Sign in with Facebook"A city that satisfies heart, mind and stomach!" Nürnberg by CatherineReichardt
Nürnberg Travel Guide: 885 reviews and 3,015 photos
There a a couple of cities in the world where I can see myself happily living - Melbourne and Ljubljana immediately spring to mind - and Nûrnberg is right up there with them!
Lovely, low key Franconia is one of the hidden gems of Germany and often overlooked by tourists in favour of the lovely neighbouring Bavaria - all the better for those of us looking to stray a little off the well beaten tourist track. And, quite simply, Nûrnberg offers it all, from stunning architecture and fascinating history to charming culture and scrumptious food, and all at an affordable price.
Like many German towns (it's hard to think of Nûrnberg as a city, although it is), Nûrnberg is a budget traveller's delight to visit because the town itself is the main attraction, and its specific tourist venues are merely wonderful 'cherries on the top'. Weather permitting, you could wander around the city centre for a day, admiring the beautiful architecture and soaking up the historic atmosphere, without spending a cent, and still have a wonderful time. Unlike its bigger sister, Munich, the city centre is small and compact, and the tourist attractions are closely spaced and easily walkable. Fortuitously Nûrnberg is well connected by road and rail to several other gorgeous towns in the vicinity - including Bamberg, which is often nominated as Germany's most beautiful town - so it makes an excellent centre from which to explore more of lovely, welcoming Franconia.
The first time we were in Nûrnberg was around Easter 1999 (fondly remembered as the trip on which we became engaged), we happened across a parade of fire engines, ranging from centuries-old two wheeled carts equipped with buckets and handpumps to state-of-the-art fire trucks. The atmosphere struck a perfect balance between being happily bustling and jauntily festive yet family-friendly - a happy talent that Germans seem to bring to so many of their festivals. Our return visit with our children was timed to coincide with the iconic Christkindlmarkt - reputedly the 'best' and most famous of the European Christmas markets (although heaven knows what criteria you'd use to assess this). Christkindlmarkt managed to live up to our high expectations - those obliging Germans even organised snow for us! - and as before, the defining characteristic was the amiable jollity of the event. Most unexpectedly, although Christkindlmarkt is a magnet for tourists, the majority of the people there when we visited (during the week in early December) were local people who had gathered in the main square to quaff gluhwein and scoff Nuernburger bratwurst, kartoffelpuffe and lebkuchen in the company of friends and family, which gave the event a charmingly intimate feel.
Indeed food - one of my consuming passions, if you'll excuse the pun - is a subject that you will be reading a lot about on this page. Franconian cuisine is honest, unpretentious and utterly delicious - a sort of hearty 'hug on a plate' that makes you feel immediately welcome and cherished. The tiny fingerlike Nϋrnberger bratwurst have my nomination for the hotly contested title of 'best sausage in the world' and I relish the frisson of illicit, greedy pleasure that goes with sausages by the half dozen!
Nobody would dispute that Nûrnberg has a dark 20th century history, and I admire the frankness and objectivity with which the city presents its Nazi past. After all, it was the venue for the Nazi party congresses of the 1930s (as documented in Leni Riefenstahl's propaganda epic 'Triumph of the Will') and the partially completed structures of what were intended to be the architectural showpieces of the Third Reich's glory are a thoughtprovoking reminder of a turbulent era. The lessons that Nûrnberg's recent past has to teach about the fine line between nationalism and oppression are universal, and the outstanding Documentation Centre does a fantastic job of documenting this harrowing period in a dispassionate yet sensitive manner.
- Pros:Beautiful, historic, atmospheric, welcoming, relatively affordable - and the food and beer are outstanding!
- Cons:Not served by a low cost air carrier to the UK at the time of writing
- In a nutshell:A strong contender for the 'must see' town in Germany!
Reviews (17)
Where better to buy something for your...
Shopping
(1)
One of the wonderful things about Christkindlmarkt (and many other German Christmas fairs) is that there is strict... more travel advice
How to cope if your footwear isn't...
Warnings and Dangers
(3)
As I write this, I am convalescing from a major foot operation, so the subject of appropriate footwear is a subject that... more travel advice
Excellent family apartment in Nuernberg
Hotels
(1)
When we stayed in Nuernberg last December, we were travelling 'en famille' (with parents, kids and grandparents in tow)... more travel advice
Stride down the Grossen Strasse
Things to Do
(8)
One of the elements of Speer's Grand Design for the Nazi Party Rally Grounds was the Grossen Strasse (or 'Great Road'),... more travel advice
CatherineReichardt's Related Pages
-
Lindau
-
Weltenburg
-
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
-
Reichenau
-
Meersburg
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Friedrichshafen
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Konstanz
-
Furtwangen
-
Triberg
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Schönwald
-
Freiburg im Breisgau
-
Gutach
-
Hornberg
-
Wismar
-
Saßnitz
-
Wolgast
-
Ostseebad Binz
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Greifswald
-
Stralsund
-
Bad Doberan
Nürnberg Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "Nuremberg"
- "weekend in Nürnberg"
- "Nuremberg"
- "Nuremberg"
- "Opera in Nürnberg"
- "Nuremberg Altstadt"
- "Willlkommen in... Nämberch!"
- See All...
Explore the World
- Member Rank:
- 0 0 1 1 7
- Forum Rank:
- 0 0 0 1 4
- 2,325 Reviews
- 3,463 Photos
- Add Friend
- Follow
- Send Message
Badges & Stats in Nürnberg
- 17 Reviews
- 31 Photos
- 7 Forum posts
- 3 Comments
- 873PageViews
- See All Stats
- See All Badges (82)
Have you been to Nürnberg?
Share Your TravelsLatest Activity in Nürnberg
- Posted in Miscellaneous Forum ""
- Uploaded a Photo to "How to cope if your footwear isn't waterproof!"
- Wrote a Review Guidance on photography in churches: Homer's Rules in Nürnberg Warnings and Dangers
- updated a Nürnberg Travel Page "A city that satisfies heart, mind and stomach!"
- Commented on one of antistar's Nürnberg travel pages
Photos in Nürnberg
See All Photos (31)
Top 10 Pages
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Johannesburg
Intro, 208 reviews, 285 photos, 2 travelogues
-
Cape Town
Intro, 85 reviews, 107 photos, 1 travelogue
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Pretoria
Intro, 69 reviews, 112 photos, 2 travelogues
-
Paris
Intro, 69 reviews, 94 photos, 1 travelogue
-
New York City
Intro, 72 reviews, 83 photos
-
Rwanda
Intro, 65 reviews, 76 photos
-
London
Intro, 57 reviews, 76 photos
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Lesotho
Intro, 58 reviews, 69 photos
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Tallinn
Intro, 41 reviews, 71 photos, 2 travelogues
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Durban
Intro, 48 reviews, 50 photos
Friends
See All Friends (84)
Family Travel
Eco-Tourism
SafariLatest Nürnberg hotel reviews
- Le Meridien Grand Hotel Nurnberg
- 236 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 3, 2013 - Minotel Gasthof Zum Storch
- 3 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Sep 21, 2012 - EuroHotel & Suites
- 20 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 10, 2013 - JGH Nurnberg
- 6 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Feb 10, 2010 - Woehrdersee Hotel Mercure Nuernberg City
- 34 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 25, 2013 - Hotel Fackelmann
- 16 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Mar 10, 2013 - Hotel Garni Probst
- 34 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 23, 2013 - ArtHotel City
- 16 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 30, 2013 - Hotel Hamburg
- 29 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 18, 2013 - Hilton Nurnberg
- 113 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 17, 2013 - Ibis Nuernberg Altstadt
- 67 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 16, 2013 - Hotel Elch
- 31 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jun 6, 2013 - Concorde Hotel Viva
- 1 Review & Opinion
- Hotel Agneshof
- 126 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 3, 2013 - Romantik Hotel Am Josephsplatz
- 40 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 27, 2013
Comments (4)
Hi Cathy!
I just made reservations for our return visit to Nuremberg - in December, specifically for the Christmas market! Very excited to see most of your tips were geared towards the market...and the other area on our must-do list: the Documentation Center. After my Berlin class in August and a research paper on Albert Speer, I must go there to see the architecture (but only after getting my fill of Lebkuchen, Kartoffelpuffe, and Gluehwein).
Thanks for the great tips!
Oh - and you are correct - Durer did not do a winter Breughelesque scene ;-)
~Brenda
Oh Brenda, you are going to love it - it's a Christmas junkie's dream!
Have you done Bamberg yet? We haven't but it's HIGH on the list and only 30 minutes by train. Have a look on antistar's pages if you'd like more temptation!
Regards
Cathy
With 11 breweries in Bamberg, it is on someone's must-see-and-taste list ;-) We are actually planning to head up that way in the next couple months (not sure if in time for Christmas markets, but maybe we'll adjust the calendar!).
I see you enjoyed the Xmas marts. We determined that it has nothing to do with buying Xmas things, but a good reason to get your butt out of your flat and enjoy some got spiced red wine with your friends. Best, Karl
Cathy, fabulous page with gorgeous photos of Nürnberg. I must admit that I have never met a Big Willy in the Gentlemen toilet. *winkygrin*
I've always heard great things about the Toy Fair in Nurnberg in February. I'll be sure to check back later when your work has progressed a bit farther.