Nuremberg certainly offers plenty of material for history buffs.

During the Middle Ages, each newly elected emperor held his first sessions with his noblemen at the Imperial Castle. Visitors who walk along the banks of the Pegitz will travel through time to the 15th century; this is where influential German artist and printmaker Albrecht Duerer made his home.

The five-kilometer city wall, for its part, is the longest standing structure of its kind in Europe and encircles Nuremberg's historic old town, which is composed of neat half-timbered houses.

Beyond the medieval wall, visitors can glimpse part of the city's darker past: the Nazi party rally area, where Nazis used to hold conventions. In the documentation center, visitors can learn more about the period through pictures, exhibitions and seminars.

The Museum for Industrial Culture offers a look back at an economically flourishing Nuremberg in the 19th century. It was a time when the city grew quickly into a center of trade and industry. Nuremberg was also the leading German producer of two-wheeled vehicles. The museum sparkles with original motorcycles from around 1920.

The Transport Museum pays homage to the German railway, which first took off with the train known as the Adler ("eagle") that ran from Nuremberg to the nearby city of Fuerth as far back as 1835.

The city's Toy Museum boasts exhibits dating back five centuries.

But all work and no play makes even a diligent Nuremberger dull. Luckily, there are plenty of beer gardens offering loads of local specialties, while the cityscape is adorned with the red-and-white striped covers of grocers' market stands.

Tourists can end their visit with with an open-air concert in Luitpoldhain Park. Thousands enjoy candlelight picnics here, accompanied by music played by one of the city's orchestras.

Author: DW-TV
Editor: Louisa Schaefer