Frankfurt, verdict by verdict

Frankfurt is Germany's working city: a skyline that looks American, a Romerberg old town rebuilt board by board, the Stadel and the museum embankment along the Main, and Apfelwein taverns across the river in Sachsenhausen. It is also the country's main air hub, which means many travelers land here whether they meant to or not, and the plain truth is that a day or two spent well is a day or two rewarded.

the plain read is that Frankfurt is business-first. Hotel prices spike hard during trade fairs and the city feels corporate when one is on, the centre empties on Sundays, the station quarter is seedy around the edges, and anyone after a pretty, intact German old town will find the rebuilt core a substitute rather than the real thing. As a pure leisure destination it sits below Berlin or Munich for most travelers.

The fix is expectations plus one day trip: Heidelberg and the Rhine valley are both under an hour by train. One to two days covers the skyline from the Main Tower, the river walks, the museum embankment and an Apfelwein evening in Sachsenhausen, and the centre is fifteen minutes from the airport by S-Bahn, which makes Frankfurt the rare stopover done properly. Check the Messe calendar before booking, since fairs swing prices more than seasons do, and December brings a sprawling Christmas market.