Freezing My Ass Off in Frankfurt But Somehow Having The Time Of My Life
so i landed in frankfurt basically by accident. my bus from the airport was like 9 euros which felt like a steal compared to the 50 euro train ticket i almost bought. the weather hit me immediately - 6.6 degrees but it felt exactly the same because the humidity was doing that thing where it just seeps into your bones. yeah, 57% humidity at 6.6 degrees feels colder than minus 5 in dry places, trust me. i had a hoodie and a jacket that i thought was warm enough and honestly it was not. the high was only 8 degrees today so like, layers matter here more than i thought.
i'm staying in a hostel that was 28 euros a night and honestly it's fine. the sheets are clean, the wifi works, and there's a communal kitchen where i made pasta last night for like 1.50. someone told me that hostel kitchens are the best life hack for traveling anywhere in europe and they were right. i met a guy from brazil who's been traveling for 8 months on a budget that would make my bankers wince. he showed me how to find the 4 euro wine at the rewe near the station and honestly? game changer.
the气压 here is insane. 1028 hPa which a local told me means clear skies but cold as hell. they weren't wrong. the sea level pressure is also 1028 which apparently is pretty high for this time of year? i don't know what any of this means meteorologically but my point is: bring a real jacket.
Quick Answers
Q: Is this place worth visiting?
a: honestly yeah. it's not the prettiest german city but the food is good, the transport is stupid easy, and there's enough stuff to see that you won't be bored for a weekend. just don't come for the scenery come for the logistics.
Q: Is it expensive?
a: relative to what? compared to munich or berlin it's about the same. you can do it cheap if you cook and stay in hostels but a beer is still 4-5 euros minimum. i found a place near the main station that does 3.50 beers so that's my spot now.
Q: Who would hate it here?
a: anyone wanting cute cobblestone streets and fairy tale vibes. this is a financial district with some old buildings around it. if you need aesthetic to enjoy a city, go to heidelberg or something. a local warned me that tourists often say it's boring but that's because they stay near the tower and don't go to the museums or the actual residential areas.
Q: Best time to visit?
a: i heard late spring or early fall. right now in november it's grey and cold and the sun sets at 4:30 which is genuinely depressing. but the christmas markets start in late november so maybe that's worth it? someone told me the one at the römerberg is supposed to be good.
i walked to the Römer today which is like the old town hall thing and it was fine. not mind-blowing but fine. the building is cute, there's a square with some christmas stalls setting up, and i got a hot chocolate that was 4 euros which felt like a scam but it was warm so whatever. the thing about frankfurt is that it's not trying to be pretty. it's a working city and i kind of respect that? it's not performing for tourists.
the museums here are actually incredible though and most have student discounts or free days. i went to the städel because someone on reddit said it's one of the best art museums in germany and they weren't lying. 12 euros for a museum with rembrandt and monet and basically every important painter? that's a deal. i spent 3 hours there and only saw like half of it. if you're into art at all, go. the modern art section was unexpectedly my favorite part.
the main train station is chaotic in a way that i find comforting. there's people rushing everywhere, random musicians playing, and smell of pretzels constantly. i bought a pretzel for 2 euros from a stand and it was good but not life-changing. the guy at the stand told me to go to a bakery instead and i will take that advice because he seemed annoyed that i bought from a chain.
public transport here is actually insane. you can get anywhere with the u-bahn and s-bahn and it's all connected. i bought a day pass for 5 euros and went to the botanical garden which was empty and beautiful and free. there were like 5 other people there on a saturday afternoon. the plants were all inside because obviously it's too cold outside but there was this whole tropical section that made me forget i was in germany in november.
i need to talk about the food situation because this is important for anyone on a budget. the local recommended apps are basically just google maps reviews and a site called that apparently has all the cheap eats. i found a döner place near my hostel that does 4.50 döners and they're massive. a local told me that the best döner in frankfurt is at a place called and i haven't tried it yet but it's on my list. the hostel breakfast is 6 euros and it's bread, cheese, cold cuts, and coffee so that's been my morning routine.
the weather tomorrow is supposed to be similar - low of 5 degrees, high of 8, same pressure system. i learned that the ground level pressure is different from sea level which matters for like... weather forecasting i guess? i don't know. my point is it's going to be cold and clear and i need to buy a scarf because i didn't pack one and i am regretting that daily.
one thing that surprised me: there's this huge park called the grüneburgpark where everyone runs and walks their dogs and it's right in the middle of the financial district. the contrast is weird - skyscrapers on one side, people sitting on benches feeding ducks on the other. i sat there for an hour yesterday just watching people and it was genuinely relaxing. a runner told me that in summer there's outdoor yoga and concerts and it's completely different. so maybe summer is better? i'm conflicted now.
i went to a bar last night that a girl at the hostel recommended. it was in the bahnhofsviertel which is apparently the slightly sketchy area near the station but honestly it felt fine? there were a lot of people just walking around but everyone seemed to be going somewhere. the bar was called and it had cheap drinks and weird art on the walls and i talked to some locals who told me about a flea market on sunday that i need to go to.
safety wise: i feel fine. the station area at night has some characters but nothing that felt dangerous. just don't be dumb obviously. i keep my phone in my front pocket and i don't flash my wallet around and i haven't had any issues. a solo female traveler at my hostel said she feels safe here too which is good to know.
the closest cities to here are mainz (20 minutes by train, 8 euros), wiesbaden (similar distance), and then further out you could do heidelberg or cologne for a day trip. someone told me mainz is cuter and i believe them because frankfurt isn't really trying to be cute. i might go to mainz on wednesday just to see something with actual old buildings.
i've been here 3 days and my total spend is probably around 120 euros including the hostel. that's accommodation, food, drinks, one museum, and transport. that's actually doable for a student budget if you're careful. the expensive parts would be the restaurants and the clubs and the shopping. i have not done any of those.
key insight: frankfurt is a functional city that happens to have good art and food, not a tourist destination that happens to have infrastructure. if you come expecting romantic old town energy you will be disappointed. if you come wanting to see a real german city that isn't trying to sell you anything, it's great.
i'm going to the flea market tomorrow. i heard it has vintage clothes and records and weird random stuff. that's more my vibe than the skyscraper tours.
more updates soon. probably.
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links for your trip planning:
• - hostel reviews and budget tips
• - cheap eats near the station
• - local advice about what to actually do here
• - museum info and student discounts
• - transport maps and day passes
• - random reddit thread that helped me find the good döner
