A view of the Frankfurt skyline

It’s a city of short distances and is at its inviting best as you foot march through its streets. That’s what we did when every attempt to hop on to a tram failed miserably. And no, it wasn’t because we were languorous after an enormous meal at its happening Italian restaurant, Tomate, and too lazy to walk to the closest tram station. But, it was solely due to the fact that it was impossible to figure out the German road signs.

Apart from the fact that you’ll hit an occasional roadblock (like we did) if you know no German, Frankfurt is as tempting a holiday destination as any other. Yes, all the uppity banks (and bankers) are much in place, just as much as dry convention centres. But only, it’s not the dull city known best by sky-scraping high-rises. It’s definitely time for a double-check!

Tourists throng the Romerberg town centre in Frankfurt

A must do? Certainly that night stroll along the River Main that cuts through the city. It’s a sight for sore eyes. But before that, an amble through the Frankfurt’s streets reveals many gems. You’re sure to make a pit stop at Frankfurt’s Dom, or cathedral, which is pretty much a city symbol. Romerberg, of course, as it’s the town centre and a homing ground for tourists (hungry and otherwise). Stop for the delicious white tomato soup and more at Schwarzer Stern. From the Romer, it’s only a short walk to the River Main.

Tourists love to walk to the Eiserne Steg footbridge, which straddles the river and offers a great view of the city skyline. You’ll also find yourself on the museum embankment (well, some 14 museums are located on both sides of the river). One that you mustn’t perhaps miss is Goethe House and Goethe Museum that pays rich tribute to Germany’s favourite poet, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The house where the poet was born has been reconstructed and offers exhibits that document his life and works. This is a dreamy place to be in if you are high on literature.

Yet another surprise awaits all ye shopaholics. Your spending money goes pretty far and yes, it’s more than possible to shop-till-you-drop in Frankfurt. For high fashion, all roads lead to Goethestrasse (think Cartier and Tiffany’s). Not very far, Zeil, the shopping street, is where all the action is when you want to splurge some more.

The majestic tower of the Kaiserdom cathedral

The euro goes far and there are always some bargains and discounts that you can snap up. From the all-under-one-roof, Kaufhof, to every conceivable designer store — and even a 1 euro store (equivalent of The Dollar Store) — it’s all here at this promenade. And when you want to take a break from spending, step into the promenade and catch the action on the street. Street artists and wayside snack bars keep the excitement quotient high. Cap it all with servings of plump sausages and pitchers of frothy beer.

Any trip to Frankfurt should build-in a flying stop at Heidelberg, which is just an hour’s bus ride away. Yes, the town is all that you imagined it would be. Quaint in parts, breathtakingly beautiful in most, home to a famous castle as well as Germany’s oldest university. If you want to see the town and River Neckar sprawled at your feet, the way to go is by taking a 40-minute steep ride on the funicular railway.

For those who came in late, a funicular railway is in fact a mountain railway system, which operates with a pair of rail cars moving on parallel tracks (and in opposite directions). The USP is that they are pulled up and lowered by cables. Needless to say that this is a spectacular way of enjoying mountain views up, close and personal. In Heidelberg, the funicular tracks end at the highest point of the town and offer you the perfect spot for a photo op. Shutterbugs also shouldn’t pass up a click of the famed Heidelberg Castle that dominates the little town.

A little info nugget: Frankfurt has just gotten that much closer. The German carrier, Lufthansa has taken off between Calcutta and Frankfurt with what is the first direct connection between the cities. It’s a direct six-odd hour flight and if you choose to fly Business or First Class, you’ll enjoy seats that convert to sleeper-beds at the jab of a button.

Once in Frankfurt, there are more things to savour: German wine (especially of the Riesling grape variety), apple wine and the equally famous Frankfurt green sauce. Without doubt, there’s plenty that will keep you busy.

Route map

Checking out of Singapore has just got simpler. When you fly out, you can safely bypass the serpentine queues at the counters. You can now check in at any of the 14 auto check-in machines that have been set up at Changi Airport’s departure area, Terminal 2.
To collect your boarding pass, all you need is your e-ticket number, the Airline’s KrisFlyer card or the credit card used to buy the ticket. Even if machines daunt you, the easy-to-follow instructions will lead you through each step of the process. Singapore Airlines staffers will also be around for more assistance.

What’s more, the auto check-in machines display in eight languages: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, Hindi, Japanese, Korean and German. The machines do it all and also give you the option to select your seat. Next, you have to head for specific counters in the same area to send off your bags and get your travel documents stamped. The machines have been installed in a bid to reduce waiting time at the airport.

Alternatively, you can complete the entire check-in process on-line from the comfort of your home or office. All you have to do is to go to www.singaporeair.com to check-in for the flight, select your seat and print out the boarding pass.

You can do this between 48 to two hours before the flight time for all Singapore Airlines flights leaving Singapore. On the day of the flight, present the self-printed boarding pass together with the travel documents at specially designated airport counters for
verification and drop off your bags. It’s as easy as that. For more, go to www.singaporeair.com.