Traveling next May to Bamberg for either 7 or 8 nights.
Already have daytrips planned.
Departing from Frankfurt Friday June 1st.
Earliest train out of Bamberg doesn't get me to the airport in time.
Not really looking to spend my last evening in Frankfurt (sorry afficionados).
Came upon Aschaffenburg as an exciting alternative--2 hours out of Bamberg and only 40-60 minutes from the Frankfurt airport. It looks like a great town/small city with nice parks, a castle and just enough sights to spend a relaxing last evening/dinner, without
having to get up QUITE so early to catch the flight home.
Anyone with personal experience?

Hello. Yes, I did the exact same thing you are proposing -- back in 2003. It was a nice alternative to Frankfurt because the downtown Aschffenburg is compact and busy -- good for sightseeing and people-watching. I have to say it's somewhat gritty -- which doesn't bother me in the least -- but just so you know. For instance, the (right downtown) highrise hotel we stayed at had dirty carpeting and some girly-type literature in the hallway. Ads for "companions". Never felt threatened or unsafe. For a few hours time, I would recommend it. I remember the tall, close-knit buildings and the busy streets reminding me of New York. Hope that helps and have a safe and wonderful trip!

We lived in Aschaffenburg for 2+ years in the early 90s. It is a pleasant city as you say. On our last night we stayed at the hotel Aschaffenburger Hof, about 200 meters from the train station. It is a very nice traditional German hotel. We took a taxi to FRA to save the bother of changing trains at Frankfurt. The Hauptbahnhof was a rather scuzzy place in those days. Maybe there is a direct train now.

Our favorite eat-out place was a nice cafe/restaurant up the street at the corner of Bodelschwinghstrasse and Friedfichstrasse.

Hmmmm...not the high praise that I was hoping for ;-].
culture: do you specifically recall which hotel you stayed in?
We were entertaining 3 possibilities close to the Bahnhof to make transitions easier: Hotel-Konditorei Fischer, Fischers Mainperle or Hotel Cafe Central!

Our other option would be Frankfurt itself very near the Bahnhof and bordering the 'red light/drug district'--"if you turn the wrong way on the way to the garni or to dinner you will come upon sex shops" not so enticing either! I know, I know, the majority of Frankfurt is not seedy, but we would want to stay very close to the train station to decrease stress...so I thought A'burg was a good alternative.

For Frankfurt, why not have a look at the Adina Hotel. Very near the river and about a 10 min. walk from the train station. The Intercontinental would be another good choice. The S-bahns going to the airport also stop at the Hauptwache and Konstablerwache, so you could also include the Hilton or the Westin on your list of hotels as they are located very near those stops and still get you to the airport in about 15 min. If you wanted to take a taxi to the airport, it would be about 30 euro or so.

Frankfurt is one of Germanys' old (794), historic cities and does offer some wonderful sites to visit. Everything from a Gothic cathedral to the Klein Markt Halle to the largest religous wall paintings in Northern Europe, painted in the 1500's. The Alte Oper is beautiful, and the Jewish Holocaust Memorial Wall ought to be on anyones list who is visiting Frankfurt.

Unless you go looking for the red light district you will never see it. Frankly, it is one of the safest areas in town, due to cameras and police presence. That said, the whole neighborhood is made up of beautiful, turn of the century architecture, as is the train station itself. They did a massive renovation project on it for its 120th birthday, which was 3 years ago. Many of the buildings around here have also been renovated. It is true that many years ago it wasn't a pleasant place to walk, but today it is a lot different.

Well, actually, if you didn't want Frankfurt (and it's not as bad as some paint it nowadays), there are Mainz and Wiesbaden to the west - it's really a quick ride to Frankfurt airport from both of those. Also both are compact. Mainz has a little more to cater to tourists; Wiesbaden gets a lot of German visitors (it's capital of Hessen).

Lavandula

I dunno.

There aren't too many Germany cities I don't particularly cotton to, but Frankfurt's one of a very few.

Many years ago that red light district around the main train station scared me to death. Maybe things have improved nowadays.

How about staying across the river? I remember staying once near the Sudbahnhof, which was an easy train commute to the main train station. Is that a safe area nowadays?

Thanks everyone, I will further investigate.

mainhatten: I realize that Frankfurt has a lot to offer, but because we expect only to get to the city about 4-5 PM and are leaving by 6:30 am (bedtime by 9 or 10!), I realized that we would have nowhere near the time that a true exploration that the city would warrant. Hence the search for a quiet last evening in Germany!

Hi mokka4

I would stay in Frankfurt, if you haven´t been there already. Aschaffenburg is nice, but I don´t think it´s worth the ride. For me it´s only the castle and the Main shore that are worth to see (bear in mind I´ve only been there for 5 hours).
Since you´ll be staying only for the evening, I would say Frankfurt has more to offer, regarding nightlife, bars and restaurants. And also there are some good shopping options, if you feel like doing some last-minute buying =)

Also, it´s more mind-relaxing, in my opinion, to spend the last night in the city where your flight is leaving from.

Frankfurt has some nice hotels close to the City Center. It´s not necessary to look for something close to the station. The S-Bahns can take you to the airport easily, sometimes directly or sometimes with a little connection time in the station´s underground platforms.
The Adina and IC sound like good options, there´s the Hilton and Westin as the guys said above and there´s also an NH close to Konstablerwache.
Red Light district is not the most appealing neighbourhood, but I wouldn´t say it´s dangerous, as long as you walk on the Kaisertraße (street connecting the train station with the main sights in FRA).

Hope it helps

Cheers

Hi Mokka4,

Sorry, don't remember the name of the hotel.

After reading the rest of the posts here, including your replies, I would have to agree with lavandula about Mainz. This is a smaller, friendlier, more quaint city than Aschaffenburg. It's right on the Rhine and therefore quite lovely. More down to earth. More traditional German. We ate at a restaurant in a ship permanently docked on the river. Very sweet! Whatever you decide, I wish you well.

Okay, I actually AM coming 'round to spending the last evening in Frankfurt (since A'Burg doesn't receive glowing reports).
Sooo, say we get to our 'budget' hotel by 4PM or so, and plan to call it an early night by 9 PM. Including a decent good-bye dinner, what ONE sight would readers say is a MUST?
Remember most musuems will close to closing, so not a must IMO.

I have only ever changed trains in FRA, (besides a red-light district overnight upon arrival to Germany some 28 years ago).
PS: Have explored Mainz extensively in the past, so not opting for it.

\I will start a more specific thread on "Frankfurt in one unhurried evening."

The one sight in Frankfurt?

I would opt for the old town, the Altstadt:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altstad...urt_am_Main%29

It's large and beautiful. You could also opt to have dinner there, unless someone else recommends a not-to-be-missed dinner somewhere else.

Thanks easy!
After looking a bit more,it looks like the Altstadt is a winner for us. The Roemer/Dom, Hauptwache and Zeil (for a bit'o'shopping) are our targets for the evening with dinner along the way!

Hi mokka

Alstadt is definitely the way to go. In 5 hours you can easily do the Dom, the Römer, the Rathaus and Paulskirche, the Hauptwache, among others. The Alte Oper is also very nice to see.

If you´re in the Zeil go check the MyZeil shopping center. It´s quite unique in its design. Even if you don´t buy anything, it´s worth giving it a look inside.

Cheers

GL.-

Very glad for you, mokka, that you've found a pleasurable way to spend your last evening!

Have a safe and fun trip!

>If you´re in the Zeil go check the MyZeil shopping center. It´s quite unique in its design. Even if you don´t buy anything, it´s worth giving it a look inside.

Wow, glabougle, just googled this for a quick look - spectacular!

Lavandula

About 15 years ago we stayed in Aschaffenburg as we wanted to get away from Frankfort and this town was about an hour away.
we stayed at the Aschaffenburg Hotel, I believe. It had a very unique pool downstairs. We share an entrecote for 2 and they served it twice, changing the veggies each time. Flowers everywhere and very pleasant for a first night in Germany. Hope it is still there.

Have actually been able to stretch out another day, so 7 nights Bamberg, then 2 nights Frankfurt to do a little
unhurried exploring. Looking forward to our May departure!

If you are there on Thursday, go to the Local Produce market at the Konstablerwache, and on Friday, the Market on the Schiller Strasse, near the Stock Exchange. Friday and Sat. you can visit the produce market in the neighborhood of Hoechst on the Marktplatz. Hoechst is worth a visit anyway, with the Justinus church built in 850, the Schloss and all the fachwerk houses set up on the city walls. One of the gems of Frankfurt!

The Staedel has been undergoing renovation the past 2 years and is re-opening in Feb.