Frankfurt layover
 

We have an 8 hour layover in Frankfurt and can't decide on visiting Wiesbaden or Mainz for a few hours.

Check the Germany Forum for tips and advices concerning your questions. There are many threads answering your question.

I've been to both and would recommend Wiesbaden over Mainz. It's a prettier town with more to see. It wasn't bombed during WWII, so many of the old buildings remain and are quite beautiful. It also has a very nice outdoor market (I'm not sure which days) and places to stop for a drink and just enjoy the sunshine.

welcome to FlyerTalk, RGC :)

I moved your thread to our Germany forum. a quick search for Frankfort layover will give you some useful threads to start with. if you have further questions - don't hesitate to post them here and I am sure a helpful soul will answer them.

chrissxb
moderator
europe forum

Mainz is the seat of a bishop and has a very nice roman-style cathedral. Wiesbaden on the other hand is a spa-city which has a lot of early 20th century (hight of the German Empire) style buildings and a large park. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday from 7am to 2pm. Mainz has also a market which is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7am to 2pm.

Here are the officical websites of Mainz and Wiesbaden.

Mainz Tourism

Wiesbaden Tourism

If the weather is good and you have enough time you could consider a Rhine Cruise. They start either in Wiesbaden or Mainz.

Rhine Cruise

I would vote for the Rhein Cruise. Very pretty.

Considering you are only eight hours, a Rhine Cruise, which starts in Mainz, seems not such a good idea. It will be more a rush and hurry thing.

I would go for Mainz without hesitation!

There are lots of nice places in the old part (Altstadt) where you can sit outside and enjoy life, a drink (or two, three ...) and have nice food. The cathedral (Dom) is certainly worth a visit as is the church St. Stephan (Stephanskirche) with stained-glass windows by Chagall.

If you are into museums, you may want to visit the Gutenberg Museum.

Every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, you can enjoy the nice market next to the cathedral. It is marvelous!

Nice restaurants can be found in the old city. They are small, yes, but very enjoyable. Just mingle with the locals.

I just found some panorama pictures here.

Enjoy!!
QMConsultant

Two words
 

Frankfurt Sachsenhausen.

Lots of quaint bars and restaurants and cobble stones--just a delightful place to spend a few hours to eat, drink, and be happy.

can i ask, as a first timer who will visit germany at the end of year on a budget. How does one get around and with food inflation, is food expensive in germany? Im sorry if its stupid but.....transport costs?

A day transport pass on the local bus/subway/streetcar network will cost anywhere from 8-10 euro. Depending on your tastes, you can get a decent meal for 10 euro including drinks. Doner meals can be had for 5-7 euro, including drink.

Just be aware that the trains aren't always ontime these days. Had an overnight layover this past weekend. Saw a RE train simply just cancelled (the train's departure was announced on the flip screen - train never came and it was just flipped off. On a normal Monday, trains were delayed out of Mainz for FRA (ICE for over 10 minutes, some 8 minutes for my S-8 and at least that for the following RE.

Quite cheap if you stick with the basics. I was too lazy to go out to eat so I ate at the Hilton (the restaurants in town I came across weren't advertising any weissspargl specials). A weisspargl soup, weiss spargl (and roasted potatoes + a schnitzl on the side) accompanied by 0.2l glass of Rheingau wine (complimentary 0.1l per spergl course) came to EUR 24 tax and tip included. Not the cheapest by any means but not unreasonable either.

Cheapest places to eat and still get reasonably tasty food:

- Turkish kebab and grill places. Best sign of quality are Turkish customers. Often these joints are open from early morning to late at night.

- Butcher shops with lunch offerings. Meaty soups, stews, roasts etc. with potato and veggies. Or just some filled rolls and a potato salad for take away

- University cafeterias. Guests pay a slightly higher but still very reasonable charge.

- Bakers offer filled rolls for breakfast and lunch. The heavier stuff includes Schnitzel and Frikadelle rolls that constitute lunch in themselves.