Destination: Frankfurt, Germany

July 7, 2014

Meeting Logistics President Cathy Mullen recounts her experience in Frankfurt, Germany:

I recently attended #IMEX14 and I found a half day stroll through Frankfurt city center to be enlightening and refreshing. I started out at the Villa Kennedy and walked a few minutes to the river Main which is a 327 mile river flowing through Germany and along the city center. There is a bike and walking path all along the river in a park like setting called the Main-Radweg. This was a very pleasant walk with great scenery and a look at a few of the many sightseeing river boats moored along the way. It was about a 20 minute walk to reach the city center.

I used a Frankfurt information and sightseeing map as my guide. It provided a walking route with points of interests and landmarks clearly labeled. Once entering the quaint historical city center you will feel like you've stepped back in time and will see traditional timbered row homes and the three-gabled city hall building which has been operating as such since 1405. I than made my way to the main pedestrian zone (Bockenheimer Str.) where there are shops galore and plenty of people watching. Everything is extremely clean and shaded at times by well-manicured trees. Heading East will take you to the farmers market and heading west towards the Old Opera House will take you along FreBgass' which is Frankfurt's culinary mile featuring cafes, bistros and restaurants with lots of outdoor seating...very vibrant European feel. The Old Opera House is a beautiful structure originally built in 1880 and refurbished in 1981 to its original plans. The building was badly damaged during the air raids of WWII.

From here I worked my way back towards the historic city center by strolling through the city park which runs along Neue Mainzer Str. Then made my way to the river Main-Radweg and moseyed my way back to Villa Kennedy for an aperitif. All in all, a great day was had with many sightings including historical landmarks, churches, unique shops and great food...definitely a worthwhile stroll.