Nuremberg

Understand

When people think of Nuremberg, they usually think of gingerbread, toys, Christmas, the Reich Party Rally Grounds or the Nuremberg Trials (see World War II in Europe and Holocaust remembrance). But the old town of Nuremberg in the shadow of the towering imperial castle is more than that. Gothic churches, splendid patricians' houses and romantic corners and spots. An atmosphere of lively co-existence between medieval and modern, between the past and the present, prevails in Nuremberg. In medieval and early modern times, Nuremberg was a rich centre for trade and early industry and it is no coincidence that the first railway in what is now Germany was built to link Nuremberg and Fürth. Despite World War II destroying much of it, the city's former wealth is still visible. And with its position on the crossroads of two major Autobahn and railway routes, the old saying "Nürnberger Tand geht in alle Land" (stuff from Nuremberg goes everywhere) still rings true. Sunday is a strict rest day here. Expect most businesses to be closed, although restaurants and museums usually remain open.

History First mentioned in a document dating to 1050 (like other German cities without a clearly established founding date, Nuremberg uses its first mention in an official document as the basis for anniversaries) Nuremberg grew mostly around the castle ("Burg") which was initially dominated by local nobles and came into the possession of the Hohenzollern, an originally Swabish noble family that would later go on to acquire Brandenburg/Prussia and from 1871 even the imperial crown of the entire German state. While Nuremberg for the most part remained loyal to the Emperor, the wealthy merchants ("Patrizier") did not like interference of noble houses into their politics and eventually managed to "buy out" the Hohenzollern, who however kept possession of the areas around Ansbach and Bayreuth in two separate lines until the 18th century. Being granted the title of "Freie Reichsstadt" and thus nominally subject to the emperor but otherwise self-governing, Nuremberg became a centre of arts, manufacturing and trade with names such as Peter Henlein (inventor of the pocket watch) Albrecht Dürer (famous painter and polymath) or Hans Sachs (poet and singer) standing pars pro toto for the leading position Nuremberg had in the late 15th to early 16th century. However, the emergence of Transatlantic trade (for which Nuremberg was ill positioned being inland) and ruinous wars with other regional powers led to a decline of Nuremberg and it became a city living off its glorious past for a while.

Getting there

Nuremberg has historically been at the crossroads of important trade routes and was the site of Germany's first railway. Even today it is easily reachable by air, canal, road, railway and even walking or cycling.

By plane 1 Nuremberg (Albrecht Dürer) Airport (NUE IATA), Flughafenstraße 100, 90411 Nürnberg ( U2 Flughafen), ☏ +49 911-93700. The airport is comparatively close to the city centre and is well-connected within Germany and to some extent the rest of the EU. But for most intercontinental trips it is often faster to fly into Frankfurt Airport and take the excellent train service. This may also work out cheaper and quicker even when there's a connecting flight into Nuremberg. While the airport is named after Albrecht Dürer (a Renaissance-era painter from Nuremberg) virtually nobody ever calls the airport that, least of all locals. The airport has no limit on night flights, but most public transport doesn't run at night (except for some limited bus service in nights to non-working days) so if you have a late flight you have to wait at the airport or arrange some form of transport. (updated Apr 2026) German-speaking cities with flights to Nuremberg include Düsseldorf, Frankfurt Airport, Hamburg, Munich Airport, Vienna Schwechat and Zurich Airport, virtually all those flights are operated by Lufthansa or its wholly owned subsidiaries. Traditional airlines serve Amsterdam Schiphol, Istanbul Airport, and Paris CDG. British Airways flies to London (usually Heathrow Airport but sometimes Gatwick Airport). Pegasus Airlines offers flights to Sabiha Gökçen Airport on the Asian side of Istanbul with connecting service throughout the Middle East. The budget airline Wizz flies here from Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Sibiu, Skopje and Tuzla. Ryanair offers a seemingly random and often changing grab-bag of destinations throughout Europe with a particular focus on Italy. Vueling (the low-cost subsidiary of the owners of Iberia) offers flights to Barcelona Airport which allow connections throughout Spain. Corendon offers a bunch of flights from Mediterranean "sunny" destinations throughout Turkey; these are mostly aimed at German holidaymakers and Germans of Turkish ancestry visiting the "old country". There are also seasonal holiday flights to/from resorts around the Med and in the Canaries. It is the ninth busiest in Germany behind Hanover. The U2 underground line connects the airport with the central train station in about 13 minutes. When heading towards the airport, be careful to board a U2 with the destination "Flughafen/Airport" as many U2 tr

Getting around

The old town is best explored on foot. To get from one part of the old town to another by car or public transport, you will often have to leave the old town and reenter it at a different gate.

By public transport

There are three U-bahn or underground lines U1 , U2 and U3 ; seven Straßenbahn or tram lines 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , , ; and four S-Bahn or suburban train lines S1 , S2 , S3 and S4 , with the S-Bahn lines all reaching far beyond the city limits. They all radiate out from the main railway station. The tram lines have two main hubs at 7 Plärrer U1 U2 U3 4 6 and the main station which are linked by subway but only awkwardly and indirectly by tram. Public transit is particularly useful for reaching the airport (U2), the Museum of Industrial Culture (Tram 8), the Nazi party rally grounds (S2 or trams 6 or 8), and some of the outlying hotels, as well as nearby towns such as Bamberg (S1). They're all within the integrated VGN, as described in "Get in". A standard Zone A adult ticket is €3.10, a four-journey ticket (which can be split, so a couple could make a return journey) is €11. U1 links Nuremberg and Fürth, was the first line to be built and was actually built from the "outside" (Langwasser, a new housing complex built together with the U-Bahn) inwards, U2 links Röthenbach (almost but not quite Stein bei Nürnberg) and the airport and U3 shares its core route with U2 — between Rothenburger Straße and Rathenauplatz — but branches towards Nordwestring in the north and Großreuth in the south forming an overall U-Shape with both endpoints west of the city centre. U3 is being extended with two more stations on the southern branch scheduled to open in 2025, while lines U1 and U2 seem to have reached their endpoints for the time being. There was extensive talk of tram extensions in the 2010s but apart from a project to link the Tram (current Line 4) to Erlangen and Herzogenaurach they seem to be all on hold until federal or state funds are forthcoming. As lines U2 and U3 are by now fully automated, they naturally have the newest trains and the place that would have to be used for a driver in normal trains is mostly equipped with a panorama window which enables a full view into the tunnel ahead which is worth the ticket price if you care about technology at all and certainly a nice treat for the kids, even though the tunnel is rather dark and you thus don't see all that much. U1 uses some trains that date to the opening of the system and even sometimes some that had been built for the Munich U-Bahn (the first generation of rolling s

See

For all but the briefest visits, you'll do well to buy the Nürnberg + Fürth Card. This is valid for 48 hours and gives free admission to over 50 museums and attractions, and free travel on all public transport in Zone A of Nuremberg and Fürth. You also get discounts in many theatres, shops, and the IMAX cinema. The card price for adults is €33. Children aged 6 to 11 pay €11, children under 6 are free. See [2] and tourist board for more details.

If so many museums sounds daunting, a day-ticket just for the municipal museums is €9 - worth buying if you only see two, as the individual adult entry price is €6. Buy them at the first museum you visit. So two such days would cost €18, cheaper than the N+F card and your days needn't be consecutive, but it wouldn't include public transport. As of early 2018, these museums (all listed below) include Albrecht Dürer's House, Fembohaus City Museum, Toy Museum, Museum of Industrial Culture, Documentation Centre at the Reich Party Rally Grounds, and Memorium Nuremberg Trials. The day-ticket only includes the regular collection, not exhibitions, tours and events, and doesn't include the Kaiserburg. The following listings are arranged geographically, north to south through the Old Town then beyond. But if you want to focus on buildings of a particular architectural style, visit this site.

Sebalder Altstadt Top sights in Sebalder Altstadt, the northern half of town, include the Imperial Castle, the collection of old houses nearby, and St Sebald church. A suggested itinerary is to start with the castle, then admire the collection of old buildings around Tiergärtnerplatz and the Castle Quarter or Burgviertel. Some of these are original, having survived the war, others were rebuilt. Pilatushaus was home to a wealthy merchant. The street Fuell with its sandstone houses is a typical merchant's street. The craftsmen lived in timber-framed houses, many of which have been restored in Weissgerbergasse. More timber-framed houses can be seen in Obere and Untere Kraemersgasse. In Untere Kraemersgasse 16 you can often look into the tiny courtyard. Near here are the Kunstbunker, and Albrecht Dürer's house, listed below. Continue south down Bergstraße to St Sebald and the old town hall, which remains a working building. (Its dungeons re-open to visitors in summer 2018.)

1 Nuremberg Castle (Nürnberger Burg) ( 4 Tiergärtnertor or bus 36 to Burgstraße. No visitor parking!), ☏ +49 911 24 46 590. Daily Apr-Sep 09:00-18:00, Oct-Mar 10:00-16:00. The Nuremberg Castle is the rambling fortification that dominates the old town. While it appe

Do

Annual events The big annual event in Nuremberg is the Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt), listed below. But there’s a full calendar throughout the year – check what’s on even if you don’t plan to attend, as there may be street closures and crowd congestion.

January-May Panoptikum Children’s Theatre Festival (Kindertheaterfestival). 4-9 Feb 2020. Wide-ranging programme with artistes from Bavaria and across Europe. Aimed at children 3 and older, i.e. verbal and in German, though some shows use little or no spoken language. This festival runs alternate years so the subsequent event will be in 2022. (updated Dec 2019) Nuremberg Carnival (Fastnachtszug). In February. This has been held since 1397. The main carnival parade is held on Sunday, and the children’s carnival is held on the Monday. (updated Dec 2017) Nuremberg Spring Festival (Frühlingsfest), Dutzendteich. In March. Spring funfair held for two weeks in March/April. (“Volksfest” refers both to this spring festival, and the late summer festival in Aug/Sept.) (updated Dec 2017) Nuremberg Flea Market (Trempelmärkte). In May. Trödelmarkt on the little river island is the permanent flea market, but the event on the second weekend in May and on the first weekend in September takes over the entire Old Town, with 4000 booths. Children have their own free area, where they can sell surplus toys. (updated Dec 2017) Blue Night (Blaue Nacht). In May. A night when museums, churches and other cultural institutions stay open till dawn. Along with art and light installations, music and performances in Nuremberg's old town streets. The next Blue Night is 1-2 May 2020. (updated Dec 2019) Figurentheaterfestival (Puppet Theatre Festival). In May. Held in alternate years. The next starts in late May 2021. 1 Embedded World, Nürnberg Exhibition Centre ( U1 Messe). February-March. One of the largest electronics shows in Europe, and a must see for anyone interested in high tech gadgets (robots, tablets, artificial intelligence, ...). Free with online vouchers. (updated Feb 2020)

June-August Rock im Park, Zeppelinfeld, Dutzendteich. In June. Annual rock festival, featuring alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, & electronic music. It’s held simultaneously with the Rock am Ring festival at Nürburgring motor racing circuit, with most artistes appearing at both. (updated Dec 2017) International Organ Week (Internationale Orgelwoche Nürnberg). In June. Festival of organ and other sacred music. The next festival runs from 26 June to 2 July 2020. (updated Dec 2019) Norisring DTM Motor Racing (Deutsche Tour

Buy

Nuremberg's main shopping district is the Lorenzer Altstadt, the part of the old town south of river Pegnitz. There are three shopping streets running from the white tower (Weißer Turm) to the vicinity of St Lawrence church (Lorenzkirche): The cheapest stores can be found in Breite Gasse, in Karolinenstraße you find mid-priced stores and Kaisserstraße, next to the river, offers luxury goods. At their eastern end the three streets are connected by the street Königsstraße, which runs from the main station via St Lawrence church to the main market place. The biggest department stores, Karstadt, Galeria Kaufhof and Breuninger, are located here. On Trödelmarkt you find some small shops. At Sebalder Altstadt you find antiques, curiosities and designer shops. As souvenirs you can buy gingerbread (Lebkuchen). Several large manufacturers and a number of small bakeries produce this local specialty. The best quality is called Elisenlebkuchen. Alternatively, sausages (Nürnberger Bratwürste) are available in tin cans or vacuum-wrapped. Don't take them to countries outside the EU unless you've checked customs regulations on importing meat.

Malls City Point, Breite Gasse 5 (City). 1 mercado, Äußere Bayreuther Straße 80 (North) ( U2 Nordostbahnhof). 2 Franken-Center, Glogauer Straße 30-38 (South) ( U1 Langwasser Mitte).

Outlets Puma Sport, Klingenhofstr. 70 (North-West).

Clothing Gothic, Dark Wave, Fetisch:

Mac's Mystic Store, Ludwig-Feuerbach-Str. 13 (South) https://www.mystic-store.com/ Many closed stores removed

Records 3 Mono-Ton, Färberstraße 44. M-F 11:00-19:00, Sa 11:00-18:00. (updated Mar 2017) Glasses Optikhaus Drießlein, Fürther Str. 315, 90429 Nürnberg, Muggenhof, optikhaus-driesslein.de Stylish, sustainable glasses.

Eat

Nuremberg offers a rich culinary heritage, most notably defined by its unique sausage varieties and traditional confectionery. The city is world-renowned for the Nürnberger Rostbratwürste. These pork sausages are distinct from others in the Franconia region, characterised by a spicier flavour profile and a smaller size, typically half the length of standard varieties. The name is legally protected, meaning only sausages manufactured within the city limits may carry the title.

Restaurant dining: A standard portion consists of six Nuremberg sausages (compared to three of the larger Franconian type), which are grilled or pan-fried and served with sauerkraut or potato salad. Street food: For a quick snack, three sausages are served in a bread roll; this is locally referred to as "Drei im Weggla". Saure zipfel: An alternative preparation involves stewing the sausages in a broth of vinegar, onions and spices. The name, translating to "sour corners", refers to the broth marks left on the corners of the mouth during consumption. Beyond the famous grilled sausages, several other styles are staples of the local diet:

​Presssack: A firm sausage similar to salami, typically sliced and served with mustard. Stadtwurst: Often enjoyed with farmhouse bread and beer. When served "mit Musik" (with music), the sausages are sliced and topped with vinegar and raw onions; a humorous reference to the digestive effects of the dish. Locating sausage outlets in Nuremberg is effortless. Notable historic locations include Zum Gulden Stern, Bratwursthäusle and Bratwurstglöcklein, which is situated at the entrance to the Old Town from the railway station. Nuremberg is equally famous for Lebkuchen (gingerbread). For those purchasing for personal consumption rather than as a gift, it is advisable to seek out packages labelled "Bruch". These consist of broken pieces that remain high in quality but are sold at a lower price as they are unsuitable for souvenir packaging. Other traditional sweets include:

​Eierzucker: Delicate white biscuits moulded into various shapes, such as horses. ​Kirschenmännla: A warm cherry casserole prepared with a light, loose dough. Schneeballen: Known as "snowballs", these consist of thin dough fried in lard and dusted with icing sugar. These are traditionally presented to guests during significant life events, including baptisms, confirmations and weddings.

Budget Many food stalls and fast food restaurants can be found along Königstraße leading from the main station into the old town. One stand is in the middle of the street perpendicular to the front of

Drink & nightlife

Cafés 1 Kaffee Hörna, Scheurlstr. 11 (located in Südstadt), [email protected]. M W-F 07:00-17:00; Sa Su 10:00-17:30. A tiny modern café with delicious Swedish-style cakes. (updated Mar 2016) 2 Café Kaulbach, Schweppermannstraße 28 ( U3 Kaulbachplatz), ☏ +49 911 93 744 744. W-Su 09:00-18:00. The venue of the two great cake bakers that formerly operated the Café Wohlleben. (updated Mar 2016) 3 Balazzo Brozzi, ☏ +49 911-28 84 82, [email protected]. M-F 09:00-23:00; Sa Su 09:00-23:00, closed first Monday of the month. A somewhat alternative café also regularly hosting subculture. (updated Mar 2016) 4 Zeitungs-Café Herrmann Kesten, Peter-Vischer-Straße 3 (usually entrance solely through the public library at Gewerbemuseumsplatz 4 (head to block K1); for events entrance left off the entrance of Katharinen-Rouine, you find the entrance to this place). A quiet retreat off city life, you may perfectly head here to read one of the many newspapers they offer or something you bring for yourself, for example. (updated Mar 2016) 5 Salon Regina, Fürther Straße 64 ( U1 Gostenhof or Bärenschanze (right in the middle between the stations), bus Gostenhof West). A café at day and a nice bar with a variety of people in the early evening - good to visit during daytime or to start your evening in Gostenhof. (updated Mar 2016) 6 Zumikon, Großweidenmühlstraße 21. W-Su 12:00-19:00. Summer retreat and a friendly café with cake and partly also small, fresh dishes and great ice cream. (updated Sep 2016) 7 Café Mainheim, Bauerngasse 18 (Gostenhof). M-F 10:00-22:00, Sa 09:00-22:00, Su 09:00-20:00. a nice and friendly café with a lot of space and air to breathe. Provides free WiFi for guests. (updated Sep 2016) 8 Caffé Fatal, Jagdstraße 16, ☏ +49 911 396363. daily starting at 09:00. A nice caffé with small dishes and a great breakfasts buffet. (updated Sep 2016) 9 Hildes Backwut, Schloßstraße 48, ☏ +49 911 4008797. M-F 05:30-18:00, Sa 18:00-14:00. A traditional bakery with a café, where they bake delicious bread, pastry, cakes. (updated Nov 2016) 10 Eddy Would Attack, Frauentormauer 18, ☏ +49 911 253 061 62. M-F 8-18, Sa,Su 10-18. A crazy combination of a bike repair shop and café, located centrally in Nurembergs red light area; offers breakfast, cakes etc. – and newspapers and bike journals to read (updated Mar 2018) 11 Café Kirsch, ☏ +49 911 47 87 93 48, [email protected]. Tu-Sa 10-18. A cosy and inclusive café where people with and without handicaps cooperate. Unfortunately, at the site, access for people with disabilities is limited (elevated ground floor without a

Sleep

For a fast room reservation service in the Nuremberg-Fuerth-Erlangen-Schwabach area, please go to the on-line room reservation request of the Nuremberg Convention and Tourist Office.

Budget 1 DJH (YHA/HI), Burg 2 (in the former castle stables to the north of the old city U1 Lorenzkirche), ☏ +49 911 2309360, fax: +49 911 23093611, [email protected]. Note that DJH/YHA/HI membership is required (or an extra fee is paid) and, as in all YHA hostels in Bavaria, persons over 27 years of age are only admitted if the hostel is not full. Linen included in price. B&B from €26.50; half board from €31.70; full board from €35.90. 2 Jugend Hotel, Rathsbergstr. 300 (near the airport U2 Ziegelstein), ☏ +49 911 5216092, fax: +49 911 5216954, [email protected]. Wheelchair-accessible rooms, barbecue, TV-lounge, English spoken. Dorm bed, (3-6 bed) with shower/wc, from €16. Twin bed, with shower/wc €19.50. Single room, with shower/wc, from €25.50. Breakfast buffet and lunch packed €5.50. 3 Don Bosco Jugendwerk, Don-Bosco-Straße 2 (centre, direction to Fürth), ☏ +49 911 931790, fax: +49 911 9317935, [email protected]. A house for young and young-at-heart people. Twin bed, with shower/wc €20. Single room, with shower/wc, from €25. Breakfast €2. Dinner €4.50. 4 Five Reasons Hotel & Hostel, Frauentormauer 42 (near the Hauptbahnhof, U2 U3 Opernhaus), ☏ +49 911 99286625, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Renovated, with modern shared showers/WC, and guest kitchen. Breakfast available until 12:00; snacks and drinks are available from reception in the lounge afterward. Some rooms are across the street from the city walls, which keeps some noise out and provides complete privacy, but the views are more historic than lively. Dorm bed from €18, Private room from €49. (updated Jan 2023) 5 a&o Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof, Bahnhofstraße 13-15 (near the central bus station and Hauptbahnhof), ☏ +49 911 3091684400. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 10:00 (11:00 weekends). Basic rooms, with access to a guest kitchen, bar, lounge, and laundry. Dorm bed from €18, Private double from €70. (updated Jan 2023)

Mid-range

In the Old City 6 Holiday Inn Nürnberg City Centre, Engelhardsgasse 12 ( U1 Weißer Turm), ☏ +49 911 242500, [email protected]. Built in 2005. From €74. 7 Hotel Elch, Irrerstr. 9 (Between Maxplatz and Sebalderplatz U1 Lorenzkirche), ☏ +49 911 2492980, fax: +49 911 24929844, [email protected]. A small hotel in a quaint old building, located on a quiet street a few minutes' walk from several rest

Go next

Several interesting small towns lie very close to Nuremberg. You'd probably do them as a day trip, as it wouldn't be worth re-locating (unless you were hiking, knapsack on your back):

Fürth - just 5 km west, this has charming medieval streets, a Jewish museum and a radio museum. Faber Castle (as in Faber-Castell pencils; their factory is here) is in the small town of Stein (Mittelfranken). Erlangen - University town with a remarkable collection of museums and early modern architecture (and, of course, bicycles cranked by earnest young men and women). It's also a company town, dominated by Siemens, and has a big Pentecost festival Bergkirchweih. Schwabach - pleasant old town centre. Well within a day-trip, but deserving longer:

Bamberg - once an ecclesiastical centre, the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its original Romanesque buildings, which survived the war. Its beer is also famous. Bayreuth - even if you don't care for opera, admire its baroque centre and collection of palaces. Tickets for the annual Wagner Opera Festival get snapped up months in advance. Ingolstadt - is packed with medieval, Renaissance and baroque architecture. Regensburg - astride the Danube and still showing traces of its Roman founders, the city sights reflect its status as a former capital of Bavaria. Dachau - was the site of the Third Reich's first concentration camp. You'll need your own transport to get around Fränkische Schweiz - "Franconian Switzerland" and Fränkisches Seenland - the lake district south-west of Nuremberg. The western edge of Franconia is traversed by the Romantic Road, a tourist route through a series of shamelessly picturesque old towns. Closest to Nuremberg is Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The "Road" leads north to Würzburg, and south through Nördlingen and Augsburg to Füssen on the Austrian border, with its over-the-top Schloss Neuschwanstein. And then there's the looming state capital, often disliked by Franconians that is Munich.