Frankfurt has a temperate continental climate, characterised by warm summers with occasional wet days, and cold winters. Temperatures are not extreme and never severe. Winters can bring occasional violent storms.

Frankfurt's diverse restaurant scene reflects the multicultural make-up of the city. Whether you're looking for German classics such as schnitzel and Eisbein and sauerkraut, local legends like Frankfurter Hacksteak, or the very best of international cuisine, you will find it here. Most traditional German restaurants are located in the Fressgasse pedestrian street, and in the Sachsenhausen area. The best Frankfurt restaurants serving modern and international cuisine tend to be in the city centre or Westend, while Nordend boasts some great cafés and a few ethnic restaurants. Frankfurt restaurants have various trading hours and it is best to call ahead and make reservations. Some Frankfurt restaurants include a service charge in the bill but if this is not the case, 10% is customary. Prices include a VAT charge of 19%.

Public transport in the city is expensive, but efficient, consisting of an integrated network of fast, modern underground U-Bahn lines, S-Bahn city trains, trams and buses that operate from 4am to 2am. Several night bus routes also operate from 1am. Fares are standard and are based on a zone system; most tickets are valid for an hour and can be used for any amount of transfers between all modes of public transport within that time. A variety of tickets can be bought from machines at most stops including hourly and daily passes, and tickets must be bought prior to boarding; single ticket fares are more expensive during rush hours. The Frankfurt Card(available from the tourist office) is good value allowing for unlimited travel within greater Frankfurt, plus airport shuttle transport and half price admission to museums. For those attending a conference in Frankfurt, the tourist office has a one-day Congress Ticket valid for unlimited travel in the city and to the airport. Taxis are safe and plentiful, but expensive. Driving a car in the city involves rush hour congestion, expensive parking lots and confusing road systems so it's best to park and use public transport while in the city.

Although parents would never bring children to Frankfurt for a holiday, there are plenty of worthy attractions for kids to enjoy. Parks and gardens are ideal in the summer months allowing children the space to let off some steam, while in winter or rainy weather there are plenty of child-friendly museums and exhibitions. Here are some ideas for entertaining the kids on a short visit to Frankfurt:

German is the official language. English is also widely spoken and understood.

The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents. ATMs and exchange bureaux are widely available. The major credit cards are becoming more widely accepted in many large shops, hotels and restaurants, although Germans themselves prefer to carry cash. Travellers cheques are best cashed at exchange bureaux, as banks often won't change them. The quickest and most convenient way to change money is to obtain cash from one of the ATM machines that are ubiquitous features on all German streets. Banks are closed on weekends, but exchange bureaux at airports and main railway stations are open daily from 6am to 10pm.

You might not expect a city known for its banking industry to have much of a nightlife, but with its high rollers and multicultural expats, Frankfurt parties hard after dark. So whether you're looking for an epic night in the club or a laid back session of jazz, Frankfurt will have what you're after. The best nightclubs for techno and house are U60311, Kingkamehameha Club and Cocoon, the latter rated one of the best clubs in the world. Theplace for jazz is the esteemed Jazzkeller, which draws big name artists from around the world. For opera and classical music see what's playing at the Oper Frankfurt and the venerable Alte Oper. Nightlife is clustered around the city's northern part near Fressgasse, Zeil and Römerberg. The cobbled lanes of Sachsenhausen are especially lively Latin, Irish and local joints. Local magazines Prinz and Journal Frankfurt have listings for Frankfurt's diverse entertainment scene.

Shopping in Frankfurt is not only about splurging on must-have items, but is also a taste and smell sensation with plenty of specialist food stores, cafés and delicatessens lining the Fressgasse, ready to recharge weary shoppers' batteries. The Zeil in Frankfurt is a large street where all the biggest stores and shopping centres can be found. This is the place to do a spot of clothes shopping, lazily browse through bookstores, or look for end-of-season sales at the mainstream stores. The Apfelwein district in Sachsenhause is where all the traditional German souvenirs such as the usual large ceramic beer jugs, German Steins, are available. Head on over to Goethestrasse where most the top-end designer shops and jewellery stores can be found. Schweizerstrasse, in Sachsenhausen, is home to exclusive boutiques and independent stores aimed at the trendier, younger market. Most Frankfurt shops are open from 10am to 10pm, from Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays, while Sundays sees the shops close. A VAT of 16% is added to most goods and services in Germany and when leaving the country, non-EU tourists can apply for a tax refund on any goods bought that are to be exported to a minimum value of EUR25.

Frankfurt has some beautiful attractions, both historic and cultural. Sightseeing in Frankfurt is best done in the summer months, when the weather is warmer and the days longer. For history buffs, some of the best Frankfurt attractions include the Well of Justice fountain in Romerberg Square, dating to 1541, and the Eschenheimer Turm, a medieval tower from the 15th century, as well as the Historical Museum which exhibits pieces a range of impressive artefacts from the Middle Ages. The Goethe-Haus is where the author of Dr Faustus, poet Johan Wolfgang von Goethe, was born in 1749. Cultural Frankfurt attractions include the Städel Gallery, which houses works by Renoir, while the Museum of Sculpture has works from ancient Greece and Rome. Visit the German Film Museum (Deutsches Filmmuseum) to watch one of the classics from its enormous collection, or perhaps stroll the vast plant kingdom found in Frankfurt's Botanical Gardens.

GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October).