Sunday Shopping in Frankfurt

[kmcqueen]

This is not strictly a Cruising question, but these boards are such a great resource...

 

My family will be travelling with my in-laws to Germany in the first week of April 2007, and we will be in Frankfurt on Easter Sunday. Everything I've read online indicates that there is extremely limited shopping on Sundays in Frankfurt. My in-laws insist that they spoke with a German tourism official who claims that the laws have changed and everything will be open on sunday. I think my in-laws are trying to ignore bad news (they love to shop) and are hoping that when we get there everything will be open. Does anyone have accurate timely information that would help me out here?

 

On a related note, if everything is indeed closed on Sundays, does anyone have recommendations for things to do on Easter Sunday in Frankfurt?

 

Thanks in advance,

[patkat]

I live in Germany - Munich which is in the state of Bavaria - but I can tell you that Easter Sunday shopping is HIGHLY unlikely. The Friday before Easter and the Monday after are also public holidays so you will probably have several days without shopping. Saturday is a normal shopping day however. Some states (like the one where Berlin is located) have relaxed their laws to allow later shopping hours/Sunday shopping, but I am not sure if Hessen (where Frankfurt is located) is one of them. Bavaria is still restricted - no Sunday shopping (except with special permits) and stores close at 8pm. And definitely no holiday shopping. Below is a link to a great website for English speakers in Germany - I would post your question on the Frankfurt forum. Even if you cannot shop on Sunday, you should be able to eat well (most restaurants are open and busy because of Easter) and check out some museums. I just checked the ones in Munich and they are open on Easter Sunday. I have only been in Frankfurt once and went to the Staedel Art Museum, which was very interesting, and to an Apfelwein (Apple Wine - i.e. Cider) Pub - the Apfelwein Pub Adolf Wagner.

 

I hope you enjoy your trip to Germany!

 

http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/index.php?showforum=88

[kmcqueen]

Thank you...that is very helpful! I was able to find the legislation for shopping in Hessen (the Hessisches Ladenöffnungsgesetz), and although my German is very rusty, it basically confirms what you stated is the case for Bavaria. Stores are allowed to open on 4 different Sundays during the year, but not on specific holidays (ie, Christmas, Easter), and I believe they need to get approval for each of those days that they wish to open. If you are interested, here is a link:

 

http://www.ihk-kassel.de/solva_docs/Hessisches_Ladenoeffnungsgesetz.pdf

 

Vielen Dank,

 

Kent

[HeinBloed]

Hi Kent,

 

this is Frankfurt calling!!!

 

Well first of all - you can just drive to the airport and shop there. There is nearly everything available even on Sunday. Same for the Central Station.

 

If you want to go shopping on Easter Sunday you must go to sea places as there are special regulations there. But it's too far away.

 

1. option - you go northbound on the River Rhine to see the Rhine Valley with all nice castles and LORELEY passing RÜDESHEIM (famous wine village) - one tour can be to take a local train to KOBLENZ, take a river boat to COLOGNE see the CATHEDRALE and return with a high-speed train to Frankfurt which goes 300 km/h.

 

2. option - you go southbound to HEIDELBERG which is located just about 80 km away from Frankfurt and see the castle.

 

3. option - if you are car enthusiastic go to STUTTGART and see the museums of MERCEDES-BENZ and PORSCHE.

 

4. option - if you like good food then go FRANCE to STRASBOURG, Alsace and having some good food and wine.

 

5. option - if you like classical music go to EISENACH in Thuringia. Follow the roots of JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, see the WARTBURG castle or the places MARTIN LUTHER was working.

 

That's the places I am taking my American and Asian friends to - and mostly they like it.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed, Germany