Nuremberg

For centuries Nuremberg was one of the greatest cities of the German Empire, situated at the crossroads between Hamburg and Venice, Paris and Prague, famous for its arts and crafts, and birthplace of Albrecht Dürer, Germany’s most famous artist. Luther claimed that “Nuremberg shines throughout Germany, like a sun among the moon and stars”. Sadly, the city’s WWII history – Nazi rallies and the trials of 1945-49 – has overshadowed much of its glorious past; indeed, it was the Nazi exploitation of Nuremberg’s patriotic significance which led to its destruction by Allied bombers. Notwithstanding great losses, Nuremberg features a wonderfully restored medieval old town overlooked by a grand castle, two magnificent parish churches brimming with late mediaeval and Renaissance works of art, and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, an unparalleled collection of German art and culture. Moreover, the city’s 400 year old Christmas Market continues to retain its charm and traditional atmosphere with the air filled with aromas from scrumptious gingerbread, bratwurst and mulled wine.