Frankfurt is the one German city with a skyline, and the locals have a nickname for it: Mainhattan. A cluster of glass towers rises from the north bank of the river Main, the banking district, and you can see it from the Taunus hills on clear days. The rest of the city is more modest than the towers suggest. The old centre was heavily bombed in the war and has been rebuilt in places, with the Römer, a medieval town hall with stepped gables, restored on its square and the Cathedral of St Bartholomew, where emperors were crowned, still standing by the river.
History is surprisingly rich. Goethe was born here in 1749 and his house is a museum, and the Paulskirche, a round church near the Römer, was the seat of the first freely elected German parliament in 1848. The south bank, Sachsenhausen, is the place for apple wine, called Apfelwein or Ebbelwoi, served in grey jugs with a patterned glaze in old taverns, and it is an acquired taste worth acquiring. Frankfurt is also the home of one of the busiest airports in Europe, and the sound of planes comes and goes on the western side.
For a rider the city is a base rather than a destination. The roads are busy, with trams, one-way systems and a lot of traffic lights, and low-emission zones apply in the centre. Once you break through the commuter belt, the Taunus to the north-west rises into forested hills with the Feldberg at around eight hundred and eighty metres, and the roads there are among the best near the city, with bends, gradients and good surfaces. Weekends bring a lot of other bikers, so early starts help. The Limes, the old Roman frontier, runs through this country too, and the fortlet at Lochmühle is one of its small outposts.
Fuel is no problem at all. Stations are on every main road, and the city has bakeries and cafes in every neighbourhood. Parking a motorcycle in the centre is possible with a little patience, and a stroll along the riverside paths is a pleasant way to wake up before the ride. Late autumn can bring thick river fog that lingers until midday, so give yourself time and visibility.