Nürnberg

A Grimm Fairytale

Although known for the Nuremberg Trials, this Bavarian city has a stunning medieval core of cobbled streets and half-timbered buildings that wouldn’t look out of place in a fairy tale. Sitting above this is the castle, one of the most important in the Holy Roman Empire. Take the steep walk up here for fantastic old town views.

Hauptmarkt square in the old town is home to an unusual-looking church and a Gothic fountain, spectacularly lit during the annual Nuremberg Christmas markets. Selling everything from wooden toys to lebkuchen (gingerbread), these are widely considered the best Christmas markets in Germany.

Other attractions in Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) include the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, the country’s largest museum of culture and art. Another highlight is the Heilig-Geist-Spital, a medieval hospital by the Pegnitz River.

A word must also be said about its relationship with Nazism. On the south-east corner are the immense Nazi Rally Grounds and Party Congress Hall, built in appropriately domineering fashion. The excellent Documentation Center here is a sensitive and unbiased portrayal of life under Hitler. It is also possible to visit the courtroom where the war trials were held.

Before leaving your Booking.com apartment, hotel or hostel to go to Nuremberg Airport, don’t forget to try the spicy local sausage!