Expect good weather, affordable rates, festive markets, and more during Frankfurt’s shoulder season.

Frankfurt may be Germany’s finance hub, with modern skyscrapers looming over its streets, but the country’s fifth-largest city also offers a number of cultural treats: fascinating museums, cozy cafes, a beautiful botanical garden, and a charming town square, to name a few. There’s plenty to do throughout the year, though shoulder season is an especially ideal time to visit.

In June and July, as Frankfurt experiences its balmiest temperatures and longest daylight hours (up to 16), tourist numbers climb. However, as the light fades and the trees turn golden come mid-September, clever travelers pack their bags to find Frankfurt’s true local charms. Here’s why you should plan a shoulder season getaway to Frankfurt.

Cheaper Stays

Traveling during the shoulder season means saving on peak season prices. Once October hits, airfare and hotel rates in Frankfurt quickly drop. Consequently, November often sees flight prices dip to their lowest all year, and even in December, hotel stays can be much cheaper than in the height of summer.

During a shoulder season visit, check out the quirky, eco-friendly Lindley Lindenberg, get a deal on old-world luxury at the Steigenberger Icon, or score an elegant room at Roomers, all for at least $100 less per night than peak summer prices.

Apfelwein Season

While many venture to Germany to sample hefeweizen at Oktoberfest, Frankfurt’s own apfelwein (alcoholic apple cider) is the state of Hessen’s most popular drink. From late September through November, this signature sour beverage is in season. Autumn visitors can enjoy apple picking at farms throughout the region and see the apple presses at work as the drink is bottled and freshly fermented. For the true Frankfurt experience, drink your apfelwein on tap at cellar bars and beer gardens, where locals serve it in classic blue and gray clay Bembel jugs. Try a variety of apple wines on tap at Der Buchwald and Daheim im Lorsbacher Thal, or sign up for an apple wine tour to taste varieties all over the city.

Good Views

Although Frankfurt is Germany’s center for finance and skyscrapers, it also contains a wealth of greenery, both in the city and at nearby Stadtwald (Frankfurt City Forest). As the leaves change, the city enjoys a visual feast. Frankfurt’s Main Tower, the city’s highest point, offers panoramic views of the changing landscape. Moreover, on the charming Berger Straße, restaurants provide outdoor seating with blankets for glimpsing the season’s kaleidoscope of colors. For a more detailed look at the changing foliage, visit Palmengarten, Frankfurt’s well-curated botanical gardens.

Christmas Markets

From late November through December, Frankfurt’s darkest central squares light up with Weihnachtsmarkts (Christmas markets), a traditional carnival with booths selling handmade gifts, cookies, and regional delights of the season. Stollen (braided Christmas bread), lebkuchen (German gingerbread), or Frankfurt’s traditional bethmännchen (crunchy, chewy marzipan cookie balls) are just a few must-try treats. Grab a traditional gluhwein (mulled wine), spiked with an optional shot of rum, or an eierlikor (an eggnog-like liquor) to warm your hands and stroll the market, seeking out hand-painted wooden nativity figures and other regional gifts. Each year, the market fashions decorative ceramic mugs for holiday beverages. Pay a small deposit (€3 to €5), which is returned when you bring it back, or forfeit the money and keep the mug as a holiday souvenir.

Frankfurt’s original Christmas market dates back to 1393 and traditionally included a performance of the Catholic “mystery plays,” or reenactments of Biblical stories, in the Römerberg quarter. Today, Frankfurt’s main Christmas markets pop up in Römerberg, Paulsplatz, Mainkai, Hauptwache, Friedrich-Stoltze-Platz, and Rösmakt.