An Advent weekend in Nuremberg

Imagine you visit a city famous for its Christmas market, but secretly find Christmas markets a bit superfluous… Well, I was totally free in my decision to visit Nuremberg for the Christkindlesmarkt. I could have chosen any other time of the year, but I wanted to get an idea of this Christmas market tourism, which is so popular in Switzerland.

It turns out that the Christmas market pretty much delivers everything it promises (including the many people). After I had had enough of the colorful impressions and invested all my money in gingerbread (a handmade Elise costs 1.70 euros – I bought the family pack four times… ;)), I went in search of Nuremberg away from the hustle and bustle of the market. I found what I was looking for and take you here on a Nuremberg Advent weekend without Christmas market crowds.

The damsel awakens

The people of Nuremberg knew that I liked bird’s eye viewing. I wake up in the bunk bed and look out over a slowly awakening city. Probably the best bedroom view over Nuremberg is from the tower room of the imperial stables. It is home to Nuremberg’s modern youth hostel with a total of 366 beds spread over 2 to 6-bed rooms. The two of us share a 4-bed room, which is very spacious (with sitting area). Wi-Fi only exists on the ground floor and the breakfast seems a bit canteen-like (I just don’t like rolls), but otherwise absolutely top class and perfect as a starting point for the weekend trip.

After the bread roll breakfast, we walk the few meters up to the Kaiserburg. Equipped with the Nürnberg Card (2 days / 23 euros), nothing stands in the way of a city tour. The courtyard of the castle is still deserted and when I hesitantly open the closed door to the Sinwell Tower (it is 10:08 a.m. and open from 10:00 a.m.), I disturb the tower guard during his preparatory work (which consists of putting an electric heater into operation). We are allowed to go in, climb the spiral staircase and enjoy the view of the imperial stables and the castle (and of course far beyond the borders of Nuremberg). A map shows which of the city’s buildings were destroyed during World War II. Inconceivable!

My weather order was actually as follows: Please first snow (because Christmas market with snowflakes = romantic) and then sunshine (because freshly snow-covered roofs with sunbeams = wow). But Nuremberg was neither romantic nor wow, but simply grey. Real museum weather!

With over twenty museums for young and old, art freaks, historians and animal lovers, Nuremberg offers a wide range of activities for grey winter days.

We start our museum tour at the Neues Museum (the state museum of art and design), where the airy building alone is worth seeing. Admission costs only 1 euro on Sunday (for bargain hunters) and with the Nürnberg Card you can get in for free. If you like modern art and design, you will find some interesting works here.

Next, we venture into the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, the largest cultural history museum in the German-speaking world. It’s really big. We wander aimlessly in the corridors of the various connected buildings and are disillusioned. This is still a real, classic, dry museum, where everything is neatly displayed under glass lids. Nothing to touch and try out. No stories about the items. Only facts and very, very, very many things. An old-school museum. As a tip: it’s better to visit the Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds instead of wasting time with Germanic knights’ armour.

Finally, we explore the Toy Museum, which is open every day during the Christmas market (otherwise it is closed on Mondays). We learn that dolls are for girls and the Meccano metal construction set for boys (although I loved it so much as a child…) and today there is an abundance of toys (the Playmobil figure pyramid illustrates this clearly). An entertaining museum that lets you immerse yourself once again in the happy days of the puppet house.

Tortenglück

At some point, our stomachs growl. We stop at Obere Wörthstrasse 10 in front of the Blumenbinderei la Violetta (update 2022: unfortunately the café no longer exists). Inside there are not only flowers but also an absolutely adorable café with all kinds of other pretty knick-knacks (e.g. “piggy Christmas cards”). I treat myself to a chai latte and a bombastic piece of cake and am happy.

After the cake, we take a leisurely walk along the Pegnitz. From the chain footbridge at the western city wall, to the Henkersteg through the flea market to the Holy Spirit Hospital, some of Nuremberg’s gems can be admired.

Buy Odds and Ends

We don’t miss the opportunity to make a detour to Nuremberg’s trendy district “GoHo”. The area is located outside the city walls around the Gostenhof subway station and can be easily reached on foot via the White Tower, Spittlertor. What is really so trendy about it, we didn’t quite understand in a hurry. To us, the whole thing seemed a bit sleepy. That’s why I discovered the Fachmarie Glücksboutique. A store that has everything you don’t need (e.g. tokens and Lomo cameras) ;). My boyfriend had to get me out after about 30 minutes, otherwise I would have bought the store empty. But now I have totally meaningful Christmas gifts like “Good Karma Pills” and “Sweet X-Mas Candle to Go”.

We go back to the protected area of the city centre, walk along the delightful Weißgerbergasse and marvel at the beautiful half-timbered structure of the Albrecht Dürer House at the Tiergärtnertor. Nearby is the Albrecht-Dürer-Stube, where we fortify ourselves before the evening program. In true parlour fashion, we are seated at a large square table with other guests (I recommend making a reservation). No intimate togetherness, but real pickling feeling. I order a horseradish cream soup (4 euros) for starters and then cheese spaetzle with homemade fried onions and salad (7 euros). Huge portions and very tasty food!

Listen to stories

Now comes the point where we have to push our way through the crowds on the main market. At the Beautiful Fountain on the Main Market Square is the meeting point for the city tour with the night watchwoman. For 8 euros, historian Dr. Ute Jäger takes you on an entertaining journey through Nuremberg at night. During the Advent season, the tour is all about drawing Christmas. Between the Christkindlesmarkt and the Kaiserburg, Ute Jäger tells entertaining anecdotes, legends and sagas about Nuremberg’s Christmas traditions and their origins. The 1.5 hours go by in no time despite the cold and thanks to the all-round carefree package (including lantern and matches) your hands stay warm.

The last look of the day is like the first. From the tower room I overlook my castle, lie down in my cabin bed and dream of the Rauschgoldengel and Zwetschgenmännle.

Arrival and more Nuremberg tips:

We traveled from Zurich to Nuremberg with the Deutsche Bahn via a change in Munich. The journey takes 5.5 hours, provided Deutsche Bahn is on time. On the outward journey everything worked out great. On the way back, the 35-minute delay of the train and an ignorant but nice gentleman at the train information desk gave us an adventurous return trip to Switzerland (via Munich, Ulm, Friedrichshafen, Romanshorn). The good thing: on the ferry from Friedrichshafen to Romanshorn there is currywurst and we now know that if there is a delay of more than 20 minutes, the route binding of the ticket expires.

Further tips in short and crisp form can be found under the title 48 hours in Nuremberg in the series of Youth HotSpots in Germany – the guide was written by Kash Bhattacharya alias BudgetTraveller.org. By the way, he spent 130 euros in these 48 hours (I can’t quite keep up with that – the gingerbread hamster purchase screwed it up).

Note: I was invited by the Nuremberg Congress and Tourism Centre to a Christmas voyage of discovery. Thank you very much for this. Nevertheless, my readers can be sure that I always represent my own opinion and enthusiasm here.