It is easy to day trip to Nuremberg from Munich. The city is just a one hour train ride away, with multiple trains running between the two daily. You can also take a guided tour from Munich if you would prefer.
This article is going to exactly how to plan a Nuremberg day trip, including the best way to get there, how to get around the city, and what to see and do while you’re there.
Year visited: 2025
Time of year: December
What’s in this Article:
About Nuremberg
Where is Nuremberg
Nuremberg is in southern Germany, in the region of Bavaria. It is about a 1 hour train ride north of Munich, and a 2 hour train ride south west of Frankfurt.
Brief History of Nuremberg
The city of Nuremberg (or Nürnberg, in German) was built up around its imperial castle in the Middle Ages. It was an important city in the Holy Roman Empire, serving as the main seat of their governing body, and the unofficial capital for the Empire.
Because of its location near the center of Germany and history with the HRE, it became the site of the Nazi Party Rally Grounds in the 1920s and 30s. It was then chosen as the location for the Nuremberg Trials after the war, a trial famous for bringing together the leaders of multiple different countries to fairly try the heads of the Nazi Party for their war crimes.
While much of the beautiful city was bombed by the Allies near the end of the war, some of its historic buildings remained, and many of the others in the old town were restored to their former glory. Today Nuremberg is one of the prettiest cities in Germany.
- Fun Fact: I was especially interested in visiting the Nuremberg Trials Museum, because Robert H. Jackson, the chief prosecutor of the trials, began his career in my small hometown of Jamestown, NY!
- Movie Rec: I highly suggest watching the 2025 movie Nuremberg for more background information before you visit (or read the book it was based on).
Why Visit Nuremberg
Nuremberg is absolutely worth visiting, whether on a day trip from Munich (or Frankfurt), or for overnight.
Here are some reasons to visit this beautiful city:
- Stunning medieval old town
- Rich history, including the location of the Nuremberg Trials
- Numerous museums
- A plethora of unique shops and restaurants
- One of the most famous Christmas markets in Germany
- Famous for gingerbread (lebkuchen) and sausage
- Easy to get around via walking/public transportation
Best Time of Year to Visit
You can visit Nuremberg any time of year and it will be worth it. The summer months are especially beautiful for wandering the medieval old town.
However, I think the Christmas season is the best time to visit Nuremberg. The Christmas market is one of the largest and oldest markets in the world. So many holiday traditions stem from the city, like gingerbread and the Christmas angel.
How to Get to Nuremberg from Munich
How to Get to Nuremberg by Train
There are multiple daily trains between Nuremberg and Munich, and there are two types of trains you can get:
- ICE (high speed inter-city train)
- Regional
The high speed trains will get you right to Nuremberg in just over an hour’s time, which will give you plenty of time for a day trip. However, you will have to book a specific train for a specific time with this option. You will want to book your tickets ahead of time, for the best possible price.
The cheaper, and better option in my opinion is to go with the regional trains. These trains take about 2 hrs. to get to Nuremberg from Munich, so it is longer. But if you book a Bayern Ticket (a regional day pass), you can take any regional transportation at any time (from 9 am) that day.
We used the Bayern ticket, and were able to get on any regional train in the morning when we were ready to set out, and could grab any regional train back when we got tired and wanted to head home. This type of ticket also covers the U-Bahn (subway) and other forms of public transportation in the city itself.
- Good to Know: You can search and book train tickets on the Deutschbahn website.
- For more information, you can read my full guide to train travel in Germany.
Guided Tour from Munich
If you would rather not plan out your own Nuremberg day trip, and go with a group tour instead, you can find guided tours available on Viator, like this tour from Munich.
However, in my personal opinion, Nuremberg is very easy to get to and get around on your own, so I would just do a day trip on my own. You can also book guided tours (like a walking tour of the city) for once you get to Nuremberg. And if you’re on the Bayern ticket, you can head back to Munich at any time, so the day is really yours to do with as you will.
How to Get Around Nuremberg
Nuremberg is well connected via their U-Bahn (or subway) system. If you booked the Bayern (regional day pass) ticket for your train, this also covers subway and bus fares, so you are free to use the public transportation as much or as little as you like.
We grabbed the subway from the HBF to the Nuremberg Trials Museum, as that is quite far from the Old Town center. But for everywhere else, we just walked. Nuremberg was a beautiful city to walk around.
Things to Do on a Nuremberg Day Trip
There are so many wonderful things to do in Nuremberg. You won’t be able to fit everything in if you are just visiting on a day trip (so feel free to stay overnight!), but there is still plenty of time to see a lot of good sites.
On our trip, we went first to the Nuremberg Trials Museum, and then spent most of the rest of the day wandering around the Christmas market and the shops surrounding the market. We then walked back through the Handwerkerhof on our way to the central train station.
If you’re not visiting the Christmas market (or if you have more energy than we did on our first full day in Germany!), you will have plenty of time to see the castle and more museums or tours. But also the Christmas market is HUGE, and could take up your whole day!
Here are some of the best things to do for a day trip to Nuremberg.
Nuremberg Castle
The Imperial Castle of Nuremberg is not exactly like most castles you would probably imagine (like Neuschwanstein). It’s more of a fortress, with a history reaching back centuries. It was an important seat of power in the Middle Ages.
The iconic castle towers can be seen from all over the city, and a tour of the castle is definitely one of the most popular things to do on a day trip to Nuremberg. It’s also a good spot for a photo op overlooking the city.
Take a Walking Tour
Nuremberg is an absolutely beautiful city, full of character and stories. One of the best ways to get to know the city is through a walking tour.
There are a variety of options you can choose, from self guided audio tours on your phone, to history tours, to Instagram tours, so take a look and see what fits your interests and travel style.
See the Famous Sites
A walking tour is a good way to see the most famous sites in Nuremberg, but the city is also easy to navigate on your own. Here are some of the most popular places you will want to visit:
- Weißgerbergasse is a beautifully preserved medieval street, which is the perfect spot to take pictures!
- Bridges-The Pegnitz River is lined with historic and photogenic bridges:
- Henkersteg (Hangman’s Bridge)
- Kettensteg (Chain Bridge)
- Museumsbrücke (Museum Bridge)
- Fleischbrücke (Meat Bridge)
- Churches-There are some stunning churches (both inside and out) that you can see in Nuremberg:
- Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)
- St. Lorenz
Museums in Nuremberg
There are so many options for museums in Nuremberg, it’s hard to pick which one(s) to visit on a short day trip. I think you should visit at least one museum, but try to see two if you can.
We chose to visit the Nuremberg Trials Museum, because of its close history with my hometown of Jamestown, NY! Robert H. Jackson, the chief prosecutor at the trials, was born just outside of Jamestown, and began his career in the city.
The Trials Museum is definitely worth a visit, but here are some of the other best museums in Nuremberg (but there are more!):
- Nuremberg Trials Museum
- Be sure to watch the 2025 movie Nuremberg before visiting!
- Nazi Party Rally Grounds and Documentation Center
- Toy Museum
- Germanic National Museum
- Executioner’s House Museum
- Bavarian Bible Museum
- The Museum of the Future
Handwerkerhof
The Handwerkerhof is an adorable area of the city (right across from the main train station) that was built to model a medieval artisan’s yard. This picturesque area houses little shops and restaurants that feature local specialties like gingerbread and wood working.
- Pro Tip: It’s also a perfect spot for a photo op!
Eat Sausage
One of Nuremberg’s famous food dishes is the Rostbratwurst, which are small pork sausages usually served in a bun.
The sandwich pictured above is actually a Fleischküchle, a meatball sandwich we ate at the Christmas market. Not exactly the famous Nuremberg sausage, but also very very delicious (one of my favorite things we ate!).
Eat Gingerbread
Another famous Nuremberg food is gingerbread! The baked good was created by monks in Nuremberg during the Middle Ages. The famous cookies are made with a special recipe, and have to be created within the walls of the city to qualify as authentic Nuremberg gingerbread (or Lebkuchen).
- Bonus: If you have time, you can take a cooking class to make your own gingerbread!
Visit the Christmas Market
Nuremberg’s Christmas market is one of the most famous markets in Germany, and even throughout all of Europe. It’s the perfect spot to try the city’s famous gingerbread, along with a mug of mulled wine (and some sausages while we’re at it), while perusing the many candy cane striped booths.
- Pro Tip: If you’re not in Germany for Christmas, you can still visit Nuremberg’s Christmas store, featuring famous ornaments from nearby Rothenburg.
Any more questions?
If you have any more questions about planning a day trip to Nuremberg from Munich, feel free to email me or comment below. Or if you have any more ideas of things to do in Nuremberg to share!
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Julia is a travel blogger with a Bachelor’s Degree in photography from Indiana Wesleyan University. She worked as a professional photo-retoucher for seven and a half years, before leaving the company to work in the travel industry. She now works at a historic 1800’s hotel. When she’s not working, she’s reading fantasy novels or classic literature, and planning trips to magical destinations.
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