I first visited Nuremberg in winter in December 2022 as we were driving across Europe from our home in Croatia, back to the UK to spend Christmas with family.
We were staying just outside the old town in Nuremberg, the famous Nuremberg Christkindlesmart was in full swing and the city was dusted in snow.
Maybe it was because this first experience was so idyllic but I fell in love with the city from the start, and I was only in Nuremberg for 2 days on that first trip!
We returned to Nuremberg in December 2024 and this time we made sure to stay longer and see more of what the city has to offer. While the Nuremberg Christmas Market is definitely the most famous attraction if you’re visiting during the winter, there are so many more things to do in Nuremberg that make visiting the city well worth a visit.
The famous Nuremberg Christmas Market
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Is Nuremberg worth visiting: my opinion
In case it’s not clear from my intro, yes I absolutely do think that Nuremberg is worth visiting - especially at Christmas but not only at Christmas.
Nuremberg is also famous for the Nuremberg trials, the trials which tried German war criminals after WWII.
But even before modern history, Nuremberg has long been a strategic military and political base, with its fortified old town withstanding centuries of conflict and being a stronghold for medieval kings, politicians and religious figures.
Being only 1 hour by train from Munich also means you can easily combine visiting Nuremberg with visiting Munich and other charming Bavaria towns and areas of Bavaria, thanks to the well-established German train network.
The city itself is extremely walkable and the transport network is easy to navigate too. For example, the airport is just a 20 minute train ride to the Nuremberg central train station and incredibly easy to navigate.
If you’re wondering whether Nuremberg is worth visiting at Christmas, I say yes, it is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany, dating back to the 1600s. However, I would highly recommend visiting during the weekdays, we found Friday, Saturday and Sunday to be overwhelmingly busy, but our visit on a Tuesday and Wednesday were magical!
Pegnitz River and Maxbrucke
How long to spend in Nuremberg
If you’re visiting to primarily see the Christmas Market in Nuremberg, you could easily visit for just a couple of days; a weekend would work nicely.
If you want to see more of the Nuremberg attractions and things to do in the city, then 2-3 days is a great amount of time.
Equally, if you find yourself in Munich or passing through Bavaria, you could easily visit Nuremberg for a day and see Nuremberg old town and perhaps the Nuremberg Trials Museum in one day.
On our most recent trip, we visited Nuremberg for 3 days which allowed us to see the Christmas Market in the evenings, visit the Nuremberg Trials Memorial Museum, visit Nuremberg Castle, see an ice hockey game with Nuremberg Ice Tigers vs Berlin Polar Bears and also try out a few restaurant and brewery experiences in the city.
Nuremberg old town
When is the best time to visit Nuremberg?
If you want to visit Nuremberg for the Christmas market then obviously you’ll need to visit during the time the Christmas market is open. These dates change slightly every year, but are usually the last weekend in November until the 24th December. Find this year's dates here.
Otherwise, I would recommend visiting Nuremberg at almost any time of year, although it can gen uncomfortably cold in Jan-Feb and often snowy - which is lovely for the Christmas markets but not so much in cold and grey January or February.
Spring, summer and autumn offer a great time of year to explore the city and perhaps go further afield by car, train or even bike to see some of the surrounding towns and villages such as Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bamberg or Regensburg. You could also go hiking in the summer and autumn and see some of the stunning mountains and countryside in Bavaria if you’re looking for more things to do around Nuremberg.
Nuremberg old town
What are the best things to do in Nuremberg, Germany
I have a full Nuremberg itinerary here where you can find more detail on all of these things to do in Nuremberg. But to give you an idea of whether visiting Nuremberg is worth it, here are some of my recommendations of things to do:
Visit the Memoriam Nuremberg Trials Museum
Visit the Nuremberg Imperial Castle
Walk the Nuremberg city walls (only open April until October)
Enjoy the festivities at Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
Experience a medieval dining experience at Alt Kuchen & Im Keller
Explore the beautiful old town, the bridges and river walk along the Pegnitz
Visit the Nuremberg toy museum
See the city’s dramatic gothic churches including St Lorenz and Frauenkirche
Germanisches National Museum
The Nazi Party Rally Grounds
Nuremberg Train Museum
The view from Nuremberg Castle Tower
Looking to visit Nuremberg for the day?
Is Nuremberg worth visiting for a day? I think so. You can easily get the train from Munich in just one hour from Munich Hbf to Nuremberg Hbf.
Whether you’re short on time or just want to make sure you see the main sights, check out these Nuremberg city tours:
Nuremberg Trials courtroom at the Nuremberg Trials Museum
Summary: Is Nuremberg worth visiting
Whether you’re a history and culture lover, a Christmas markets fan or a city break fan, I think there’s so much to see and do in Nuremberg that makes it a great destination for a city break at any time of year.
