Frankfurt River Main Sightseeing Cruise

The Eiserner Steg and the Römerberg

The Eiserner Steg is an iron footbridge built in 1869 to link Frankfurt's old town with Sachsenhausen on the southern bank. It is one of the city's best-loved landmarks and the boarding point for most River Main cruises. From here you have a lovely view of the cathedral tower and the riverside houses.

A two-minute walk away lies the Römerberg, the old town square with the stepped-gable Römer town hall and the rebuilt half-timbered houses of the new old town. Before or after your Frankfurt river cruise, it is well worth an hour to explore these streets, where emperors were once crowned and celebrated.

The skyline and the western harbour

Sailing downstream towards Griesheim, the cruise shows off the famous skyline nicknamed Mainhattan. The towers of the banking district include the Main Tower, whose public viewing platform stands about 200 metres high, and the Commerzbank Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the European Union.

The boat passes the redeveloped Westhafen, where old docks have become modern apartments and offices, before turning near the Griesheim lock. This stretch is the best part of the cruise for photographers, especially in the late afternoon when the glass façades catch the light. It explains why a Main cruise is on so many Frankfurt itineraries.

The Museum Embankment and Sachsenhausen

On the southern bank stretches the Museumsufer, one of Europe's densest museum districts, with around a dozen museums side by side. The best known is the Städel, with seven centuries of European art, but you also pass the museums of film, architecture, world cultures and applied arts, many housed in elegant villas.

Behind them lies Sachsenhausen, one of the oldest districts of Frankfurt, with cobbled lanes and traditional restaurants in the old quarter. Seen from the river, the green parks and villas contrast beautifully with the towers on the opposite bank. Ask our crew which stop is nearest if you want to visit the Städel museum afterwards.

The eastern harbour, the ECB and the Gerbermühle

Heading upstream towards Offenbach, the cruise passes the Osthafen, Frankfurt's eastern port, where the striking twin-tower headquarters of the European Central Bank rises beside the old wholesale market hall. Its angled glass towers reach 185 metres and have become a new symbol of the city.

Further upstream, the historic Gerbermühle is a former mill where the poet Goethe spent time in 1814 and 1815. This quieter, greener stretch of the Main shows another side of Frankfurt. The 100-minute cruise covers both directions, which is why it is the best choice if you want to see the whole river panorama.