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Nuremberg Escapades: Top Places to Visit and Nearby Cities to Explore from Nuremberg, Germany

September 21, 2024

Travels & Escapades
Nuremberg, a city in Bavaria, Germany, is known for its medieval architecture, rich history, and cultural heritage. It was a significant center of the Holy Roman Empire, and its Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg) symbolizes its historical importance. Nuremberg was also known for its role during the Nazi era and the subsequent Nuremberg Trials.

Top Places to Visit:

1. Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg): A symbol of Nuremberg’s medieval significance.

2. Old Town (Altstadt): Enclosed by well-preserved city walls, featuring half-timbered houses and historic buildings.

3. Nuremberg Zoo: One of the largest zoos in Europe.

4. Nazi Party Rally Grounds: A historical site with a documentation center detailing the city's dark past.

5. Nuremberg Toy Museum: Showcases the city’s history as a toy-making center.

6. St. Lorenz, Nuremberg, the biggest church in Nuremberg

7. Nürnberg Hauptmarkt – Nuremberg’s Market Square

8. Gothic Frauenkirche (Roman Catholic church)

9. Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful fountain)

10. Altes and Neues Rathaus (Old and New Town Hall)

11. St. Sebaldus Church, Nuremberg, the oldest church in Nuremberg

12. Albrecht Dürer haus

Transportation System:

Nuremberg has a well-connected public transportation system, including trams, buses, and an efficient U-Bahn (subway) network. The main train station (Hauptbahnhof) serves as a hub for local and regional travel, connecting the city to various destinations across Germany.


Nearby Cities to Visit:

Bamberg: Known for its UNESCO-listed old town and medieval architecture.
Distance: ~60 km
Travel Time: 35-45 minutes by train

Rothenburg ob der Tauber: A picturesque town with well-preserved medieval charm.
Distance: ~80 km
Travel Time: 1.5-2 hours by train. The journey involves a transfer but it's comfortable and scenic.

Regensburg: Famous for its Roman and medieval architecture.
Distance: ~110 km
Travel Time: 1-1.5 hours by train

Munich: The Bavarian capital, known for its cultural attractions, Oktoberfest, and vibrant atmosphere.
Distance: ~170 km
Travel Time: 1-1.5 hours by train, High-speed trains (ICE) offer a fast and comfortable journey.

This was our second night in Europe and our first in Nuremberg. I still feel enchanted by this beautiful city, especially after tasting the best sausage I've ever had. I do regret not continuing my studies in German, as not many people speak or understand English here. However, we learned to be patient and not take it personally; hand gestures and pictures proved to be quite helpful!

Nuremberg has a complex history, having been a site for major Nazi rallies during the Third Reich (1933-1945). Consequently, it suffered extensive bombing during World War II, with the medieval city being 90% destroyed in just one hour by Allied forces. After the war, Nuremberg was lovingly restored to its pre-war state. The city also hosted the prosecution and trials of Nazi members after the conflict, marking its significance in history.

We arrived in Nuremberg at 17:24 on December 22, 2019, after leaving Berlin at 14:05 the same day. I purchased our tickets as soon as they became available on October 15, 2019. Typically, we can book 3 to 6 months in advance, but during the holiday season—from mid-December to the end of the month—availability can be unpredictable. We paid 159.60 euros for four first-class tickets.

Nuremberg is one of the major cities in the German federal state of Bavaria, the second largest after Munich, its capital. Interestingly, the world’s oldest globe can be found in Nuremberg at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (admission fee required).

We spent two nights at the Ibis Nuremberg Altstadt, conveniently located near many important sites. Upon arriving at the Nuremberg central station, we walked with our large luggage through the historic Königstor city gate to the hotel. After checking in and freshening up, we headed straight to Kinderweihnacht, one of Nuremberg’s famous Christmas markets, eager to soak up the festive atmosphere.
Travels & Escapades
At Kinderweihnacht, we sampled Nuremberg's famous Glühwein (German mulled wine). Hard to compare from what we had in Berlin. The festive mugs are not included in the price of the drink; there’s a 3-euro deposit for each mug. You can get your deposit back when you return the cup, but we decided to keep two as souvenirs to remember this magical experience.
*the price mentioned was during our visit in December 2019.

Kinderweihnacht is a delightful Christmas market in Nuremberg designed specifically for children, though adults can enjoy it just as much. It’s conveniently located close to our hotel, so we decided to stay here for the evening since it was getting late. The main Christmas market, Christkindlesmarkt, is nearly a kilometer away, and we planned to visit it the following day.

Day 2 in Nuremberg: We kicked off the day with sandwiches for breakfast from Aldi Sub, a small supermarket conveniently located right across from our hotel. It was perfect! The supermarket even had a coffee and chocolate machine to satisfy our cravings. After fueling up, we set out early to explore some of Nuremberg's most popular sights on foot.
Travels & Escapades
At the eastern side of the Main square is the first Gothic church in Franconia, Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady in Nuremberg). The church was commissioned in 1355 by Emperor Charles IV as a court chapel. The building stood before the Fraunkirche was a synagogue which was destroyed in 1349 during a riot. The Stone Mason who did the building works on the Prague Cathedral was the same selected for the Frauenkirche. The son of Charles IV, Wenceslas, was baptized in the church in 1361

One of the attractions of the church is the mechanical clock, Männleinlaufen (Little men dancing). This clock was built to commemorate the Golden Bull of 1356. Daily at noon, without fail since 1509, mini theatrical show depicting the scenes from The Golden Bull of 1356 starts as the little gate from the clock opens with seven little men (electors) bow before the mini emperor.
Travels & Escapades
At the south-west of the main square is a 19 meter high three-tiered Gothic spire shape, the Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain). Spin one of the two golden rings embedded on the gate supposed to grant your wish. Get closer, the fountain features 40 colorful sculptured figures which represents the world view of the Holy Roman Empire. Decorated in the pool represents the Philosophy and seven Liberal Arts. The first tier from the bottom are the four Evangelists and the four Church Fathers. In the middle are the Seven Electors and nine Worthies. At the top is Moses and the seven prophets.

Schöner Brunnen was built in the early 1900's, replicated the original fountain erected in the 14th century.

Next to the Schöner Brunnen is the Neues Rathaus (City Hall/New Town Hall), then the Altes Rathaus or the Old Town Hall. There were houses/buildings between the Hauptmarkt and Altes Rathaus which were destroyed in the WWII. It was decided to build the New Town Hall instead in 1951.
Travels & Escapades
The Kaiserberg is a complex of mediaval fortified buildings on the top of historical area of Nuremberg. The first building in the castle was built around 1000 and thereafter additional buildings were erected over the centuries. It was the home of the German Kings and Emperors during the middle ages, thus, the Kaiserberg is an important imperial castle in Germany

It was not a difficult way up with the beautiful sceneries of the Altstadt (Old Town).
Sinwell tower on the left is one of the defense towers built in the 2nd half of the 13th century. With its height, attackers could be immediately seen.
Travels & Escapades
The Kaiserburg in Nuremberg, situated above the Old Town, represents the medieval strength of the city. From the top, picturesque view of the red roof tops in the Old Town

We were in the free admission area of the castle.
Travels & Escapades
Tiergärtnertor Platz is a small square in the old town near the Kaiserberg (Imperial Castle) and the Albrecht-Dürer-Haus. Favourite place by both locals and tourists for a coffee break after long hours of the day's activity.

Very near the Imperial castle is the house of Albrecht-Dürer, an important artist in Germany during the Renaissance. Albrecht was in communication with the Renaissance artist in Italy: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Giovanni Bellini to name a few.

Albrecht-Dürer's house was converted to museum since 1871. The museum is more of his life and works.

Cobblestone street lined with medieval half-timbered houses and sand stone buildings in the Old town have been preserved. There is an association in Nuremberg formed in 1950 to support the preservation and restoration of the existing houses in the Old Town , thus, prevent from demolition.

Stone away from the Platz and the Albrecht-Dürer Haus is the Tiergärtnertor. Latter was one of the gates in the Nuremberg City Wall
Travels & Escapades
On our way back to the hotel, we bought fast food for late lunch. Prices were reasonable in this place. The pork knuckle was really very tasty and tender. The store offers a variety of fast food items with a focus on traditional German cuisine.
Travels & Escapades
Our next stop was Prague. On December 24, 2019, we traveled by FlixBus from Nuremberg Central Bus Station (Willy-Brandt-Platz) to Prague’s UAN Florenc bus station. It was a short walk from our hotel to the bus station. Originally scheduled to depart at 05:15 in the morning, our bus was delayed by an hour for some reasons.

Updated on October 3, 2024

Have safe travels and great escapades!

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