Before you go

Your trip to Nuremberg.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Nuremberg – Baviera Destination Nuremberg and Bamberg about 170 km from Munique

How to get there

Albrecht Dürer Airport Nürnberg (NUE) 7 km
Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before you buy. O aeroporto de Nuremberg (NUE) is about 7 km from the center and is linked to the central station by the U2 metro line. Many people arrive by train: from Munique the ICE takes a little over an hour; there are also direct ICEs from Frankfurt and from Berlim. The Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof (Hbf, estação central) is adjacent to the wall, a few minutes' walk from the old town.

How many days

One day is enough for the old town: castle, Hauptmarkt, the churches and Dürer's house. With two days you can include the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, which needs several hours, and the 20th-century history sites: the Dokumentationszentrum on the former Nazi rally grounds, and the Memorium at the Palácio da Justiça. Adding a day trip to Bamberg, which is less than an hour by train, the ideal is three days.

When to go

From May to September the days are long and the center's streets become lively; summer runs from June to August. The Christkindlesmarkt, the Christmas market on the Hauptmarkt, usually runs from late November until December 24 and fills the city. Winter, from December to February, is cold and has short days.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The old town is best explored on foot, and the metro (U-Bahn), tram and buses of the integrated network reach the aeroporto, the Dokumentationszentrum and the Memorium. Bamberg, Würzburg and other towns in Francônia have frequent trains. A car is only useful for itineraries into the countryside, and parking in the old town is difficult.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Nuremberg

Morning
Imperial castle and Dürer quarter
Go up early to the Kaiserburg to see the Palas, the double chapel and the Tiefer Brunnen. Descend via the Tiergärtnertor square to the house of Albrecht Dürer and continue along the Weißgerbergasse, with its half-timbered houses.
Afternoon
Hauptmarkt and the Gothic churches
Arrive at the Hauptmarkt before noon for the Männleinlaufen, the clock of the Frauenkirche. See the Schöner Brunnen, enter St. Sebald and cross the Pegnitz to St. Lorenz, with the Englischer Gruß by Veit Stoss.
Late afternoon
Bridges over the Pegnitz
Walk to the Henkersteg, the covered wooden bridge next to the Trödelmarkt island, and follow the riverbank. The light at the end of the day on the houses along the bank makes for good photos.
Evening
Franconian dinner
Try the Nürnberger Rostbratwürste, small thin sausages served on the griddle or with sauerkraut, in one of the central taverns. For dessert, a Lebkuchen, the city's gingerbread.

2 days in Nuremberg

Day 1

Morning
Kaiserburg and Albrecht-Dürer-Haus
Start with the imperial castle and the wall viewpoint over the rooftops. Then visit the house where Dürer lived and worked, with the reconstructed engraving workshop.
Afternoon
Hauptmarkt, St. Sebald and St. Lorenz
At noon, watch the Männleinlaufen at the Frauenkirche. Pass the Schöner Brunnen, enter St. Sebald, with the saint's bronze tomb, and cross the river to St. Lorenz.
Late afternoon
Weißgerbergasse and Henkersteg
Return to the north side and walk along the Weißgerbergasse, the street of the old tanners. Finish at the Henkersteg, the executioner's bridge, and on the banks of the Pegnitz.
Evening
Evening in the old town
Dine in a Bratwurst tavern and walk through the illuminated center. At the end of November and in December, the Christkindlesmarkt usually occupies the Hauptmarkt.

Day 2

Morning
Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Reserve the morning for the largest museum of cultural history in Germany, in the former Carthusian monastery. Enter via the Straße der Menschenrechte, the street of columns with the human rights.
Afternoon
Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände
Take the tram or the S-Bahn to the former Nazi rally grounds. The exhibition is in the unfinished Kongresshalle; afterwards, walk outdoors along the shore of the Dutzendteich lake.
Late afternoon
Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse
Take the metro to the Palácio da Justiça and see Saal 600, where in 1945 the trial of the main Nazi war criminals began. Check the closing time before you go.
Evening
Handwerkerhof and dinner
Return to the center via the Königstor and pass through the Handwerkerhof, a courtyard of workshops next to the wall. End with a dinner near the Hauptmarkt or on the banks of the Pegnitz.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Can you do Nuremberg as a day trip from Munique?

Yes. The ICE between Munique and Nuremberg takes a little over an hour, and the central station is next to the old town. In one day you can see the Kaiserburg, the Hauptmarkt and the churches. To include the Germanisches Nationalmuseum or the 20th-century memorial sites, it's worth staying at least one night.

How to get from the aeroporto to the center of Nuremberg?

The U2 metro line departs from the aeroporto itself and reaches the Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof in about 10 minutes. From the station, the old town is a few steps away, on the other side of the wall. Buy the ticket at the machine before boarding.

When does the Nuremberg Christmas market take place?

The Christkindlesmarkt usually opens on the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent, in late November, and runs until December 24, on the Hauptmarkt. The opening features the Christkind's prologue, read from the balcony of the Frauenkirche. Weekends are very busy: watch your belongings and, if possible, go on a weekday.

Is it worth visiting the places linked to Nazism?

Yes, to understand German history. The Dokumentationszentrum, on the former grounds of the Nazi party rallies, explains how the regime used the city as a stage. The Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse is in the Palácio da Justiça, where the main Nazi leaders were tried from 1945 onward. These are places of memory: visit with respect and avoid posed photos.

What to eat in Nuremberg?

The city is known for Nürnberger Rostbratwürste, short thin sausages served in six, eight or twelve on the griddle, or three in a bun (Drei im Weggla). Lebkuchen, a honey cake with spices, is sold year-round and features heavily at Christmas. Franconian beer is also part of the local table.

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