Rumor has it that even the most sophisticated customers will find something to entertain themselves in Frankfurt am Main. The seventh largest city in the country is famous not only for its historical center, but also for one of the largest shopping streets in Germany. Shopping enthusiasts traditionally travel along the Zeil pedestrian street. It houses branded boutiques, low-cost supermarkets, amazing shopping areas, and even a grocery market. Shopping in Frankfurt am Main is one of the favorite pastimes of tourists from Eastern Europe.
Shopping centers and so-called outlets (sites where branded items can be bought at discounted prices) in Frankfurt am Main are the most popular.
Tourists should be aware that shops close relatively early. Germany is believed to have the most stringent store opening laws (Ladenschlussgesetz).
On weekdays, small outlets are open until 19:00 or 22:00, shopping and entertainment centers close at 22:00.
On Saturday, the working day of shops can be reduced to 16:00, and Sunday is generally considered an unsuccessful day for shopping, because only the largest retail outlets and shops at gas stations, bus and railway stations remain open. 24/7 operation is extremely rare.
In addition to the time of visiting the selected stores, it is advisable to guess the season of sales. Summer (July and early August) and winter (late January - early February) sales are considered traditional in Germany in general, and in Frankfurt am Main in particular. "Black Friday" is not held as globally as in the US, but it is possible to "catch" discounts. Large shopping centers sell discounted collections all year round.
Shopping streets in Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt's most popular shopping street is the Zeil - Zeil. Green pedestrian area with many shops. Geographically, it is located between the Hauptwache (the metro station of the same name serves as a landmark for tourists) and Konstablerwache, in the heart of Frankfurt.
- On Zeil, shoppers can visit the Zeilgalerie, a shopping center with about fifty stores selling clothes from the brands New Look, H&M, Sisley, Benetton, YouDesign. There is also a massage room, beauty salon and several restaurants on site. And going up to the roof of the shopping center, you will find yourself on the observation deck and completely free of charge you can see the whole of Frankfurt at a glance.
- Frankfurt Hoch 4, another famous Golden Mile shopping area, is located next door. Inside you can find a scattering of shops with a varied assortment - clothes, cosmetics, interior items and even furniture are sold.
- The Hauptwache has two halls at once - below and above the ground. Once the premises were occupied by the guardhouse, then the prison and the police department. The building was built in baroque style and attracts attention from afar. Clothes, books, photographic goods, tobacco products are sold inside.
- There is another pedestrian zone between Hauptwache and Eschenheimer Turm (Eschenheim tower), there are clothing boutiques, crockery shops, porcelain points of sale are especially famous.
- For those wishing to purchase jewelry or designer clothes, we advise you to visit the Goethestrasse shopping street (Goethe street). Armani, Versace, Cartier, Tiffany - and this is not a complete list of brands whose products are sold on Goethe Street. In addition, works of art, optics and household goods are widely displayed.
- Let's go back to Hauptwache - a kind of landmark in the shopping world in Frankfurt am Main. To the west of the metro stop is Kaiserstrasse. The main attraction of the street is the huge BFG skyscraper. Inside it there is a shopping center, many clothing boutiques, audio and photo shops.
- The Kaiserstrasse connects the city center with the Central Station. Opposite is Dusseldorfer Strasse (Dusseldorfstrasse) - a real "temple" for those who love high-quality fur products.
- Near Hauptwache and Goetheplatz (Goetheplatz) can have a great time wishing to buy books, including antiques, as well as prints, paintings.
- Locals advise looking for old books and rare objects on Braubachstrasse (not far from the old part of the city (Romer)).
- Fresh vegetables, cheese, wine and many other products directly from the producers are sold at the Kleinmarkthalle on Thursdays and Saturdays, the official farmers' days.
- And how not to remember the Wertheim Village? After all, this is the place where all the women of fashion in the city dress stylishly and economically. Wertheim Village is a huge outlet located just one hour by car from Frankfurt. The most convenient way to get there is the dedicated Shopping Express® train, which departs from the Main Railway Station at 9.30 and 13.30 daily. The ticket costs from 20 euros. There are over a hundred boutiques in the village, open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
What to buy in Frankfurt am Main
Clothes and footwear, if you get into the sales season, are sold at significantly reduced prices. If you set yourself a goal, a tourist will certainly be able to find a branded item at an affordable price. After the release of new collections, many stores reduce prices for the previous ones by 50-70%.
Tourists are not advised to buy electronics in Frankfurt; difficulties with further service may arise if a person does not live in Germany permanently, and it is not so cheap. But you can buy cosmetics, dishes, buy, for example, traditional beer mugs or the famous porcelain manufacturer Meissen.
It makes sense to run into a jewelry store: items made of gold, silver and other precious metals in Frankfurt are sold cheaper than in Eastern Europe.
Alcohol as a gift from Germany is already a classic, Frankfurt am Main has its own alcoholic business card - apple wine. You can buy it at any supermarket.
And since we are talking about products, the famous German chocolate is sold in the same markets - it is relatively inexpensive and will definitely delight both kids and adults.
Duty free at Frankfurt airports
Frankfurt Airport is the largest in Germany. It is located 15 kilometers from the city center, has two terminals, as well as a well-developed infrastructure, including many duty-free shops. The duty-free zone of Frankfurt Airport consists of 30 departments and two hundred shops.
Most of the duty-free shops are located in the Schengen departure area on the Shopping Boulevard of Terminal 1.
The products of the brands Porsche Design, Marc O'Polo, Esprit, Tiffany & Co., Bvlgari, Hermès, Montblanc, Swarovski are sold. Visitors to the airport wishing to purchase a briefcase, backpack or bag will also be pleased - a wide range is offered by the Picard boutique, which operates next to gate B22.
A Lufthansa brand store, WorldShop, opened at the city's airport (central part of Terminal 1) with souvenirs and travel themed products such as suitcases.
Gifts +, also in a duty-free zone, offers a large selection of authentic German table decorations and souvenirs.
Traditional Duty Free with alcoholic products also works in Frankfurt am Main. Here you can not only buy standard drinks, but also choose something original. Some of the products are exclusive, the products are collected from all over the world.
How to issue a tax-free
When purchasing a product in a store that supports TAX FREE Global Blue, you must present your passport to the seller to fill out the form. The form contains passport data (in block letters), a fiscal receipt is pasted there. It is possible to put a seal on the letterhead during arrival at the airport, look for a sign with the inscription ZOLL (customs).
After checking at customs, you can receive money in cash at the airport ticket offices. In Terminal 1, the ticket offices are located in Concourse B airside on the second floor, in Concourse B landside on the second floor. They work from 6 am to 10 pm.
All forms of TAX FREE are accepted for payment, a fee of 3 euros is charged for each form, however, the refund can be transferred to your card at no additional cost.
In the second terminal, ticket offices are located in the hall in the airside (floor 3) and landside (floor 2) halls. The work schedule is from 8 am to 10 pm. Remember that you must check in at the airport before going to the customs office to get the stamp.
How to go shopping
Prices in Frankfurt am Main for clothes, shoes, household appliances, affordable branded items motivate many to visit the city especially for shopping.
It is possible to travel to Frankfurt on your own, for this you need to open a tourist visa. Travel agencies offer specialized shopping tours that include visits to the main shopping areas in Frankfurt and free time. And in fact, and in another case, you will need to issue entry documents.
The standard list of documents for obtaining a visa includes:
- international passport;
- internal passport;
- two color photographs of 3.5 x 4.5 cm;
- completed visa application form.
In addition, the tourist will have to provide financial guarantees and prove to the consul that it is planned to return home (it is for this purpose that they sometimes ask to provide certificates from the place of work, marriage certificate, documents on ownership of real estate).
Conclusion
Discounts in Frankfurt are an opportunity to save significantly, and for shopping lovers, the process of shopping itself will become a rest. Frankfurt am Main is convenient because it has several well-defined shopping areas. Walking along the Zeil street, for example, a tourist with a high degree of probability will be able to find anything, from clothes to household appliances.
