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Germany : Nuremberg - January 2010

Country Code: Dial for Germany

The city that was once synonymous with Nazi rallies and war trials has finally shaken off its battle scars, reverting to what made it once great: the arts and sciences. Situated astride the picturesque Pegnitz river, Nuremberg, formerly a medieval masterpiece, is now a Bavarian hotspot and its second largest city. And as FH Darafshian discovered, the Franconian capital is finally coming into its own as a youthful minimetropolis of half-amillion people

Getting around

NUE

Bus: Buses 32 and 33 provide direct access to Terminal 1, from Thon terminus and from Nürnberg-Buch respectively. They run at 10-minute intervals.
Train: The U2 underground line directly connects the airport with Nuremberg’s Hauptbahnhof. The journey takes about 12 minutes and costs €1,80.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs around €16 and takes about 15 minutes.
Tourist information: The central tourist office is at 18 Hauptmarkt (tel. , nuernberg.de).

ALTSTADT

Divided by the Pegnitz and criss-crossed by the old rebuilt city wall, with its imposing gates and fortifications, the historic heart of Nuremberg still beats.

Culture vultures – Home to the largest display of art and culture from the German-speaking world, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (1 Kartäusergasse) chronicles German craftsmanship and fine arts, dating back to 30,000 BC. For something more contemporary, make for the elongated curved glass façade of the Neues Museum (5 Luitpoldstrasse). The brainchild of architect Volker Staab, it was opened in 2001. And be sure to visit the nearby Lorenzkirche (Lorenzer Platz), one of the city’s landmarks. The church, which began construction in 1250, boasts two outsized towers.

Must eat – With its merlot-coloured walls and banquettes, all designed by the famed South Tyrolean architect Matteo Thun, Vapiano (17 Königstrasse, tel. ) is a stellar self-service and made-to-order salad, pasta and pizza eatery, exceptionally popular with the nearby university students.

Must drink – Imbibe with the city’s beer lovers at the wood-panelled Kloster Andechs (55 Königstrasse).

HAUPTBAHNHOF

The eye-catching baroque revival main train station, with its iconic Muschelkalk stone, anchors the city and is its main artery.

Sleep soundly – Having recently been lavishly restored, the Le Méridien Grand Hotel (1-3 Bahnhofstrasse, 23220, starwoodhotels.com, rooms from €107) is a playfully decorated 192-room hostelry without peer. Around the corner, the five-star Sheraton Carlton (15 Eilgutstrasse, 20030, starwoodhotels.com, rooms from €150), built in 2001, offers something the Grand doesn’t: a top-floor spa with sauna, gym and Jacuzzi, overlooking all of Nuremberg. Across the street, the InterCity Hotel (8 Eilgutstrasse, 24780, nuernberg.intercityhotel.com, rooms from €52) is by contrast a simple but ideally located bolthole, with 158 soundproofed rooms, overlooking the central train terminal.

Culture vultures – The Staatstheater Nürnberg (2-10 Richard-Wagner-Platz) is a renowned repository for opera, classical theatre, music and ballet.

WEINMARKT

The city’s old wine market is now a semipedestrianised street lined with historic churches and good restaurants and bars.

Culture vultures – Erected in 1332 but decimated during the war, before being restored once again, the Altes Rathaus or Old City Hall (2 Rathausplatz) features a warren of medieval dungeons, including a torture chamber. It flanks the 16thcentury bronze Gänsemännchenbrunnen or Gooseman’s Fountain.

Must eat – Don’t expect traditional fare at Essigbrätlein (3 Weinmarkt, tel. ), the city’s oldest eatery, dating back to 1550. That’s because inside the rusticated townhouse, übernouvelle rations are conjured up daily, a fact that’s garnered it a pair of welldeserved Michelin-stars and 18 out of 20 Gault Millau points. Locals swear by the straightforward pan-Mediterranean offerings at Sebald (14d Weinmarkt, tel. ), whose dining room, with its ochre walls, and its vast outdoor terrace are as convivial as the food is good. Similarly jovial is the city’s most famous bratwurst and beer purveyor, the aptly named Bratwursthäusle (1 Rathausplatz, tel. ), where you can also enjoy typical Franconian soups, including liver and dumpling.

Must drink – With its backlit surfaces and a superlative mixologist helming the bar, Cubus (2 Irrerstrasse) lures the after-work crowd during the week and the high-heeled set at weekends. Afterwards, they migrate to Bar 77 (16 Luitpoldstrasse), a popular club and lounge that is conveniently situated a mere 150m away.

Compiled by FH Darafshian