Nuremberg | Travelers guide | Part 2

Welcome back to the second part of my Nuremberg travelers guide. Firstly if you're planning a trip to Nuremberg you will most likely be interested in learning some of the history surrounding the city. 

A great tip for you culture seekers is to take advantage of the 'NÜRNBERG CARD'. which also covers the near by town of Furth too. For 28 euros this card will grant you admission into over 40 of the biggest museums/attractions in the city, including the Trials, Nazi rally grounds, old town brewery/hidden cellars and the zoo. The card also gives you free public transport on trams, buses and trains around the city for 2 days!

 If you're interested you can purchase this card from most hotel receptions or at the tourist information center in the main market square. I would highly recommend this card to those of you wishing to visit the rally grounds, zoo and Nazi trail courts as they are all a distance away outside the city walls and travel is included with the card.

The Nuremberg Trials 

First stop on our culture tour was to learn more about the trials held in the courtroom of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice. This is where leaders of the Nazi regime had to answer for their crimes before an International Military Tribunal between 1945 and 1946. The trials had an enormous influence on the development of international criminal law and courtroom 600 remains a working courtroom to this day. Please bare in mind that because of this, occasionally the courtroom is unavailable to view.

Admission into the museum cost 6 euros each and this includes a free audio guide. Personally I loved the audio guide, it was super simple to use and definitely needed .. Unless you can read fluent German that is. The amount of information packed into the exhibition was mind boggling taking us roughly around 2 hours to listen and take in all the information so plan your time accordingly.

The exhibition is mainly made up of written displays complimented by photographs. Each display is numbered so you can follow the exhibition like a story board/timeline and there are a few short films included, but for the most part you will be listening to the audio device. 

The Trials are located around a 40 minutes walk from the walls of Nuremberg. A taxi will cost you around 15-18 euros depending on your start location. However remember, if you have the Nuremberg Card you can use the trams or trains for free & won't pay for admission. 

Documentation Center Nazi Party rally grounds

Today the unfinished Congress Hall, designed to hold 50,000 people, houses the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds. The permanent exhibition "Fascination and Terror" looks at the causes, the context and the consequences of the National Socialist regime of terror. This exhibition will cost you 6 euros per person, but is absolutely worth paying for. Again you are provided with a complimentary audio guide and the tour is easy to navigate. I would recommend giving yourself at least 2 hours to complete the exhibition, and some additional time if you also wish to explore the rally grounds and lakes surrounding the area. Make sure you have some comfortable shoes though, as the area is very large and widely spread out.

It is absolutely free to walk around the zeppelin fields and the rally grounds, there are plenty of information stands with English translation along the way. 
Still today, the gigantic remains of buildings are a reminder of the megalomania of the National Socialist regime. The Large white plinth and steps looking out to the grounds are unkempt and derelict, a stark contrast to the modern museum. 

Interestingly the Zeppelin fields are now largely used for recreational use, sporting events are often held here and the nearby lake, and whilst we were visiting a German Sheppard dog show was being held on the grounds. 

The Rally grounds are around a 40 minute walk from Nuremberg's walls. If you were to get a taxi you would be looking to pay around £18 euros - However as above, if you were to purchase the Nuremberg Card, all public transport and exhibition admission is free. 

We were lucky enough to catch Volksfest Whilst we were in Nuremberg too. This large festival was taking place alongside the grounds of the documentation center offering great pop up beer kellers, fantastic food stalls and hundreds of fair rides including an impressive log flume! It was like a miniature Blackpool pleasure beach but with steins of great German beer and half meter bratwursts! 

After a wander around the festival, we decided to take advantage of the great food and drink and had lunch here. The sausages were excellent, and like Cafe wanderer (mentioned in part 1) the Kellers here will charge a deposit on glasses to prevent theft and breakage. 
If you're lucky enough to be in Nuremberg whilst Volksfest is on, I'd highly recommend visiting, there are some brilliant stalls offering handmade treats and souvenirs. Not to mention lots of fun from the rides and games. 

Nuremberg Zoo (Tiergarten Nuernberg)

This Zoo is by far one of the best I have ever visited (and I live near Chester Zoo, arguable one of the best in the world!) Firstly the grounds are absolutely stunning,  located in the Nuremberg Reichswald (imperial forest) it houses over 300 species including dolphins and polar bears and is one of the largest Zoos in Europe. 

The Tiergarten is built within the forest meaning the grounds are not entirely flat, I highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes as there are some steep hills to climb as you explore. There are lots of great picturesque picnic spots around for lunch too, however there is a great restaurant located at the highest point of the Zoo which serves traditional German dishes as well as a range of burgers, chips & snacks. 
- I would recommend the currywurst! A large grilled Bratwurst in a delicious sweet curry sauce laced with onions and a generous pile of thin cut fries. - YUM!

Adults will pay 16 euros each for admission into 'Tiergarten Nuernberg'  and for those of you planning to travel by Taxi, this will cost you a further 15-18 euros. However, you can hop on the line.45 bus which will be much less expensive. Or remember, public transport is free with the Nuremberg Card, including your admission fee - Bonus!

Handwerkerhof Nürnberg

This charming little town is absolutely free to explore and can be found south of the city just a short walk away from the National Museum - Easy to find if you follow the walls. Comprised of a tiny village of traditional glasscutters, doll makers, leatherworkers and silversmiths, the Handwerkerhof  (Craftsman's courtyard) is a great place for a quiet lunch at one of the Taverns or to buy unusual handmade souvenirs made according to Franconian traditions. 

The Handwerkerhof is located at Königstor, opposite Nuremberg’s main railway station. Whilst entrance to the medieval village is free, it is also closed on Sundays and public holidays, as well as the winter period between December 30 and early March.
The Craftsmen’s Courtyard restaurants and taverns are generally open until late evening, and serve food until around 10pm which gives you plenty of time to sit back with a stein of beer and people watch. 

So, lets break it down - These prices are based on 2 travelers departing from Manchester in September 2018 for 6 nights (Monday - Sunday) and are a rough guide.
Flights were booked via Sky Scanner and hotel booked via Expedia.. Transfers were not pre-booked and cost roughly 18 euros each way from the airport to the Old Town. 

Flights - £78 return

Apartment - £394

Transfers - £38 return

Insurance - £32

Total = £542

You should know that prices of food and drink really do depend on where you are in Nuremberg. We found many of the more upmarket bars in the new town were on average a little more expensive than the Old Town. So because of this we tended to visit the more traditional kellers. I would say that on average you would be looking to pay between €3 - €4 for a stein of beer and wine again around the €4 mark. If you like wine spritzers I would recommend trying a HUGO, this cocktails consists of prosecco, mixed with elder-flower liqueur and fresh mint - A delicious and refreshing drink, great for after a meal. 

Food wise, again it depends on your tastes and were you choose to dine. However myself and my other half never paid more than €50 for a two course meal and drinks. 

In the old town you would be hard pressed to find anywhere charging you more than €12 for a large portion of sausages, sauerkraut and bread. So overall I would say Nurembergs food and drink prices are on average reasonable and in some cases fairly cheap. 

We also made the most of the local super markets, and good old Aldi was a god send. We were picking up bottles of prosecco for €2.69! - Bargain! Not to mention the selection of meats and cheeses were great, cheap and perfect for snacks whilst we got ready to explore in the evening. 

That's it for my guide to Nuremberg. A city steeped in history and full to the brim with medieval charm - And quite simply one of the best holidays we've had so far! 
If you're a lover of city breaks and enjoy getting lost in new places, Nuremberg is the perfect little getaway. Prices to Germany do fluctuate around the year, Christmas being a particularly expensive time to travel due to the stunning Christmas markets.  However if like us, you manage to find flights for less than £50 per person - Don't hesitate & just get on that plane!

Have you ever been to Nuremberg?

Nuremberg | Travellers guide | Part 1

Nuremberg is the second largest Bavarian city in Germany, boasting many museums, scenic streets, a quaint old town and the longest metropolitan shopping street in Germany. It has something for everyone to enjoy. 

This beautiful city is steeped in medieval charm and  famous for its world war history. Perfect for couples wanting an action packed city break, Nuremberg offers oodles of culture and great food. 

In this 2 part series I'll talk you through the best parts of Nuremberg and give you top tips on things not to miss whilst visiting this fantastic city!

Flights 

Recently, myself and my partner booked a 6 night city break to Nuremberg. 

I'm typically a bargain holiday hunter, usually opting to create my own package holiday rather than booking through a travel agent. 

We found that flights to Nuremberg are fantastic value and can cost from as little as £19pp return from Manchester. On this occasion however we opted for paying £39pp as this price included a 20kg case, Priority boarding, 2 small carry on bags each and free seat reservations with Ryanair. (please note that as of October 2018 hand luggage will no longer be free with Ryanair and will have to pay an additional charge)

Airport transfers

This gave me the biggest head ache before travelling. Looking online at airport transfers I found some extortionate quotes, ranging upwards to over £67 return for a 15 minute car journey! We eventually decided to wing it and didn't pre-book anything and boy am I glad we did! On arrival we opted for a taxi, as it was mid afternoon and we didn't want to waste any time. The airport taxi's waiting outside only charged us 18 euros to the old town and were very friendly and helpful. 

Now if you're on a budget and feeling adventurous I would also recommend getting the Ubahn (The train to me and you) this will cost you as little as 3 euros per person and there are stops around the whole city. There is a station at the Airport and will take around half an hour to get into central Nuremberg.  

Our Hotel

Our apartment, ran by Hotel Elch, is one of the oldest recorded hotels in the city. The building was beautiful, painted cream with brown wooden beams, in keeping with the old town Bavarian look. However the rooms inside were very modern and comfortable. 

I couldn't recommend Hotel Elch enough, they were among the most helpful staff we have ever encountered at a hotel. On arrival we were checked in, given some great tips on the city and hidden gems to explore. We were then guided to our apartment (which was located on the other side of the street) given a full tour and a welcome gift of hand baked coconut cakes - Which were delicious! 

We also committed the rookie mistake of forgetting our adapter plugs, but the staff at Hotel Elch kindly lent us 2 adapters for the week with no extra charge. 

Location wise couldn't have been better too. In the old town, just a 2 minute walk away from the famous castle, and a short walk from the main market square. This hotel is perfect for the travelers who like comfort and quiet, but still want to be centrally located.

Nuremberg Old Town

As we were a stones throw away from the castle square we spent most nights in the Old Town area for drinks after dinner. If you were to adventure down some of the back streets of the old town you can find some of the best cafes in the city tucked away, serving humble German food and great local beers. 

Central to the castle square you can go for a tour of Albrecht Dürers house, the famous Renaissance painter. The airport is even named after Albrecht making him the John Lennon of Nuremberg! The castle is also a must visit, the walls offer panoramic views across the rooftops of Nuremberg and make a great picture spot on clear sunny days. In fact the entire area of Old Town is a bloggers dream. Unusual doors, traditional Bavarian houses and cobbled streets, its a pleasure to walk around and a much quieter part of the city. 

For those of you not fond of hills however, The Old Town is built on the highest point of the city giving the Castle it's much needed vantage point. Meaning you will have to climb some steep roads to get to the best parts of the Old Town. Don't worry though, there are plenty of Kellers along the way to stop for refreshments! 

Food & Drink

Do you love pork and beer? If the answer is yes, well Germany is definitely the place to be. You'll find most traditional kellers sell a range of sausage and pork based dishes with sides of sauerkraut and potato salad. Huge pork knuckles and schnizles with a generous helping of mustard are also a must try whilst in Nuremberg. Be sure to also take advantage of the restaurants offering take away sausage sandwiches, you will find around the city many cafes advertise "drei im weckla" and these can be purchased as a snack to go! - YUM.

I'm also a huge fan of the Bratwurst stands that you will find all around the city. One of the best sandwiches of our break came from a small stand just outside of the new town. The bratwursts were huge on fresh bread rolls and we also ordered a heaped portion of sauerkraut which came steaming hot and laced with cloves and other spices. I couldn't resist ordering a large bottle of Leikeim Landbier too, this particular larger also comes in Radler (shandy) and I loved the traditional bottle tops. Most Kellers and Cafes sell Radlers too, which is a great alternative for those who don't necessarily want to adventure out to the heavier beer options. 

As I said above, the Old Town definitely proved to be one of my favourite spots to find quaint little cafes and restaurants. In particular the 'Hausbrauerei Altstadthof' the local brewery and restaurant was excellent for food as well as for its beer. If you were to visit this particular spot, consider ordering the taster board of beers, for 6 euros you can sample 3 of the beers brewed on site, all of which are fantastic. You can also purchase bottles of their beer in the brewery shop to take home as souvenirs.
Tours of this brewery can also be purchased from the shop. English speaking tours are ran daily, and include a trip to the underground cellars which wide beneath the old town and insight into how they brew their fantastic beers and whiskys. 

For drinks I'd highly recommend the likes of Cafe Wanderer. This great cafe is located in the castle square and famous for crowds of locals sitting on the floor drinking beers and wine when the seats are all full. This cafe is actually in the top 3 rated cafes in Nuremberg! (Please note that Cafe wanderer charge a glass deposit to all customers which is refunded once the glasses are returned.)

However if you'd prefer to sit at a table, just across the square is a lovely cafe ran by two sisters called cafe Imatelier. We enjoyed the atmosphere here so much that we returned several times throughout our trip, and the staff were extremely friendly and the range of beers and wine were excellent. 

That's it for Part 1 of my Nuremberg travelers guide. 

In part 2 I'll talk about the attractions around Nuremberg, the best places to go and how to get value for money when visiting places like the Zoo, Nazi Rally Grounds and the Nuremberg Trails. Including an an honest break down of average prices for food, drink and travel.

Have you ever been to Nuremberg?