Nuremberg
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Nuremberg is a German city located in Middle Franconia (important: not in Bavaria, please refer to a native Franconian for more information). It is renowned for its tasty beer, crazy dialect and great CS community.
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Local CS community
Regular Activities
There is a regular meeting on every 8th of each month. Feel free to join! We normally start around 7pm with an open-end. The reservation will be on "Couchsurfing". We pick a different location every month so check out the local group for more information.
8th November 2008: Barfüsser, Hallplatz 2
8th December 2008: Bodega de Ramon, Vordere Bleiweisstraße 19
Local couchsurfers also organise smaller meetings several times a week. Join the local group to know what is going on at the time of your travels there.
Come to Nuremberg in August 2009 (second weekend) and join us for the third edition of the Big Franconian Meeting.
Who to contact
If you intend to come to Nuremberg or have questions during your stay the Nuremberg / Erlangen / Fürth CS forum is a good point to start from.
If you are looking for a host, do not post in the group but try a couchsearch and write to individual members. Read the advice on How to write a good request to be successful. You can also try Erlangen or Fürth. Especailly Fürth is only a 10-minute metro-ride from downtown Nuremberg.
City Ambassadors: Tina and Jonas
Getting to Nuremberg
By Train
Nuremberg has a big train station right next to the old city. For tickets have a look at Deutsche Bahn.
By Plane
Cheap flights to and from Nuremberg can be made with Air Berlin. Nuremberg airport is a destination for both domestic and European flights. The airport is fairly small and can be reached easily by metro (U2) within 20 minutes from the city centre/main train station.
By Car
Nuremberg used to be an important trade city in the Middle Ages due to its central position in Europe. Today it is still like a hub for travellers especially when they travel by car. There are three important motorways going by:
- A3 (Dutch border - Cologne - Frankfurt - Würzburg - Nuremberg - Regensburg - Austrian border)
- A6 (also called "Via Carolina", from Sarrebruck to the German-Czech border)
- A9 (Salzburg - Munich - Nuremberg - Berlin)
Getting along in Nuremberg
Hotels / Motels / B&Bs
Nuremberg is home of the famous Toy Fair so most big hotel chains are present here. Especially during the fairs (the most important apart from the Toy Fair being the BioFach), hotels are really expensive and booked out months in advance.
If you look for a more economical way of staying in Nuremberg you definitely should consider CouchSurfing. In the case that no couch is available throughout Nuremberg the city offers plenty of hostels. The most famous ones are the Jugendherberge next to the Nuremberg Castle and the Lette'm Sleep. Motels are not very common in Germany but you also should keep your eyes open for "Pensionen" which are basically the same.
Eating and Drinking
Nuremberg offers a great variety of food and beverage. You can have traditional Frankonian food like Schäufele (baked pork shoulder) and small Nürnberger Bratwürste (grilled sausages), international food (Chinese, Thai, American, Italian etc.) and of course fast food. In summer all the people also use to go to Nuremberg's many beergardens to lead in the evening. Here are some recommendations (of course subjective):
- Restaurant Kaiserburg (Bohemian): situated beneath the castle, this is still not your typical touristy restaurant. Bohemian cuisine with huge (and yummy) servings. Great value for money.
- Bratwursthäusle (Franconian): The best grilled sausages in town! Right next to the Sebaldus church, near the Hauptmarkt. Eating at the restaurant is not cheap but you can also buy a sausage sandwich (ask for "3 im Weggla") to go which also tastes great and is only 2€. By the way, the building might look ancient but it was built in the 1960ies. Waitresses wear traditional clothes called Dirndl. A touristy spot with mainly elderly patrons. Mid-range prices.
- Ristorante Del Centro (Italian): Opposite the Arabella-Sheraton hotel, near the main train station. Very good italian food.
- Thai Food 1 (Thai): Best Thai food in town. Do not confuse it with Thai 3 or Thai 4.
- Kopernikusbiergarten (Franconian/Polish): Biggest and yummiest Schnitzel in town. Good selection of local beer from micro-breweries (Krug, Meister, Hetzelsdorfer, Lindenbräu) for little money (2,90€ for 0,5l). The place gets quite busy when the weather is nice. Patrons from all backgrounds, age ranging from 0 - 80.
- Zeit und Raum: Best place for lunch with a weekly menu. Business lunch is around 5,30€. Dinner Specials called Punk Cuisine with a themed eveing once a month (reservation recommended). There is also a cocktail bar called Rote Bar next to the café. Mainly young people, especially in the evening.
- Atlantik Döner: Situated between the two main shopping streets Breite Gasse and Karolinenstraße in the Brunnengasse, it is not a restaurant but a Döner joint; very good Döner, they bake the bread themselves, lunch deal with Dönner and soft drink for 4,50€
- Café Wanderer: Right next to the castle, this spot is really beautiful when it is sunny. Good selection of local beer from micro-breweries (Lindenbräu, Schanzenbräu, Meister) for a fair price (2,90€ for 0,5l).
- EKU Inn: the best steak house in town. The decor is dreadful, very ninties but the meat is delicious. Prices are not budget-friendly but if you are looking for a great meal, it is recommended to eat there.
Most of the restaurants are quite affordable. Main courses normally are between 7€ and 12€ (tax and service included). Watch out for special deals like a lunch special. It says on the menu that service is included but it is common to leave a tip of between 5 and 10%, depending how satisified you are with the service and the food.
If you order a beer, a "Halbe" (Half) is not a small beer but half a litre. If you want more, order a "Maß" (1 litre).
Public Transport
Public transportation in Nuremberg is pretty good. There is a metro/underground with 2 lines (soon 3 lines), a tramway system (Straßenbahn), buses and rapid trains into the suburbs (S-Bahn). They are run by the VGN and VAG. Tickets can be bought directly at the stops or the main train station. Some smaller shops also sell them (watch out for the VGN logo). Nuremberg and Fürth are connected by the bus system and the metro. There is a frequent train to Erlangen and Fürth. Public transport runs from around 5:30 am until about half past midnight.
- Single ticket short trip (Kurzstrecke K) 1,50€ (at every stop it is indicated which bus, tram or metro stop is within that short distance), valid for 240 minutes for the bus, metro and tram within Nuremberg and Fürth.
- Single ticket (Einzelfahrschein Stufe 2) 1,80€, valid for 240 minutes for the bus, metro, tram within Nuremberg and Fürth
- Day Ticket Single short distance (Tagesticket Solo K), 3,00€, valid for the day for short distance trips
- Day Ticket Single (Tagesticket Solo) 3,80€, valid for the day in Nuremberg/Fürth, on weekends Saturday and Sunday
- Day Ticket Group (Tagesticket Plus K and Stufe 2) 6,40€, valid for 1 - 6 people (2 adults max) for the day or weekend if bought on a Saturday
If you would like the area around Nuremberg, the best option is to buy a Tagesticket Plus Verbundweit/Gesamtraum for 14€. This allows you to travel the entire VGN network. You can go anywhere, from Amberg to Forchheim, a distance of about 60 kilometres. This is the perfect option for the weekend because the ticket is valid Saturday and Sunday if bought on Saturday, for up to 6 people (max 2 adults), including your bikes.
Nightliner Friday and Saturday there are special night buses called Nightliner. Those buses run throughout the region around the city. They leave at 1am, 2am, 3am and 4am at the main train station in Nuremberg, Erlangen and Fürth. If you have bought a day ticket, you can use it on those buses.
In Case of Trouble
Nuremberg is a pretty safe city but you never know. In the case of a fire break-out or general emergencies call 112, call 110 if you need police assistance. If someone gets hurt call an ambulance by dialing 19222.
These numbers should work from every cellular phone. If you don't have one look out for a phone booth or ask passers-by for help. Emergency calls don't cost anything. If you confuse the numbers it also shouldn't be a problem, you will be routed through. Please make sure to remember at least one of these numbers.
Entertainment
Outdoor Activities
Only a thirty minute car ride from Nuremberg, the Franconian Swiss (Fränkische Schweiz) offers fantastic opportunities for hiking and climbing. There is a local group dedicated to those activities: Outdoor Activities.
Bars and Clubs
There are many bars especially near the castle. Most bars and clubs can be reached easily on foot or public transport. Bigger night clubs are outside the old city. The list is non-exhaustive and includes our personal opinion.
Bars
- Bar Europa (Hintere Insel Schütt 34, Tuesday - Saturday 8pm - 2am): white, retro interior with funky music from the 60ies and 70ies. Big cocktail menu for a small place. Knowledgable staff.
- Weinerei (Prinzregentenufer 5, Friday & Saturday 9pm - 1am): A winebar/gallery. You pay 1€ deposit on your glass and then sample the wine they put up in bottles on the bar. At the end you pay as much as you think you should. Has become a regular spot for local CS people before hitting the clubs. Relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff.
Nightclubs
- Club Stereo: Downtown location (Klaragasse). The club is located downstairs. It gets quite crowded for certain events.
- DESI: Not a nightclub in the strict sense. Basically it is a cultural centre with concerts but they also have DJ nights. Very mixed crowd, more on the "alternative" side. Not so bad beergarden where they also show films in an open-air cinema.
- K4: Great place for concerts. No air condition though which means it gets really hot in there. For events like "Bucovina", the queue is really long. Not so bad beergarden.
Shopping
There are five streets in Nuremberg suitable for shopping activities. They are called Karolinenstraße, Königstraße, Adlerstraße, Breite Gasse and Kaiserstraße and can be found directly in the old town district between main railway station and Hauptmarkt. All the major clothing lines can be found in the Breite Gasse and Karolinenstraße: H&M (2 stores), Zara, Mango, Esprit, United Colours of Benetton, Hallhuber, S. Oliver etc. Müller and DM are drugstores though Müller also carries CDs and DVDs. Karstadt carries everything, they even have a supermarket at metro level. Wöhrl might look quite conservative from the outside but the concept store U1 at metro level caters to the taste of young and trendy people. You also find a hairdresser and a sushi bar between all the clothes racks. In the Königstraße you can find some luxury store like Louis Vuitton and Hèrmes.
Culture
History
Nuremberg used to be a central point for traders during the Middle ages due to its central position. It also was the city where the German emperors were crowned.
Sightseeing
Nuremberg has several churches, the most important ones being St. Sebald and St. Lorenz. The castle overlooking the old town cannot be missed. The inner city was severely bombed during WWII. If you want to know how it used to look before the war, take a walk through the pitoresque Weissgerbergasse where most houses were spared from destruction. For more info have a look at the English Wikipedia.
Nearby Cities
Due to its central position, you can use Nürnberg as a starting point for daytrips. There a quite a few interesting cities within a short distance (1 - 1,5 hours by train or car).
- Würzburg
- Bamberg
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber
- Regensburg
Web Links
- Public Transport: vgn.de
- Tourist Information: TourismusNürnberg
