Nuremberg

Imperial castle, gingerbread and Christmas market

Nuremberg is the main city of Franconia and the largest in northern Bavaria, on the Pegnitz river. Its old town is enclosed by medieval walls with the Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg) on a sandstone ridge above it. The city was rebuilt after World War II. It's also the former site of the Nazi Party's rallies and of the trials of Nazi leaders. Visitors can tour the castle, see Albrecht Dürer's house, visit the Documentation Centre at the former rally grounds and eat Nuremberg sausages in a bun. Two days cover the compact old town. The Christkindlesmarkt in Advent is the best-known event.

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City in Germany

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$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 7.6

General Safety:	7
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	9

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3/5

English is widely spoken in tourist areas, hotels and restaurants, especially by younger locals. Most attractions offer English information, though some smaller establishments and older residents may have limited English skills.

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Last update: 22 Oct 2026

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Nuremberg Summary

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Strong for medieval history and Christmas traditions. Explore castle walls and old town streets, visit museums and experience one of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets.

Place score

7.5

Best at:

Museums

Historic sites

Festivals

Walkable

Zoos

Personal score

Suited for

👶 9

Families

🧓 8

Seniors

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

🐕 9

With dogs

Germany – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cards are widely accepted, especially in urban areas, but small establishments may prefer cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is common in restaurants, typically 5-10%. For taxis, it is customary to round up to the nearest euro. Tipping in cash is more common than adding it to card payments.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in most parts of Germany, especially in beer gardens and public events, but some local regulations may restrict it in specific areas.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in public places such as restaurants, trains, and buses. Designated smoking areas are available outside many buildings.

Oktoberfest (September)	Huge crowds in Munich. Expect high hotel rates and crowded transport.
Christmas (December)	Christmas markets are popular, expect crowded cities and higher prices.
Labour Day (May)	Many shops are closed, and there are celebrations throughout the country.

Emergency contact:	Police: 110, Emergency Number: 112 (Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Free Now, myTaxi
Other:	Germany is well-equipped for tourists, with good public transport and high-quality facilities. However, be prepared for language barriers in some rural areas.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Nuremberg, Germany

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Jun

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High season:	May - Sep., Dec.
Shoulder season:	April, Oct.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

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Climate details

Christkindlesmarkt, one of Germany's most famous Christmas markets, runs from the Friday before Advent to 24 December

Most Christmas market days are extremely busy; book hotels months ahead for late November to December

Don't miss

🏰 Explore Nuremberg Castle and enjoy panoramic old town views
🏛️ Learn about history at the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds
🚶‍♂️ Stroll through the medieval lanes of Nuremberg’s Old Town
⛪ Visit St. Lorenz Church and admire its Gothic architecture
🌭 Taste authentic Nürnberger sausages at the historic bratwurst kitchens
🎄 Wander the Christmas Market and shop for handmade ornaments

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Why travel to Nuremberg?

Nuremberg is worth a visit for its medieval old town and its role in German history. The Imperial Castle was a residence of Holy Roman emperors and gives views over the roofs. The Hauptmarkt is the central square with the Frauenkirche and the Beautiful Fountain. Albrecht Dürer's house is a short walk uphill towards the castle. The City Museum in the Fembo-Haus covers 950 years of local history. The Germanisches Nationalmuseum is the largest cultural-history museum in the German-speaking world. The Nazi Party held its rallies on the Rally Grounds southeast of the old town and the Documentation Centre there explains that history. The Memorium Nuremberg Trials is in Courtroom 600, where the main war crimes trial took place after World War II. The Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt runs from late November to Christmas Eve and is one of the best-known Christmas markets in Germany. Lebkuchen gingerbread and small grilled sausages are the local foods to look for. Families can add the Toy Museum, the DB Transport Museum and the zoo. Two days cover the old town and one or two museums. The city is also a good base for Bamberg, Würzburg and Rothenburg by train.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Imperial Castle
2 Beautiful Fountain
3 Altstadt
4 Hauptmarkt
5 Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds
6 Weißgerbergasse

🎡Places for activities

1 Neues Museum
2 Kunsthalle Nürnberg
3 Nuremberg Zoo
4 Memorium Nuremberg Trials

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Pegnitz
2 Rosenau
3 Hallerwiese
4 Volkspark Marienberg
5 Stadtpark
6 Wöhrder See
7 Luitpoldhain

🛍️Shopping

1 Franken-Center
2 Hauptmarkt
3 Königstraße
4 Breite Gasse
5 Karolinenstraße
6 Lorenzer Straße

🎈Events

Nuremberg Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt)
Nuremberg Spring Festival
Nuremberg Folk Festival
Blue Night Cultural Festival
Rock im Park Music Festival
Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival
Bardentreffen World Music Festival
Altstadtfest (Old Town Festival)
Long Night of Museums
Nuremberg Beer Festival

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Knowledge before you go

The Christkindlesmarkt is open daily from 10:00 – 21:00 on the Hauptmarkt.
The NürnbergCard, €38 (£32.01) for 48 hours, covers Zone A transport and over 30 attractions.
The Documentation Centre at the Rally Grounds is outside the old town, so allow half a day.
Tours of the rock-cut cellars under the old town are half price with the NürnbergCard, which suits a rainy afternoon.

How to travel to Nuremberg

Trains are the easiest way to reach Nuremberg, which is a major ICE hub. Direct ICE trains from Munich take about 1 hour 10 minutes, with around 60 connections a day. Frankfurt is about 2 hours away, Berlin around 3 hours and Würzburg about an hour. The main station is next to the old town. Nuremberg Airport (NUE) is connected to the main station by the U2, which takes about 12 minutes. The airport has flights from many European cities. Munich Airport (MUC) is the main long-haul alternative and is reached by train via Munich. By car, the A3, A6 and A9 motorways meet around the city. Munich is about 2 hours away and Frankfurt about 2.5 hours. Long-distance buses stop near the main station.

Access summary

From Nuremberg Airport (NUE): U2 metro to Hauptbahnhof, about 12–15 minutes.
From Munich: Direct regional/ICE trains to Nürnberg Hbf, roughly 1–1.5 hours.
From Frankfurt: High-speed ICE trains to Nürnberg Hbf, usually around 2–2.5 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Nuremberg

Most visitors stay in the old town or near the main station, which are within walking distance of the castle, the Hauptmarkt and the restaurants. Hotels in historic buildings are mostly inside the walls. Hotels around the station are practical for trains and for the U-Bahn. Gostenhof, just west of the old town, is a lively district with bars and restaurants. St. Johannis and the Südstadt are quieter residential areas with guesthouses and apartments. Fürth is in the same fare zone and is an option when the city is full. Nuremberg hosts big trade fairs and the Christkindlesmarkt. Rooms fill up and prices rise on those dates. Check the fair calendar before booking and reserve early for Advent weekends.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Leonardo Royal Hotel Nuernberg

9.2

NH Collection Nurnberg City

8.7

Adina Apartment Hotel Nuremberg

9.2

Seminaris Hotel Nurnberg

8.6

Holiday Inn Nürnberg City Centre By IHG

8.9

Novotel Nuernberg Centre Ville

9.0

Ringhotel Loews Merkur

8.6

Leonardo Hotel Nürnberg City Center

8.6

Hotel Burgschmiet Garni

9.1

Holiday Inn – the niu, Leo Nuremberg by IHG

8.8

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Nuremberg

Nuremberg's old town is compact and mostly pedestrian, with the main station at its southern edge. The castle is at the northern end and the Hauptmarkt is in between, about 15 minutes on foot from the station. The Rally Grounds, the zoo and the stadium are outside the old town and need public transport.

Walking:
Most sights in the old town are within a short walk. The streets are cobbled and the castle is on a steep hill.

U-Bahn, tram and bus:
Three U-Bahn lines, trams, buses and the S-Bahn cover the city. Two of the U-Bahn lines run without drivers and the U2 goes to the airport. Zone A covers Nuremberg, Fürth and Stein and the Deutschland-Ticket is valid.

Bikes:
A bike-sharing system called VAG_Rad operates in the city. The centre is mostly flat apart from the castle hill, so cycling is easy.

Car:
A car isn't needed for the old town. Use the car parks on the edge of the centre and walk or take the U-Bahn in.

Food in Nuremberg

Food in Nuremberg is Franconian, hearty and based on pork, dumplings and cabbage. It's served in rustic inns and beer gardens. Vegetarian dishes are available but the choice is shorter in traditional taverns.

Rostbratwurst:
The Nürnberger Rostbratwurst is small, only 7 – 9 cm long and 20 to 25 grams. It's usually grilled and served three in a bun (Drei im Weggla) or on a plate with sauerkraut or potato salad.

Lebkuchen:
Nürnberger Lebkuchen is a soft spiced gingerbread with protected geographic status. It's sold in shops all year and in the most variety before Christmas.

Schäufele:
Schäufele is roast Franconian pork shoulder with crackling. It's usually served with a potato dumpling and either sauerkraut or salad.

Beer:
Rotbier, a reddish local beer, was the city's standard before pale lager took over. A few breweries now brew it again and beer gardens and inns serve it.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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+7 %

Daily expenses in Nuremberg are around 7% higher than the average across United States. That means you'll spend more on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£65	£136	£345
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£22	£50	£93
🍝 Food per day	£30	£73	£208
🚕 Transportation per day	£13	£13	£45

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£33
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£14
🍟 Fast food combo	£9
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£10.50
☕ Cappuccino	£3.30
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£3.90

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£3.30
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£25
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.50

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£11
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£36
🤧 Cold medication	£12.50
💇 Basic haircut	£14

Safety information overview

General safety

Nuremberg is safe for travellers. Pickpockets work crowded places like the Christkindlesmarkt and the main station. The area around the station can feel rough late at night. Violent crime against visitors is rare and the old town is busy in the evening.

Health & Medical

Medical care is at German standard, with several large hospitals and many pharmacies in the city. Ticks live in the forests and parks around the city from spring to autumn. Summers can be hot and the old town has little shade.

Accessibility

The old town is mostly flat but cobbled. The castle hill is steep. Many historic buildings have steps and narrow stairs. Most U-Bahn stations have lifts and trams are mostly low-floor, so getting around the city is easier.

Tap water

Tap water in Nuremberg is safe to drink and follows German drinking water rules. Restaurants usually serve bottled mineral water. Ask for Leitungswasser if you'd like tap water, though some places charge for it. Supermarkets sell bottled water cheaply.