Frankfurt has a dune! Even if you ask locals, they often won’t know. But it actually is a beautiful piece of true nature the buzzing city has to offer, which was declared a nature reserve in the eighties.

Parts of the short hiking trail are on broad walks (only around 500m) and offer views into the primeval forest and the sands of the dune. It’s an excellent experience in the different seasons of the year. I love to go in autumn when the colors turn to a hint of Indian Summer in Frankfurt. When you take the round back, the path leads along grassland with fruit trees, which of course are very pretty in spring when they blossom.

Many people come here by bike from downtown along the river (notice: riding bikes is not allowed on the broad walk, but they can be pushed). I enjoy commuting into Hoechst and then taking the ferry boat (yes, the one and only real little ferry boat on the premises of Frankfurt! – I’ll write a special on this one some day). From the ferry boat it’s a small walk through fields and gardens to Schwanheimer Düne.

A perfect little weekend destination just on the other side of the river.