Things to Do in Nuremberg: Best Sights, Map & 1–2 Day Itinerary
Nuremberg was one of the great free imperial cities of the Holy Roman Empire, and its castle on a sandstone ridge hosted every emperor and king of the Empire at some point between the 12th century and 1571. Below it, the walled old town holds the Hauptmarkt square, the Gothic church of St Lorenz and the house where Albrecht Dürer lived and worked. The city also confronts its darker past at the Documentation Centre on the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds.
On this page you will find our picks for a first visit, a one-day and a two-day itinerary, getting in from Nuremberg Airport (NUE) and the full list of Nuremberg sights in the tripto.de catalogue. Opening hours and prices are on each attraction page – please check with the venue before you go.
Audio guide
Explore Nuremberg with an audio guide
A narrated walk on your phone: map, GPS and stories you won't find on the signs. No app — it runs in your browser.
Why visit
- A compact old town: from the Hauptmarkt it is about ten minutes uphill on foot to the Imperial Castle and Dürer's House.
- Under-18s get into the Imperial Castle for free, and St Lorenz church charges no admission at all.
- The Germanisches Nationalmuseum is the largest museum of cultural history in the German-speaking world and holds the oldest surviving terrestrial globe.
- One of Germany's most important places to learn about the Nazi era, with a brand-new permanent exhibition since May 2026.
- The U2 underground line takes about 13 minutes from the airport to the main station.
Top 6: what to see first
Our picks for a first visit — each with a short reason why.
Castles
Nuremberg Castle
Nuremberg
Nuremberg Castle (Kaiserburg Nürnberg) crowns a sandstone ridge above the old town of Nuremberg in Bavaria and is the city's defining landmark. From the early 12th century until 1571, every emperor and king of the Holy Roman Empire stayed…
90–150 min1. The city's landmark: a palace with a Romanesque double chapel, 113 steps up the Sinwell Tower and a camera ride down the 45-metre Deep Well. Free for under-18s; tickets are sold on site only.
Old towns & squares
Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square)
Nuremberg
The Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg is the main square of the Old Town and one of the most famous market squares in Germany. Two of the city's icons, the Gothic Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) and the gilded Beautiful Fountain (Schöner Brunnen),…
30–90 min Free entry2. The Beautiful Fountain with 40 painted figures and its lucky brass ring. At noon every day the seven electors on the Frauenkirche clock circle Emperor Charles IV.
Museums
Albrecht Dürer's House
Nuremberg
Albrecht Dürer's House in Nuremberg is the former home and workshop of Germany's most celebrated Renaissance artist. Dürer lived and worked in this striking half-timbered house by the Tiergärtnertor gate for almost two decades. Today it is…
60–90 min3. Dürer's home from 1509 until his death in 1528. See the old kitchen, living rooms and workshop, with printing demonstrations on Wednesday and Saturday; English costumed tour on Saturdays at 2 pm.
Churches & monasteries
St. Lorenz Church (St. Lawrence)
Nuremberg
St. Lorenz in Nuremberg (St. Lawrence's Church) is the great Gothic church of the southern Old Town and one of the finest medieval churches in southern Germany. Its twin towers and huge rose window dominate the pedestrian zone, and inside…
30–60 min Free entry4. A soaring Gothic church with Veit Stoss's Annunciation hanging in the choir and Adam Kraft's almost 20-metre tabernacle. Free entry and free guided tours, usually at 11 am and 2 pm.
Museums
Germanisches Nationalmuseum (German National Museum)
Nuremberg
The Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg is the largest museum of cultural history in the German-speaking world and one of the top things to do in Nuremberg. Spread across a medieval Carthusian monastery and striking modern wings, it t…
120–300 min5. Around 25,000 objects on show, including the Behaim Globe of 1492 and a Bronze Age golden hat. Free on Wednesdays from 5.30 pm; some galleries are closed for renovation in 2026.
Historic sites & memorials
Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds
Nuremberg
The Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremberg (Dokuzentrum) is one of Germany's most important places to learn about the Nazi era. It occupies the north wing of the Congress Hall, a vast, never-finished Nazi building, and…
90–240 min6. Set in the unfinished Nazi Congress Hall, with a new exhibition since May 2026 and an included media guide in nine languages. Recommended from age 14.
Top sights on the map
Open the full map1-day itinerary
Morning: Imperial Castle
Arrive at opening time (10 am from October to March, 9 am from April to September). Buy the combined ticket at the castle courtyard and allow about two hours.
Places: Nuremberg Castle
Late morning: Albrecht Dürer's House
A few minutes downhill at Tiergärtnertorplatz. An hour to an hour and a half is enough for the kitchen, rooms and workshop. Closed on Mondays outside July–September.
Places: Albrecht Dürer's House
Noon: Hauptmarkt
Be in front of the Frauenkirche just before 12 to watch the mechanical clock, then turn the ring in the railings of the Beautiful Fountain.
Places: Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square)
Afternoon: St Lorenz and the national museum
Cross the Pegnitz to St Lorenz, then continue to the Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Its 60-minute media guide route covers the highlights. Closed on Mondays.
Places: St. Lorenz Church (St. Lawrence) Germanisches Nationalmuseum (German National Museum)
2-day itinerary
Day 1: Castle and old town
Imperial Castle
Palace, double chapel, the Deep Well tour and the view from the Sinwell Tower. An audio guide for the palace costs 2 euros.
Places: Nuremberg Castle
Dürer's House
From 16 October 2026 to 14 February 2027 the house shows original Dürer etchings in the exhibition 'Original Dürer! Die Eisenradierungen'.
Places: Albrecht Dürer's House
Hauptmarkt and St Lorenz
The noon clock show, then a walk down the pedestrian zone to St Lorenz and its late-Gothic masterpieces.
Places: Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square) St. Lorenz Church (St. Lawrence)
Day 2: Museum and Rally Grounds
Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Go in the morning when it is quietest: Behaim Globe, Dürer paintings, the Carthusian church and the toy collection. Allow two to three hours.
Places: Germanisches Nationalmuseum (German National Museum)
Documentation Centre
Take the tram or bus to the Doku-Zentrum stop. The museum suggests about two hours for the exhibition; texts are in German and English.
Walk the Rally Grounds
Follow the Dutzendteich lake to the Great Road and the Zeppelin Tribune. The grounds are open and free, with information boards along the way.
Getting there
From NUE airport: The U2 underground line runs directly from Nuremberg Airport to the main station (Hauptbahnhof) in about 13 minutes, according to the local transport operator VAG.
By train: Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof is a Deutsche Bahn ICE hub with direct trains to Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt, among others. From the station it is about a 15-minute walk along Königstrasse, past St Lorenz, to the Hauptmarkt.
Getting around: The old town is best explored on foot. The U1 stops at Lorenzkirche, and trams 4 and 10 stop at Tiergärtnertor below the castle. For the Documentation Centre take the tram or bus to Doku-Zentrum (replacement buses run on part of the route during construction work) or the S2 to Dutzendteich. The Deutschlandticket (63 euros a month in 2026) is valid on all local transport but not on ICE or IC trains. There is no visitor parking at the castle.
When to go
April to September brings longer castle hours (9 am–6 pm instead of 10 am–4 pm) and the castle garden is open until early November. In summer the Hauptmarkt is one of the stages of the Bardentreffen world music festival.
In Advent the famous Christkindlesmarkt fills the Hauptmarkt – in 2026 from 27 November to 24 December, daily 10 am–9 pm and until 2 pm on Christmas Eve. Weekends are very crowded; weekday mornings are much calmer. On rainy days, head for the national museum, the Documentation Centre or the castle interiors.
FAQ
How many days do you need in Nuremberg?
One full day covers the castle, Dürer's House, the Hauptmarkt and St Lorenz. A second day lets you add the Germanisches Nationalmuseum and the Documentation Centre with a walk around the former Rally Grounds.
How do I get from Nuremberg Airport to the city centre?
Take the U2 underground line, which reaches the main station in about 13 minutes. From there it is around a 15-minute walk to the Hauptmarkt.
What is free to see in Nuremberg?
The Hauptmarkt with the Beautiful Fountain and the noon clock show, St Lorenz church and its tours, and the outdoor Rally Grounds are free. The Germanisches Nationalmuseum is free on Wednesdays from 5.30 pm.
Is Nuremberg good for kids?
Yes. Under-18s enter the Imperial Castle for free and the camera ride down the Deep Well is a hit. The national museum has a big toy collection and a children's media guide. The Documentation Centre recommends visits from age 14.
When is the Nuremberg Christmas market in 2026?
From 27 November to 24 December 2026 on the Hauptmarkt, daily from 10 am to 9 pm and until 2 pm on Christmas Eve.
Can I see the Nazi Party Rally Grounds?
Yes. The Documentation Centre in the Congress Hall is open daily, and the outdoor grounds, including the Great Road and the Zeppelin Tribune, are freely accessible with information boards.
All attractions (8)
Castles
Nuremberg Castle
Nürnberg
Nuremberg Castle (Kaiserburg Nürnberg) crowns a sandstone ridge above the old town of Nuremberg in Bavaria and is the city's defining landmark. From the early 12th century until 1571, every emperor and king of the Holy Roman Empire stayed…
90–150 min
Museums
Albrecht Dürer's House
Nürnberg
Albrecht Dürer's House in Nuremberg is the former home and workshop of Germany's most celebrated Renaissance artist. Dürer lived and worked in this striking half-timbered house by the Tiergärtnertor gate for almost two decades. Today it is…
60–90 min
Historic sites & memorials
Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds
Nürnberg
The Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremberg (Dokuzentrum) is one of Germany's most important places to learn about the Nazi era. It occupies the north wing of the Congress Hall, a vast, never-finished Nazi building, and…
90–240 min
Museums
Germanisches Nationalmuseum (German National Museum)
Nürnberg
The Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg is the largest museum of cultural history in the German-speaking world and one of the top things to do in Nuremberg. Spread across a medieval Carthusian monastery and striking modern wings, it t…
120–300 min
Old towns & squares
Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square)
Nürnberg
The Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg is the main square of the Old Town and one of the most famous market squares in Germany. Two of the city's icons, the Gothic Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) and the gilded Beautiful Fountain (Schöner Brunnen),…
30–90 min Free entry
Nature
Lillach Valley Sinter Terraces
Nürnberg
The water here does not simply run downhill; it flows over little moss-green steps, pools and cascades. The sinter terraces in the Lillach valley near Weißenohe were built by the stream itself: limestone dissolved in the spring water is de…
60–180 min
Churches & monasteries
St. Lorenz Church (St. Lawrence)
Nürnberg
St. Lorenz in Nuremberg (St. Lawrence's Church) is the great Gothic church of the southern Old Town and one of the finest medieval churches in southern Germany. Its twin towers and huge rose window dominate the pedestrian zone, and inside…
30–60 min Free entry
Zoos
Nuremberg Zoo
Nürnberg
At Nuremberg Zoo you spend most of the day walking through a forest. The zoo sits on the Schmausenbuck hill in the east of the city, inside the Lorenzer Reichswald, and uses old sandstone quarries, ponds and slopes as backdrops for the ani…
180–360 min