Hesse is the central German state anchored by Frankfurt am Main, the country's financial capital and home to its busiest airport, yet its political capital is the quieter spa town of Wiesbaden across the Rhine-Main region. Beyond the Frankfurt skyline, Hesse holds the Rheingau wine region along the Rhine, the half-timbered university town of Marburg on its steep hillside, the fairy-tale city of Kassel with its UNESCO-listed Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, and the Lorsch Abbey ruins, another UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the Carolingian era. The state sits at the geographic heart of Germany and along the Fairy Tale Road associated with the Brothers Grimm, who were born in Hanau and worked in Kassel.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Hesse through its food.
Frankfurt Apfelwein Trail Walking Tour
A guided walking tour through Sachsenhausen's Apfelwein taverns, stopping for tastings of apple wine, Handkäs mit Musik, and Frankfurter Würstchen while learning the neighborhood's brewing and tavern history.
Includes: Walks Sachsenhausen's historic Apfelwein tavern quarter · Tastings at two to three traditional taverns · Handkäs mit Musik and Frankfurter Würstchen included · English-speaking guide covers Apfelwein brewing history · Small-group pace suited to photography and questions
Secret Food Tours Frankfurt
A small-group tasting walk through central Frankfurt and Sachsenhausen, combining Apfelwein, Handkäs, and other Frankfurt specialties with commentary on the city's food history.
Includes: Five to six tastings at independent Frankfurt eateries · Mix of Sachsenhausen and central Frankfurt neighborhoods · Apfelwein and Handkäs mit Musik tastings included · Local guide narrates Frankfurt's culinary history · Small groups capped at around a dozen guests
Kleinmarkthalle Food Market Tour
A guided walk through Frankfurt's covered Kleinmarkthalle, stopping at individual stallholders for tastings of cheese, cured meat, spices, and prepared food from vendors who have traded in the hall for decades.
Includes: Tastings at four to six long-established Kleinmarkthalle stalls · History of the market hall dating to 1954 · Cheese, cured meat, spice, and prepared-food sampling · Guide familiar with individual vendors and their specialties · Compact route entirely inside one covered market hall
Genussakademie Frankfurt Grüne Soße and Handkäse Cooking Class
A hands-on cooking course teaching classic Frankfurt dishes including Handkäse tartare on caraway bread and grilled salmon with Grüne Soße, ending with a shared meal of the finished dishes.
Includes: Hands-on preparation of Handkäse tartare and Grüne Soße salmon · Seven-herb Grüne Soße sauce made from scratch · All ingredients and kitchen use included · Shared meal of the finished dishes at the end of class · Small-group instruction suited to home cooks
Frankfurt for Cooks Osthafen Workshop
A hands-on cooking workshop in an event kitchen in Frankfurt's Osthafen district, led by local gastronomy professionals covering regional and international techniques.
Includes: Hands-on workshop in an Osthafen event kitchen · Instruction from local gastronomy professionals · Mix of regional Hessian and international techniques · All ingredients and kitchen use included · Shared meal of the finished dishes with the group
Castles and Abbeys Rheingau Vineyard Tour
A guided half-day tour through Rheingau vineyards from Rüdesheim, visiting an independent tasting room in a former distillery and stopping at historic wine estates for Riesling tastings.
Includes: Half-day route through Rheingau vineyards from Rüdesheim · Tasting room set in a former distillery · Riesling tastings at historic wine estates · Transport included between vineyard stops · Guide with dedicated Rheingau wine expertise
WINEAROUND Rüdesheim Old Town Wine Tasting Walk
A self-paced ticketed wine tasting route through Rüdesheim's historic town center, moving between multiple wine bars and cellars sampling Rheingau Riesling at each stop.
Includes: Self-paced ticketed tasting route through Rüdesheim's old town · Riesling pours at multiple participating wine bars and cellars · Flexible timing without a fixed group schedule · Route map guides visitors between historic tasting houses · No live guide required, suited to independent exploration
Rheingau Half-Day Wine Tour from Kloster Eberbach
A half-day guided wine tour through the Rheingau starting at the medieval Kloster Eberbach monastery, visiting award-winning vineyards for Riesling tastings and history on German monastic winemaking.
Includes: Starts at the medieval Kloster Eberbach monastery · Riesling tastings at two to three award-winning vineyards · History of German monastic winemaking included · Guide with dedicated Rheingau viticulture expertise · Transport included between monastery and vineyard stops
Rüdesheimer Kaffee Flambé Tasting, Assmannshausen
A table-side demonstration and tasting of Rüdesheimer Kaffee, the flambeed coffee drink invented locally in 1957, made with Asbach Uralt brandy, sugar, and whipped cream.
Includes: Table-side flambé preparation of Rüdesheimer Kaffee · Drink invented in Assmannshausen in 1957 · Made with Asbach Uralt brandy, sugar, and whipped cream · Background on the coffee's local invention story included · Short format suited to individuals or small groups
Hessische Bergstraße Wine Route Tasting Tour
A guided tasting tour through the Hessische Bergstraße near Bensheim, Germany's earliest-blooming wine region, visiting small family estates for tastings of Riesling and Grauburgunder.
Includes: Tastings at two to three family wine estates near Bensheim · Riesling and Grauburgunder wine focus · Walk through orchard and vineyard terraces · Guide with local Bergstraße viticulture background · Germany's earliest spring blossom region
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Hesse's food scene.
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Hesse home with you.
Genussakademie Frankfurt Hessian Cooking Course
Frankfurt for Cooks Osthafen Workshops
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Book Frankfurt Apfelwein and cooking-class experiences at least a few days ahead, since small-group tours and classes have limited capacity
Grüne Soße is only made from the fresh seven-herb mix between May and October, so a cooking class or tasting booked outside that window may use a frozen-herb version
Rheingau vineyard tastings and Drosselgasse wine taverns get busiest on summer weekends; visiting on a weekday or booking ahead avoids the largest crowds
Carry cash for smaller Sachsenhausen taverns and Rüdesheim wine cellars, where card payment is not always available
Combine a Kleinmarkthalle market visit with a Sachsenhausen Apfelwein tavern walk on the same day, since both are within a short walk of central Frankfurt