In 1949 Frankfurt am Main narrowly failed to be elected capital of West Germany, but it did become the home of the Bundesbank, the continent's largest stock exchange and the European Central Bank, making it the de facto financial capital of Germany and continental Europe. Frankfurt also boast the country's most spectacular skyline earning the city the name of 'Mainhattan' and 'Chicago am Main'.

Even though Frankfurt is a large financial and trade center, the city is still relatively small. While it does have a subway, most of Frankfurt's historic sights are in or near the Altstadt - the city's Old Town - and can best be visited on foot. Frankfurt's inner city was reduced to rubble after WWII, but its most important historic landmarks, like the Alte Oper (former opera house), the Römer (city hall) or Goethehaus (Goethe's birth place) have been carefully restored.