Best Things to Do in Nuremberg, Germany

In Nuremberg, I didn’t have time for sights like the Kaiserburg – because I got lost in the picturesque old town. It is also a sight in itself! I haven’t been there for years – and somehow not much has changed: I still quite like the city. And since I’ve decided to share more of my travels (business and private) here, I’ll start with my very personal Nuremberg sights!

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Old town & medieval vibes in the Handwerkerhof

Welcome to my travel blog

Hey, I’m Tatiana and I’m the blogger behind The Happy Jetlagger. Since 2014, I’ve been sharing my personal travel stories on this blog. I don’t have a big team behind me, so I’m pretty much a one-person show: I’ve researched and tested all recommendations myself.

I discovered this beautiful little corner not far from our hotel by chance. It’s funny how you can be in a city so often and simply overlook the most obvious spots. The Handwerkerhof is not particularly large. In the 1970s, small half-timbered houses were built in a small courtyard area next to the original town wall and turned into a small tourist attraction. Sounds like a tourist trap, and it kind of is – but it’s also super cute and cozy! (And it also looks very authentic: If I hadn’t found out afterwards that the half-timbered houses had been rebuilt – I would never have guessed!)

Food: The famous Nürnberger Rostbratwürstchen

There are a few small stores with arts and crafts, workshops and studios in the Handwerkerhof. And really, really cozy pubs! In the middle of the city center, you immediately feel a rustic medieval flair. And in the Bratwurstglöcklein you can get the most delicious grilled sausages in a bell-shaped plate ever! A little overpriced, of course – but the ambience and sausages are worth it.

Art in the Neues Museum Nuremberg

Nuremberg also has some interesting museums, and although this is something I’d rather do in the colder winter months, I decided to take an arty detour. Mainly because I had seen that in the Neues Museum Nuremberg there are also works of Gerhard Richter in the exhibition – one of my favorite artists. But the permanent and temporary exhibitions at the Neues Museum are also well worth seeing if you like modern art and design. The architecture of the Neues Museum alone, with its huge white spiral staircase, is impressive!

Art in Nuremberg: More museums in Nuremberg

If you are more interested in the Middle Ages and the history of Nuremberg, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum is the place to go.

Otherwise, a visit to the following museums in Nuremberg is also worthwhile, depending on your interests:

Museum for Communication
Nuremberg Toy Museum
Albrecht Dürer House
City museum in the Fembo House

Nuremberg and its past: Nuremberg Nazi Party Rally Grounds and Documentation Center

Nuremberg not only played an important role in the Middle Ages as a trading center and center of craftsmanship – unfortunately, Nuremberg was also the scene of events during the Nazi era. From 1933 to 1938, the National Socialists held their annual Reich Party Rally here on a huge site. It’s scary how many people allowed themselves to be mobilized back then and marched and waved flags at these events, which were staged like folk festivals.

The former Congress Hall, which was never completed, is now home to the Reichsparteigelände Documentation Center, which not only covers Nuremberg and the Nazi Party Rallies, but also contains a very good exhibition on the entire National Socialist era. You should definitely watch the film at the end of the exhibition, in which contemporary witnesses from Nuremberg talk about how they experienced this time in the city. Not a light subject – but it is always important to remember this dark chapter of German history so that something similar never happens again!

Where to stay in Nuremberg ➜ Find your hotel here!

Near the documentation center you’ll find the Zeppelin field with the associated Zeppelin main grandstand, which can also be visited, as well as the Große Straße, the central axis of the site. The area is very extensive, so you should bring time with you to take in the oppressive history of the place.

After the end of the Second World War, the Nuremberg Trials, in which leading National Socialists were put on trial, also took place in Nuremberg. The jury courtroom can be visited on trial-free days (usually Friday to Monday) together with the permanent exhibition “Memorium Nuremberg Trials” in the Nuremberg Palace of Justice.

I hope to come back to Nuremberg in the near future, there is so much more to discover! (Not to mention the romantic Christmas market in December!)

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You can also find more inspiration for short trips within Germany here:

• Elbjazz 2024: A festival weekend in Hamburg
• What to Do at the Edersee, Germany: A Secret Paradise for Nature Lovers
• Hotel Review: The Westin Hamburg
• Hamburg Food Guide: The Best Restaurants, Bars & Cafés
• Hamburg: How to Find the Best Harbor Tour