There are two things you should know about Nuremberg. The first is that its most famous son is still, centuries later, the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. You’ll see his influence everywhere, from the name of the airport to art and decor around town — his strikingly lifelike hare and rhinoceros are recurring favourites — the house where he lived and worked in the northwest is a great place to start (£7; museums.nuernberg.de). The second thing is that while it falls under the state of Bavaria, at its heart this is a Franconian city. This subregion of northern Bavaria is fiercely loyal to its roots: you’ll spot the red-and-white Franconian flag flying alongside (or instead of) the blue-and-white Bavarian one. German speakers will note a distinct dialect here, but hyper-local dishes and the country’s highest concentration of breweries can be enjoyed in any language. With nearly 1,000 years of history and the receipts to back it up, there’s far more to this city than its bleak connections to the Second World War.
Day 1
• Morning: Rock-cut cellars
• Lunch: Bratwursthäusle
• Afternoon: Hauptmarkt/Weissgerbergasse
• Drink: Kloster
• Evening: Dürrer Hase
Day 2
• Morning: Gostenhof
• Lunch: Schanzenbräu
• Afternoon: Documentation Center and Nazi Party Rally Grounds
• Drink: Gutmann am Dutzendteich
• Evening: Old town museums
• Dinner: Fränk’ness
What to do
• Begin your acquaintance with Nuremberg by descending beneath its surface into the dizzying maze of rock-cut cellars dating from 1380. Your guided tour through this purposeful underbelly — they were mostly used for storing beer — will end above ground at Hausbrauerei Altstadthof, where the city’s signature Rotbier is still brewed as it was in the 1400s (£10; historische-felsengaenge.de).
• Take the afternoon to wander through the city’s most scenic streets. Visit the Hauptmarkt (main square), then walk over to Weissgerbergasse, Nuremberg’s most photogenic street with its fine collection of half-timbered buildings. Grab an ice cream at Die kleine Eismanufaktur (reopens in March; instagram.com/die_kleine_eismanufaktur) before crossing Kettensteg, the oldest chain bridge in Europe, to admire the view of the Hangman’s bridge over the Pegnitz River.
Advertisement
• Believe it or not, the best views in town are from the top of the Adler Street car park. But for somewhere more poetic, try the handsomely turreted Imperial Castle, which has overlooked the cityscape since the Middle Ages; entry to the viewpoint and castle gardens is free, but history enthusiasts will want to get in on the full castle tour (£8; kaiserburg-nuernberg.de).
• Every city has its funky neighbourhood and Nuremberg has Gostenhof — known by local young ’uns as GoHo. Walk southwest of the old town or hop on U-Bahn line 1 to Gostenhof and spend the morning admiring its wide, tree-lined main thoroughfare. Grab a coffee at Machhörndl on Obere Kieselbergstrasse or Fürther Strasse (machhoerndl-kaffee.de), then poke around vintage shops such as Vinty’s (vintys.de) or Laden 14,80 (Kernstrasse 32).
• Take the No 6 tram out to the Documentation Center and Nazi Party Rally Grounds. It’s no secret that Nuremberg has a dark past and the city fully acknowledges its role in Second World War atrocities. Visit the museum before walking out to the Zeppelin Field, where the rally grandstand still looms over a vast green space (£5; museums.nuremberg.de).
• Head back into the old town to continue your day of culture. Check out the new Future Museum, with exhibits on subjects ranging from body and mind to work and daily life (£8; deutsches-museum.de), or get a dose of nostalgia at the Toy Museum, devoted to Nuremberg’s long tradition of toymaking (£6; museums.nuernberg.de).
Where to eat and drink
Bratwursthäusle
Just down the hill is the cosy restaurant Bratwursthäusle, serving Nuremberg’s traditional sausages. The diminutive Nürnberger Bratwurst is strictly regulated — it must measure between 7 and 9cm in length and weigh no more than 25g. Order a plate of six, eight or ten paired with sauerkraut or Franconian-style vinegary potato salad (mains from £9; bratwursthaeuslenuernberg.de).
Advertisement
Kloster
What tiny Kloster bar lacks in space it makes up for in good vibes — and it’s one of surprisingly few places in town where you can get a pre-7pm drink that isn’t a restaurant. The beer is local and cold, and the house-made Mexicaner shots have a nice little kick (from £3; instagram.com/klosternuernberg).
Dürrer Hase
Remember that famous artist? While “Dürer Hase” refers to Albrecht Dürer’s famous painted hare, Dürrer Hase translates to “skinny bunny” in a play on words. It’s also a delicious and under-the-radar restaurant. Sitting in the snug dining room, you’ll enjoy fine steak with chimichurri and the town’s crispiest Flammkuchen — a delicate, ultra-thin flatbread laden with crème fraîche, bacon and onions (mains from £11; duerrerhase.de).
Schanzenbräu
Gostenhof’s best brewery and biergarten, Schanzenbräu, serves the must-try Franconian classic Schäufele (a bone-in pork shoulder with a crisp layer of crackling), as well as one of the best Käsespätzle (mac and cheese) going (mains from £10; schanzenbraeu.de).
Gutmann am Dutzendteich
Ideal in springtime but offering welcome respite any time of year, the Gutmann am Dutzendteich restaurant and beer garden sits alongside a small lake near the rally grounds. Perfect for a cold wheat beer as an afternoon pick-me-up (from £3.50; gutmann-am-dutzendteich.de).
Fränk’ness
The chef Alexander Herrmann gets creative with Franconian food at Fränk’ness, an unstuffy modern restaurant that feels refreshing in this largely traditional town. Try the Franconian-style beef tartare with pumpkin seeds and horseradish on its multicourse menu (four courses from £62; fraenkness.de) before a barrel-aged negroni at Herrengedeck bar (herrengedeckbar.de).
Advertisement
• Germany travel guide: everything you need to know
This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue
Where to stay
Motel One Nuremberg-Hauptbahnhof
Sustainable design and a sky bar
Nuremberg has three Motel One locations — while they’re all comfortable and budget-friendly, the Hauptbahnhof outpost is the newest and swankiest with a glossy 14th-floor Cloud One bar. Handily this member of the trio is rebranding as the Cloud One Hotel Nuremberg so booking into the correct one should be a breeze. Right by the central train station (the clue is in the former name), it has views over the entire old town from the bar and many higher-floor rooms. The European hotel chain is eco-minded and known for its impressive gin menus (room-only doubles from £97; motel-one.com).
Hotel Elch
Historic, chic and central
While its buildings have been modified and reconstructed over the years, Hotel Elch has been open since the 14th century — it’s the city’s oldest continuously operating hotel. The location is excellent — it’s just down the street from the medieval St Sebaldus Church — and it’s a true boutique property with local ownership and no two rooms alike (B&B doubles from £138; hotel-elch.de).
Karl August
Affordable elegance
The Karl August opened in 2021 after a lengthy construction project in the heart of the old town. A modern, upmarket hotel, it features the work of regional artists in the lobby and locally crafted furniture in the minimal yet thoughtfully designed rooms. There’s a pool and spa on the top floor and Brasserie Nitz downstairs serves great steak frites (B&B doubles from £175; karlaugust.de).
Getting there
Advertisement
Direct flights from Stansted to Nuremberg take 1 hour 35 minutes. The airport is connected to the old town by U-Bahn line 2 and takes just 13 minutes; tickets cost £3 at the machine or £2.75 online (shop.vgn.de).
Getting around
Nuremberg offers easy walking and excellent public transport through the metropolitan area and beyond (single journeys cost the same as the airport leg above). The Nürnberg Card gives you free travel on local public transport, as well as free admission to many museums and attractions (£28 for a 48-hour pass; tourismus.nuernberg.de).
Summer Rylander was a guest of the Karl August hotel
Have you visited Nuremberg? Let us know your thoughts on it in the comments below
Sign up for our Times Travel newsletter and follow us on Instagram and X
