Nuremberg

When people think of Nuremberg, they usually think of gingerbread, toys, Christmas, the Reich Party Rally Grounds or the Nuremberg Trials (see World War II in Europe and Holocaust remembrance). But the old town of Nuremberg in the shadow of the towering imperial castle is more than that. Gothic churches, splendid patricians' houses and romantic corners and spots. An atmosphere of lively co-existence between medieval and modern, between the past and the present, prevails in Nuremberg. In medieval and early modern times, Nuremberg was a rich center for trade and early industry and it is no coincidence that the first railway in what is now Germany was built to link Nuremberg and Fürth. Despite World War II destroying much of it, the city's former wealth is still visible. And with its position on the crossroads of two major Autobahn and railway routes, the old saying "Nürnberger Tand geht in alle Land" (stuff from Nuremberg goes everywhere) still rings true.

Orientation

Nuremberg's old town (Altstadt) is encircled by massive city walls (Stadtmauer), which will therefore be the first thing you encounter whichever way you approach. The town within is divided by the river Pegnitz. The northern half, Sebalder Altstadt, clusters around St Sebald Church and the Town Hall, and is dominated by the Imperial Castle. The southern half, Lorenzer Altstadt, clusters around the Lorenzkirche. Several charming little bridges criss-cross the river. The Transportation Museum lies just outside the walls and can easily be combined with an exploration of the old town.
The city walls were 5 km long, with five gates: Laufer, Spittler-, Frauen-, Neu- and Tiergärtner Tor. From the 13th to the 16th century they were continually strengthened, and helped the city withstand all attacks during this era. Nearly 4 km are still standing, with the only major gaps being on the southeast side between the main station and Rathenauplatz. The city moat, which was never filled with water, still exists in good condition for about 2 km along the south side. You might want to swerve clear of the alley between Färbertor and Spittlertor (Plärrer), as it's the red light district. A complete walking circuit of the walls will take about 90 min, but there's no particular need to, as you'll see it from multiple angles wherever you wander in town. The most attractive sections are where the walls bridge the river on the west side ("Westtorgraben"), and the south entrance from the railway and bus stations at Frauentor.
Between the two halves of the old town, take time to follow the course of the river Pegnitz, crossing and re-crossing its charming little bridges, surrounded by half-timbered buildings. From east to west these include Heubrücke crossing the larger river island, Fleischbrücke, the smaller island with the flea market and Henkersteg, then Kettelsteg and the bridging walls as the river flows out of the old town. A riverbank walk continues west, eventually to St John's, see "Further out".

Nuremberg has historically been at the crossroads of important trade routes and was the site of Germany's first railway. Even today it is easily reachable by air, canal, road, railway and even walking or cycling.

By plane

Nuremberg (Albrecht Dürer) Airport

The airport is comparatively close to the city centre and is well-connected within Germany and to some extent the rest of the EU. But for most intercontinental trips, e.g. from North America, it is often faster to fly into Frankfurt Airport and take the excellent train service. This may also work out cheaper and quicker even when there's a connecting flight into Nuremberg. While the airport is named after Albrecht Dürer (a Renaissance-era painter from Nuremberg) virtually nobody ever calls the airport that, least of all locals. The airport has no limit on night flights, but most public transport doesn't run at night (except for some limited bus service in nights to non-working days) so if you have a late flight you have to wait at the airport or arrange some form of transport.

There are two lounges at NUE, one operated by Lufthansa, the other operated by the airport. You can buy access to the latter for €16.50 at the main information (pre security)
German-speaking cities with flights to Nuremberg include Düsseldorf, Frankfurt Airport, Hamburg, Munich Airport, Vienna Schwechat and Zurich Airport, virtually all those flights are operated by Lufthansa or its wholly owned subsidiaries. Nuremberg is a focus city for the budget airline Ryanair. Their destinations from here include Budapest, Copenhagen Airport, Krakow, London Stansted, Malta, Bergamo, Athens, Rome, Kiev (KBP) and Tel Aviv - Ben Gurion Airport. The budget airline Wizz flies from here to Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Kiev (IEV), Sibiu, Skopje and Tuzla. Air Serbia flies to Niš. Corendon offers a bunch of flights to Mediterranean "sunny" destinations as well as flights to cities throughout Turkey aimed at German holidaymakers and Germans of Turkish ancestry visiting the "old country". Traditional airlines serve Amsterdam Schiphol, Istanbul Airport, Lyon and Paris CDG. While the airport is thus connected to a bunch of Star Alliance and Skyteam hubs, a few seasonal flights to London Gatwick which may or may not be on the schedule around Christmas are all there is in the way of connections to oneworld hubs. There are also seasonal holiday flights to resorts around the Med and in the Canaries. After a dip in passenger numbers caused in part by the Great Recession and the woes (and bankruptcy) of AirBerlin who once had a hub at NUE, the airport posted record passenger numbers for 2018. It is the tenth busiest in Germany behind Hannover.
The U2 underground line connects the airport with the central train station in about 13 minutes. When heading towards the airport, be careful to board a U2 with the destination "Flughafen/Airport" as many U2 trains terminate earlier, usually at Ziegelstein. U2s with destination "Airport" run once every ten minutes throughout the operating hours of the subway.
If you fly into Frankfurt airport, take the ICE express train direct from the airport to Nuremberg, with travel time of around 2 hr 25 min.
From Munich Airport you usually have to take the S-Bahn to Munich central station, 40 min, then the regional train from there takes another 2 hours. There are some direct buses from MUC to Nuremberg and some airlines allow rail&fly which includes the ICE (1 hr from Munich to Nuremberg). When using regional trains from MUC, you may also change in Neufahrn and Freising instead of doubling back all the way to Munich.

By train

• Nuremberg Main StationNuremberg has excellent rail connections to almost everywhere, with ICE service to Munich (roughly one hour), Leipzig (just over 2 hours), Würzburg, Frankfurt (just over 2 hours) and all major towns along those routes. Berlin is usually 3 hr 30 min, but nowadays less than 3 hours on the fastest trains. One poor connection is Prague, 5 hours by train with a change at Schwandorf, so instead take the bus which takes 3 hr 30 min, runs more frequently, and is usually cheaper. This bus is run by Deutsche Bahn so it appears in their timetables and can be booked just the same as their trains.
  
  Nuremberg is at the heart of a very extensive Verkehrsverbund or VGN - an integrated transport network stretching all the way to Bayreuth and Bamberg. Tickets are valid and allow transfers on virtually every bus, tram, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and regional train - but not on IC or ICE long-distance trains. Using discount fares such as day tickets, "Sparpreis" and group tickets, regional travel here is a real bargain. Single short trips in and around the city are somewhat more expensive, but see "Get around" for deals.
  
  Munich isn't part of the VGN but regional trains to and from Nuremberg are quick and not expensive. IC and ICE trains are expensive for a last-minute ticket, but if you can book in advance and avoid peak hours they cost no more than regional trains on this route.

• Nürnberg NordostbahnhofThis station is connected by rail to Hauptbahnhof but has no passenger service to it, though the serves both. It is the endpoint of the Gräfenbergbahn towards surrounding towns, ending at Gräfenberg. The non-electrified line is often cited as a poster-child of lines that were threatened with shutdown in the past but rebounded after investment and improvement. The line is especially popular in the summer with hikers or cyclists but also serves commuters who work in Nuremberg. The Gräfenbergbahn is an excellent starting point for the Fünf Seidla Steig.

By car

Nuremberg is well-connected to the Autobahn network. Major routes include:

• A3 west to Wurzburg and Frankfurt, and south-east to Linz and Vienna
• A6 west towards Heidelberg, Metz and Luxembourg, and east towards Pilzen and Prague
• A9 south to Munich, and north towards Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin

The biggest drawbacks of course are traffic congestion, parking, and risk of theft or damage whilst parked. Options include:

• It's great if your destination has designated parking - and edge-of-town sports arenas certainly do.
• For a day trip, use Park & Ride. These facilities are signposted from the main approach roads.
• For full day or overnight stays, there are 19 parking garages, with 5500 spaces.
• Street parking is very short supply (most spaces are resident-only, even out in the burbs) and costs €2 an hour.

Information is available online on locations, prices and real-time availability. There are also indicator signs on streets.

By bus

Most inter-city buses are operated by Flixbus. Buses run round the clock, destinations from here include Amsterdam, Berlin, Dresden, Dusseldorf, Essen, Hamburg, Innsbruck, Koblenz, Luxembourg, Milan, Munich, Ostend, Pilsen, Prague and Vienna. For most of these the bus is slower than the train, but it's faster for Pilsen and Prague (operated by Deutsche Bahn), as the existing rail line is circuitous and non-electrified.
, the main bus station, is on Willy Brandt Platz opposite the main railway station, at the south-east corner of the old city walls.
Local buses link Nuremberg to surrounding towns and suburbs, including Stein bei Nürnberg and Erlangen and may be a better option for some origin/destination pairs than the S-Bahn. Lines 20, 290 and 30 take you from Erlangen to where you can change onto Tram Line 4 and which also serves as a bus hub. Line 30 is the most "express" of those and goes on to the airport and the Nordostbahnhof, while the other lines terminate at "am Wegfeld". Line 33 links Fürth with the airport and also serves am Wegfeld. Line 199 links Herzogenaurach via a single stop at Erlangen Paul Gossen Straße to am Wegfeld but its schedule is mostly oriented towards commuters.

By bicycle

Several long-distance cycle routes pass through Nuremberg, making use of the Pegnitz river bank and the Main-Danube canal to avoid traffic. These reach Bamberg to the north and Regensburg to the south.

By ship

Nuremberg lies on the Main-Danube canal, so relatively large ships can navigate south from here into the Danube, hence to Vienna, Budapest and beyond; and north into the Rhine and all the way down to Cologne and Rotterdam. However these are not point-to-point ferries, but scenic cruises, typically on a 7- or 14-day itinerary. So it's a slow but luxurious way to get in, and you'll notice the tourist sights suddenly get busy whenever a cruise ship is calling. The is southwest of the old town and railway station. Most arriving cruise ships are met by dedicated buses. The canal was primarily intended as a freight route but while that business has stagnated and shrunk, cruises show relatively consistent growth.

The old town is best explored on foot. To get from one part of the old town to another by car or public transport, you will often have to leave the old town and reenter it at a different gate.

By public transport

There are three U-bahn or underground lines , and ; five Straßenbahn or tram lines , , , , ; and four S-Bahn or suburban train lines , , and , with the S-Bahn lines all reaching far beyond the city limits. They all radiate out from the main railway station. The tram lines have two main hubs at and the main station which are linked by subway but only awkwardly and indirectly by tram. Public transit is particularly useful for reaching the airport (U2), the Museum of Industrial Culture (Tram 8), the Nazi party rally grounds (S2 or trams 6 or 8), and some of the outlying hotels, as well as nearby towns such as Bamberg (S1). They're all within the integrated VGN, as described in "Get in". A standard Zone A adult ticket is €3.10, a four-journey ticket (which can be split, so a couple could make a return journey) is €11. U1 links Nuremberg and Fürth, was the first line to be built and was actually built from the "outside" (Langwasser, a new housing complex built together with the U-Bahn) inwards, U2 links Röthenbach (almost but not quite Stein bei Nürnberg) and the airport and U3 shares its core route with U2 - between Rothenburger Straße and Rathenauplatz - but branches towards Nordwestring in the North and Gustav Adolf Straße in the South forming an overall U-Shape with both endpoints west of the city center. U3 is being extended with one more station scheduled to open 2019 and potential extensions likely to break ground after that, while lines U1 and U2 seem to have reached their endpoints for the time being. There was extensive talk of Tram extensions in the 2010s but apart from a project to link the Tram (current Line 4) to Erlangen and Herzogenaurach they seem to be all on hold until federal or state funds are forthcoming. As lines U2 and U3 are by now fully automated, they naturally have the newest trains and the place that would have to be used for a driver in normal trains is mostly equipped with a panorama window which enables a full view into the tunnel ahead which is worth the ticket price if you care about technology at all and certainly a nice treat for the kids, even though the tunnel is rather dark and you thus don't see all that much. U1 uses some trains that date to the opening of the system and even sometimes some that were originally built for the Munich U-Bahn (the first generation of rolling stock was designed to be swapped between Nuremberg and Munich and it often was in the 1970s and 1980s), but in 2019 the newest batch of trains built for U1 is to enter service. They have removable driver's cabins and can be used on automated lines as well.
All tram lines operator on ten minute headways which drop to twenty minutes during the latter evening and early morning. U2 and U3 overlap for 100 second headways on their combined route during the busiest time of day and branch out with a little more than three minute headways which increase during less busy times. U1 usually operates with five minute headways.
All buses are equipped with Wi-Fi, and starting August 2018, the newer trams are to be equipped with Wi-Fi as well. Virtually all vehicles are heated in winter, but only the newer ones are equipped with air conditioning in summer.

By car

In short: don't! Firstly you don't need to, as public transport is almost always quicker. Secondly, the old town is not designed for driving, indeed it's positively designed against it. It's criss-crossed by pedestrian malls and ricketty medieval bridges, and the public roads are twisted into Schleifenlösung - loops. Whichever way you drive in the old town, the road will loop around and spit you back out, and you can't go across town within the walls. Even buses, emergency vehicles and drivers with accessibility permits can't get through.

By bicycle

The city's bikeshare system was relaunched in 2019 as VAG Rad. One minute of use costs €0.05 and there is a €10 cap per day. There is a "flexzone" in the inner city where you can drop off bikes pretty much everywhere but outside of this area stations can be somewhat sparse.

Accessibility

On the website “Mobile in Nuremberg” you will find information about the accessibility of various facilities in Nuremberg. The website wheelmap.org is also very helpful for finding wheelchair accessible places in Nuremberg (and Germany in general). A list of wheelchair accessible public toilets is provided here.
The public transport network in Nuremberg is mostly accessible for people with disabilities. All subway stations are equipped with elevators. Here you can find a list of elevators that are out of service. There is a small height difference of 8 to 13 cm between the subway trains and the platforms. On the lines U2 und U3, every train is equipped with an automatic ramp on every door, so boarding is easy for wheelchair users. On the line U1 there are mostly older vehicles in service, which do not offer ramps. Therefore wheelchair users should enter at the door next to the driver’s cabin, so that the driver is able to help if assistance is needed. All tramway and bus lines are served exclusively by wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Further information about the accessibility of the public transport network is provided here.

For all but the briefest visits, you'll do well to buy the Nürnberg + Fürth Card. This is valid for two days and gives free admission to over 50 museums and attractions, and free travel on all public transport in Zone A of Nuremberg and Fürth. You also get discounts in many theatres, shops, and the IMAX cinema. The card price for adults is €28. Children aged 5 to 11 pay €5, children under 5 are free. See city website and tourist board for more details.

If so many museums sounds daunting, a day-ticket just for the municipal museums is €9 - worth buying if you only see two, as the individual adult entry price is €6. Buy them at the first museum you visit. So two such days would cost €18, cheaper than the N+F card and your days needn't be consecutive, but it wouldn't include public transport. As of early 2018, these museums (all listed below) include Albrecht Dürer's House, Fembohaus City Museum, Toy Museum, Museum of Industrial Culture, Documentation Center at the Reich Party Rally Grounds, and Memorium Nuremberg Trials. The day-ticket only includes the regular collection, not exhibitions, tours and events, and doesn't include the Kaiserburg.
The following listings are arranged geographically, north to south through the Old Town then beyond. But if you want to focus on buildings of a particular architectural style, visit this site.

Sebalder Altstadt

Top sights in Sebalder Altstadt, the northern half of town, include the Imperial Castle, the collection of old houses nearby, and St Sebald church. A suggested itinerary is to start with the castle, then admire the collection of old buildings around Tiergärtnerplatz and the Castle Quarter or Burgviertel. Some of these are original, having survived the war, others were rebuilt. Pilatushaus was home to a wealthy merchant. The street Fuell with its sandstone houses is a typical merchant's street. The craftsmen lived in timber-framed houses, many of which have been restored in Weissgerbergasse. More timber-framed houses can be seen in Obere and Untere Kraemersgasse. In Untere Kraemersgasse 16 you can often look into the tiny courtyard. Near here are the Kunstbunker, and Albrecht Dürer's house, listed below. Continue south down Bergstraße to St Sebald and the old town hall, which remains a working building. (Its dungeons re-open to visitors in summer 2018.)

• Nuremberg Castle

  phone: +49 911 24 46 590
  The Nuremberg Castle is the rambling fortification that dominates the old town from the higher ground at its north-west corner. It’s actually three separate entities, with interior walls and gates built not against invaders but each other.

• Imperial CastleThe Imperial Castle proper is grouped around the inner castle courtyard. This is where you enter and buy your ticket, which covers the entire complex. Medieval rulers – the Holy Roman Emperors – didn’t have a fixed abode but held court from place to place. When in Nuremberg they used these buildings, which include the Palas, Chapel, and Bower (Imperial Castle Museum), all overlooked by the Sinwell (meaning “perfectly round”) Tower. The Tiefer Brunnen (“deep well”) can only be explored by guided tour.

• Burgrave’s CastleAdjacent east is the Burgrave’s Castle, of which you can visit the Pentagonal Tower and the Walburgis Chapel. The Burgrave was a hereditary ruler who resided permanently here. He had wide-ranging powers over justice, tax, trade and so on, but these conflicted with the powers of the Emperor and of the growing city, so horrendous feuds were inevitable. (The Burgrave's other castle, Cadolzburg, some 25 km west, can be visited on a combi ticket.)

• East again are buildings erected by the city itself. The Luginsland (watchtower) was built to spy into the Burgrave’s Castle. Next door, the Imperial Stables were the city’s corn granary; they’re now a Youth Hostel, see "Sleep" listing. The gardens around the Castle complex, only open in summer, are free to enter.

Albrecht Dürer's House

phone: +49 911 2312568

address: Albrecht-Dürer-Straße 39

The house in which the painter Albrecht Dürer lived and worked from 1509 until 1528. Representative of a wealthy house of that period. Exhibition about life in the house and the way Dürer worked.

Toy Museum

phone: +49 911 2313260

address: Karlstraße 13-15

Nuremberg was one of the centres of the German toy industry. The exhibition shows wooden and metal toys, dolls and doll houses, model railways and modern toys.

Fembohaus Citymuseum

phone: +49 911 2312595

address: Burgstraße 15

A merchant's house built about 1600, in late Renaissance style. Exhibition about the history of the city.

Museum Tucherschloss and Hirsvogelsaal

phone: +49 911 231 5421 (information),+49 911 231 8355 (cashier)

address: Hirschelgasse 9-11

The Tuchers and the Hirsvogels were wealthy trading families. This castle built between 1533 and 1544 shows their life in that era, with several original features.

Art Bunker

phone: +49 911 22 70 66

address: Obere Schmiedgasse 52

Part of the labyrinth of tunnels underneath the city, but separate from the Felsengänge tour (listed above). During World War II this and other bunkers were converted into safe storage for the city's art treasures, with temperature and humidity controls and extra security. Frequent tours in German, but tours can be organised for up to 25 in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Czech.

St Sebald ChurchBuilt in Romanesque style from the 13th century, with many later Gothic and Baroque additions, and now part of the Evangelical or Lutheran church of Germany, St Sebaldhus is the focus of the north-side old town. In the centre of the church a wooden monument stands over the saint's grave, carved with scenes of his life. The church organ is a modern replacement of the famous original, destroyed by bombing in WW2.

Lorenzer Altstadt

Top sights in Lorenzer Altstadt, the southern half of town, include Lorenzkirche, the Way of Human Rights, the Germanische Nationalmuseum and the Neues Museum.

• Natural History Museum

  phone: +49 911 227 970
  address: 8 Marientorgraben
  The ground floor is the ethnology collection: masks from the South Seas, Costa Rican culture, a Berber tent from Morocco, and strange garb of the Nivchi, a Siberian people. The upper floor covers geology, prehistory and archaeology.

• Tower of the Senses

  phone: +49 911 944 3281
  address: Westtor
  Interactive science museum with emphasis on human perception

• St Lawrence ChurchMostly built in the 15th century and now part of the Evangelical or Lutheran church of Germany, Lorenzkirche forms the focus of the south-side old town. It's dominated within by the 18m tall Tabernacle, a gothic spire made circa 1493 by Adam Kraft, with himself as one of three figures holding it up. (Find more of his work across the river in St Sebaldus, in the Germanische Nationalmuseum, and in Ulm.) Note also the stained glass windows, and Veit Stoss' "Annunciation" (Engelsgruss) suspended high over the altar.

• NassauhausThe oldest building in the city - the cellars date back to the 12th Century, though most is later Gothic.

• Fountain of VirtuesSix virtuous dames spout water from their breasts, guarded by the figure of Justice.

• KunsthalleHas rotating art exhibitions, hours & prices vary.

• Germanisches Nationalmuseum

  phone: +49 911 13310
  address: Kartäusergasse 1
  One of the largest museum of art and crafts in the German-speaking countries, with a collection ranging from pre-historic artefacts to 20th century art. Allow at least half a day.

• Way of Human RightsA monumental outdoor sculpture, opened on 24 October 1993. It is sited on the street between the new and old buildings of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, connecting Kornmarkt street and the medieval city wall.

• Neues Museum ("New Museum", State Museum for Art and Design in Nürnberg)

  phone: +49 911 2402069
  address: Klarissenplatz
  Within Old Town but in a striking modern building, the museum shows art and design from 1945 to today.

Just outside the walls and easily combined with a stroll around Altstadt is the Transportation Museum.

• Verkehrsmuseum

  address: Lessingstraße 6
  This museum contains two collections: the DB Museum (DB National Railway Museum) and the Museum for Communication. The railway museum explores the history of railways in Germany from 1835 - when the first railway connecting Nuremberg and Fürth opened - to today. There's a large collection of locomotives and rolling stock, extending outside, and it's a good place for families with children. The museum includes full scale replicas or originals from all eras of German rail travel, including a replica of the first ever locomotive running over German rails and a mock-up of the ICE. There's thoughtful coverage of the railways' role in German society, including their role in warfare and in the mass deportation to death of oppressed civilians. Labelling is only in German but there are free audioguides in English and other languages. The Museum for Communication is small by comparison, yet attempts to address the entire theme of communications. Some interesting items but the overall effect is superficial, with important concepts mentioned but not explored.

Further out

• St Johannis Friedhof14th-century graveyard with many famous citizens, including Albrecht Dürer and Adam Kraft. In summer the gardens are a riot of roses and other colourful flowers. You can walk here along Johannisstraße but the street is mostly modern, busy and uninteresting. Alternatively follow the river walk west from Hallertor. This eventually leads into Lindengasse which curls north to the church. Continue the riverside walk west for a couple of hours to reach the town of Fürth. The main sights there are the old streets, the Jewish Museum, the Radio Museum, and Town Hall. You'll probably prefer to ride back to the city, on U-1 or S-1.

• Museum of Industrial Culture

  phone: +49 911 231 3875
  address: Äußere Sulzbacher Straße 62
  Set in an old screw factory, the last remnant of the sprawling Tafel metalwork complex. Tells the story from the Industrial Revolution into the early 20th century. Along a museum street you see how living conditions, social life and technology developed during that era . . . and, not least, the gingerbread industry.

• Documentation Center at the Reich Party Rally Grounds

  phone: +49 911 231 5666
  address: Bayernstraße 110
  Soon after they came to power in 1933 the Nazis chose Nuremberg as the place for their annual party rallies. They planned a set of gigantic buildings here, few of which were built. Start at the Documentation Centre for the story of how the Nazis rose to power, their grasp of modern media and propaganda techniques, the organisation of the party rallies and wider mass agitation, and the connections between that and their crimes against minorities and plunge into World War 2. The Documentation Center is in the north wing of the Congress Hall (Kongresshalle), one of the few planned constructions that did get built. Although the rally grounds cover a wide area, there's little else to see here other than the reviewing stand at the Zeppelin field. The "Große Straße" which was the spine of the rally grounds is now just a modern road. Note you can also get here on S-2 to Dutzendteich; other S-bahn trains run through this station but don't stop.

• Memorium Nuremberg Trials and Courtroom 600

  phone: +49 911 321 79372
  address: Bärenschanzstraße 72
  After World War II, this site was chosen for trials of the Nazi high command, partly for Nuremberg's symbolic role in Nazism, but chiefly because the Palace of Justice was undamaged and contained a prison block. Charges were brought both against individuals, and against entire organisations such as the SS and Gestapo. The permanent exhibition tells the story of this and subsequent trials, eg of collaborating doctors and judges, and of officers of the individual concentration camps. It shows how these trials established many present day principles of international law and morality, eg the legal concept of genocide, and the Helsinki Principles on medical experimentation. Courtroom 600, where the trials were held, is still used today for serious crimes, so it can only be visited if no trial is in progress.

• Historic tram depot (Historisches-Straßenbahndepot)

  phone: +49 911 283 4654
  address: 1 St. Peter Schloßstraße
  Trams since they began here in 1881. Several are in working order and when the museum is open, they make a leisurely grinding circuit of the city's public tramways.

• Zoo (Tiergarten)

  phone: +49 911 54546
  address: Am Tiergarten 30
  The Nuremberg Tiergarten is one of the most beautiful zoos in Europe, set in forests and old quarries to the east of the city. Includes a Dolphinarium with regular shows.

• Children's Museum (Kindermuseum)

  phone: +49 911 600 040
  address: Michel-Ende Str 17, Kachelbau
  Hands-on museum, with two permanent exhibitions: everyday life of your great-grandparents, and treasure chamber earth.

• Kraftshof Village Church

  address: Kraftshof
  In the Middle Ages, cities like Nuremberg were strongly protected by walls and castles, but villages lacked them. It was often impractical to build these around a straggling farm village, and the cities jealously guarded their rights to have walls - any others might be distrusted as a prelude to rebellion. So instead many villages fortified their church, and Kraftshof is a good example. See Wikipedia entry for other examples especially in Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg, Transylvania and the Dordogne.

• Neunhof Manor, (Schloss Neunhof)

  address: Neunhofer Hauptstraße
  Nuremberg's patricians had numerous manor houses in the surrounding villages. This is a good example, built in the 16th century. Adjoining is a small baroque garden. The castle is closed for renovation in 2017.

• Nuremberg Exhibition Centre

  phone: +49 911-8606-0
  address: Messezentrum, D-90471 Nürnberg
  The Exhibition Center is relatively new. It offers over 160,000 m² of display area in twelve halls grouped around the central park.

Annual events

The big annual event in Nuremberg is the Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt), listed below. But there’s a full calendar throughout the year – check what’s on even if you don’t plan to attend, as there may be street closures and crowd congestion.

January-May

• Panoptikum Children’s Theatre Festival (Kindertheaterfestival)Wide-ranging programme with artistes from Bavaria and across Europe. Aimed at children 3+, ie verbal and in German, though some shows use little or no spoken language. This festival runs alternate years so the subsequent event will be in 2020.

• Nuremberg Carnival (Fastnachtszug)This has been held since 1397. The next main carnival parade is on Sun 11 Feb 2018, with the children’s carnival held on the Monday.

• Nuremberg Spring Festival (Frühlingsfest)

  address: Dutzendteich
  Spring funfair held for two weeks in March / April. The next starts on Sat 31 March 2018. (“Volksfest” refers both to this spring festival, and the late summer festival in Aug / Sept.)

• Nuremberg Flea Market (Trempelmärkte)Trödelmarkt on the little river island is the permanent flea market, but the event on the second weekend in May and on the first weekend in September takes over the entire Old Town, with 4000 booths. Children have their own free area, where they can sell surplus toys.

• Blue Night (Blaue Nacht)A night when museums, churches and other cultural institutions stay open till dawn. Along with art and light installations, music and performances in Nuremberg's old town streets. The next Blue Night is Sat 4 May 2019.

• FigurentheaterfestivalHeld in alternate years. The next starts on 24 May 2019.

June-August

• Rock im Park

  address: Zeppelinfeld, Dutzendteich
  Annual rock festival, featuring alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, & electronic music. The next event is 7-9 June 2019. It’s held simultaneously with the Rock am Ring festival at Nürburgring motor racing circuit, with most artistes appearing at both.

• International Organ Week (Internationale Orgelwoche Nürnberg)Festival of organ and other sacred music. The next festival starts on 6 June 2018.

• Norisring DTM Motor Racing (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters)

  address: Norisring, Dutzendteich
  DTM racing cars are touring cars - they look more like a “normal” road car than F1 racing cars do, being wider and heavier. They’re slower too but still mighty fast. There are ten races at various European circuits in the 2018 season, with 23 / 24 June being held in Nuremberg. Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are the three manufacturers competing.

• Datev Challenge

  address: Around the town of Roth
  Triathlon. The next event is 1 July 2018.

• Bardtreffen music festivalAt various city venues, free. The next festival is 27-29 July 2018.

• Open Air Classics

  address: Dutzendteich
  Concerts staged on two summer weekends, two weeks apart, in the park at Dutzendteich. The next dates are Sun 22 July & Sat 4 Aug 2018.

• Herbst VolkfestThis late summer festival starts 24 Aug 2018, see Spring Festival website.

September-December

• Old Town Festival (Altstadtfest)Two-week event in mid-September, with music and processions. There’s food and drink at the Gastronomy Market and at numerous restaurants and beer gardens in the old town centre.

• Flea MarketSee listing above for May.

• Nuremberg foot race (Stadtlauf Nürnberg)Road race with half-marathon, 10 km and other distances. The next race is on 3 Oct 2018.

• Lange Nacht der WissenschaftenAt this event many universities, tech companies, the Institute of Technology, etc are open to the public. The next event is in Oct 2019.

• Tag der offenen TürEvery two years in October the municipality and many organisations open to the public for 3 days. The next event is in 2019.

• Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt or Weihnachtsmarkt)This is the big one, drawing large crowds from across Europe. Held from the Friday before the first advent Sunday to 23 December. Over 180 retail booths, and more gingerbread than you thought possible.

• Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitization and society.

Sport

• 1. FC Nuremberg

  address: Max Morlock Stadium
  The club, founded in 1900, play soccer in the 2. Bundesliga, Germany's second division. In 2017 the stadium was renamed for famous player Max Morlock, but the S-bahn station still reflects a former name "Frankenstadion".

• Climbing FactoryIndoor climbing on 850 m².

• Arena Nürnberg VersicherungA multipurpose sports venue next to the 1. FCN Max Morlock Stadium (same transport directions). They host: Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers who play ice hockey in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Germany's top league. Other teams (part of EHC 80 Nürnberg) also play here in the lower leagues. And HC Erlangen the Olympic handball team, who had to move from their home town of Erlangen in 2014 when they won promotion and their home stadium became too small.

• Nürnberg Rams aka Noris Rams play American Football in the 2nd Division of the German Football League. Their home ground is Zeppelinfeld, next to the Arena and 1.FCN's stadium, same transport directions. The season runs May to Sept. Admission is below €10 for adults, free for children. There's a friendly family atmosphere to the games, with little hostility between fans. Catering is provided by an American restaurant, including burgers and pulled pork.

• Nuremberg FalconsAfter finishing second in the 2018/2019 second division season they qualified for promotion to the first division on the court but were ultimately denied promotion due to their temporary home field not being up for first division standards and their somewhat limited funds. Their home games can sell out quickly and the fans make you forget that their temporary venues are essentially a glorified tent on an airport parking lot.

Other

• Nurembergs Underworld (Nürnberger Felsengänge)

  phone: +49 911 22 70 66
  address: Bergstraße 19
  The sandstone bedrock of Nuremberg's castle hill is riddled with vaulted cellars and passageways. Mostly carved out in the 14th century, they include beer cellars, casemates, water conduits; in World War II they were used as air raid shelters. By guided tour only, bring stout footwear and extra cardigans, it's cold down there.

• Medieval Dungeons

  phone: +49 911 2312690
  address: Rathausplatz 2
  Medieval prison and torture museum under the city hall. Accessible only by guided tour. Not suitable for children under 10 and those with mobility impairments.

• CinecittaThe biggest multiplex cinema in Germany. 18 movie theaters, one IMAX theater, one "motion action drive" cinema, three restaurants, twelve bars and five outside terraces with view on the historic town.

Nuremberg's main shopping district ist the Lorenzer Altstadt, the part of the old town south of river Pegnitz. There are three shopping streets running from the white tower (Weißer Turm) to the vicinity of St Lawrence church (Lorenzkirche): The cheapest stores can be found in Breite Gasse, in Karolinenstraße you find mid-priced stores and Kaisserstraße, next to the river, offers luxury goods. At their eastern end the three streets are connected by the street Königsstraße, which runs from the main station via St Lawrence church to the main market place. The biggest department stores, Karstadt, Galeria Kaufhof and Breuninger, are located here. On Trödelmarkt you find some small shops. At Sebalder Altstadt you find antiques, curiosities and designer shops.
As souvenirs you can by gingerbread (Lebkuchen). Several large manufacturers and a number of small bakeries produce this. The best quality is called Elisenlebkuchen. Alternatively, sausages (Nürnberger Bratwürste) are available in tin cans or vacuum-wrapped. Don't take them to countries outside the EU unless you've checked customs regulations on importing meat.

Malls

• City Point

  address: Breite Gasse 5, 90402 Nürnberg (City)

• mercado

  address: Äußere Bayreuther Straße 80, 90491 Nürnberg (North)

• Franken-Center

  address: Glogauer Straße 30-38, 90473 Nürnberg (South)

Outlets

• Puma Sport

  address: Klingenhofstr. 70, 90411 Nürnberg (North-West)

Clothing

Gothic, Dark Wave, Fetisch:

• Crazy Fashion (for Adults only), Schweiggerstr. 30, 90478 Nürnberg (South)
• Mac's Mystic Store, Ludwig-Feuerbach-Str. 13, 90489 Nürnberg (South)
• Underground, Königstr. 39, 90402 Nürnberg (City)
• Vampiria, Kappengasse 10, 90402 Nürnberg (City)

Records

• Schallplattenfachhandel USG6

  address: Untere Schmiedgasse 6

• Mono-Ton

  address: Färberstraße 44

Bratwurst: The city’s own pork sausage, the “Nürnberger Rostbratwürste”, is spicier than other sausages of the surrounding Franconia region, and half the size. So a serving in a restaurant is six Nürnberger (or three other Franconians), grilled or pan-fried, accompanied by sauerkraut or potato salad. A light bite on the street is three Nürnberger in a bread roll - ask for “Drei im Weggla”. “Nürnberger Rostbratwürste” is a protected name and they may only be manufactured here.
Another way of cooking these sausages is to stew them in a broth of vinegar, onions and spices. This is called "Saure Zipfel" – “sour corners” - because of the broth stains in the corners of your mouth.
There are many other styles of sausage and ways of preparing them. “Pressack” is like salami, sliced and eaten with mustard. The “Nürnberger Stadtwurst” go well with farmhouse bread and beer. “Stadtwurst mit Musik” means they're sliced, and heaped with vinegar and raw onion . . . so guess where the “Musik” will be coming from, 30 minutes later.
Looking for places that serve sausages in Nuremberg is like looking for water in Venice. Three outlets (among many) that specialise in them are Zum Gulden Stern and Bratwursthäusle (both listed below), and Bratwurstglöcklein as you enter Old Town from the railway station.
Lebkuchen: if you want to eat it here, buy a package labelled Bruch: broken. It's cheaper, and the quality is fine, but it's second-run stuff that they can't market as souvenirs. Other confections are:
Eierzucker – delicate white biscuits, often in shapes, eg like a horse
Kirschenmännla - cherry casserole with loose dough
Schneeballen – "snowballs", thin dough baked in lard, with powdered sugar. Often handed out to guests at ceremonies such as baptisms, confirmations or weddings.

Budget

Many food stalls and fast food restaurants can be found along Königstraße leading from the main station into the old town.
One stand is in the middle of the street perpendicular to the front of the Lorenzkirche. Several are also in Lorenzstraße (coming from the pedestrian zone, that is the street starting strait after the roundabout behind the Lorenz square. Amonst others, good places are:

• Red Curry House

  phone: +49 911 62 174 17
  address: Lorenzer Straße 29
  South East Asian food, tasty, with very good value for price small dishes

• Suppdiwupp

  phone: +49 911 23 58 58 00
  address: Lorenzer Straße 27
  Great soups and hotpots served with fresh traditional style bread; the offerings change and there are not many dishes, but usually everybody should find something along her/his taste on the menu.

Mid-range

• Historische Bratwurstküche - Zum Guldenen Stern

  phone: +49 911 2059288
  address: Zirkelschmiedsgasse 26
  Restaurant in an old timber-framed house specializing in roasted sausages. Oldest sausage restaurant in the world, since 1419. Located in a small pedestrian zone in the Lorenz district, near Jacobsplatz, walkable distance (ca. 10 minutes) from the central station

• Goldenes Posthorn

  phone: +49 911 225153
  address: Glöckleinsgasse 2
  Traditional restaurant in the old city centre. Founded in 1498.

• Bratwursthäusle

  phone: +49 911 227695
  address: Rathausplatz 1
  Restaurant in the old city centre specializing in roasted sausages. You can see many tourists there as it's one of the most frequented places to have a "Bratwurst" (grilled sausage). One of the most common packages is "Drei im Weckla" (three in a bread roll).

• Heilig Geist Spital

  phone: +49 911 221761
  address: Spitalgasse 16
  Mainly local cuisine. Historic dining room situated over the river Pegnitz.

• Steichele, Hotel & Weinrestaurant.

  phone: +49 911 202280
  address: Knorrstraße 2-8
  Local cuisine. The Steichele has the opportunity to try, dink and buy selected wines from "Franken", the "Pfalz", "Südtirol" and many more producing regions of Germany.

• Zum Spießgesellen

  phone: +49 911 23555525
  address: Rathausplatz 4

• Sangam Restaurant

  phone: +49 911 23 494 17
  address: Königstr. 83-87
  Tasty authentic traditional Indian cuisine

• Tibet Café Restaurant

  phone: +49 911 3000754
  address: Johannisstr. 28
  Indian style food

• Mesob

  phone: +49 157 300 65 684 and +49 174 253 1531
  address: Pillenreuther Straße 20
  Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine; while the atmosphere is merely ok, the staff is friendly and the food delicious.

• Albrecht-Dürer-Stube

  phone: +49 911 22 72 09
  address: Albrecht-Dürer-Straße 6
  A very traditional Franconian restaurant, frequented by locals and tourists alike. It is a good choice if you want to have some hearty local food in an unpretentious atmosphere. As the venue is small and popular, it is often necessary to have an advance reservation.

• Padelle d'Italia

  phone: +49 911 2742 130
  address: Theatergasse 17
  A place to go for authentic Italian cuisine. It may be quite crowded and somewhat loud, but you will most probably find Italians here, too.

• Kuhmuhne

  phone: +49 911 66 489798
  address: Weintraubengasse 2
  If you want tasty burgers without going to a chain of restaurants and regional quality ingredients, this nice burger place is for you. Portions are quite Franconian (i.e. a little too big, maybe ;-)

Splurge

• KonTiki

  phone: +49 911 221139
  address: Untere Wörthstraße 10-14
  Local, Steak and Fish cuisine. Small Beergarden on the river Pegnitz.

• Würzhaus

  phone: +49 911 937 34 55
  address: Kirchenweg 3a
  Franconian lunch, on evenings a rather upscale à la carte offering (as of groups of 8, a special menu can be prepared)

• Essigbrätlein

  phone: +49 911 225 131
  address: Weinmarkt 3
  Famous gourmet cuisine.

Cafés

• Kaffee Hörna

  address: Scheurlstr. 11
  A tiny modern café with delicious Swedish-style cakes.

• Café Kaulbach

  phone: +49 911 93 744 744
  address: Schweppermannstraße 28
  The venue of the two great cake bakers that formerly operated the Café Wohlleben.

• Balazzo Brozzi

  phone: +49 911-28 84 82
  A somewhat alternative café also regularly hosting subculture.

• Zeitungs-Café Herrmann Kesten

  address: Peter-Vischer-Straße 3, 90403 Nürnberg
  A quiet retreat off city life, you may perfectly head here to read one of the many newspapers they offer or something you bring for yourself, for example.

• Salon Regina

  address: Fürther Straße 64, Nürnberg
  A café at day and a nice bar with a variety of people in the early evening - good to visit during daytime or to start your evening in Gostenhof.

• Zumikon

  address: Großweidenmühlstraße 21
  Summer retreat and a friendly café with cake and partly also small, fresh dishes and great ice cream.

• Café Mainheim

  address: Bauerngasse 18 (Gostenhof)
  a nice and friendly café with a lot of space and air to breathe. Provides free WiFi for guests.

• Caffé Fatal

  phone: +49 911 396363
  address: Jagdstraße 16
  A nice caffé with small dishes and a great breakfasts buffet.

• Hildes Backwut

  phone: +49 911 4008797
  address: Schloßstraße 48
  A traditional bakery with a café, where they bake delicious bread, pastry, cakes.

• Eddy Would Attack

  phone: +49 911 253 061 62
  address: Frauentormauer 18
  A crazy combination of a bike repair shop and café, located centrally in Nurembergs red light area; offers breakfast, cakes etc. – and newspapers and bike journals to read

• Café Kirsch

  phone: +49 911 47 87 93 48
  A cosy and inclusive café where people with and without handicaps cooperate. Unfortunately, at the site, access for people with disabilities is limited (elevated ground floor without a ramp).

Beer

Many great beers are made in Franconia (Upper Franconia has the largest concentration of breweries world wide) and even in Nuremberg itself.

• Barfüßer

  phone: +49 911 204242
  address: Hallplatz 2
  A large, lively German-style beer hall, where you can have a keg delivered to your table for you to pour your own drinks. Hearty Franconian food is on the menu, and they brew their own blonde beer.

• Mata Hari Bar

  address: Weißgerbergasse 31
  One of the places where it's easiest to get into conversations when you're coming by yourself. A small but atmosphere-packed place, where you can often hardly move but have great evenings talking about everyone and his brother.

• Hannemann

  phone: +49 1511 6554248
  address: Johannesgasse 22
  A bar in between your grandma's style of living room (and similarly relaxed) and a hip modern place – if you want to chat with friends or just hang around easy-going people, that's one of the places you can choose.

• Kater Murr

  phone: +49 151 10783629
  address: Johannesgasse 14
  A friendly pub, with ties to the local creative scene, which regularly hosts exhibitions and from time to time other cultural events.

Beer gardens

• Wanderer and Bieramt

  address: Beim Tiergärtnertor 2 - 6
  Not a beer garden, but a place popular amongst locals and tourists. You can sit at the square, which becomes quite crowded on warm summer nights.
• Beer garden at Hummelstein Park

• Wiesn' Biergarten on Wörder Wiese

  address: Wöhrder Wiese

On the city walls:

• Marientorzwinger

  address: Lorenzer Straße 33

• Restaurant und Biergarten Kopernikus im Krakauer Haus

  phone: +49 911 2427740
  address: Hintere Insel Schütt 34
  A restaurant with a special beer garden which is nicely located on the city wall and also has tables along the city wall on a wooden path used with the fortification; the building housing the restaurant is a cultural center connecting the region with Poland.

• Kulturgarten

  address: Königstraße 39
  At the local cultural center Künstlerhaus.

Gostenhof:

• Schanzenbräu Schankwirtschaft

  phone: +49 911 93 77 67 90
  address: Adam-Klein-Straße 27
  The beer garden of one of the hippest Nuremberg breweries. Serve delicious locally-brewed beer.

• Kulturbrauerei Lederer

  address: Sielstraße 12

• Palais Schaumburg

  phone: +49 911 260 043
  address: Kernstraße 46
  One of the smaller beer gardens, this place exists for over 20 years now, nearly becoming an institution. It is especially popular amonsgst the somewhat more alternative and with vegetarians as it offers extensive choice for them.

Wine

The Franconian wine is said to be a "man's wine". Analogous to "man's chocolate" this points to a rather dry taste. Furthermore the rather harsh climate and the soil structure definitely contribute to this fact. An extravagance of the Franconian wines is their bottle. In Germany the Bocksbeutel bottle shape is generally reserved for higher-quality wines from Franconia.

Cocktails

• Gelbes Haus

  phone: +49 911 26 22 74
  address: Troststraße 10
  This is a mid-sized bar with two rooms, one with wood coated walls (which are nevertheless not "too heavy) and another one with the actual bar in it and in the style of the building; they serve a huge variety of classical, well-prepared cocktails and a good collection of spirits.

• Cubano

  address: Innere Laufer Gasse
  Another good cocktail bar.

Clubs

• Mach 1

  address: Kaiserstraße 1
  Nice club with good flair. They usually play House music.

• Die Rakete

  phone: +49 911 80 15 3 15
  address: Vogelweiherstraße 64
  An institution in electronic music, this small but nice club is known well over the region.

• Hirsch

  address: Vogelweiherstraße 66
  Concerts and clubbing (with a focus on electronic music), located in an industrial area in the south of Nürnberg.

• Club Stereo

  address: Klaragasse 8
  A small, nice club with changing offers (music genre highly depending on what the current event is), regularly offering nice concerts, too. The club is located in the basement, and shares its entrance with the bar Vorraum which is located on ground floor.

• MUZclub

  address: Fürther Str. 63
  A live music-oriented club with a nice garden for warm summer evenings which is operated by the non-profit music supporting association "Musikzentrale Nürnberg e.V." which regularly hosts concerts ranging from local scene festivals to somewhat more well-known groups.

For a fast room reservation service in the Nuremberg-Fuerth-Erlangen-Schwabach area, please go to the on-line room reservation request of the Nuremberg Convention and Tourist Office.

Budget

• DJH (YHA/HI)

  phone: +49 911 2309360
  address: Burg 2
  Note that DJH/YHA/HI membership is required (or an extra fee is paid) and, as in all YHA hostels in Bavaria, persons over 27 years of age are only admitted if the hostel is not full. Linen included in price.

• Jugend Hotel

  phone: +49 911 5216092
  address: Rathsbergstr. 300
  Wheelchair-accessible rooms, barbecue, TV-lounge, English spoken.

• Don Bosco Jugendwerk

  phone: +49 911 931790
  address: Don-Bosco-Straße 2
  A house for young and young-at-heart people.

Mid-range

In the Old City

• Holiday Inn Nürnberg City Centre

  phone: +49 911 242500
  address: Engelhardsgasse 12
  Built in 2005.

• Hotel Elch

  phone: +49 911 2492980
  address: Irrerstr. 9
  A small hotel in a quaint old building, located on a quiet street a few minutes' walk from several restaurants and sights.

• Hotel Ibis Nuernberg Altstadt

  phone: +49 911 232000
  address: Königstraße 74
  Reasonably priced hotel in the heart of the city.

• Hotel Victoria

  phone: +49 911 24050
  address: Königstraße 80
  The hotel in the old city that is closest to the Hauptbahnhof, in a renovated 19th-century building.

Near Plärrer

Just outside the southwest corner of the old city are several mid-range hotels within walking distance of many sights in the old city, and about a 20-minute walk from the Hauptbahnhof.

• Hotel Fackelmann

  phone: +49 911 206840
  address: Essenweinstr. 10

• Hotel Ibis Nuernburg City am Plaerrer Hotel

  phone: +49 911 23710
  address: Steinbühlerstr. 2

• Hotel Leonardo

  phone: +49 911 27760
  address: Zufuhrstr. 22
  Part of a small chain of hotels in Germany, amenities include free WiFi in the rooms and free bicycle rental.

• Park Inn by Radisson Nuremberg

  phone: +49 911 704 040
  address: Sandstraße 2-8

Next to the main train station

• NH Collection Nuremberg City

  phone: +49 911 99990
  address: Bahnhofstraße 17-19
  Central, reliable and easy to find. There are a few other NH hotels in Nuremberg if this one doesn't suit your budget.

• Hotel Marienbad

  phone: +49 911 203147
  address: Eilgutstraße 5

North of the Old City

• Hotel Kreuzeck

  phone: +49 911 34961
  address: Schnepfenreuther Weg 1 (on the corner with Erlanger Straße (B4))

• Acom Hotel

  phone: +49 911 6505990
  address: Leipziger Platz 22
  Budget hotel.

• Mövenpick Hotel Nürnberg-Airport

  phone: +49 911 3501 0
  address: Flughafenstraße 100

• Hotel Metropol Nürnberg

  phone: +49911324390
  address: Fürtherstraße 338, Weststadt, 90429
  Budget hotel. Spacious room with private facilities. Buffet breakfast with wide range of foods. WiFi €1 per hour. Free street parking.

South of the Old City

• Hotel St. Peter

  phone: +49 911 946690
  address: Harsdörffer Str. 30
  Family-run hotel.

Splurge

According to the state police, it has the lowest crime rate of the cities with more than 400,000 inhabitants.

Most city buses and some U-Bahn stops have free WiFi. U-Bahn vehicles and most trams do not, in part because they were built before free WiFi became a major concern and upgrading them would be prohibitively expensive.

Several interesting small towns lie very close to Nuremberg. You'd probably do them as a day trip, as it wouldn't be worth re-locating (unless you were hiking, knapsack on your back):

• Fürth - just 5 km west, this has charming medieval streets, a Jewish museum and a radio museum.
• Faber Castle (as in Faber-Castell pencils; their factory is here) is in the small town of Stein (Mittelfranken).
• Erlangen - University town with a remarkable collection of museums and early modern architecture (and, of course, bicycles cranked by earnest young men and women). It's also a company town, dominated by Siemens, and has a big Pentecost festival Bergkirchweih.
• Schwabach - pleasant old town centre.

Well within a day-trip, but deserving longer:

• Bamberg - once an ecclesiastical centre, the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its original Romanesque buildings, which survived the war. Its beer is also famous.
• Bayreuth - even if you don't care for opera, admire its baroque centre and collection of palaces. Tickets for the annual Wagner Opera Festival get snapped up months in advance.
• Ingolstadt - is packed with medieval, Renaissance and baroque architecture.
• Regensburg - astride the Danube and still showing traces of its Roman founders, the city sights reflect its status as a former capital of Bavaria.
• Dachau - was the site of the Third Reich's first concentration camp.

You'll need your own transport to get around Fränkische Schweiz - "Franconian Switzerland" and
Fränkisches Seenland - the lake district south-west of Nuremberg.
The western edge of Franconia is traversed by the Romantic Road, a tourist route through a series of shamelessly picturesque old towns. Closest to Nuremberg is Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The "Road" leads north to Würzburg, and south through Nördlingen and Augsburg to Füssen on the Austrian border, with its over-the-top Schloss Neuschwanstein.
And then there's the looming state capital, often disliked by Franconians that is Munich.