Weekend trip Bavaria: Day 1 - Nuremberg (Pt3)

So far, I had covered a lot of lovely areas in Nuremberg - you can check out part 2 of this article here! Nonetheless, the city continued to impress and fulfill my touristic demands with several other charming points of interest.

Walking down Albrecht-Dürer-Straße back to Sebalder Platz (where you can enter the church), my next destination for the day was the most iconic street of Nuremberg, Weißgerbergasse. Being as well the oldest street, it is specifically known by its stunning half-timbered German houses, and it is said to be one of the busiest places in town, with many bars, restaurants and art galleries.

Walking along Weißgerbergasse.

I was quite surprised to barely see anyone here though… The street was almost desert, which I found really weird on a Friday sunny afternoon... Nevertheless, I considered it one of my favorite spots in Nuremberg. The house setting - such a priceless image!

Weißgerbergasse cross with Maxplatz – an ultra-famous viewpoint.

Reaching Maxplatz, I found myself again near the river Pegnitz. Here I was able to see the other side of the beautiful Weinstadel, now a student’s dorm. A great thing about Nuremberg is that some of its most ordinary buildings are yet so beautiful because of the distinctive timbered style of architecture. And one might think that it will get boring, but that is not true at all!

Studentenwerk Erlangen-Nürnberg.

I strolled along the river once more until reaching the Museumsbrücke (“Museum’s Bridge”), which is the direct connection over water between Hauptmarkt and Königstraße. All this area between the main bridges is extremely crowed, with many stores and cafés popping up.

What is special here is that from the bridge you can enjoy other scenic looks of a city shaped by history, as some of the houses lining up in the riverbank still date back to the Middle Ages. For instances, a great example of medieval architecture that has remained unscathed is the picturesque Heilig-Geist-Spital (“Holy Spirit’s Hospital”), established in 1332 to care of the needy, ill (lepers were a big deal) and now the elderly, and whose church Kreuzigungshof stands out with its prestigious central ridge turret.

East side scene of the Pegnitz with the historic riverfront façade of Heilig-Geist-Spital.

Adding to this, there is a greatly reviewed restaurant housed within the hospital walls, where you can savor German cuisine in a traditional environment.

Because I still had some time left before leaving, I decided to continue forward and end my city circuit in Nuremberg with a walk-by Insel Schütt, the largest islet surfacing in the Pegnitz.

Might be interesting to note that this river covers 115 km in the Bavarian region of Franconia, from its homonymous town down to Fürth (where it meets with the Rednitz), but it is in Nuremberg that it takes bigger attractiveness by combination with the very singular historic center.

In this particular location, it is notorious the contrast between the Old Town and some more modern buildings in the meantime adjoined on the other side of the river, including some museums. On the mainland margin, multiple restaurants and cafés give great joy to the tourists.

The southern bank of Schütt Island has been recently renovated, increasing its recreational and commercial functions. Overall, it is quite a depicting place to explore, exuding a sense of calmness and peace over the waters. A fascinating historical reference here is Schuldturm, an old tower that functioned as jail for certain sanctions, namely public law debt.

Overlook at Schütt Island and the old debtors' prison.

Furthermore, the island is multifaceted, not only providing a big green space that has tremendously improved the quality of living in the Old City of Nuremberg, but also being a place for children and families to hang out. Besides the retirement home, other important social infrastructures can here be found, such as a primary and a secondary school, and a cultural center.

With this, my easy-going journey around Nuremberg came to a successful conclusion! I walked back to the main street on route to the central bus station, which is located near Hauptbanhof, and reflected on how lovely this city is, while waiting for the arrival of the Flixbus.

I cannot praise enough Nuremberg!

Already reunited with my friend in Munich, the day ended with a typical German dinner – sausage and mashed potatoes! Once our other friends later arrived, we caught the train to Fresing and tried to contain our excitement for the big day ahead of us – the much-anticipated trip to the Bavarian Castles…

Photo gallery