Opel Zoo in Kronberg. Wild animals on Frankfurt's doorstep.

Idyllically set in the Taunus foothills just outside Frankfurt, Opel Zoo is an exciting attraction with plenty on offer for kids and doubles as one of the city's many green spaces. Here, native and exotic animals, including elephants, enjoy plenty of space to roam in leafy surroundings.

Opel Zoo in Kronberg was founded as a research facility in 1956 by Georg von Opel. From the outset, the idea was to keep the animals in the best possible conditions, in enclosure as large and as similar to their natural habitat as practicable. That remains the zoo's declared aim.

Visitors can encounter around 200 species, among them giraffes, hippos, elephants and zebras, some of them endangered, in a setting that resembles their natural environment. Circular routes and educational trails lead visitors through the zoo's 27 hectare grounds, teaching and entertaining at the same time. Adventure playgrounds, a children's zoo, regular guided tours and excellent cafés and restaurants round off the attractions on offer. And anyone who's ever wanted to ride a camel can give it a try here.