The 6 things to do in Nuremberg

Are you going to visit Bavaria for the holidays? Here is our selection of things to do to visit Nuremberg!

Located north of Bavaria, Nuremberg is between Munich and Frankfurt , and is the second city of the province with 511 628 inhabitants. It is also the 14th largest city of Germany . A medieval town rich in history, although heavily bombed after the Second World War and rebuilt nine after 1945, it is also a major economic and cultural centre in Germany and also one of the main industrial centres in South Germany. In addition, Nuremberg was elected 25th most enjoyable city to live in the world.

What to do in Nuremberg at any time of the year during a road trip or during an expatriation in Germany? Here is our selection of things to see to visit Nuremberg.

1. The Imperial Castle

Nuremberg Castle is a must in the city. Built in the 11th century, the Kaiserburg is one of the largest fortresses in Germany. The kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire stayed there for five centuries. Hidden on a rock of sandstone overlooking the entire north of the old city, the present aspect of the fortress dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries. On the top of the dungeon of 30 meters high, you will have an exceptional view of the roofs with steep slopes and the towers of the old town.

2. Visit the old town

Many museums are to be visited and countless activities are to be done by visiting Nuremberg. The Christmas market, for example, is renowned but also festivals – Rock im Park festival in June - The old town party. If you come to visit Nuremberg outside these periods, you will still enjoy its charms, at the turn of walks in the pedestrian areas of the city center. On both sides of the Pegnitz River, which crosses the city from west to east, many shops, shops and taverns will delight taste buds and drives of shopping.

The old town is almost entirely surrounded by large green spaces, between the Lorenz and Sebald districts. The Place du marché, the Gothic church (Liebfrauenkirche), the Belle Fontaine (Schöner Brünnen), the Notre-Dame de Nuremberg church, the St. Lawrence church or the Saint-Sébald church (for lovers of religious heritage buildings), are essential in the city centre. The ramparts and alleys of the old city mark the extent of the bombings suffered at the end of the Second World War and testify to the efforts undertaken by the inhabitants and the authorities to promote the culture of human rights and, above all, to forget the dark history of the Nazi dictatorship (Nuremberg having been chosen by Hitler as "ideological capital").

3. Weißgerbergasse

To have a picturesque view of Nuremberg, towards Weißgerbergasse, with houses dating from the Middle Ages – and thus spared by the Allied bombings of 1944-1945. The area was erected near the Pegnitz River and away from the old town (to the west) because the activity of treating the skins of beasts that took place involved drawing a lot of water, and exudes strong odors. In this alley, you can find pretty houses with brightly coloured doves, home to local craft shops and small bars. A must-see street when you visit Nuremberg!

4. The craftsman market

The craftsman market – Handwerkerhof - -, located southeast of the ramparts of the old town, is as tourist as much as charming. Since we love the popular atmospheres where it makes it good to stroll and/or debuste the best local craftsmen’s products, we also like to beat the pavement of this market to make its small shopping, enjoy a Bavarian beer or enjoy a good dish of Nuremberg sausages. The gourmets can even be tempted by a culinary tour of the city, punctuated with tasting local products!

5. Le Centre de documentation

The Dokumentationzentrum is a museum dedicated to the history of Nazism. No to glorify this dark past, but to remember the atrocities committed by the Third Reich and to prevent them from reproducing one day... The museum is located in the buildings built by the Nazis, and allows to understand the fulgurating rise of Hitler attached to the economic, social and political context of the time, as well as the place and role of Nuremberg in the totalitarian regime. The rooms allow us to discover Nazism and what made its success: propaganda, the rise of anti-Semitism, the quest for a higher "Aryan race", the role of Nuremberg in the activity of the regime, the role of neighbouring countries.

6. The Justice Palace of Nuremberg

If you like law and history, this museum is a must to visit Nuremberg. This is where the famous trial of Nuremberg judging Nazi dignitaries and criminals from 20 November 1945 to 1 October 1946. Located in the west of the city, the Palace of Justice Museum is not a very joyous tourist visit, it retracing the trial and the funest and macabre history of atrocities committed by the Nazi regime’s executives.

First we visit the courtroom no. 600 where the trial of Nuremberg was held, a room where they were tried and condemned. Göring (commandant de la Luftwaffe), Rudolf Hess (leader of the Nazi party’s Chancellery), Joachim von Ribbentrop (Hitler’s Minister of Foreign Affairs), Wilhelm Keitel (the supreme head of the German army), Ernst Kaltenbrunner (one of the main officials of the Nazi police), Karl Dönitz , Erich Raeder (commandant of the German Navy), Baldur von Schirach (Chief of the Hitlerian Youth), Fritz Sauckel (commanders of the deportation of foreign workers to Germany). The visit will give the impression of going back into the sad realities of the time.

How to go to Nuremberg?

The best way to get to Nuremberg is to fly: the airport, north of the city centre, receives scheduled flights from all over Europe. You can find a cheap flight on our partner's website Ulysses .

By bus, the Eurolines, Flixbus or Isilines are connecting to Paris and other major French cities.

You can also access Nuremberg thanks to the many high speed trains that serve the city!

Where to stay in Nuremberg?

To stay and visit Nuremberg quietly, we advise them neighborhoods of downtown : Mitte, Himpfelshof, Gostenhof. You will have a central position and can visit the city on foot. To find accommodation in Nuremberg, go to this hotel comparison benefits from the best prices .