Nuremberg packs more history per square kilometer than almost any German city. The medieval Kaiserburg overlooks a meticulously restored Altstadt, while the Nazi Party Rally Grounds on the city’s southeast edge house Germany’s most visited documentation center on the Third Reich. Between these two poles sit world-class museums, a 16th-century artist’s home, and one of Europe’s best zoos.
Things to Do in Nuremberg: Historic Landmarks
Nuremberg Castle (Kaiserburg)
The Kaiserburg is Nuremberg’s defining landmark, a 12th-century imperial castle complex sitting on a sandstone ridge 50m above the Altstadt. The castle served as a residence for Holy Roman Emperors from 1050 to 1571. Key sights include the Sinwell Tower (113 steps, panoramic city views), the Deep Well (47m, still functional), the Imperial Chapel, and the Palas. Entry costs 7 euros for adults, 6 euros for students and seniors, or free with the Nuremberg Card (33 euros for 48 hours covering all city museums and public transport). Hours are 9:00 to 18:00 (April to September) and 10:00 to 16:00 (October to March). The castle gardens, free to enter, are at their best in May when the roses bloom. Take bus 36 to Burgstrasse or walk 10 minutes uphill from the Hauptmarkt. Allow 2 hours for a full visit.
Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds
The Documentation Center fills the north wing of the Congress Hall on the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds. The permanent exhibition ‘Fascination and Terror’ covers 1,300 square meters across 19 chronological galleries examining the causes, propaganda, and consequences of the Nazi regime. Audio guides in 7 languages are included with the 6 euros admission fee (1.50 euros for students). Hours are 9:00 to 18:00 Monday to Sunday. The center drew 300,000 visitors in 2019 and is undergoing renovation from 2021 to 2025 with a temporary exhibition in the interim building. Take tram 6 or 8 to Doku-Zentrum station (12 minutes from Hauptbahnhof). The rally grounds themselves are open 24/7 and free to walk, covering 11 square kilometers including the Zeppelin Field grandstand.
Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Germany’s largest cultural history museum houses 1.3 million objects spanning from prehistory to the present. Permanent highlights include the Behaim Globe (1492, the oldest surviving terrestrial globe), Albrecht Durer’s portrait of his mother, the Codex Aureus of Echternach (11th-century illuminated manuscript), and the world’s first pocket watch (1510, by Peter Henlein of Nuremberg). The museum occupies 22,000 square meters on Kartausergasse 1. Admission is 8 euros for adults, 5 euros for students, free on Wednesday evenings from 18:00 to 21:00. Hours are 10:00 to 18:00 Tuesday to Sunday, until 21:00 on Wednesday. Plan 3 to 4 hours minimum. U-Bahn U1 to Lorenzkirche, 10-minute walk.
Albrecht Durer’s House
Albrecht Durer (1471 to 1528), Nuremberg’s most famous son, lived and worked in this half-timbered house on Tiergartnertorplatz from 1509 until his death. It is the only surviving 16th-century artist’s residence in Northern Europe. Exhibits include a working printing press demonstrating Durer’s copper engraving techniques, period-furnished living quarters, and rotating print exhibitions. Entry costs 6 euros for adults, 2 euros for students. Hours are 10:00 to 17:00 Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 to 18:00 Saturday and Sunday, closed Monday. Located near the castle at the western edge of the Altstadt via the Tiergartnertor gate.
St. Lorenz Church (Lorenzkirche)
St. Lorenz is Nuremberg’s largest Gothic church, built between 1270 and 1477. Its twin towers (80m and 81m) dominate the skyline south of the Pegnitz River. Inside, key artworks include Veit Stoss’s Angelic Salutation (1517 to 1518, a carved wooden Annunciation), the tabernacle by Adam Kraft (1493 to 1496, a 20m stone spire), and the 9m-diameter stained glass rose window. Entry is free, 2 euros donation suggested. Hours are 9:00 to 17:00 Monday to Saturday, 13:00 to 16:00 Sunday. Organ concerts Thursdays at 12:00 from May to October (free). 3-minute walk from Hauptbahnhof.
Nuremberg Zoo (Tiergarten)
One of Europe’s largest urban zoos at 70 hectares (173 acres), set in a forested area 5km east of the city center. It houses 300 species including dolphins, polar bears, snow leopards, and manatees. The dolphin lagoon (1.8 million liters) has daily shows at 11:00, 14:00, and 16:00 (April to October). The Manatee House (opened 2021) is one of the few places in Europe to see Florida manatees. Admission is 15 euros for adults, 12 euros for students, 7 euros for children 4 to 13. Hours are 8:00 to 19:30 (April to September) and 9:00 to 17:00 (October to March). Take tram 5 to Tiergarten station (15 minutes from Hauptbahnhof).
Things to Do in Nuremberg: Day Trips
Bamberg (UNESCO World Heritage)
Bamberg, a UNESCO city 55km north of Nuremberg, survived World War II intact with 2,400 listed buildings. Key sights include the Bamberg Cathedral (1237, with the Bamberg Rider statue), the Old Town Hall built in the middle of the Regnitz River (1386), and Klein Venedig (Little Venice), a row of former fishermen’s houses. Bamberg is famous for its Rauchbier (smoked beer), served at Schlenkerla brewery since 1405. Trains from Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof take 40 minutes on the RE regional express departing hourly. A Bayern Ticket (27 euros for one, 34 euros for two) covers round-trip travel and city buses.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is Germany’s best-preserved medieval walled town, 80km west of Nuremberg. The 14th-century city walls are fully intact and walkable for 2.5km. The Medieval Crime and Justice Museum (7.50 euros, 10:00 to 18:00 daily) displays 1,000 years of legal history. Rothenburg gets 2.5 million visitors annually, so arrive by 10:00 to beat bus tour crowds. Reach it via train from Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof with a change at Steinach (70 to 90 minutes total). The Bayern Ticket covers the journey.
