77 Fahrenheit).
As well as using the opportunity to top up your tan while basking in the Fan Zone or one of the parks, you can enjoy one of the seven lidos that Frankfurt has to offer, including Europe’s biggest lido, the Brentanobad. With a main pool that is over 220m long, separate areas for little ones, as well water slides, beach volleyball areas, a children’s play area, and plenty of food and drink, this is an ideal place to cool off in between matches and soak up some rays.
An adult ticket costs just €5, kids up to 14 are free, and it is open from 9 am-8 pm daily. To get there, take the U7 to Fischstein, and it is a well sign-posted couple minutes walk. Frankfurt is such a wonderfully compact city so it is just 20 minutes from the centre.
If you fancy a dip before a match, there is also a lido right next to the stadium! The Stadionbad is near tram stop Stadion Straßenbahn and is open from 7 am to 8 pm daily. And entry is only €5.
If you want to know more about how to get to the stadium, check out our guide, which tells you exactly how to get there depending on your entrance and what to expect on match day.
6. Take in one of the world-class museums and galleries
The Eintracht Museum may be closed during the Euros (though you can catch a small exhibition in the Fan Zone). However, there are plenty of other museum and gallery options to satisfy your cultural needs.
Opposite the Fan Zone is the Museumsufer, an area housing some of Frankfurt’s top museums, and there are others dotted around the city. You have your classics, like incredible art, at the Schirn, the Museum for Modern Art, and the Städel. You could mix it up with a visit to the film museum where you can see how films used to be made, and there is a camera obscura. And since you are in Frankfurt after all, Germany’s financial hub, why not check out the money museum, which is, ironically, free to visit and open 9 am-5 pm daily except Saturdays. It’s a short walk from Dornbusch station, which is on the U1, U2, U3 and U8 lines.
There are also some museums no-one would ever think existed, like one for modern electronic music and a leather museum.
7. Use your 36 Hour Travel Pass to visit the wine region
Our last but certainly not least tip in our 7 tips for the UEFA Euros in Frankfurt 2024 is all about good value travel, and wine!
There is a special travel option for match ticket holders only, the 36 Hour Travel Pass. From 6am on match day to 6pm the following day, you can enjoy free travel on local and regional trains in the area. This is great news for those coming to Frankfurt because the surrounding areas are not only stunning and easy to access with public transport, but there is a lot of delicious wine production.
For example, you can visit the gorgeous little town of Eltville on the River Rhine. This charming town and surroundings are home to some of Germany’s most famous vineyards. You can stroll along the river and pop into the cute castles with their stunning flower displays and rose gardens, and wander down the cobbled streets and enjoy the old timber frame buildings. There are ample places along the way to sample the local wine. You could also go to the Kloster Eberbach Winery, the site of a former monastery, and enjoy great food, wine, and scenery all in one place. With the RE9 train from Frankfurt Central Station, it takes just 40 minutes to get to Eltville.
You need the official UEFA Euros app to access the pass. For more day trip ideas, check out these additional seven options, but note that they will not all be accessible using the 36 Hour Travel Pass!
8. BONUS TIP
Bring cash! Though the card is widely accepted, there are a surprising number of places that still only take cash, so pack some Euros for the Euros.
If you found these 7 tips for the UEFA Euros in Frankfurt 2024 helpful, download our comprehensive, 22-page ‘UEFA Euros 2024 in Frankfurt: Ultimate Guide’. Undoubtedly you will save yourself the hassle of scouring the internet for information on navigating the city, public transport, where to eat and drink and what to do. For less than the price of a beer, you can have all the information you need at your fingertips, including:
- Where to watch the football, with a stadium guide including how to get there and what to take (or not)
- How to get around Frankfurt
- The best parties in town
- Where to eat for all budgets and tastes
- What to do with kids
- And a bonus itinerary for 24 hours in Frankfurt
Make the UEFA Euros in Frankfurt the highlight of your summer!
