For a Half Day

Taunus: This line of hills to the north and west of Frankfurt provides a wooded setting for a number of famous spa towns including Wiesbaden, the capital of Hessen, and Bad Homburg, where hot saline springs are set in a beautiful park. From the attractive town of Königstein, the road continues to the Grosser Feldberg - the highest point in the Taunus at 881m (2,890ft). Most Taunus destinations can be reached by S-Bahn, but the area is probably best appreciated by car. While in the region, visitors are recommended to stop at the Open-Air Museum Hessenpark, Laubweg, Neu-Anspach (tel: (06081) 5880; www.hessenpark.de), which shows an original village of traditional half-timbered houses, inside and out. The museum is open daily from March to November. Trains run to Hessenpark from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (journey time - approximately 1 hour). Another major attraction in the area is the Saalburg, a spectacularly reconstructed Roman fort and museum close to Bad Homburg (tel: (06175) 93740; www.saalburgmuseum.de). The site is open daily (closed Mondays from November to February).

For a Whole Day

Heidelberg: Approximately one hour by IC train, 75km (46 miles) south of Frankfurt, lies one of the most visited towns in Germany. Heidelberg fulfils all expectations with its romantic setting on the banks of the Neckar, its gothic and Renaissance castle and the oldest university in Germany. The picture-perfect town is boosted by numerous lively festivals and popular student taverns. Tourist Information Heidelberg (tel: (062) 211 4220; www.cvb-heidelberg.de), located in the Hauptbahnhof (main railway station), can provide further information.

Rhein and Main tours: During summer, Primus Linie, Mainkai 36 (tel: (069) 133 8370; www.primus-linie.de) offers river trips to destinations on the Main and Rhein (Rhine) rivers, west of Frankfurt. Points of call include the legendary Lorelei headland (home of sirens), the wine village of Rüdesheim, St Goarshausen and Heidelberg. Although times and schedules vary, boats depart from the Eisener Steg (bridge). Return transport, if necessary, is often by train. A round trip to St Goarshausen takes approximately seven hours.