best way to spend 5 hour layover in Frankfurt?
 

We'll be flying business from the east coast and then on to Istanbul. Dread the long layover, as we can never manage to sleep on planes. Will be a drag to hang around airport instead of being able to get to destination.
So: wondering how to amuse ourselves in that time, hopefully get some walking in (not interested in shops). Thanks.
(Any opinions about the aircraft? It's a 340, 300 series.)

i had a similar situation a few years back. hop on the subway at the airport, it will take you to downtown frankfurt. we spent some time walking around finding entertainment but making sure to make it back for the flight :)

Hi Poss- I had such a layover a few years ago. As per a recommendation here, I took the train to the neighbouring city of Mainz (a relatively short ride from the airport).

Mainz is a very clean and charming city. I had plenty of time to stroll through the streets, stop for lunch at a little cafe, and enjoy a visit to the Gutenberg Museum.

From the airport, there are frequent trains which bring you within 15 minutes into Frankfurt city center. There, you find a lot of interesting museums:

http://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=5021811

5 hours isn't long. If you don't want to leave the airport your business class ticket should be enough to get you into your airline's lounge. It may even have showers which can be a nice wake up.

I'd be drinking good Bavarian Beer, particularly if my next destination was Istanbul.

Thanks for the variety of replies. I'd never even thought of leaving the airport, but if we were some decades younger, I think we might give it a go (assuming we arrive on schedule). I think I'd be too nervous though at this point. I've read nice things about the LH Welcome Lounge. I think perhaps a shower and stroll would be good. My husband may enjoy an early-day brew, but pas moi.

poss, you will be able to visit either the Welcome Lounge (also called the Arrivals lounge) or the Business Class lounge at Frankfurt. Both lounges offer shower facilities and light breakfast. However, I'd suggest you use the business lounge instead of the welcome lounge, for the sake of convenience.

Going to the welcome lounge reuqires you to go through immigration twice -- once on the way out, a second time on the way in. And you will also need to clear security again. For the business class lounge, though, you would not need to clear immigration at all, and you might very well not need to clear security again. It's also likely that the welcome lounge will be a decent walk, while the business lounge might or moght not be (depending on which gate/terminal you arrive at).

On weekdays, the business class lounge can get crowded in the mornings. If you get to the business lounge and it's too crowded for you, you can still decide to go to the welcome lounge.