Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is Franconia's largest city, and its undisputed economic, social and cultural centre. The city lies on the Pegnitz River and the Main-Danube Canal. Within the city limits Nuremberg has a population of about 520,000 (2018), making it the second-biggest city in the Bundesland Bavaria and the biggest city in the region of Franconia. Greater Nuremberg including its suburbs has a population of 1.3 million. The Metropolitan Region Nuremberg which extends to cities like Bamberg or Ansbach has a population of 3.5 million.
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When people think of Nuremberg, they usually think of gingerbread, toys, Christmas, the Reich Party Rally Grounds or the Nuremberg Trials (see World War II in Europe and Holocaust remembrance). But the old town of Nuremberg in the shadow of the towering imperial castle is more than that. Gothic churches, splendid patricians' houses and romantic corners and spots. An atmosphere of lively co-existence between medieval and modern, between the past and the present, prevails in Nuremberg. In medieval and early modern times, Nuremberg was a rich centre for trade and early industry and it is no coincidence that the first railway in what is now Germany was built to link Nuremberg and Fürth.
The old town is best explored on foot. To get from one part of the old town to another by car or public transport, you will often have to leave the old town and reenter it at a different gate. There are three U-bahn or underground lines U1 , U2 and U3 ; seven Straßenbahn or tram lines 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , , ; and four S-Bahn or suburban train lines S1 , S2 , S3 and S4 , with the S-Bahn lines all reaching far beyond the city limits. They all radiate out from the main railway station. The tram lines have two main hubs at 7 Plärrer U1 U2 U3 4 6 and the main station which are linked by subway but only awkwardly and indirectly by tram.
For all but the briefest visits, you'll do well to buy the Nürnberg + Fürth Card. This is valid for 48 hours and gives free admission to over 50 museums and attractions, and free travel on all public transport in Zone A of Nuremberg and Fürth. You also get discounts in many theatres, shops, and the IMAX cinema. The card price for adults is €33. Children aged 6 to 11 pay €11, children under 6 are free. See [2] and tourist board for more details. If so many museums sounds daunting, a day-ticket just for the municipal museums is €9 - worth buying if you only see two, as the individual adult entry price is €6. Buy them at the first museum you visit.
The big annual event in Nuremberg is the Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt), listed below. But there’s a full calendar throughout the year – check what’s on even if you don’t plan to attend, as there may be street closures and crowd congestion. Panoptikum Children’s Theatre Festival (Kindertheaterfestival). 4-9 Feb 2020. Wide-ranging programme with artistes from Bavaria and across Europe. Aimed at children 3 and older, i.e. verbal and in German, though some shows use little or no spoken language. This festival runs alternate years so the subsequent event will be in 2022. (updated Dec 2019) Nuremberg Carnival (Fastnachtszug). In February. This has been held since 1397.
Nuremberg offers a rich culinary heritage, most notably defined by its unique sausage varieties and traditional confectionery. The city is world-renowned for the Nürnberger Rostbratwürste. These pork sausages are distinct from others in the Franconia region, characterised by a spicier flavour profile and a smaller size, typically half the length of standard varieties.
1 Kaffee Hörna, Scheurlstr. 11 (located in Südstadt), info@kaffehoerna.de. M W-F 07:00-17:00; Sa Su 10:00-17:30. A tiny modern café with delicious Swedish-style cakes. (updated Mar 2016) 2 Café Kaulbach, Schweppermannstraße 28 ( U3 Kaulbachplatz), ☏ +49 911 93 744 744. W-Su 09:00-18:00. The venue of the two great cake bakers that formerly operated the Café Wohlleben. (updated Mar 2016) 3 Balazzo Brozzi, ☏ +49 911-28 84 82, balazzo-brozzi@t-online.de. M-F 09:00-23:00; Sa Su 09:00-23:00, closed first Monday of the month. A somewhat alternative café also regularly hosting subculture.
According to the state police, Nuremberg has the lowest crime rate of the cities with more than 400,000 inhabitants.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Nuremberg typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 18 rainy days.
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