Centuries of sibling rivalry between Offenbach and Frankfurt have led to such things as the totally unwarranted nickname ‘Awfulbach’ or the determined conviction of Frankfurters that Offenbachers cannot drive. (The OF license plate is said to mean ohne Führschein – no driver’s license). This competition can be dated back to 917, since the first documented mention of Offenbach. But in truth, Offenbach is simply its own friendly little town just outside the city of Frankfurt. One could call it a suburb of Frankfurt but for fear of being verbally abused by an Offenbach resident who prefers to think of it as its own great entity. There are plenty of parallels between the two cities. Both sit nicely along the Main (making Offenbach a perfect destination to get to by bicycle.) Second only to Frankfurt, Offenbach has the next highest population of foreign residents living there (13 per cent), and this remains a defining aspect of city life in both. Both are dependent on banking and other service industries for their survival. No doubt Frankfurt is the larger city with far more opportunities for nightlife and sightseeing, but Offenbach manages a friendliness and neighbourly atmosphere that the colder streets of Frankfurt could never manage.
Events

International Cultural Festival
Sep 4 & 5
Organised by international clubs and associations featuring music and dance performances and culinary diversity on Wilhelmsplatz.
20th Anniversary of Büsing Palace
Sep 26
A festival and concert commemorating 20 years of the restored palace at Büsing Palace.
Directions
Take the S1, 2, 8, or 9 to Offenbach Markt. The journey costs €3.25 one-way, or you can buy a regular one-way Frankfurt ticket (€1.70) and a Tageskarte (daily card, €3.80) for Offenbach. It’s quite a bit cheaper if you plan to use local public transport in Offenbach while you are in town. Once you are at Marktplatz, head over to the Tourist Information Centre, OF InfoCenter, Salzgässchen 1, 80 65 20 52, www.ofinfocenter.de. A free booklet with city map is available, but unfortunately only in German.
Shopping
Shopping in Offenbach is calmer and friendlier than shopping in Frankfurt although with essentially have the same shops – Offenbach does boast the only Toys ‘R’ Us in the area though. The Füssganger Zone runs along Frankfurterstrasse and Herrnstrasse making up the heart of the district. In summer one can generally find a beer festival or two on, with fresh fruit and vegetable stands dotted around. For the best and freshest produce, meats and cheeses, head down to Wilhelmsplatz. Every Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 08:00 - 14:00 fresh foods are brought in for the Farmer’s Market. For classic kitsch, one never knows what one might find at the Offenbach Flea Market, directly along the Main every Saturday from 07:00 - 14:00.
Sightseeing
There is no specific Old Town area, although a walk through the city gives you plenty of buildings to see that managed to escape bombing during the war and/or have been restored to full beauty. In the heart of town, just between the shopping area and the Main, is Lilipark and Lilitemple, named after Goethe’s beloved wife Lili Schönemann, an expansive piece of land with playgrounds for children. The Büsing Palace, now part of the Arabella Sheraton is a classic example of neo-Baroque architecture, but its interior is only accessible via the hotel.
There is also a Baroque castle in Rumpenheim, with its castle gardens (Schlosspark), just outside of Offenbach, directly on the Main, but it now serves exclusively as domestic dwellings, so you may only look, but not touch. To get to the castle in Rumpenheim, take the 101 Bus from Marktplatz to Marstallstrasse, and walk about 100 meters up the road to reach the castle and gardens. There is a fairly nice German restaurant and café called Zum Schiffchen (Schmiedgasse 8, 86 55 01) just next to the castle, which is ideal for cake and coffee in the afternoon.