Frankfurt am Main (Frankfurt on Main), situated in Central Germany, the fifth biggest city in Germany, is an attractive destination in Europe. Frankfurt got its name around AD 500, when the Franks ruled the area and the settlement along the Main Fort transportation route became known as 'Franconovurd'.

The city is the financial heart not only of Germany but also of the whole European Union, playing important role in world economy. It's been a major banking city ever since the Rothschilds opened their first bank here in 1798. Frankfurt also has a leading stock exchange.

It is home to the European Central Bank and many other banks but it also have thousands of companies, including the moguls of the German publishing industry, as well as a number of companies involved in public relations, marketing, media and telecommunications.

No other European city has so many skyscrapers like Mainhattan - a nickname referring to the exciting skyscrapers and business style. During a major event of Frankfurt, the Wolkenkratzer-Festival, skyscrapers are open to the public and spectacular laser and fireworks shows highlight the buildings at night. Frankfurt is also known as 'the most American city in Europe'.

Frankfurt is the city with the highest percentage of immigrants in Germany: with about 35% immigrants, it is the most diverse of all the German cities.

For tourists Frankfurt does offer some sights, some good restaurants in the Nordend, several artistic and cultural events, and excellent shopping opportunities. Sightseeing opportunities are mostly centralized in the historical core of the city, known as the Romerberg, where Charlemagne erected his fort in medieval times.

Frankfurt is also a major communications and transport center, it is well known for its airport, the second busiest one in Europe (after London Heathrow).

This vivid city has many things to do, one of the most important and world-famous events are the international trade fairs and trade exhibitions like International Book Fair (Buchmesse Frankfurt), ACHEMA (chemical engineering, environmental protection and biotechnology), International Automobile Exhibition (Internationale Automobilausstellung) and so on.

Frankfurt is also famous for its 'Goethe-Haus', the house where Goethe was born, next to the Goethe museum. The 'Zoologische Garten', Frankfurt's large zoo, contains more than 4000 animals. Or if you are interested in botany, you can check 'Botanischer Garten' which have about 5000 botanical species.

As for the weather, Frankfurt's climate is continental. The summers are warmer and the winters can get very cold. June and July are the wettest months and the highest temperatures are in July and August. It is recommended to visit the city in autumn, or in spring.

Submitted by: Fruzsina Csery Fruzsina Csery is a freelance copywriter. She occasionally writes for Mitfahrzentrale