Things to Do in Nuremberg: 22 Top Attractions & Highlights

Our 5 Nuremberg Highlights for a Weekend

We’ve got attractions for every taste in our list — but you’re probably wondering which ones you simply can’t skip. Here are our top 5 things to do in Nuremberg that you can easily fit into a weekend.

• Kaiserburg
• Henkersteg
• Hauptmarkt with Frauenkirche
• Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds
• Neues Museum Nürnberg

Map of All 22 Nuremberg Sights

A picture is worth a thousand words — and that goes double for maps. We’ve put together a map with all 22 Nuremberg highlights so you can plan your route. You can download it and view it offline too.

Download the map of 22 Nuremberg highlights

Important Landmarks in Nuremberg

Kaiserburg

High above Nuremberg it reigns — the Kaiserburg. The fortress is Nuremberg’s most important landmark and one of the most significant castles in all of Germany.

What makes it special is that it sits right in the heart of the city center — not out on some remote hilltop.

As the name suggests, the Holy Roman Emperors resided here at various times — 32 (!) of them in total. Your ticket gets you into the interior rooms, the Kaiserburg Museum with its collection of medieval weapons, and the watchtower.

Particularly impressive is the Deep Well — and the name says it all. It goes a full 50 meters down.

Even if you skip the ticket, the Kaiserburg is absolutely worth the walk up. The castle grounds are free to enter, and from up there you get a stunning panorama over all of Nuremberg.

Hauptmarkt with Frauenkirche

The Hauptmarkt is, in many ways, the heart of Nuremberg’s historic center. On weekdays, a weekly market fills the square and you can snack your way through all kinds of local treats. During the Christmas season, the famous Christkindlesmarkt takes over right here (see #20).

The real highlight of the Hauptmarkt, though, is the Frauenkirche, one of Nuremberg’s top attractions. At noon, the “Männleinlaufen” takes place — Nuremberg’s answer to the Glockenspiel in Munich. The seven Electors parade past Emperor Charles IV while the bells ring out.

Our tip: At one corner of the Hauptmarkt you’ll find the Schöner Brunnen. Turn the brass ring on the fountain gate once and three wishes will be granted. Turn it three times and you’ll have many children. It works — we tried it for you.

Henkersteg and Weinstadel

Probably the most popular photo subject in Nuremberg is the romantic ensemble of the Henkersteg and Weinstadel, with the Pegnitz flowing between green willows swaying in the breeze. Dreamy, right?

Well, the history behind it is far less romantic. The Weinstadel, Germany’s largest half-timbered building, was originally used to house leprosy patients. Only later did Nurembergers use it for wine storage — and today it’s a student dormitory.

The stone medieval tower right next door has an even darker past: it served as the residence of the local executioner.

You can only view the Weinstadel from the outside, so as not to disturb the students. The Henkerhaus has an exhibition on legal and criminal history.

Weißgerbergasse

The Weißgerbergasse is one of the most beautiful streets in Nuremberg. The entire lane is lined with picturesque, colorful half-timbered houses, and you’ll find plenty of small boutiques and charming cafés along the way. Simply perfect for a leisurely stroll.

The half-timbered houses aren’t here by accident: they were once the homes of fairly well-off craftsmen known as Weißgerber, or white tanners. We’re honestly a little glad the white tanners are gone — their work came with a truly awful smell.

Our tip: During the day, things are quite peaceful here, but in the evenings the Weißgerbergasse fills up with people looking for a good time. If you want to find some of the coolest bars in Nuremberg, this is the street to be on.

Handwerkerhof

The Handwerkerhof takes you back to the Middle Ages! It’s essentially a “city within a city,” tucked just inside the old fortification wall, where handcrafted products from various trades are on offer.

There’s a goldsmith, a pottery, a glass grinder, a doll shop, and much more. In many of the stores you can watch the craftspeople at work and get a real sense of what it was like to work without machinery in the Middle Ages.

The shops aren’t actually from the Middle Ages — the whole project was created in the 1970s specifically for tourists. But honestly, you’d never know it walking through the old cobblestone lanes with their beautiful half-timbered buildings.

Historic Rock-Cut Cellars

Franconia and beer — those two just go together. There was a time when Nuremberg had 40 breweries for just 30,000 residents. The city eventually passed an ordinance requiring anyone who wanted to brew beer to have their own vaulted cellar for storage.

Given how thirsty the people of Nuremberg were, an underground labyrinth of around 20,000 square meters was born! And those cellars proved extremely useful — they provided shelter from bombs for many residents during World War II.

You can explore the rock-cut tunnels today on a guided tour. Depending on which tour you choose, it may also include a visit to the Altstadthof Brewery and a small tasting of the beers stored there.

Churches St. Lorenz and St. Sebald

Beyond the Frauenkirche, Nuremberg has two more stunning churches: St. Lorenz, south of the Pegnitz, and its counterpart, St. Sebald, in the northern part of the city center.

Honestly, we can’t decide which one we like better. Both are incredibly delicate in their construction, and with their pointed spires they’re true storybook churches.

Our tip: For a small fee, you can do a tower tour at both churches. The climb will definitely get your heart pumping, but the breathtaking view over Nuremberg at the top makes it totally worth it. Opening hours and prices for the towers are listed in the table.

Kettensteg

Nuremberg has quite a few bridges, but the Kettensteg was genuine technical pioneering work. It’s actually the oldest surviving iron pedestrian bridge in Europe. Beyond the trivia, though: the bridge simply looks picturesque and offers a lovely view of the Pegnitz.

Fun fact: In 1927, an official law was passed prohibiting swinging on the bridge.

Due to structural modifications, the bridge can no longer actually sway. If it still does for you, you may have had one too many at the adjacent beer garden — which, by the way, is also well worth a visit!

Fascinating Museums in Nuremberg

Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds

A short distance from Nuremberg’s old town, a colossus of self-glorification looms — a site that reveals the darkest chapter in Nuremberg’s history. From 1933 to 1938, the Nazi Party Rally Grounds hosted the NSDAP’s Reich Party Rallies, where among other things the horrific Nuremberg Laws were passed.

The grounds cover a full four square kilometers, and the Congress Hall was intended to hold up to 50,000 people. It was never completed — and even so, the building with the enormous steel “arrow” cutting through its center has something deeply menacing about it.

Inside today is a Documentation Center covering the history of the Reich Party Rallies, the grounds themselves, and the Nuremberg Laws. There are even original audio recordings from the assemblies.

This is not a place that puts you in a cheerful mood, but the Documentation Center is unquestionably one of the most important and moving sights in Nuremberg, and we highly recommend making time for the exhibition.

Guided tour of the Nazi Party Rally Grounds

Memorium Nuremberg Trials

Courtroom 600 of the Nuremberg courthouse is truly a place where history was made — it was here, on November 20, 1945, that the famous Nuremberg Trials began, holding the leading figures of the Nazi regime accountable.

Until 2020, the courtroom was still in regular use; now it’s been fully converted into a museum.

On the top floor of the courthouse building, there’s also a documentation center where you can learn everything about the Nuremberg Trials, the subsequent proceedings, and their influence on international law.

Particularly moving are the original audio and video recordings from the trials.

Albrecht Dürer House

Albrecht Dürer was one of the most famous German painters of all time — you probably remember his famous self-portrait from art class. Three guesses which city he was from: Nuremberg, of course.

So it’s only fitting that he has a museum dedicated to him here — located in the very house where he lived and worked. You can learn everything about Dürer’s life and art, get a feel for what his home looked like, and watch demonstrations of the printing process from his era on the top floor.

You can also join a guided tour led by an actress dressed as Dürer’s wife, who walks you through the museum in character.

The works on display aren’t originals — but if you’re not an art expert, you honestly won’t notice the difference.

Our tip: On the square in front of the Dürer House you’ll find one of the nicest spots in Nuremberg. Café Wanderer serves great coffee, while Bieramt serves — surprise — beer! The two go perfectly hand in hand, so you can seamlessly transition from coffee to a cold one.

Neues Museum Nürnberg

As travel photographers, the Neues Museum is one of our personal Nuremberg favorites — it features some excellent photography exhibitions alongside everything else.

The futuristic building alone, with its massive glass facade, is worth seeing in its own right — you can already catch a glimpse of some of the exhibits through the glass.

Inside you’ll find a wonderfully varied mix of classic artworks, installations, video art, and photography — design in all its forms, essentially. All exhibits are contemporary art from the 1950s onward.

If you’d rather not explore on your own, guided tours are available. On some days there are even workshops for families or on photography, where you can get hands-on.

Germanic National Museum

Attention culture lovers: the Germanic National Museum (GNM) is seriously the place for you.

With more than one million exhibits, it’s the largest cultural history museum in the German-speaking world. You probably won’t get through everything in one visit, so set aside plenty of time.

From prehistory to the present day, the GNM spans everything from the oldest surviving globe, made by Martin Behaim, to masterworks by Albrecht Dürer, historical instruments, weapons, and a fascinating miscellany of objects.

If you want to plan ahead, the GNM’s website gives a good overview of the permanent exhibition’s thematic areas.

Our tip: On Wednesdays from 5:30 PM, admission is free.

Museum of Industrial Culture Nuremberg

Steam engines, old telephones, and a talking kitchen — the Museum of Industrial Culture is the perfect place for curious visitors of all ages.

The museum takes you on a journey through 200 years of industrial history. It’s not just about the technical inventions — it also digs into the social lives of the workers behind them. You can check out a typical neighborhood pub or step inside a worker’s apartment.

For kids, there’s a dedicated learning and fun lab with hands-on stations and even a slide.

The museum also has the motorcycle museum “Ardie, Mars und Co” attached to it, with some absolutely iconic bikes on display. Nuremberg was once a true motorcycle hub.

Note that the museum is expected to remain closed until spring 2027 due to extensive renovations.

Neighborhoods and Great Spots in Nuremberg

Gostenhof

Gostenhof is Nuremberg’s hipster neighborhood — kind of like Kreuzberg in Berlin. Nurembergers also like to call it simply “GoHo,” a nod to the New York neighborhood SoHo.

GoHo isn’t classically beautiful, but it more than makes up for it with plenty of cool street art, charming artist studios, and more hipster cafés than anywhere else in Nuremberg. The vibe is creative and open, and it’s especially popular with younger crowds.

For shopping off the beaten path, it’s ideal: lined with fair trade shops, bike repair workshops, vintage stores, and small designer boutiques. The best way to explore is to simply wander through the streets at your own pace.

St. Johannis

Compared to the trendy Gostenhof, Nuremberg’s St. Johannis neighborhood might seem almost a little sleepy. But if you’re after peace and quiet and a place to unwind, it’s perfect.

St. Johannis tends to be more of a local favorite in Nuremberg, so you won’t run into many other tourists here.

Alongside beautiful historic buildings, there’s plenty of greenery and lovely parks. Particularly lovely are the Hesperidengärten, an ornate baroque-style garden.

The standout, if you will, is St. Johannis Cemetery. It might sound odd at first, but the sea of roses in front of the gravestones is simply beautiful — and this is also where Nuremberg’s most famous son, Albrecht Dürer, is buried.

Our tip: For a great drink and good food, we recommend Bar Apéro on Helmstraße. Great atmosphere, good food, and creative cocktails.

River Island Schütt

Right in the middle of Nuremberg — and more precisely, right in the middle of the Pegnitz — lies Schütt Island. There are actually two of them, but we mean the larger one. It’s a real green oasis with playgrounds for the kids, soccer fields, and ping-pong tables.

On the southern side there’s also a sunbathing lawn where you can soak up the sun on warm summer days. Swimming is prohibited due to the current, but no worries — you can simply enjoy the view and maybe a cold beer to go with it.

Attractions with Kids in Nuremberg

Toy Museum

The Tower of the Senses isn’t a museum in the traditional sense — everything here revolves around interacting with the 27 exhibits. The theme? The difference between perception and reality.

Your senses get seriously put to the test: a room that instantly turns you into a giant. How is it possible that one moment you’re sinking basketball shots like a pro and the next you can’t hit anything?

The experiments are super fun and educational at the same time. We’re pretty sure they’ll be a hit not just with your kids.

Cool Events in Nuremberg

Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt

The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt is one of Germany’s oldest and most famous Christmas markets. Every year, on the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent, the Hauptmarkt transforms into a real winter wonderland, and the scent of punch and Nuremberg bratwurst fills the air.

The hallmark of the Nuremberg Christmas market is a real Christkind — or let’s say a “living” one. Each year, through an elaborate selection process, a new Christkind is chosen to open the market in a grand ceremony.

Fun fact: Did you know that Lebkuchen (gingerbread) originally comes from Nuremberg, and that more than 90% of the mulled wine sold in Germany is produced there? Nuremberg is a true Christmas city, which makes it a wonderful destination in December.

Our tip: If you’re in Nuremberg during the Christmas season, make sure to stop by the giant Feuerzangenbowle at the Fleischbrücke. The delicious drink is served from a 9,000-liter cauldron, and the atmosphere there is always a little nicer than at the main Christmas market.

Bardentreffen

In late July, the whole city comes alive as one of Germany’s largest music festivals takes over for three days from Friday to Sunday: the Bardentreffen. Around 200,000 people show up every year.

From local acoustic singer-songwriters to bands from Australia, artists from all over the world come together and represent nearly every genre you can imagine across eight stages.

Most of the acts are on the lesser-known side — so if you love discovering new music and letting yourself be surprised, the Bardentreffen is right up your alley. And the best part: all 90-plus concerts are completely free.

1. FC Nürnberg: A Home Game with Der Club

Der Club belongs to Nuremberg the way the castle does. We’re talking about 1. FC Nürnberg.

For over 100 years, the club has been known throughout Germany simply as Der Club, and for a long time Nuremberg’s soccer team was truly the pinnacle of German football. Hard to believe, but until 1987 Der Club held the record for the most German championship titles — until Bayern Munich came along and overtook them.

Most of those titles date back to the 1920s, and Nuremberg’s last championship was in 1968. The very next year, Der Club was relegated from the Bundesliga, and that was probably the first time the saying “Der Club ist ein Depp” (roughly, “Der Club is a fool”) was coined — and it’s stuck ever since.

The team has been relegated from the Bundesliga nine times, making them not a record champion but a record relegation club. But they always come back, and in the city Der Club is deeply loved in spite of it all.

A home game at the Max-Morlock-Stadion comes highly recommended.

Visit the 1. FC Nürnberg website

Bonus Tip: Nuremberg’s Food Scene

When we really want to get to know a new city, diving into the local cuisine is a must. Nuremberg is no different — here are the three things you have to eat in Nuremberg.

#1 Schäufele

Schäufele is a traditional roast made from pork shoulder, shaped like a shovel — hence the name. It’s served with a potato dumpling and gravy. The crust has to be really crispy and crackling!

Our tip: For great Schäufele, we recommend Zur Schranke, Goldenes Posthorn, or Schäufelewirtschaft.
#2 Nuremberg Bratwurst

The title of best bratwurst is fiercely contested in Germany. The fact that one billion Nuremberg bratwursts are produced every year — and that there was once a dedicated food police force for the original recipe — speaks for itself, at least in our opinion!

#3 Lebkuchen

Did you know that Lebkuchen originates from Nuremberg? During the Christmas season, the whole city smells of it. So if you want to try a genuine Nuremberg Lebkuchen, visiting in December is the way to go.

General Tips for Your Nuremberg Visit

To wrap things up, here are a few practical tips that’ll hopefully make planning your trip a little easier.

Our Hotel Tips for Nuremberg

Nuremberg isn’t huge, but it’s still worth staying as centrally as possible in the old town. Here are three hotel recommendations right in the city center.

Save Money with the Nuremberg Card

The Nuremberg Card is a tourist pass issued by the city — and it’s genuinely worth doing the math on.

The concept is simple: you pay 33 euros and get free admission to many of the top attractions in Nuremberg, up to 50% off at many other sights, and unlimited public transportation included. For children between six and eleven, the card costs just 11 euros.

The card is valid for 48 hours, and you need to specify the exact start date and time when you buy it. You can purchase it online or in person at the tourist information offices in Nuremberg and Fürth.

Buy the Nuremberg Card online in advance

The Historic Mile in Nuremberg

The Historic Mile is a self-guided walking tour through Nuremberg with a total of 35 stops at historic buildings and landmarks — churches, sections of the medieval fortifications, and beautiful squares.

The route is marked by signs featuring a black “H” on a red background, and you can easily follow it on foot.

There’s no guide, so it’s not a traditional tour — but for getting a first impression of the city, the Historic Mile is ideal, especially since it’s completely free. It also takes in some genuine Nuremberg highlights.

Plan for about two hours for the walk, depending on your pace and whether you want to pop inside any of the attractions along the way.

The website below lists all 35 stops with a short description of each — worth a look before you set off.

More info on Nuremberg’s Historic Mile