Frankfurt: Day Trips

Bergstrasse Wine Road Frankfurt is near some of the best vineyards in Germany, with the local specialty being fine rieslings. The area hosts wine festivals several times a year, and the fertile ground along the Rhine is home to many wineries. 40 miles south of Frankfurt; www.bergstraesser-wein.de
road trip | outdoors | wine

Heidelberg In the lovely Neckar Valley, Baden-Wuerttemberg’s Heidelberg is one of Germany’s most picturesque old towns, home to Germany’s oldest university. Fourteenth-century Heidelberg Castle dominates the city and offers tours. 58 miles south of Frankfurt; www.heidelberg.de
family | culture | history

Marburg Almost as many students as inhabitants in this medieval town ensure that the numerous cafes, restaurants, and watering holes always have an air of intellectual excitement. The hillside castle that dominates the town is a good starting-place for sightseeing. 59 miles north of Frankfurt; www.marburg.de
culture | history | art

Middle Rhine Boat Trip The Middle Rhine Valley is filled with castles, heritage towns, and vineyards, and is still one of the most important transit routes in Europe. A roundtrip boat tour from Ruedesheim (take the train from the Hauptbahnhof) down the Rhine River is an excellent way to get an overview of the region. 64 miles west of Frankfurt; www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.de
cruise | culture | tour | outdoors | history

Trier One of Germany’s oldest Roman towns, Trier’s history is still apparent in its cobbled old town and picturesque attractions like the Black Gate and the Imperial Roman Baths. 142 miles southwest of Frankfurt; www.trier.de
culture | history

Tuebingen A beautiful little college town in the second-southernmost state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Tuebingen was one of the few German cities not bombed in either world war, because it has no industry. Pretend you’re a university student and punt on the Neckar River during the summer. 152 miles south of Frankfurt; www.tuebingen.de
family | culture | outdoors | history | art