Palmengarten (Frankfurt Botanical Garden)

The Palmengarten in Frankfurt am Main is one of Germany's best-known botanical gardens and a green escape just outside the city center. Spread over about 19 hectares (47 acres), it shows around 9,000 plant species outdoors and in historic glasshouses – from a grand 1869 palm house to tropical biomes and a butterfly house. With ponds, playgrounds, concerts and seasonal light shows, it is one of the most relaxing things to do in Frankfurt, rain or shine.

Where it is and how to get there

The garden lies in the leafy Westend district, a short subway ride northwest of the Old Town. There are two entrances:

• Siesmayerstrasse 63 (main entrance): subway U6 or U7 to Westend, or bus 75
• Palmengartenstrasse: subway U4, U6 or U7 to Bockenheimer Warte, streetcar 16, or buses M36, 50 and 75

From Frankfurt Airport, take the S-Bahn to the Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) and change to the U4 to Bockenheimer Warte – an easy trip on a layover. The Deutschlandticket is valid on all local lines. Drivers can use the paid underground garage below the Siesmayerstrasse entrance.

A garden founded by citizens

When Prussia annexed the Duchy of Nassau in 1866, Duke Adolph had to sell the exotic plants from his winter gardens at Biebrich Palace. Garden designer Heinrich Siesmayer brought them to Frankfurt, funding the project by selling shares to local bankers, publishers and merchants. The palm house opened in November 1869 and the garden on March 16, 1871. The city took over in 1931, the Tropicarium followed in the 1980s, and the butterfly house opened for the garden's 150th anniversary in 2021. In 2025 the Palmengarten welcomed more than 635,000 visitors.

What to see

• Palm House: a column-free iron-and-glass hall, 52.6 meters long and 18.5 meters high, built after a patent from the 1867 Paris World's Fair. Inside: palms, tree ferns, a waterfall and a fish pond.
• Tropicarium: 14 glasshouses that take you from rainforests and mangroves to savannas and deserts, including the rare Welwitschia from the Namib.
• Flower and Butterfly House: tropical butterflies fly freely around you; the new "flutter season" begins in October.
• Subantarctic House: plants from Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and New Zealand – a rarity among botanical gardens.
• Outdoor gardens: a rose garden, rock and heath garden, and old trees, including a yew believed to be over 350 years old.

From October 16, 2026, to February 7, 2027, the special exhibition "GartenUtopien" (Garden Utopias) is on show. From December, the popular Winterlichter light festival needs a separate ticket.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, the garden is open daily except December 24 and 31:

• March to October: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• November to February: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Glasshouses close one hour after the ticket desks.

Adults pay €9, or €10 during the special exhibition (October 16, 2026, to February 7, 2027). Kids and teens up to 17 get in free, seniors 67+ pay €8 and reduced tickets cost €5. No reservation is needed; buy tickets at the entrance.

Tips for families and visitors with disabilities

Allow at least two to three hours. Families will find a large playground, a water playground in summer, mini golf and – in the warmer months – rowboats and pedal boats on the pond (€10 per boat for 30 minutes). The main playground is set to be redesigned from fall 2026. Cafés include the Caféhaus Siesmayer at the main entrance and the Villa Leonhardi. Dogs are not allowed, except assistance dogs. The garden is certified by the German "Reisen für Alle" accessibility scheme; main paths are step-free, and wheelchairs can be borrowed at the Siesmayerstrasse desk.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes – especially if you want a break from the skyline. Combine it with the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, a short walk from Bockenheimer Warte, or ride the subway back downtown to the Main Tower and Goethe House.