History & Information about Frankfurt

Study Abroad & Learn German while you discover Germany this summer in Frankfurt!

Teenagers Abroad - History & Information about Frankfurt - Learn German - German Courses - Summer Camp

Located on the banks of the river ‘Main’, Frankfurt-am-Main is one of the most significant European cities in regards to European trade and commerce. In fact, Frankfurt is Europe’s second largest financial center and the proud home of the European Central Bank, as well as numerous other world-known investment banks.

Although, it may appear that Frankfurt is purely an international metropolis / business city, Frankfurt actually has a very deep & intriguing history that is full of tradition, culture and arts. All along the Main River's banks in Frankfurt, there are many beautiful cathedrals, art galleries and museums. Frankfurt is also the birthplace of the famous poet, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and it was the home to Karl the Great.

Frankfurt was originally founded during the 1st century BC by Celtic and Germanic tribes. As the heart of the Rhine-Main region, Frankfurt was used by the tribes as a vital inland port. Nowadays, the identity of Frankfurt is defined by its unique skyline with its fascinating mixture of massive skyscrapers with historical buildings and churches.

Though Frankfurt is the home of Europe’s tallest skyscrapers, it is also a city of arts. One of the world’s finest ballet ensembles calls Frankfurt its home. On a regular basis, Frankfurt also hosts many international guest performances from world-famous artists. The Alte Oper in Frankfurt offers stage admirers a diverse program of fine arts and events. On the other hand, techno, house and dance music are also very popular in Frankfurt.

All 52 emperors of the Holy Roman Empire are continuously displayed in the Römer (Frankfurt’s town hall). Romerberg Square offers traditional half-timbered houses that interestingly clash with the surrounding 21st century Frankfurt skyline.

The downtown area of Frankfurt is a great place to spend the day at a museum, shopping, at a café, bar or browsing the fresh goods at the markets. On the south side of the Main River is the largest selection of museums. The area is called Sachsenhausen and is also filled with apple-wine pubs and charming cafes. Visitors of Frankfurt, who are looking for a more relaxing atmosphere, typically find Sachsenhausen simply magnificent!

The best flea markets in Frankfurt can be found in Sachsenhausen. The river's banks are also covered with markets every Saturday morning, where you’ll be able to find the best bargains in Frankfurt!

Frankfurt’s unique setting of river banks, streets and squares, makes for the ideal city for open-air events; hence, over 100 folk festivals / street celebrations occur annually. Many of the festivals are as old as Frankfurt itself and attract people from all across Europe. Statistics have shown that these festivals attract over 20 million people to Frankfurt each year!

Naturally, in such a large international / multicultural city, Frankfurt offers a large array of excellent restaurants to choose from. The Grosser Bockenheimer Strasse is the most popular restaurant district in Frankfurt. There, you can find just about anything from traditional specialties, such as Tafelspitz, sausage, and potato dumplings, to nouvelle cuisine.
Shopping is also very popular in Frankfurt, with the Zeil being the busiest retail street in all of Germany! There, you can find world-class shopping, evening dance clubs, bars and restaurants. Frankfurt is also known around Europe for its love of jazz. There are actually more jazz clubs in Frankfurt than in most American cities.

With so much to do in and around Frankfurt, it is the ideal location for a Teenagers Abroad summer camp. Just outside of Frankfurt are interesting places, which include: Heidelberg, Königstein, Wiesbaden, Kloster Eberbach, Dusseldorf, Bonn, Cologne and countless castels and vineyards.

Frankfurt is a great city to study abroad and learn German; however, if desired, students can combine the Frankfurt summer camp program with a ‘split city’ summer camp program with our language school in Dusseldorf.

Return to the ‘Summer Program Overview’ section of ‘German Courses in Frankfurt’

We offer plenty of free time during our Frankfurt Summer Camp Program for students to discover Germany, its culture, traditions and customs!