Located almost in the center of Germany, Frankfurt is an important business hub, economic and financial hub of the nation, as well as a center rich in history, luxury entertainment and tourist attractions of great international appeal.
It is no coincidence, in fact, that the German city is one of the most popular destinations for wealthy tourists who hire a private jet to reach it, a travel solution that allows them to make it much faster than classic scheduled flights thanks to services designed to optimize time.
In addition, the convenience, flexibility, and privacy that can be enjoyed through a private flight certainly make the travel experience unique and satisfying.
Frankfurt's historical and cultural attractions are indeed many: therefore, it is essential to plan in detail what you intend to visit while also taking into account the most glamorous events that the city hosts each year.
What are we talking about?
Let's find out in this interesting guide!
Historical and geographical background on Frankfurt
Frankfurt is located in the German state of Hesse, also known as Hessen in its native language, a huge, mostly flat area in western Germany. A few kilometers north of the city center is the Taunus mountain range, while the city is entirely divided by no less than 2 rivers, the Main and the Nidda, its tributary. In close proximity to Frankfurt are other southern German tourist cities including Wiesbaden, Mainz, Cologne, Offenbach, and Darmstadt. The geographic location in which Frankfurt stands has always allowed it to play important commercial roles over the centuries; the earliest traces of its settlement date back to the Neolithic period, although the actual founding of the city came about thanks to the Romans who, after conquering the surrounding territories, built a fortified city during the Germanic campaigns. The populations that tried to take over the newly built town were many, from the Catti to the Mattiaci, via the Vangioni and the Triboci. Naming it by its present name, however, was Charlemagne shortly before the year 1000: at that time, Frankfurt was at the center of the Treaty of Verdun, which sanctioned the partitioning of the Carolingian Empire among the monarch's various nephews making the German city the most important urban agglomeration in the eastern part of the empire. That was certainly Frankfurt's heyday: the cathedral was built where the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned, as well as various historic buildings, churches and monasteries, not to mention the many road improvements that placed the city at the center of international trade and cultural exchange. The modern era, however, was a continuous succession of mostly religious conflicts until the status of a free city was obtained thanks to the first German Democratic Parliament, which tried in vain to make Germany a united state. The 20th century was a very tumultuous period for Frankfurt, just as it was for the whole of Europe because of the 2 world wars that brought the city to its knees; in the following years, however, Frankfurt rose again thanks to the reconstruction of several landmark historical buildings and the addition of modern buildings until today, when it represents a very important financial center in the whole European landscape.
What to do and see in Frankfurt
Visiting the city from the river
A great way to take in the sights of Frankfurt and the monuments that dominate its historic center is surely by embarking on one of the many river cruises that set sail from marinas scattered throughout the Main River that washes the city. Not only that, wealthier tourists also have the option of hiring private boats to tour the city from the river, stopping at the various piers arranged along the way or dining on board on the most popular dishes in German cuisine.
The Frankfurt Fair and other events
As a major logistics hub in Europe, Frankfurt hosts a large number of events thanks to Messe Frankfurt, a huge exhibition area with an area of more than 500,000 square meters arranged over 10 exhibition halls and a Convention Center. Here, various businessmen and businesswomen on business trips to Frankfurt, after doing their business at the city's many banking institutions or at the European Central Bank, can attend prominent exhibitions in industry, art and culture. The many events include the Book Fair, a kermesse that awards prestigious prizes to up-and-coming or seasoned writers; Musikmesse, a fair devoted entirely to the very latest in sound and lighting effects; Automechanika, an exhibition of technologically advanced parts, services, fittings and accessories for automobiles; and Heimtextil, an annual textile fair devoted to interior design and digital printing.
Frankfurt's fine cuisine
The delicacies of local cuisine can be sampled in a large number of gourmet and award-winning restaurants found in Frankfurt. Among them is Restaurant Francais, an establishment known for its chic and elegant atmosphere that offers diners an incredible assortment of red and white wines to accompany the most interesting dishes of German cuisine. Not only that, also worth mentioning is the Romer Pil Brunnen, a real must where to go to enjoy a unique gastronomic experience by trying typical dishes such as Frankfurter Wurstchen sausages or Spaetzle, all in a place that allows diners to totally immerse themselves in the convivial German atmosphere.
Frankfurt's top hotels
Business people traveling to Frankfurt for work purposes can stay at several top-class hotels in the city, one of them being Villa Kennedy, a charming rustic hotel consisting of Italian architecture, a private inner courtyard, and a restaurant solely for guests. Also worth mentioning is the Hessicher Hof, a hotel that uses a picturesque and historic setting to offer first-class services to guests, as well as the Jumeirah, an elegant hotel in the heart of the city that provides a bar, lounge area, and a full-service spa.
Climate and best time to visit Frankfurt
Frankfurt's prevailing climate is continental, with very cold winters and fairly warm summers. Rainfall is not concentrated on one segment of the year, but is evenly distributed throughout the seasons. In any case, spring is characterized by pleasant weather only starting in April, with temperatures that can reach highs around 18°C, although there is no shortage of rain. Only in May does the weather warm up even more, giving tourists excellent temperatures ranging from 19 to 22°C. The heat breaks out starting in mid-June, when rainfall decreases in intensity and frequency almost to zero altogether and temperatures rise to near 32°C in July. There are about 8 rainy days in September, the month with the least amount of rainfall of the entire year; by its middle, however, the weather already begins to cool down projecting the city toward the autumn now just around the corner, the season of the year marked by temperatures dropping settling around 15°C and the enchanting colors that the foliage falling from the trees gives the city. November is a transit month in which the weather prepares to enter full German winter where temperatures almost never rise above 10°C. Rainfall is very frequent and heavy, while snowfall occurs mainly in January and February. The best time to charter a private jet to Frankfurt is definitely late spring or summer, seasons where the weather is pleasant and the likelihood of incurring sunny days is significantly higher than at other times of the year.
How and why to fly private to Frankfurt
With more than 60 million passengers passing through it each year, Frankfurt International Airport (ICAO code EDDF) is a crucial hub for German and European air traffic. It first opened in the 1930s, but within a very few decades the number of flights operated increased dramatically, leading to the construction of new infrastructure and terminals to better handle civilian traffic. Frankfurt's international hub now hosts up to 450,000 aircraft movements, shaping itself as Germany's largest airport and Europe's fourth largest airport in terms of passengers passing through, many of whom choose to fly private by chartering a jet. To meet the needs of this special category of travelers, several business services have been developed such as the Airport Conference Center, a very large area full of conference rooms, several lounges, some VIP areas, and Business Parking. Not only that, there are also numerous stores, bars and restaurants, a Christian chapel, as well as PC and charging stations for one's devices within the terminal dedicated to general aviation. As many as four runways allow any private aircraft to depart from or arrive in Frankfurt, while transfer services to cover the 12 kilometers separating the airport from the city center are many: ranging from cabs to rental cars, via limousines and helicopters thanks to the presence of the heliport in the terminal for private flights.
How much does it cost to fly private to Frankfurt
About 1 hour's flight from Frankfurt is Paris, one of the many European capitals connected to the German city.The rental of a Light Jet costs about €6,000, that of a Medium Jet is around €14,000, and that of a Large Jet is no less than €18,000. It is also possible to depart from the island of Ibiza, which is about a 2-hour and 30-minute flight from Frankfurt, incurring a charter fee for a Light Jet, Medium Jet and Large Jet of about €12,000, €23,000 and €31,000 respectively. Looking to Northern Europe, among the destinations from which to fly to Frankfurt is Manchester, about 1 hour and 45 minutes away; opting for a Light Jet implies a price of about €9,000, a figure that rises to €16,000 for a Medium Jet and €24,000 for a Large Jet.
The best jet to fly to Frankfurt
For shorter or longer distances, it is definitely wise to opt for the Cessna Citation M2, a 5-seat light jet capable of flying at a speed of about 750 km/h with a total autonomy of more than 3000 km. Its interior cabin, though small in size, still offers great comfort to passengers during the flight. Among the most reliable Medium Jets is undoubtedly the Embraer Phenom 500, an aircraft capable of carrying up to 8 passengers while traveling at speeds exceeding 800 km/h. The comfortable reclining leather seats its cabin is equipped with allow passengers to have plenty of head and leg room, as well as to get comfortable and enjoy the sublime view from the top of the panoramas they fly over. A respectable ultra long range Large Jet is the Challenger 850, an aircraft you can rely on to cover great distances thanks to its range of over 5000 km; as many as 13 passengers can be carried in a cabin that boasts plenty of space for each of them, as well as air conditioning, WiFi connection and very comfortable sofas on which to relax and enjoy the flight!
The most frequent flights to and from Frankfurt
Below of the most frequent connections to Frankfurt:
