Nuremberg, Germany: travel guide
Bavaria's second city: the grandeur of the Kaiserburg fortress, the dark chapter of Nazi rally grounds, and the 1945–46 Nuremberg Trials that established international criminal law. In December the Christkindlesmarkt is Germany's most famous Christmas market (since 1628), opened by a gilded Christkind ceremony watched by 200 000 people. The Documentation Centre at the Nazi Party Rally Grounds is one of Europe's most important history museums. The Albrecht-Dürer-Haus is where Germany's greatest Renaissance artist lived for 20 years. Best visited May–October and December.
- Country
- Germany
- Currency
- EUR
- Time zone
- Europe/Berlin
- Nearest airport
- NUE
Top places to visit in Nuremberg
Hauptmarkt & Schöner Brunnen
Market · 4.6 rating · about 1 h
Nuremberg's central marketplace — a vast cobblestone square dominated by the ornate 14th-century Frauenkirche church facade and the Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), a 19-metre Gothic spire covered in 40 gilded figures representing the…
Nuremberg Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg)
Fort · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · entry EUR 9
The symbolic heart of the Holy Roman Empire — perched on a sandstone ridge above Nuremberg's old town, the Kaiserburg complex served as the primary residence of Holy Roman Emperors from the 11th century. The Deep Well (52 m) still has…
Nuremberg Christmas Market
Market · 4.9 rating · about 2 h
The Nuremberg Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt) — Germany's most famous Christmas market since 1628, with the spectacular Christkind opening ceremony, the famous Nuremberg Lebkuchen, and the iconic Rauschgoldengel angel.
Nazi Party Rally Grounds & Documentation Centre
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 2.5 h · entry EUR 9
One of Europe's most important WWII sites — the vast grounds where the Nazi Party held its enormous annual rallies (1933–1938), attended by up to 700,000 people. The unfinished Zeppelin Field tribune, the Congress Hall (the largest…
Nuremberg Rothenburg Day Trip
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 8 h
A day trip from Nuremberg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber — the spectacular perfectly preserved medieval walled town on the Romantic Road, with the iconic Plönlein corner, the medieval walls, and the magical atmosphere.
Nuremberg Schöner Brunnen Fountain
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h
The Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain) — the spectacular 14th-century Gothic fountain on the Hauptmarkt, with the magnificent 40 stone figures, the famous golden ring (turn three times for good luck), and the iconic medieval heritage.
Nuremberg Old Town Walking
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 2 h
A walking tour of Nuremberg's Old Town (Altstadt) — the spectacular medieval city centre (largely reconstructed after WWII) with the historic walls, the picturesque Pegnitz River bridges, and the famous Schöner Brunnen fountain.
Nuremberg Hauptmarkt Beautiful
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 1 h
The Hauptmarkt — Nuremberg's spectacular main square with the historic 14th-century Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), the daily market, the Christmas market, and the famous Frauenkirche.
Albrecht-Dürer-Haus
Museum · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h · entry EUR 8
The house where Germany's greatest Renaissance artist lived from 1509 until his death in 1528 — a 15th-century half-timbered townhouse on the castle hill, meticulously restored with period furnishings. A holographic 'Agnes Dürer' guides…
Nuremberg Germanic National
Museum · 4.8 rating · about 4 h
The Germanisches Nationalmuseum — Germany's largest cultural history museum, with 1.3 million objects spanning prehistoric to modern German cultural history, including masterpieces by Dürer.
Nuremberg Trials Memorial
Museum · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · entry EUR 8
The Memorium Nuremberg Trials — the spectacular museum in the historic Courtroom 600 where the major Nazi war criminals were tried 1945-46, with the powerful exhibits, the historic courtroom, and the moving heritage.
Nuremberg Bamberg UNESCO Day
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 8 h
A day trip from Nuremberg to Bamberg — the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Franconian town, with the iconic Old Town Hall on a bridge over the Regnitz River, the magnificent cathedral, and the famous smoked beer.
Things to do
- Nuremberg Imperial Castle & Old Town Tour Cultural · 3 h · from EUR 25 per person
Where to stay in Nuremberg
- Altstadt (Inside the City Walls) about EUR 120 per night
Staying inside Nuremberg's largely intact medieval walls is the correct choice — the Kaiserburg is visible overhead, the Hauptmarkt is a 5-minute walk and the Bratwurst stalls are your breakfast option.
Hotels
- Five Reasons Hostel Nuremberg 2-star · EUR 20 to EUR 90 per night
- Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg 5-star · EUR 195 to EUR 680 per night
Where to eat
- Bratwursthäusle German, Bavarian · about EUR 12 per person
- Heilig-Geist-Spital German, Franconian · about EUR 32 per person
Getting around
- Metro main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Safety and scams to avoid
Nuremberg Christmas Market Pickpockets
Hauptmarkt Christmas Market, December
During the Christkindlesmarkt (late Nov–Dec 24), the Hauptmarkt square becomes extremely crowded. Pickpockets are active in the tight queues for Bratwurst stalls and at the hot Glühwein (mulled wine) stands.
How to avoid it: Use an inner pocket or money belt; never keep wallet in outer jacket pocket. The crowd is densest at stalls — be extra vigilant there.