Hesse

Understand

thumb|Column of phonolite rocks on Dalherdakuppe in the Rhön Mountains What is now Hesse was governed mostly by two states, Hesse-Darmstadt and Hesse-Kassel, both named for the residence of their ruling house. Other places like Frankfurt were de facto independent in medieval times already. Hesse, lying at the crossroads of Europe was an important place for trade and exchange and Frankfurt rose to a trade and financial center early on. Frankfurt still enjoys its status as the seat of many important banks (like the European Central Bank) as well as Germany's and Continental Europe's most important stock exchange, whose movements are followed by analysts and politicians throughout the world. This importance has led to Frankfurt being called "Bankfurt" or "Mainhattan" (a pun on the river Main it sits at). Despite being the biggest and most important city, Frankfurt is not the capital, nor are the historical residences Darmstadt or Kassel with that honor going to Wiesbaden instead, which in turn is just across the river from Mainz, the capital of neighboring Rheinland-Pfalz. Hesse has a lot of highlands, mostly in the North but also to the East and West. The valley of the Main is the main lowland and also a major center of population with cities like Frankfurt, Wiesbaden or Darmstadt. In the North Kassel is the most important city, which was one of the first to be connected to Germany's high speed rail network, when a new line was built from Würzburg to Hannover, running mostly No…

Get around

There are large regional networks of local public transport: Nordhessischer Verkehrsverbund (NVV) providing all local public transport in north Hesse including Bebra and Kassel. Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV), providing all public transport in Frankfurt, Darmstadt, Hanau, Wiesbaden and the surrounding area. The VRN (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar) also provides local public transport in the far south of Hesse around Bensheim.

The three VVB offer a wide range of discounted local travel tickets for their own regions, details of which can be found on their own websites, and also cooperate to offer a state-wide ticket:

The "Hessenticket" is valid for day-long travel (not before 0900 Monday-Friday) on local (RB/RE) trains and on all modes of public transport in the RMV, NVV and VRN areas in Hesse (and also Mainz) for up to 5 people. The 2018 price is €35; unlike most other Ländertickets, the Hessenticket still comes only in the one, full price version: there are no price variations for smaller groups. See this official plan for the full area covered.

For travel beyond the borders of Hesse, German Rail offer the "Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket" [detailed link in German] (2018 price €44 + €6 each for extra travellers, up to €68 for 5 passengers) giving day-long unlimited travel at weekends on local trains and some other local transport nationwide (see this PDF for full details, in German), and also offer the "Quer-durchs-Land Ticket" (Travel throughout Germany Ticket) [detailed link i…

See

Frankfurt's skyline of high-rises clustered in the city centre is a rare sight in Europe. Wiesbaden with Kurhaus (spa house), it is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe with 26 (today: 14) hot springs. Not necessarily touristy Rüdesheim, but the Middle Rhine Valley of the river Rhine with its castles and vineyards such as Schloss Vollrads in Oestrich-Winkel. Eberbach Abbey in the Rheingau, a cistercian monastery where 'The Name of the Rose' was shot Hessenpark, near Bad Homburg, an open-air museum showcasing half-timbered buildings from the land of Hesse Also near Bad Homburg, reconstructed Roman Fort Saalburg. The "Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe" in Kassel is a major sight.

Do

Shopping, museums, opera, theater and ballet options abound in Frankfurt.

Hesse has much nature, and is good for outdoor life. Take a boat trip on the rivers Main and Rhine. Go canoeing on the Lahn river. Do some hiking up the Feldberg/Taunus or in the Spessart woods. The Rheinsteig walking trail passes through the Rheingau and the Middle Rhine Valley.

Eat

A vegetarian option for the daring is Handkäs mit Musik, literally: hand cheese with music, a traditional dish where dry, round, low-fat cheese is marinated in oil with caraway and raw onions (hence the "music"). Another Hesse specialty is Rippchen mit Kraut, cooked pork chops with loads of Sauerkraut. Not to mention the original Frankfurter Würstchen, which are essentially the same as Wiener. For pastries, try the Frankfurter Kranz (Frankfurt Wreath).

Drink

Local specialities include wine from grapes, especially white grapes, and from apples (a kind of cider). This apple wine (Ebbelwei or Ebbelwoi) may be enjoyed straight (pur) or mixed (gespritzt). The latter versions distinguish between "sweet" and "sour", i.e. mixed with either some citrus soda (Süßg'spritzter) or sparkling mineral water (Sauerg'spritzter).

Sleep

Across the state and the country is a dense network of Youth Hostels (membership required).

Go next

As a very central state of Germany – and the site of its biggest airport – this is a good starting point to explore the rest of the country. {| | |align=center|Lower Saxony | |- align=center |North Rhine-Westphalia | |Thuringia |- align=center | |50px | |- align=center |Rhineland-Palatinate | |Bavaria |- align=center | |Baden-Württemberg | |}