We want to see Bavaria, and Nuremberg is the first stop. It is Bavaria’s second-largest city. Nuremberg is also known for the post-war Nuremberg Trials. We aren’t sure what we expect with our first experience in Bavaria, but we find that it is such a quaint and adorable city!
NH Collection Nuernburg Hotel
We make our way from Munich train station to Numberg Hbf and drop off our backpacks at our hotel NH Collection Nuernburg. We strategically booked our hotels close to each drop-off point to lessen the load we need to carry and maximize the time to explore freely. I personally also love how there are many NH hotels that are all over Europe so that you can collect and redeem points that can be used towards your travels. Unfortunately, NH hotels are not in the US but are in many other parts of the world. The NH Collections are particularly nice with clean and well-designed rooms. I find that the prices are reasonable, especially when they have their promotions.
Tour Center
We arrive in the early evening and have enough time to visit the tourist office. It is always a great first stop to visit the tourist office. If you tell them how much time you have, they can give you appropriate recommendations of what is most important to fit in and food recommendations. We take a map with circled attractions that we will try to walk to and check off the list. It feels like a treasure hunt to see jewels of the city.
Marienplatz Square
We wander through the Marienplatz square and discover what a quaint yet modern town it is with the old and traditional German-style with the nearby new shopping malls and stores.
Hauptmarkt
Nuremberg is well-known for its Hauptmarkt. It is like a street market with lots of produce and art sold in stands. You probably see beautiful photos of the Hauptmarkt Christmas market in postcards during Christmas time in Germany.
Frauenkirche Church
As we stroll through the main market, we come across Frauenkirche, a beautiful Gothic-style catholic church. It was completed in 1362.
Imperial Castle
Through the main plaza, we make our trek up to the Imperial Castle and found magnificent views.
Classic Bavarian Dinner at Bohms Herrenkeller
For dinner, the attendant at our hotel recommends a restaurant called Bohms Herrenkeller. This is our first time in a German restaurant and when we first step in, it feels like classic Germany with wooden decor and antiquities along the ceiling and walls. We wander around looking for someone to help us get seated, but we realize that in Germany, you are to find your own seat and sit down at an open table. Only until then, the waiter/waitress will greet you and hand you a menu. Our waitress is lovely and gave us her recommendations. We order a Schauflerle, or pork knuckle with potato dumplings and gravy, and a plate of Nuremberg sausages and potatoes. Little did we know, the Nuremberg sausages are what I’ve ever known as American breakfast sausages! I would recommend this as a quality place to come and enjoy traditional Nuremberg food in a friendly environment.
Dessert at La Gelateria 4D
We walk out with a full and happy belly, but I cannot resist the urge of having some gelato! There are a few places that continue to call out to me to grab some for dessert. There are ones where they have outdoor seats and families just enjoy their sundaes and cones while watching passersby. I decide on grabbing one from La Gelateria 4D. There are some interesting flavors that we don’t see in America, such as fruits that are native to Germany that may be worth trying.
Historic Old Town
We walk back to our hotel, but this time, walking through historic Old Town in the lighted architecture and church makes it a different experience than our first walk by. Our first glimpse of Bavaria is a pleasant and lovely surprise. It has a nice mix of the medieval historic touch with the current light hustle and bustle of the main square that brings Old Bavaria to life.