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Frankfurt: My Travel Diary

My fairy tale adventures in Frankfurt: A Travel Diary.

By Kate O’Brien.

I did not expect to go on two trips in January. On Christmas Day, roughly two hours after my Mam surprised me by telling me that she and I were headed to NYC, my boyfriend surprised me by telling me that he and I were headed to Frankfurt … three days later.

To say I was shocked and delighted would be an understatement. So I landed in Dublin from NYC on a Monday morning and on Thursday I was back in Dublin airport with my repacked suitcase, ready for a snowy adventure.

This was my second time travelling to Germany, but my first ever visit to Frankfurt so I was very excited to see a new city for the first time. By now you all know that I love a literary inspired trip, and Frankfurt did not disappoint.

Frankfurt is a city packed with culture, at times it felt like we were seeing museums on every corner. The city was cold and crisp, very cold in fact. I loved seeing snow topped trees as the plane was landing, and we arrived to snow on the ground and icicles on railings. It was the winter trip of my dreams, and I thoroughly enjoyed being bundled up as we explored.

One of my favourite things about Frankfurt is that it is a very walkable city, aside from getting the metro here and there for ease, we found ourselves walking everywhere. The city was very easy to navigate and we enjoyed seeing the beautiful buildings as we walked around.

I love city breaks, but I always feel as though there is so much more I want to do, which is why I make a list of reasons to go back! Frankfurt was no exception, there are many things that I wish we got to do, so I’m sure we will be returning at some point in the future, however we did get to do some amazing things while we were there, if you’re looking for travel inspo, I’ve got you covered.

We stayed in the Hotel Schopenhauer Hof, which was an ideal spot beside the river.

We were lucky as we had a fabulous river view from our room. We were a five minute walk away from the Iron Footbridge, from Römer, and from the Frankfurt Cathedral, and we were surrounded by some amazing spots for food and drinks.

As two film lovers, we couldn’t go to Frankfurt and not visit the German Film Museum.

For only €6 each, we had a wonderful afternoon exploring the exhibitions. This museum is home to original sketches and storyboards from Disney classics such as Peter Pan and Snow White, face moulds and masks from Star Wars, and one of the original aliens from Alien. It was really amazing to see such an appreciation and love for films on display.

One of the most beautiful spots was Römerberg, a historical square that is home to gorgeous, mediaeval buildings and bustling markets. I would imagine this square is absolutely beautiful on a bright, warm, summer day, but we loved it in the snow just as much.

We loved wandering the city and seeing where the day would take us. We explored some amazing book shops and antique shops. I was particularly thrilled to find a collection of wooden nutcrackers in an antique shop, and I’m only sorry that none of them would fit in my suitcase.

I am a fairy tale lover, so much so that for my master’s dissertation I focused on fairy tales.

This trip was partially a Christmas gift, and partially to celebrate that I have received my master’s degree in Children’s and Young Adult Literature, so we simply had to have an adventure and visit some of the spots on the German Fairy Tale Route.

My dream is to one day do a road trip to complete more of the stops on this route, however this trip was the perfect beginning. The journey from Frankfurt to Hanau is only thirty minutes on the metro, so a day ticket was purchased and off we set to the home of the Grimm Brothers.

The Brothers Grimm National Monument is the starting point of the German Fairy Tale Route.

The statue sits in the Am market and it is the focal point of the busy village square. The statue features the brothers, we can see that Wilhelm Grimm is sitting down while Jacob Grimm is standing beside him. Local legends suggest that Jacob and Wilhelm secretly swap places at midnight, which is a story that I’m fond of as it sounds like a fairy tale that the brothers would create.

Fairy tale lovers can also enjoy the Hanau Fairy Tale Path. There are statues all around Hanau, depicting scenes from Grimm fairy tales. We loved seeing each statue and seeing which tale it was from as we walked around. It was very special to see fairy tales being celebrated this way.

We also visited Philippsruhe Castle, where the Historical Museum of the city of Hanau is located. The GrimmsMärchenReich, the first Brothers Grimm interactive museum in Germany, is located in the right wing. This might have been my favourite part of the trip, although it is hard to pick just one favourite thing. Visiting the castle grounds made me feel like I had stepped into Beauty and the Beast. The grounds were blanketed in sparkling, white snow. Fountains and lakes were completely frozen over, all gleaming under a crisp blue sky. It was picturesque.

The museum itself was stunning. High, stucco ceilings, breathtaking chandeliers, the most beautiful ballrooms and drawing rooms with paintings, cabinets, and other pieces on display, taking a walk through this place was like walking through a storybook. Not only did we get to enjoy some history, but we got to enjoy the fairy tale exhibit too. The whispering corridor, which features open fairy tale books that whisper to you as you walk by, was a highlight for me. I felt like a little girl again. Young children have the option to explore the fairy tale exhibit in costume, and it was fantastic to see young kids having such a wonderful time. There’s magic to be found in stories and I loved embracing the magic of it all. I especially loved that there was a glass slipper placed on the grand staircase, implying that perhaps a runaway princess had recently fled.

I would love to return in the summer as the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale Festival takes place in the amphitheatre, and I would love to see the paper theatre museum which is currently being renovated. I would also love to see the castle grounds on a bright, sunny day.

We also visited the gold and silver museum in Hanau, which was lots of fun. I’m a big jewellery fan and I enjoy looking at different pieces so I enjoyed wandering through these exhibits. There are some stunning pieces of jewellery on display in this museum, and I loved seeing the artistic craftsmanship through time.

While in Frankfurt we visited some lovely restaurants. We loved IIMORI, a little café that was home to roses, books, and other sculptures. We enjoyed breakfast here. The croissants were delicious, and it was a beautiful spot. One of the best meals we had was at Jamy’s Burger. This restaurant was beautiful. The burgers were amazing, and if you go I cannot recommend the dirty fries enough. The cocktails were delicious as well as beautiful to look at, and the staff couldn’t have been nicer. The price was also very reasonable so win wins all round.

I think our favourite restaurant was a place called Panamaa. This place was a two minute walk outside the door of our hotel. We ate there twice and had quite a lot of drinks there. The atmosphere was lovely, the place was lit by candles, warm lights, and star fairy lights hung everywhere. This spot was slightly pricier, but if you’re looking for a romantic treat, it is ideal. If you like cosmopolitans, this is the place to order one.

On our last morning in Frankfurt we had breakfast at Kaffeehaus Goldene Waage, and it was amazing. This place was just beautiful. The decor made us feel like we had stepped back in time to a vintage tea house. The coffees and hot chocolates were rich and indulgent. The selection of cakes was unbelievable, everything looked delicious, and the outside of the building looked like a fairy tale building from a storybook. Nearly every single building in Frankfurt looks pretty, this is the lesson we learned. If you enjoy appreciating architecture then this is a city you need to visit.

Frankfurt is most definitely on my must visit again list. I want to go back and do the river cruise. I’d like to explore other museums, particularly the animation museum. I’d like to go back to visit the paper theatre museum, and I’d like to time my trip to align with the fairy tale festival and perhaps go on further to explore more of the fairy tale route.

I couldn’t have loved this trip more. It was the most incredible surprise.

I hope anyone who goes enjoys themselves as much as I did.

Make sure you follow me on Instagram @katelovesliterature if you don’t already for all updates about what is coming up next.

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NYC: MY TRAVEL DIARY

The City That Never Sleeps: My NYC Travel Diary

By Kate O’Brien.

On Christmas Day my Mam surprised me when she told me that we were going to New York.

My family had been to New York when I was a toddler, so it is safe to say that I don’t remember that trip. It’s always been a dream of mine to go to see the city that never sleeps and it has been on my travel bucket list for a long time. You can imagine my shock and delight when I found out that I was actually going to get to see NYC!

I love seeing new places, and adding some literary gems to my trips is always the goal. I couldn’t wait to get to the creative hub that is New York City, the place is always buzzing with noise and energy.

If you want some travel inspiration then look no further! I hope you’ll enjoy my travel diary.

We stayed in NYC for five nights and I’ve decided to break this travel diary down into three parts …

Travel and Accommodation

Sights and Shows

Food and Drink

Let’s Dive In …

Travel and Accommodation

We flew with United Airlines from Dublin to Newark, New Jersey. The flight was roughly six hours long, and I was happy to have slept for most of it. We landed at 11.15am local time which meant we had the whole day ahead of us, and travelling from Newark airport to Grand Central Station in NYC couldn’t have been easier. We hopped on the Coach USA airport shuttle which brought us directly from Terminal C to Grand Central. The route had just three stops so getting lost was close to impossible. Despite the journey being listed as one hour and thirty minutes, we found ourselves among the skyscrapers after only forty-five. The journey was smooth and quick, the only time we hit any traffic was when we came out of the tunnel in NYC as the streets were bustling and busy.

This trip was a surprise for me, so I was not involved in any of the bookings, but my Mam said she’d happily fly into Newark airport again if the flights were the better deal as getting to NYC from there is easy. I’d also have no complaints about doing this travel route again.

We stayed in The Fitzpatricks Grand Central Hotel directly across from Grand Central Terminal.

This couldn’t have been a better location. We were right in the heart of the city. We were able to walk to Grand Central Station, Fifth Avenue, Times Square, and we were exactly three minutes away from the Chrysler building so every evening when we were walking back to our hotel, we saw the skyscraper lit up. It was a gorgeous sight.

*Please note this is not a paid review, nor is this piece an ad or sponsored in any way, but we believe in giving credit where credit is due.*

I want to take a moment to publicly praise the staff at The Fitzpatrick Hotel. They couldn’t have been nicer, and they made our stay so fantastic. Every morning we would see familiar faces at check in, and they were also so helpful to my Mam when she was explaining how she wanted to surprise me. We loved every minute of our stay, and not only would we highly recommend it, but we will be staying there again if we return to NYC in the future (and we hope to do just that!). We want to shout out Sarah, Jeff, Alexis, Brendan, and Evan in particular as they were so kind.

The hotel itself is beautiful, our rooms were spotless and comfy. There is a restaurant and bar onsite, the location is ideal. It truly is a perfect spot.

Sights and Shows

We spent our five days walking the city and seeing the sights. In my London travel diary, I talked about the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus tours. I can’t recommend these tours enough. I think they’re such a great way to see a new city. We purchased the twenty-four hour ticket in NYC. We sat on the top of the bus, wrapped up in hats, scarves, and gloves because NYC in January is cold! We didn’t care though because we were having a ball. We did the Uptown tour, the Downtown tour, and the river cruise so we could see the Statute of Liberty. It was a picturesque, scenic day, and driving around and seeing all of the iconic landmarks was surreal.

If you want my biggest travel tip, look no further … Do the river cruise at night!

The river cruise was two hours long and we opted to take the four o’clock cruise, this meant that when we got on the boat, the sky was slowly changing colour and that famous NYC skyline was starting to sparkle as it lit up. We went along the river, listening as our wonderful tour guide told us all about the city and the iconic landmarks that it is home to and then we saw Lady Liberty herself. Lit up, striking and tall. As we were returning to our dock, it was six o’clock and it was dark, so we got to see how beautiful Brooklyn Bridge is when it is all lit up and dazzling. The view was breathtaking, and while I did take lots of photos, none of them do that view justice. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was truly amazing. A moment I won’t forget for a long time.

Being in Times Square was another surreal moment. I am aware that I sound like a walking cliché, but it did feel like being in a movie. Everything is so big and you feel so small among those tall, concrete buildings. The place is so loud too. Music is playing, horns are honking, taxis are everywhere, there are food trucks on every block and corner. The saying that NYC is the city that never sleeps rings true. The place is just always moving, always loud, and there is a fantastic buzz in the air. The atmosphere is amazing, and I understand completely why the city is often highlighted as a place where dreams can come true.

We went to see the Plaza hotel, the Met, Tiffany & Co., Saks and the other Fifth Avenue gems. We went to Hudson Yards and the World Trade Center memorial, we got to see the Flatiron building, Radio City Music Hall, the Empire State Building, and of course, we got to see the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

My Mam, the ultimate travel planner, knows that Christmas is my favourite time of year. She knows that I have always wanted to see the big tree so she planned the trip around dates when it would still be up even though we were going in January. We got to see the tree before it came down and it was worth going to New York for. It is big, tall, bright and beautiful. We saw the skaters underneath and the lights all around. The atmosphere was fun and festive, and I’m so glad that I got to see the city decorated so beautifully.

I couldn’t go to NYC and not go to see a Broadway show. My Mam and I went to see Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway and it was a spectacular night! The show runs in the New Amsterdam theatre, which is an absolutely beautiful theatre. The show was magical, pardon the pun. The cast were phenomenal. The Broadway show is the iconic movie brought to life with new shows and characters added for the stage, so the story is one we all already love, and the score is one that has long made an impact on us. It was the first time that my Mam and I got to see a show on Broadway, and we both loved it. It was bright, vibrant, beautiful, full of life and spectacle. The magic carpet scene in particular made me feel like a little girl again. I am so happy that I got to see a show on Broadway. I didn’t know that my Mam had bought us tickets, I had no idea about the entire trip which should be obvious by now, so I actually have tickets to see Aladdin when the touring production comes to Dublin later this year. I’m really excited to see it again, I always love seeing how touring productions may differ from their original venues, so I look forward to writing a more detailed theatre trip discussion after I see the show again in Dublin.

Food and Drink

Let’s start with the obvious, NYC is an expensive city. Restaurants can be expensive, fast food can be expensive, but we did find a few places that we enjoyed.

We ate in the Wheeltapper bar and restaurant in our hotel twice. We did this out of ease, as it was onsite. The food was nice, the place was lively, and it was handy.

When it came to breakfasts, we went to The Comfort Diner for breakfast on our first morning. It gave me Twin Peaks vibes, but in the best way. We had a big, American breakfast. Pancakes, French toast, eggs, bacon, the works, and coffee in gigantic mugs. It was pricey, but we really enjoyed it and it set us up for the day.

We didn’t plan this in advance, but the way our days tended to play out was that we’d eat a fairly decent breakfast, set out for the day, and while we did grab coffee and cold drinks during the sightseeing, we usually didn’t eat again until dinner.

On the other mornings we kept things simple and grabbed coffee and doughnuts at Dunkin’. We also discovered that Wendy’s make a very nice breakfast bap.

In the hotel they recommended that we visit Junior’s because the cheesecake is fantastic. They warned us that it is a tourist spot so expect it to be busy, but I had to try New York cheesecake in NYC so off we went. The place was very nice and we got there at one o’clock which seemed like a great time as it wasn’t empty but it wasn’t full either so we got a table without any wait. The cheesecake was really lovely, and I’d go there again. The menu looked very nice too although we didn’t eat a big meal, we just got cheesecake, coffee, and pastry. It was getting very busy when we were leaving at around two, so I think we were lucky to get a table when we did.

My favourite restaurant of the trip was the Carnegie Diner on 57th Street. The food was delicious. We had dinner there before Aladdin. We were in the middle of the city. The staff were so kind. I had a delicious cocktail and places get bonus points if they offer great cocktails. This spot was ideal and I’d love to go there again someday.

We normally stay away from Irish bars while we are away however we were told that the Killarney Rose is a brilliant spot so we also had dinner there one night. We enjoyed it, we’d go back. I had a cosmopolitan there and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here’s another tip … if you want to find reasonable drinks, visit The Olive Garden in Times Square. On the bottom floor they have a full bar and the cocktails were only seven dollars, which in NYC is a steal. It is also in the middle of Times Square so you’re taking in the lively atmosphere while you’re enjoying a sit down and a good drink.

Obviously NYC is a huge, diverse, vibrant city and I’m not even scratching the surface of all of the amazing dining experiences that are on offer – another reason to plan a trip back!

I keep my private life private and I won’t gush about my Mam online because she’d kill me if I did, but being in NYC with her (and some other family who ended up surprising us as well!), was a dream.

She planned the most fantastic trip. We had an amazing time. We loved every single second, and all I’ll say is that I am one lucky woman.

For more travel diaries, stay tuned.

Up next … Frankfurt, Germany.

Make sure you follow me on Instagram if you don’t already @katelovesliterature @yourbookorminepod