Each summer, Germany’s financial capital, Frankfurt, lets its hair down with numerous activities and festivals that appeal as much to the visitors as the residents.

Visitors to Frankfurt, the city in western Germany that is hub of the European financial world, can enjoy summer with the numerous fun activities and festivals. One can indulge in local cuisine, exhibitions at multiple museums or choose the time-honoured ‘fisherman’s joust’ where participants attempt to knock each other out of their boats using long wooden poles, summer in Frankfurt leaves much to discover.

As summer 2023 officially cloaks the city now, it is a perfect time to discover this small and historic metropolis on the River Main to indulge in local cuisine, exhibitions at multiple museums on the museums embankment or join a guided city tour. Here are some fun activities to discover around this historic city.

Fun times at the fisherman’s joust (August 4 – August 7)

One of the most popular attractions during the Main festival is the time-honoured ‘fisherman’s joust’ which will once again be staged on the Main. Here, participants attempt to knock each other out of their boats using long wooden poles. The main festival traditionally kicks off with a ceremony where wine is tapped from the Römerberg’s Fountain of Justice and concludes with a magnificent firework display best viewed from alongside the river.

Sampling apple wine on a walking tour (August 11 – 28) 

A walking tour tells the story of Frankfurt’s local beverage, annually celebrated at the Apple Wine Festival in mid-August. This specially themed tour vividly tells the story of Frankfurt apple wine, its traditions in Old-Sachsenhausen and the production process. Old Sachsenhausen attracts visitors with its rustic apple wine pubs and famous local Grüne Sosse dish, historic timber-frame houses and narrow laneways. Visitors can enjoy the relaxing summer atmosphere with a varied stage programme including live music with a glass of apple wine.

Hop on the Frankfurt river cruise (April to September) 

For thrill-seekers who are interested in seeing the Frankfurt skyline and surrounding area from an entirely different perspective, they can simply hop aboard one of the city’s many cruise ships and take in the sights of the metropolis from the majestic Main. The fun and scenic river cruises, lasting between 50-100 minutes, take visitors up and down the Main towards the Western harbour, past the city’s impressive skyline or the beautifully fashioned banks of the Main to the Gerbermühle, with a detour to Frankfurt Osthafen. A clear night only adds to the impressive views.

Museums Embankment Festival (August 25-27)

The ensemble of buildings of nationally and internationally important museums and art galleries that forms the Museumsufer or Museum Riverbank, is unique in Frankfurt. Art, culture, and music merge over three days into the spectacular Museum Embankment Festival. With an extraordinary programme from Frankfurt’s museums and numerous stage productions this is one of Europe’s largest cultural festivals. Visitors can choose their pick from amongst more than 30 exhibition venues, take in memorable concerts at the Alte Oper or stroll along the cosy Bergerstraße or through lively Sachsenhausen.

The highlight this year is British artist Banksy exhibition called The Art of Banksy – Without Limits comprises more than 160 works by the artist, including prints, photographs, lithographs, and sculptures, which are carefully reproduced with his stencil technique especially for the exhibition. Over the course of three days, the European financial centre presents itself in an entirely different light, when the art and culture comes alive.