Nuremberg

Day 1: Medieval heart and castle views

Ease into Nuremberg’s thousand-year story in the compact Old Town, rebuilt with care after 1945. Expect cobbles, short hills, soaring Gothic churches and picture-book squares—wear good shoes. If you plan multiple museum entries, the Nürnberg Card can save money and includes transport.

• Morning: Climb to the Imperial Castle for the Palas and double chapel, then time a short guided peek into the Deep Well and climb Sinwell Tower for panoramic photos. Arrive for opening to beat tour groups and mind the steep approach; the castle grounds and gardens are free if you prefer a gentler start.
• Midday: Stroll down to Albrecht Dürer’s House (consider the entertaining “Agnes Dürer” guided tour), then continue to St. Sebaldus to admire the Vischer bronze shrine; donate at the door and keep voices low during services. Lunch on Sebalder Platz with a quick Drei im Weggla from Bratwursthäusle.
• Afternoon: Reach the Hauptmarkt for the Frauenkirche clock at 12:00 sharp, then turn the “lucky ring” at the Schöner Brunnen (locals know the original is the darker ring on the rear side). Dip into the Fembohaus City Museum for brilliant before/after city models, then meander the half-timbered façades of Weißgerbergasse and walk a stretch of the city walls west toward Neutor.
• Evening: Linger on Tiergärtnertorplatz beneath the castle with a drink from Café Wanderer/Bieramt and watch golden-hour light hit the sandstone. For dinner, try hearty Franconian fare by the river at Heilig-Geist-Spital; in May’s Blaue Nacht, expect art projections and late openings across the Old Town.

Day 2: Trials, rallies and reckoning

Today is reflective and educational: Nuremberg uses its darkest chapters as a lesson in democracy and law. Give yourself time and space—the rally grounds are vast; the trials exhibition is dense but gripping.

• Morning: Take Tram 6 or 8 to Doku-Zentrum (or S2 to Dutzendteich) and begin at the Documentation Centre; note the permanent exhibition has been under renovation—follow signage to the interim show and check the website for updates. Walk the grounds to the Zeppelin Field and along the Große Straße; wear sturdy shoes and expect scaffolding as conservation works stabilise structures.
• Midday: Picnic by Dutzendteich lake or grab a café snack, then use the on-site app/AR overlays to compare past and present while you explore. In winter, the bleak, open landscape underscores the history; in summer, bring water and sun protection.
• Afternoon: U-Bahn U1 to Bärenschanze for the Memorium Nuremberg Trials; check Courtroom 600 access on the day—if closed, the top-floor exhibition still delivers the full story. Allow 2–3 hours for audio guide, films and the legacy of “crimes against humanity.”
• Evening: Return to the centre for a calm dinner and a night stroll along the Pegnitz. Walk the Way of Human Rights toward the Germanisches Nationalmuseum; the illuminated pillars feel especially powerful after a day of difficult heritage.

Day 3: Art, craft and the city beneath

Blend masterpieces and hidden layers with slower neighbourhood time. Choose one or two guided underground tours and balance with churches, museums, and green, contemplative corners.

• Morning: Step inside St. Lorenz to see Veit Stoss’s Angelic Salutation and the rose window (avoid service times), then follow the pillars of the Way of Human Rights into the Germanisches Nationalmuseum for highlights from medieval art to scientific instruments. If museums aren’t your thing, substitute a relaxed city-walls walk from the castle toward Hallertor.
• Midday: Pre-book a guided tour of the Historic Rock-Cut Cellars (beneath the castle) or the Historic Art Bunker that sheltered treasures in WWII; a light jacket helps underground. Lunch nearby at the Handwerkerhof by the main station—touristic but charming for watching traditional crafts and sampling Nuremberg sausages.
• Afternoon: Tram out to St. John’s Cemetery for roses and bronze epitaphs at the graves of Dürer, Hans Sachs and Veit Stoss; it’s a serene counterpoint to the busy centre. Alternatively, visit the City Museum at Fembohaus if you skipped it, or the Tucher Palace for a taste of patrician Renaissance life.
• Evening: In summer, join locals in the castle moat park or along the river for an alfresco drink; late July/August often brings Bardentreffen stages to the squares. In Advent, finish with mulled wine and lebkuchen at the Christkindlesmarkt (Hauptmarkt), arriving after 6 pm to dodge day-tour crowds and soak up the lights.

By Air

• Nuremberg Airport (NUE): 7 km north of the city centre. U2 metro to the Hauptbahnhof in about 12 minutes (every 5–10 minutes). Taxi: 15–20 minutes, traffic dependent.
• Munich Airport (MUC): 1 h 35–2 h by train (S-Bahn to Munich Hbf, then ICE to Nuremberg). Direct coach options around 2 h. Driving ~1 h 45.
• Frankfurt Airport (FRA): 2 h 10–2 h 30 by direct ICE from the airport long‑distance station (Fernbahnhof).
• Berlin Brandenburg (BER): 3 h 15–3 h 45 by train via Berlin Hbf (ICE), including the airport–city link.
• Stuttgart Airport (STR): roughly 2 h 30–3 h by train (S‑Bahn to Stuttgart Hbf, then IC/ICE).

By Train

• Main station: Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof (central hub adjoining the Old Town; direct links to U‑Bahn, trams, and buses).
• Typical direct journey times (ICE/Railjet unless stated):
  • Munich: ~1 h 05.
  • Frankfurt (Hbf): ~2 h 05; Frankfurt Airport: ~2 h 10–2 h 30.
  • Berlin: ~2 h 50–3 h 05 (Sprinter); other services ~3 h 15–3 h 30.
  • Hamburg: ~4 h 10–4 h 40.
  • Stuttgart: ~2 h 10–2 h 20.
  • Vienna: ~4 h 10–4 h 30 (direct Railjet).
  • Regional: Bamberg 45–55 min; Würzburg 1 h 10–1 h 30; Regensburg 1 h 10–1 h 30.
• Operators: DB (Deutsche Bahn), with ÖBB Railjet to Vienna. Tickets/timetables: bahn.com.

By Bus

• Long‑distance coaches use the ZOB (Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof) next to the main station (Willy‑Brandt‑Platz). Major operator: FlixBus.
• Typical times: Munich 1 h 45–2 h 15; Prague 3 h 30–4 h 15; Berlin 4 h 30–5 h 30; Frankfurt 2 h 45–3 h 15.

By Car

• Motorways converging on Nuremberg: A3 (Frankfurt–Würzburg–Regensburg/Passau), A9 (Berlin–Leipzig–Munich), A6 (Saarbrücken–Heilbronn–CZ border), A73 (Bamberg–Erlangen–Nuremberg).
• Approximate driving times (normal traffic):
  • Munich 1 h 45–2 h (A9).
  • Frankfurt 2 h 30 (A3).
  • Stuttgart 2 h 15–2 h 30 (A6/A81).
  • Berlin 3 h 45–4 h 30 (A9).
  • Prague 3 h–3 h 30 (A6/D5).
  • Vienna 4 h–4 h 30 (A3/A1).
• The Old Town is largely pedestrianised; follow signs to car parks by the city walls or use park‑and‑ride. An environmental sticker (Umweltplakette) may be required for older vehicles.