Why go to Nuremberg
Nuremberg (or Nürnberg in German) is the kind of place you enjoy at any time of the year. It is one of Germany's most ancient and historic cities and brims with a graceful beauty.
From the intricate gothic churches, with their elegant spires, stained windows, and delicate woodwork; to the majestic Kaiserburg, one of the great medieval imperial palaces, perched on top of its rocky outcrop like a bird of prey; to the the pretty canals and imposing ancient walls; from Bratwurst and beer to festive gingerbread., the city' will work its magic on you.
I did this trip in late August, in glorious weather, but it must be incredible to soak up the gothic atmosphere of the Old Town during the Christmas market season, and the banks of the Peignitiz and the canals must be beautiful in spring and autumn colours too.
Of course, Nuremberg's tragic world war 2 history is everywhere, in the traces of its Jewish community, in the Nürnberg Trial Museum/Documentation Centre, in the Nazi Party Rally Grounds Documentation Centre (a sobering visit), and of course in the many modern buildings in the Old Town, which replace medieval/renaissance buildings razed to the ground during the world war 2 bombings.
But these stark historical reminders will not prevent you from appreciating the magic of this city of water and the memories of its glorious medieval and Renaissance past.
A long weekend mini-journey through Europe
I travelled to Nuremberg by train from Amsterdam. I believe what makes train travel more special than flying is that your break becomes about the journey rather than the destination.
Getting to Nuremberg by train - The practicalities
Reaching Nuremberg by train is feasible from many parts of Europe. It works from Brussels, Paris, London, Bologna, Verona, Milano, Venice, and Amsterdam, and many more destinations.
You can expect to spend between six and 8 hours travelling on days 1 and 4, depending on your departure point.
From Brussels Midi, the journey is very easy and takes about 5-6 hours depending on the change. The best way is to get on an IC or ICE train operated by Deutsche Bahn to Frankfurt. This part of the journey takes about 3 hours. In Frankfurt, you jump on to another IC, which will take you to Nürnberg in about 2 hours.
If you come from London, you just add a Eurostar journey to the Brussels itinerary. The journey from London is 2 hours, In Brussels, you switch trains and providers, but not stations, everything happens in Midi, so the change is smooth.
From Amsterdam, the journey is super easy. Regular trains connect Amsterdam Central to Düsseldorf. Alternatively, and you can jump on a direct train from there to Nürnberg. The travel time is under 6 hours, so not much longer than flying.
From Paris Gare de l'Est you can head to Karlsruhe by TGV ( 2h30minutes) and change there for Nuremberg (the second leg is 3h15minutes).
From Bologna and Verona, there are direct trains to Munich (6 hours and 50 minutes from Bologna, and 5 hours and 30 minutes from Verona).. Nürnberg is only 1 hour away from the Bavarian capital. If you are travelling on the Bologna-Verona-Brennero railway line, count your blessings. It is one of the most spectacular train rides in the whole of Europe!
From Milano and Venice, you catch a train to Verona (1 hour and 15 minutes) and you hop on to the Verona-Munich train there.
The ÖBB Nightet night trains deserve a special mention. They are a great way to get to Nuremberg and save time. You book a night trip to Munich, and then change in the morning for the short (under 1 hour 10 minutes) trip to Nuremberg. Currently, you can do that from Amsterdam, Paris, Milano, Venice, Verona, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Budapest, and Vienna.
Now, let's see how it worked in practice for me.
My Amsterdam to Nuremberg long weekend by train
Day 1 - Getting there and acclimatising
I started this city break in Amsterdam and had both day and night travel options to choose from.
As the ÖBB Nightjet from Amsterdam to Nuremberg is direct, I booked a night train for my outward journey. For my return trip, travelling by day was better for me, but the daytime journey is indirect, so I decided to break it up and have a beer lunch in Düsseldorf's Altstadt.
Nuremberg is certainly not lacking public transport, it even has a metro system. But as a tourist you may not need it. Nuremberg's Altstadt (Old Town) is still encircled by its ancient walls, and compact. You can easily walk from the Hauptbahnhof to your hotel. That is what I did, and I strongly recommend it because before you even realise it you will find yourself by the city walls, and stepping into the medieval Altstadt!
After check-in, if you are planning to visit museums and use public transport, could be a good moment to arm yourself with a Nürnberg card. I found out about it too late, after I had already paid for my Imperial Palace visit, and it offers some significant savings. For 33 euros per adult, you get free entrance to all the main museums for 48 hours and use of public transport!
For our first night, we decided to try the intriguing beer garden across the door from our hotel, as it is set, literally, in the city walls. We entered it through one of the medieval wall towers and found ourselves in a raised beer garden, serving an interesting blend of Polish and Franconian food, and a choice of local beers.
It turns out it is called Kopernikus and is a celebration of German-Polish friendship dating from the Cold War era. As dusk kicked in and the moon appeared over the walls, the place became even more magical. It was hard to leave!
Day 2 - From the Holy Roman Empire to the rise of the Nazi
The only way to beat the queues at the Kaiserburg seemed to be going early in the morning, which is what we did, after a hearty German breakfast at our hotel.
We got there by walking along the perimeter of the medieval walls, and then entering through one of the gates. The climb to the top is steep but you are repaid by an incredible view of the red bricks of Nuremberg.
For someone like me (I have a passion for medieval history) the imperial palace alone was reason enough to visit the city. The grounds include a stunning well preserved medieval chapel, and an interesting museum that not just traces the history of the building, a beloved residence of the Salian and Hohenstaufen emperors in the middle ages, which witnessed important chapters of Renaissance history and then became part of the Bavarian kingdom. I particularly loved the Romanesque chapel, with its elegant simplicity.
We finished the morning with a stroll through the centre, walking past the half-timbered buildings and gothic churches and squares, and stopping to eat at a sandwich and cake at a patisserie.
After lunch, we hired bicycles from our hotel and cycled to the Nazi Party Rallying Grounds Documentation Centre. It is hauntingly housed in one of the wings of the unfinished Congress Hall, where of the former Nazi party rallies. Its permanent exhibition "Fascination and Terror" illustrates the causes, connections, and consequences of the rise of Nazism.
I have to admit I craved fresh air and hope after my time in the museum, so we continued on our bikes along the river Peigniz, whose banks are dotted with parks and forests. We returned the bicycles and walked back to the centre. We knew exactly what we wanted for dinner.
Nürnberg is the birthplace of bratwurst, and we got a table in the beer garden of the Bratwursthäuslein, next to the gothic St Sebald's churc (Sebalduskirche).
Their homemade grilled wurst, served in white bread rolls, is as simple as it is delicious, on its own or accompanied by the ubiquitous local Tucher beer.
Day 3 - Old Town and the house of Nuremberg's most famous son
The house of the Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer, virtually at the feet of the Kaiserburg, has been turned into a museum showcasing his life and work.
Built around 1420 and renovated shortly before Albrecht Dürer bought it in 1509, it is a great introduction to the charms of Renaissance Nürnberg. It is interesting for various reasons.
First of all, it is the only surviving 15th-century artist's house north of the Alps. Secondly, in the nineteenth century, it became Germany's first artist's memorial site. Last but not least, while you can admire Dürer's paintings in many of the world's great museums, his house allows you to appreciate the man behind the art.
Dürer was at the height of his fame then and lived and worked here until his death in 1528, together with his wife Agnes, his mother, his pupils, and apprentices.
He was an amazing artist but also a tolerant man who worked for peace and harmony in the era of the religion wars between Catholics and Protestants.
Around 1500 Nuremberg was one of Europe's leading city-states, self-governing under the Holy Roman Empire and renowned for its economic clout, art, and culture. A stroll through the Altstadt, with many half-timbered buildings and charming cobblestone streets, whisks you away to the city's golden age.
The Sebalduskirche, the Frauenkirche, and the Lorenzkirche, as well as the many bourgeois timbered houses, bear witness to those glory days.
Interestingly, Sebaldus and Lorenzkirche are protestant and the Frauenkirche is catholic, a reflection of the city's complex past during the counter-reformation.
I particularly loved the soft pale colours and late medieval sculpture of the Sebalduskirche.
We considered visiting another museum, but in such glorious summer weather we decided we preferred to enjoy the outdoors, so we kept exploring the Altstadt, the walls, the towers, and the banks of the Peignitz, taking photos but also savouring being in the moment, lost in the architectural and sculptural details that make this city so unique.
For me, the highlight of Nuremberg is strolling through the cobbled streets of the Old Town, looking up towards the Kaiserburg, and finding your way in the medieval maze of streets around the Peignitz.
It may sound boring, but we went back to Kopernikus for our last dinner, to enjoy the views from the terrace and the glorious summer evening.
Day 4 - The journey back
The next morning, we set off for Düsseldorf, swapping the Peignitz for the Rhine, and the endless one-mile-long stretch of breweries the city is famous for. After lunch, we headed back to Amsterdam, our minds already buzzing and planning our next train journey.
A wonderful trip to a wonderful city
I was sad to leave Nuremberg. I had never seen it before and even looking at the photos to write this article makes me want to go back!
If you are looking for a weekend break to an amazing city different from the usual capitals, Nuremberg is a wonderful option.
And wherever in Europe you are based, a flightless long weekend to Nuremberg will be an incredible journey to the heart of the continent, topped up by one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
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