Wondering how to spend your 2 days in Nuremberg? You want to make the most of your Nuremberg weekend, but can you fit everything into two days?
My 2-day Nuremberg itinerary is designed to include the best things to see in the city, and also delving deeper to some of the hidden gems in Nuremberg.
You’ll also get plenty of time to explore perhaps the star of the show, the streets, bridges and towers of old Nuremberg, one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Germany.
Why Visit Nuremberg
Nuremberg is one of the great historic cities of Germany, one of the capitals of the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages with one of the best castles in Germany, the former Imperial residence.
You could spend several days exploring Nuremberg Altstadt – the old walled city – with miles of towers and fortifications, hundreds of restored medieval half-timbered houses and more.
There are also several excellent museums in Nuremberg, from the house where Renaissance artist Albrecht Durer lived for almost twenty years to the Germanisches National Museum, a fascinating journey back through German culture.
If you’re visiting Nuremberg in December, you’ll get the bonus of visiting one of the best Christmas Markets in Europe.
Nuremberg was the site of the Nazi Party’s infamous propaganda rallies during the 1920s and 1930s, and the surviving architectural remains are among the most substantial anywhere in Germany, a stark reminder of how low humanity can sink.
2 Days In Nuremberg – Planning Tips
A Nuremberg 2-day itinerary gives you a bit of breathing space. Many of the Nuremberg sights are concentrated in the Altstadt (old city) and you could easily spend two (even three) days exploring the many sights, museums and churches there.
If you have 2 days in Nuremberg, you have enough time to savour the beautiful Nuremberg Altstadt, including the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle) and its precincts, and see a couple of the best Nuremberg museums.
You also have time to visit the Nuremberg Nazi sites, which are short tram or train rides from the centre but which easily take up a few hours of your time.
I have also included some options in case you’re visiting Nuremberg with kids. We travel with our son, so always factor in places he might wish to visit unless I travel solo for the day.
Top Tip: If you’re spending 2 days in Nuremberg, the Nürnberg Card is perfect for you. It’s valid for 48 hours from the first time you use it (as opposed to when you buy it), costs €33 per adult and covers all the main places to visit in Nuremberg and public transport costs.
Even if you visit the bare minimum sights in Nuremberg (Nuremberg Kaiserburg, the Documentation Centre in the Nazi Rally Grounds, one other museum and public transport for two days) it more than pays for itself.
Good to know: This 2-day Nuremberg itinerary has been fully ‘road-tested’. We have stayed in Nuremberg twice, each for three days at a time, and what I have listed below works within the two-day timeframe.
Two Days In Nuremberg Itinerary
2 Days In Nuremberg – Day 1
Nuremberg Castle (Kaiserburg) – Nuremberg Old Town – Albrecht Durer House – Fembo House – Nuremberg Churches – Dinner
Morning – Walking Tour
Nuremberg Altstadt is sizeable, with a huge number of places to see, and a Nuremberg guided walking tour is a great way to acquaint yourself with its layout, and where the main Nuremberg sights are in relation to each other.
You may come across places to which you may wish to return – and can do so over the next two days.
Morning – Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle Nuremberg)
The formidable red-brick Kaiserburg dominates the skyline of the old city, and was one of the most important residences of Holy Roman Emperors.
It’s one of the most famous landmarks in Germany and the one place you can be sure most other visitors to Nuremberg will want to see.
I recommend visiting as early as you can – the Kaiserburg opens at 1000 daily, to avoid the busiest times. The standard ticket includes entry to the Kaiserburg Museum and the impressive Imperial Chapel (also known as the Double Chapel).
If you want to visit the Deep Well and Sinwell Tower, you’ll have to join a short guided tour.
Top Tip: While exploring the Kaiserburg, take a walk around the north side to the north side of the Castle precincts to the beautiful Burggarten (Castle Garden). And stop to savour the view over the Nuremberg skyline from just below the round Sinwell Tower, at the Castle entrance. If you’re really keen on photographing Nuremberg you may want to return to the same spot for sunset and dusk.
Useful to Know: You can take a short cut to your next stop by turning right along Am Ölberg, one of the prettiest streets in Nuremberg. You eventually pass between half-timbered houses, descending a flight of stairs to Tiergärtnertorplatz, possibly the most beautiful square in Nuremberg.
Noon – Lunch and the Albrecht Dürer House
One of the finest buildings on Tiergärtnertorplatz is the Albrecht Dürer House, where Nuremberg’s most famous son – and one of the leading artistic figures of the Renaissance period – resided the last twenty years of his life.
Dürer was a hugely influential artist, known as far afield as Italy where Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael met him and regarded him as a peer.
He was brilliant across several artistic disciplines, from woodcuts to self-portraits – it’s believed he was one of the earliest Northern European artists to attempt this, and did so three times.
None of Dürer’s original works are held at his former house, only copies. The main thing I got from the exhibition was learning about some of his techniques and also seeing the amazing townhouse where he lived most of his last twenty years.
There are several restaurants, bars and cafes on or close to Tiergärtnertorplatz where you can stop for lunch or a drink or snack before continuing your Nuremberg sightseeing.
Afternoon – Nuremberg Old Town, Churches and Fembo House
Leave Tiergärtnertorplatz via Neutormauer, a narrow, atmospheric street with a sectionof town wall on one side, continuing left down Lammstrasse and Full to the Sebalduskirche, the most impressive of the three main churches in Nuremberg Altstadt.
The soaring church, with beautiful Gothic twin spires, is dedicated to the patron saint of Nuremberg, St Sebaldus, who is buried in the elaborately carved tomb behind the high altar.
After visiting the church, continue around the north side of the church until you reach Burgstrasse, where you have a choice through until museum closing time – the Medieval Dungeons below the Old City Hall (Rathaus) or the City Museum in Fembo Haus, just up the hill to the left.
The Dungeons (Mittelaltliche Lochgefangnisse) are one of the few Nuremberg attractions which you’ll need to book in advance, as demand sometimes exceeds availability. Tours run hourly from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm.
The Fembo House is a 16th century Renaissance merchant’s house with later additions, including a Baroque room with a gorgeous stucco ceiling. It serves as the City Museum, and has an excellent single-room exhibition, Krone – Macht – Geschichte, which means Crown – Power – History.
If you still have time before 5pm, I suggest heading the short distance down the hill to the Hauptmarkt, one of the most popular places to visit in Nuremberg.
The first thing you’ll see is the extraordinary colourful Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), a late 14th century masterpiece that looks more like a church spire.
The 40 or so figures include seven prophets, the four Evangelists and the seven Electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Frauenkirche – Church of Our Lady – which has a tiered façade reminiscent of churches further north towards the Baltic coast – dominates the Hauptmarkt.
It was commissioned by Emperor Charles IV on the site of a destroyed synagogue, and may have been built by his favoured architect, Peter Parler, who was also responsible for two of the most famous landmarks of Prague, the Charles Bridge and St Vitus Cathedral.
Evening – Dinner and Old Town Walk
By now you’ve earned a long sit down and a decent, hearty meal. There is an abundance of options. These include:
- Bratwursthaeusle bei St Sebald – right next to the Hauptmarkt, one of the best bratwurst restaurants inn Nuremberg
- Finya’s Tavern, Weissgerbergasse – hearty stews and tartes flambees
- Albrecht Dürer Stube, Albrecht Dürer Strasse 6 – bratwurst and Franconian specialities in a stunning dining room – booking recommended
After your meal and a glass or two of wine or the local rotbier (red beer) dusk is a wonderful time to see Nuremberg, with its centuries-old streets lit up for a few hours.
Tiergärtnertorplatz, just below the Castle, is a very friendly place to stop by for a drink, especially in the warmer months.
Or you could wander near the Pegnitz river, stopping by to see the Weissgerbergasse, the most picturesque street in Nuremberg, with its many half-timbered houses.
And just around the corner you’ll find the Weinstadel, the largest half-timbered building in Germany, which looks out over the river and Henkersteg, the picturesque covered Hangman’s Bridge
2 Days In Nuremberg – Day 2
Nuremberg Nazi Rally Grounds – Memorium Nuremberg Trials (Optional) – Nuremberg Old Town Walk – Toy Museum or German National Museum – Art Bunker Or Medieval Dungeons – Dinner
Morning – Nazi Party Rally Grounds
Take the S-Bahn (S2 or S3 train) from Nuremberg main train station (Nürnberg Hbf) to Nürnberg-Dutzendteich, which is a short walk from the Nazi rally grounds in Nuremberg.
The Documentation Centre, which is built into the gargantuan Colosseum-like Kongresshalle, has an excellent exhibition on the rise of the Nazis, why they cultivated their connection to Nuremberg, their genocidal policies and the appalling destruction they wrought.
The Nazi Rally Grounds are to the south of the Dutzendteich lake. You reach the Zeppelinfeld first, a vast space that would have been filled by 200,000 followers of Fuhrer Adolf Hitler.
The Nuremberg Rallies were an exercise in propaganda and mass brainwashing, meant to inspire awe and fear in anyone who witnessed them.
You can walk up the Zeppelintribune grandstand from which Hitler delivered his meticulously rehearsed oratory, but the Golden Hall below the Tribune is only open for guided tours.
It’s a ten-minute walk from there to the Grosser Strasser (Great Road), a vast boulevard of granite slabs meant to be, but never used as, a processional route. Nowadays part of it serves as an overflow car park for a nearby conference centre.
You eventually reach the enormous unfinished Kongresshalle, an enormous unfinished indoor stadium where up to 50,000 would hear yet more vitriolic racist rants.
Top Tip: The Documentation Centre opens at 10.00 am, and if you’re not wholly familiar with the historical context of the Nuremberg rallies it makes sense to see the exhibition before visiting the rest of the grounds.
However, you could arrive early and visit some of the sites before visiting the Documentation Centre. One option is heading across the street (Bayernstrasse) to the Luitpoldhain, where the Ehrenhalle (Memorial Hall) was the scene of some early Nazi rallies.
You could also walk around the Kongresshalle – and ‘inside’ it – if you have time before the Documentation Centre opens.
Useful To Know: Count on spending at least three hours getting to and from the Rally Grounds and seeing everything there.
Noon – Option 1 – Memorium Nuremberg Trials
The other significant Nuremberg Nazi site is Memorium Nuremberg Trials, the courtroom in which 21 prominent Nazis were tried in 1945-1946 for crimes and atrocities committed by their regime.
This is the one Nuremberg Nazi site I was unable to visit, as it was closed for several months. However, it’s somewhere I would have visited, and recommend anyone with an interest in 20th century history does the same.
Top Tip: You can travel between the Rally Grounds and the Trials location very quickly by Nuremberg public transport. Take tram 6 from the Doku-Zentrum stop to Plärrer, alight there and head downstairs to the U1 train to Bärenschanze (two further stops).
Useful To Know: All public transport in Nuremberg is covered by the Nürnberg Card, as are the attractions that we mention, unless otherwise stated.
Afternoon – Old Town and Toy Museum or Germanisches National Museum
When travelling back towards the centre of Nuremberg, change at Plärrer for the number 36 bus, which takes you to Weintraubengasse.
This is very close to the river, and if you haven’t already done so, turn back down the street and turn left onto the Maxbrucke, where you can enjoy the classic view of the Hangman’s Bridge and the half-timbered Weinstadel. If you’re seeking romantic, picturesque Germany, then traveller, you have arrived.
Option 1
Nuremberg Toy Museum is just around the corner from the Weintraubengasse bus stop on Karlstrasse. It’s regarded as one of the best toy museums in the world, and the best I’ve ever visited.
Nuremberg was a toy-making city as far back as 600 years ago, when dolls were made there. From the 19th century onwards, tin toys there, and the city also hosts the modern International Toy Fair, the largest such trade event in the world.
It’s an extraordinary collection of toys, and for me one of the most impressive aspects was the small exhibition on old toys (including some from my own childhood) which perpetuated racial stereotypes, and how attitudes have subsequently changed.
Option 2: We didn’t get to visit the Germanisches National Museum, a pity as a good friend who used to live in the city had recommended it to me.
It covers over 600,000 of European and Germanic culture and art. Its setting is a wonderful surprise – you enter a modern building which was built next to a medieval monastery which forms part of the museum.
One of the highlights is the Durersaal, where seven Albrecht Durer original paintings are on display, as well as his design for an altarpiece executed by another Nuremberg citizen, Veit Stoss.
Late Afternoon – Early Evening – Lorenzkirche, Nuremberg Viewpoints And Dinner
Most of the places you’ll have visited in Nuremberg old town are to the north of the Pegnitz river.
We also suggest exploring more of the southern part, particularly around the imposing Lorenzkirche (St Lawrence’s Church), another fine twin-spired Gothic marvel. It’s more austere inside than the Sebalduskirche, but well worth 15-20 minutes of your time.
Just around the corner from there, on Adlerstrasse, you’ll find the entrance to a multi-storey car park. Take the lift to the seventh floor, head outside and around the corner where you’ll be greeted by one of the best views of Nuremberg old town.
Back at ground level, there’s another famous Nuremberg view from the Museumsbrucke to the former Heiligen Geist Spital (Holy Ghost Hospital).
And now, dear traveller, time for some sustenance at a local hostelry. I’d be inclined to head up to Tiergärtnertorplatz, around which you’ll find the greatest concentration of Nuremberg restaurants.
Nuremberg In 2 Days Summary
Day 1
- 0900 -Walking Tour or wander Old Town at your leisure
- 1000 or 1100 – visit Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle)
- 1200 or 1300 – Albrecht Durer House then lunch
- 1430 – Old Town Walk, followed by visit to City Museum at Fembo House or Medieval Dungeons at the City Hall
- 1600 – Continue Old Town Walk
- 1800 – Dinner, and possible further walking around Old Town
Day 2
- 0900 – Travel to Nazi Party Rally Grounds, visiting Documentation Centre at 1000
- 1200 – optional trip to Memorium Nuremberg Trials
- 1330 – return to Old Town , option of lunch and / or further walking
- 1500 – Nuremberg Toy Museum or Germanic National Museum
- 1700 – Lorenzkirche and Nuremberg viewpoints
- 1800 – Dinner and evening at leisure
More Than 2 Days In Nuremberg – More Things to Do In Nuremberg
If you have more time available in Nuremberg, then you’ll have no difficulty finding plenty of things to fill your time.
There are several underground Nuremberg attractions in the Old Town, including the fascinating Historical Art Bunker (Historisches Kunstbunker), where the city’s art treasures were stored during the Second World War.
The Deutsche Bahn Museum is a must for railway lovers, and having travelled around much of the country by train over more than thirty years I was curious to see it, as was my son. Overall I’d recommend it, especially as there’s a large area for kids including a miniature train. The one area that could be improved is the ground floor exhibition space, where captions were in German only. I have learned enough bahnhofdeutsch and museumdeutsch over the years to understand most of it, but non-German speakers won’t be able to follow much of the exhibition.
The one place I wish I had visited around Nuremberg is the Jewish Museum in Schwabach, just south of Nuremberg. The house of Moses Low Koppel is decorated with a series of amazing 18th century frescoes unique in Europe. There is also a larger Jewish Museum in Fürth, the town on the outskirts of Nuremberg.
I also plan to visit nearby Cadolzburg next time I visit Nuremberg. It’s a beautiful historic town just to the west of the city, with a fine 13th century castle.
There are also plenty of things to do in Nuremberg for kids. Playmobil Fun Park is a short train and bus ride for the centre in the village of Zirndorf and we had a great day out there. We have found that Playmobil suits open-ended play, and there’s a huge range of activities, from water play to mini-golf and go-karting. Our Little Man loved it and wants to go back.
He also wants to visit Nuremberg Zoo, particularly to see the manatees, which are rare in European zoos.
2 Days In Nuremberg Q & A
Where Is Nuremberg
Nuremberg is in the Franconia region of northern Bavaria, the region that occupies much of southern Germany.
We’ve included a map of Germany below showing you Nuremberg’s location in the country in relation to a number of other cities. Below we also list the distances and length of train journeys from these cities.
- Nuremberg to Munich – 149 km / 93 miles – average 1 hour 8 minutes
- Nuremberg to Berlin – 378 km / 235 miles – average 3 hours 55 minutes
- Nuremberg to Frankfurt – 189 km / 117 miles – average 2 hours 19 minutes
- Nuremberg to Regensburg – 90 km / 55 miles – between 55 minutes and 2 hours
We have also travelled from our home city of Prague to Nuremberg, a distance of 255 km (158 miles), which takes an average of 4 hours 36 minutes average with one change of train.
Best Day Trips From Nuremberg
Nuremberg is ideally placed for exploring some of the best places to visit in Germany.
It’s very close to the Romantic Road, with several destinations along the route reachable as a day trip from Nuremberg. Würzburg, the northern starting point of the route, is only an hour from Nuremberg by regional train. It’s a magnificent city, home to the extraordinary 18th century Residenz Palace and a superb Cathedral.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the most beautiful towns in Germany. For many people it IS Germany, encapsulated in a single photograph of the half-timbered triangular Plönlein house.
There’s much more to Rothenburg than this – it’s a wonderfully preserved medieval walled town, one of just three in Germany. It’s less than two hours from Nuremberg, and you can reach it by train with two changes each way.
The gorgeous medieval city of Bamberg is an hour to the north of Nuremberg. The whole Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most complete medieval towns in Europe with some astonishing buildings including the iconic Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) on a bridge in the middle of the Regnitz river.
How To Get To Nuremberg
Nuremberg Airport (Flughafen Nürnberg )is just 5 km (3 miles north of the city centre, and only 12 minutes away from Nuremberg main train station (Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof, often written Nürnberg Hbf on timetables) on the local S2 train.
Nuremberg Airport is a middle-sized airport with flights to and from destinations all over Europe. Airlines that fly there include budget operators Ryanair, Wizz Air and Vueling, as well as national carriers British Airways, Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, Air France and KLM.
If you arrive in Germany on a long-haul flight, the closest major airport is Munich, with Frankfurt an hour further away. If you fly into Munich or Frankfurt you can easily get a connecting train to Nuremberg.
We travelled to Nuremberg by train from Prague, and later from the Rhine Valley via Frankfurt. Nuremberg is accessible from anywhere by train in Germany and, indeed, neighbouring countries. You may have to make a change or two, depending on where you’re travelling from.
It is also on several long-distance Flixbus routes.
How to get around Nuremberg
Nuremberg has an excellent public transport system, with underground trains (U-Bahn), overground trains (S-Bahn), trams and buses connecting all parts of the city. There is one small ‘blind spot’ which I cover in more detail below.
If you’re staying in Nuremberg Altstadt you may not use public transport at all. I walked everywhere within the Altstadt – clocking up a good few miles in the process – and only used the trams to get to the Nazi Rally grounds and back.
Bear in mind that if you buy a Nürnberg Card your transport costs are covered by this – you just need to carry your card with you. The VGN local transport website has information on ticket options and prices. A single ride costs €2.85, and an adult day ticket €8.50.
Top Tip: You can only get around the steepest part of Nuremberg Altstadt on foot. The U-Bahn (underground train) service only covers the southern part of the Old Town, and the buses – including the 36 – cover further north, past the Hauptmarkt (main square) and Rathaus (Town Hall).
The steepest part of the Altstadt is around the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle), and you’ll need to walk this. The number 4 tram (change at Plärrer) takes you closest, stopping at Tiergärtnertor, which is a few minutes’ walk from Tiergärtnertorplatz, the beautiful square below the Kaiserburg.
The tourist train which departs from the Hauptmarkt passes the same spot.
However, there are no bus services in this corner of the Old Town – the nearest is the 36 on Theresienstrasse, near the Rathaus (Town Hall).
Useful To Know: If you travel to Nuremberg using the €49 Deutschland Ticket, all local transport in Nuremberg is also covered by your ticket.
Best Time To Visit Nuremberg
Like many cities in Germany – and indeed many across Europe – Nuremberg is very much a year-round destination.
We visited Nuremberg twice over summer, a great time to walk the city walls and gardens or enjoy a drink or two in one of the squares on a balmy evening.
Winter is a brilliant time to visit Nuremberg because it hosts the Christkindlesmarkt (Christ Child Market). The medieval setting of the Market and treats like bratwurst and lebkuchen (the local gingerbread cookies) make Nuremberg one of the best Christmas cities in Europe.
On balance I’d suggest that spring may be the best season to visit Nuremberg, when the crowds aren’t at their summer (and December) peak, and the weather is usually warmer – and sunnier – than autumn.
How Many Days In Nuremberg – Ideally?
Three days in Nuremberg is probably the ideal amount of time most visitors would need. You need time to appreciate the Altstadt and some of the excellent Nuremberg museums, and at least half a day if you’re exploring all of the Nazi sites in Nuremberg.
The fact that the local tourist office sell the Nürnberg Card for 48 hours – with no options for 24 or 72 hours – suggests that they think 2 days in Nuremberg is enough. We don’t quite agree, but two days is certainly better than just one day in Nuremberg.
2 Days In Nuremberg – Final Thoughts
Nuremberg is a fantastic city to visit, probably among the best five or six cities to visit in Germany.
If you’re used to travelling quite fast, then 2 days in Nuremberg will give you time to see the main sights and some of the museums around the city. Though, like us, you may leave wanting that little bit more.
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.