After-work drinks in Frankfurt: How to turn a business trip into a city break

Laptop shut. Done. Right, so what else is there to do now? In Frankfurt, there’s plenty to do without it having to turn into another packed itinerary straight away. The skyline and the Römer, the banks of the Main and the Museumsufer all show, within a relatively small area, that the city is more than just banks and the airport. If you’re in the city centre, you can stroll through the New Old Town, head towards the Main or take in some culture. It’s all very relaxed. You don’t have to do everything at once.
Your final appointment is the best guide to where to go next. Around the exhibition centre, the end of the working day looks different from what it’s like in Ostend, the city centre or at the airport. So rather than trundling all the way across town again, see what’s conveniently on the way. That’s precisely where Frankfurt’s ‘bleisure’ advantage lies: in the city centre, business, the River Main, culture and the Old Town all come together in a fairly compact area. And ‘just here on business’ turns into a bit of Frankfurt after all.

• … you have at least 60 minutes to spare,
• … you’d like to use the rest of the evening for a walk, a visit to a museum or a nice meal,
• … you know when your working day ends
• … and your Motel One is conveniently located for the rest of your journey.

Last appointment done and dusted. What now? Instead of travelling right across the whole city again just to head home, it’s worth taking a look at what’s right on your doorstep. Perhaps the route back to the hotel takes you along the Main anyway, through the old town or past a good spot for dinner. Germany’s fifth-largest city can also be explored in small doses.

Main Station and the Station District
: There’s quite a lot of Frankfurt to take in within a short distance here. You can wander through the Station District into the city centre or walk a few streets further to the Main. That way, even the walk back to your hotel becomes a little after-work stroll. Fancy a bite to eat? Around Kaiserstrasse and Münchener Strasse, restaurants, little shops and bars are all clustered together. Instead of planning everything in advance, you can simply go with the flow here and pop into wherever takes your fancy.

Ostend
First, head towards the Main. In Ostend, the Hafenpark is the perfect spot for this: take a stroll along the waterfront, carry on to the Deutschherrnbrücke, and just see how far your feet will take you. You don’t need to organise much for this, and it still gives your mind a proper change of scenery after a long day at work. You don’t need to head straight back into the city centre afterwards for a bite to eat or a drink. Just stay in Ostend and keep your journeys short.

Airport and Niederrad
Not in the mood for the full Frankfurt experience today? That’s perfectly fine around Gateway Gardens. Why not take another stroll through Gateway Gardens Park and then decide on the spur of the moment: grab a bite to eat, have another drink or simply put your feet up. There are plenty of options for this at nearby The Squaire too, such as ALEX or Paulaner. And if you’ve still got some energy left, you can always head into the city centre.

One cluster per evening
: the Römer, the Main, a museum and the skyline all in one evening? You can do it. But it’s more relaxing to combine your meeting point, Motel One and an activity into a short itinerary. Add a bit of a time buffer and a quick check of opening times, events and the way back. That way, you’ll have more of your evening left to enjoy, and your briefcase won’t have to go on a city scavenger hunt.

A good ‘bleisure’ evening doesn’t need a long to-do list. What matters is what you can realistically fit into the rest of the day after your last appointment. So the same rules apply here: one main activity, short journeys and a Plan B in case the weather, how you’re feeling or the timing don’t go your way.

The right Motel One doesn’t necessarily have to be the most centrally located one. Rather, it’s primarily a question of travel: where are your appointments, how are you getting to Frankfurt, and where would you like to go after work? If you choose a hotel that suits your business day, you’ll spend less time travelling and get more out of your evening. So, a different hotel is ideal for appointments in the city centre than for trade fair days, meetings in Ostend or around the airport.

After work in Frankfurt doesn’t necessarily have to mean a business bar. Sometimes the River Main, the skyline and half an hour’s fresh air are enough; other times, it might be art, Äppelwoi or a whole evening of live music. The best option is whatever lies on the way between your last appointment, your hotel and dinner, without any major detours. And if you’ve only got time for a drink tonight? That’s fine too. After all, Frankfurt isn’t going anywhere.

A stroll along the Main with a view
of the skyline Along the Main, you can switch from business mode to after-work mode pretty quickly: walk a bit along the riverbank, take in the skyline and simply keep going as far as your time and feet will allow. You don’t really need a plan beyond that.

Time required: 30–60 minutes
Neighbourhood: City centre/Main riverbank
Suitable for: solo, couples, free
of charge Booking required? No
Bad-weather alternative: a quick visit to a museum on the Museumsufer

Eiserner Steg, Römerberg and Neue Altstadt
If you’re only able to squeeze in a quick visit to Frankfurt, this route lets you take in quite a lot of the city. First across the Eiserner Steg with views of the Main and the skyline, then on to the Römerberg and through the Neue Altstadt. This makes for a compact walk and definitely not a sightseeing marathon.

Time required: 45–75 minutes
Neighbourhood: Altstadt/Main
Suitable for: solo travellers, first-time visitors to Frankfurt, free
of charge Booking required? No
Bad-weather alternative: a café or museum in the city centre

Art instead of a conference room: just a quick pop into the Städel
Still in the mood for something new, but preferably something other than presentations and figures? Then an hour at the Städel could be just the right change of pace. Instead of rushing through the whole museum, it’s better to pick a specific area or exhibition that really interests you.

Time required: approx. 60–90 minutes
Neighbourhood: Museumsufer/Sachsenhausen
Suitable for: solo visitors, art lovers, indoor
activities Booking? Check current opening times, tickets and special exhibitions
Bad-weather alternative: you won’t need one – you’re already indoors

Frankfurt from above
Spent the whole day navigating between skyscrapers? Then why not take a look at them from above as the working day draws to a close? The MAIN TOWER in the banking district is the perfect spot for this and quickly transforms business-oriented Frankfurt into ‘Mainhattan’.

Time required: approx. 45–75 minutes
Neighbourhood: Banking District
Suitable for: solo, couples, skyline fans
Booking? Check current details
Bad-weather alternative: cultural attractions, a café or bar in the city centre

Put on your trainers, clear your head.
Still feeling the urge to move after a day spent sitting down? Then swap your business shoes for trainers and head outside. Along the Main or through the Hafenpark, you can simply start running, decide for yourself when to turn back, and take in Frankfurt as you go.

Time required: 30–60 minutes
Neighbourhood: Main riverbank/Ostend/Hafenpark
Suitable for: solo, sports fans, free of charge Booking? No
Bad-weather alternative: check for indoor sports facilities near the hotel

Just stay in Ostend
Why change neighbourhoods again after your last meeting? In Ostend, you can easily continue your evening right where your working day left off: perhaps with a quick stroll towards the River Main or Hafenpark first, followed by a bite to eat or a drink. Less travelling, more time to unwind.

Time required: 60–120 minutes
Neighbourhood: Ostend
Suitable for: couples, colleagues
Best to check with your chosen restaurant in advance
Bad-weather alternative: head straight for dinner or a drink

For when you’re really peckish: head to the Bahnhofsviertel.
Eat your way halfway round the world without leaving Frankfurt: there’s a huge choice around Kaiserstraße and Münchener Straße. Instead of jotting down five places on a list, deliberately pick one that suits your evening, and then simply see if there’s time for a drink afterwards.

Time required: 60–120 minutes
Neighbourhood: Bahnhofsviertel
Suitable for: foodies, colleagues, spontaneous after-work
get-togethers Booking? Depends on the venue
Bad-weather alternative: just pop in straight away

Äppelwoi instead of an after-work cocktail:
Frankfurt in a glass? Then why not go for some apple wine from a ‘Bembel’? In Sachsenhausen, you can round off your working day with some authentic Frankfurt cuisine. And if Grüne Soße or Handkäs also make it onto the table, your evening is truly Hessian.

Time required: 60–120 minutes
Neighbourhood: Sachsenhausen
Suitable for: newcomers to Frankfurt, colleagues, fans of local cuisine
Bad-weather alternative: you won’t need one – the evening takes place indoors anyway

Curtain up instead of laptop on
If the evening can handle a bit more than just dinner and a drink, it’s worth taking a look at the current cultural programme. A concert at the Alte Oper, a theatre performance or another event: that’s how a business evening can quickly turn into a proper night out on the town. And your laptop is guaranteed a break for today.

Time required: usually 2–3 hours
Neighbourhood: depends on the event
Suitable for: solo, couples, culture lovers, indoor
activities
Booking? Yes, for events requiring tickets; check the programme and start time for the latest details
Bad-weather alternative: you don’t need one – this idea works indoors

Had enough for today? Off to the One Lounge
Not every free evening has to turn into a Frankfurt adventure. Sometimes the best after-work idea is the one with the shortest walk home: back to Motel One, drop your things off in your room and round off the day with a drink in the One Lounge or at the hotel bar. After all, putting your feet up counts as ‘bleisure’ too.

Time required: depends on how
you’re feeling that day. Neighbourhood: around the relevant Motel One
Suitable for: solo, late nights, tired feet
Booking? Check what’s on and opening times at the relevant location.
Bad-weather alternative: you don’t need one