Frankfurt Oder is, of course, characterised by waterfront living, not only with the river Oder, but also Lake Helene and Lake Katja. In fact, as many as 98 lakes and ponds and 178 running creeks and streams can be found within the city and its districts. Here you can enjoy the peace and quiet, soak up the sun or listen to 150 musicians on eight stages at the Helene Beach Festival, which lasts several days.

Frankfurt Oder is also a green city, with 16 parks and green squares. Lennépark is Frankfurt Oder's largest and most important park, with winding paths and the watercourse of the former moat. Laid out 180 years ago, making it Germany’s second-oldest public park, the 760-hectare city forest welcomes joggers at any time of the year and mushroom pickers in autumn. Residents can enjoy the green idyll right on their doorstep, at any time of the year.

There is a thriving musical scene in Frankfurt Oder, with the historic Concert Hall serving as the home of the Brandenburg State Orchestra, the leading orchestras in East Germany. Several music festivals take place in the city, including Transvocale, a festival celebrating world music, and an annual music festival on the Oder. Take a walk through Lennépark to the Kleist-Forum, where you will find a mixture of concerts, classical dramas, modern stagings, and a wide variety of music, from musicals to operettas. Two music schools and a singing academy with three youth choirs, a chamber choir, and a large choir are proof enough of Frankfurters' musical passion.

On the river, the island Ziegenwerder is a worthwhile attraction with beautiful parks, a theatre, cinema, restaurant, and seasonal cultural events. From January to December, the Modern Theater Oderland and the Theater des Lachens host a large number of performances. The Europa-Uni with the student theater festival Unithea is also the linchpin of cultural life in Frankfurt Oder.

Frankfurt Oder has a long literary history, not only because Heinrich von Kleist comes from the small town and is celebrated here with numerous events. The beautiful city and regional libraries opposite the town hall invite readers to browse their collection of more than 150,000 books.

The special character of Frankfurt on the Oder also includes its residents enthusiasm for sport: since the beginning of the modern Olympic Games in 1896, the town has produced a total of 14 Frankfurt Olympic champions. The sports center with the Brandenburg Olympic base and the elite sports school for talented young athletes can be found on Kieler Straße.

If you live in Frankfurt an der Oder, you can look forward to exciting neighbors: Just one kilometer away, on the other side of the Oder, is the small Polish town of Slubice. Due to its proximity to Poland, Frankfurt Oder plays a special role in German–Polish relations and European integration. The European University Viadrina, which is based in Frankfurt, has one of its buildings in Poland, in the neighbouring town of Słubice.

The university also has a number of projects and initiatives dedicated to bringing Poland and Germany together, and offers its students free Polish courses. Many students choose to live in Frankfurt Oder as an alternative to more expensive university cities, like Berlin. Travelling in the other direction, many students take advantage of the courses available at Frankfurt Oder’s university, while still being based in Berlin and enjoying everything the city has to offer.

The Spreewald can be reached in just 70 kilometers to the south of Frankfurt (Oder), and the Niederfinow boat lift is 80 kilometers to the north. Slightly further away, but certainly no less significant, Berlin has an outsized influence on Frankfurt. __It is conveniently located only 80 kilometres away from Frankfurt (Oder)__, making it a practical base for commuters who work in the city, but call Frankfurt Oder home. All the benefits of big-city life are easily accessible to Frankfurt an der Oder’s residents: Alexanderplatz can be reached via the regional express train in only 40 minutes.

Aside from its closeness to Berlin, Frankfurt Oder is well situated, with many other cities and attractions within close vicinity. Lake Helene, a pretty, man-made lake, is easily accessible by bicycle. Neuzelle Abbey, a Cistercian monastery built in the Baroque style, is only 35 kilometres south of Frankfurt by car, the Spreewald is only 70 kilometres away, and the Niederfinow Boat Lift lies 80 kilometres northwards. Potsdam is an easy daytrip away.