Free Self-Guided Nuremberg Walking Tour: See All the Highlights of Old Town

Nuremberg’s Old Town contains a wealth of medieval architecture and history all contained within a very walkable area. This compact design makes Nuremberg’s Old Town an excellent spot to explore on foot. Because of this, I want to share with you my own self-guided Nuremberg walking tour that I put together when I visited in December 2022.

This tour can be done pretty quickly without stopping, but you’ll definitely want to stop to check things out. On this self-guided walking tour of Nuremberg’s Old Town, you’ll see all the highlights while also having the opportunity to stop at several places along the way to delve deeper into Nuremberg’s history.

With that introduction out of the way, let’s see what Nuremberg’s Old Town has to offer!

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Quick Glance at My Nuremberg Walking Tour

Below, you can find the order of stops along my Nuremberg walking tour.

1. Old Chain Bridge
2. Tanner’s Row
3. St Sebald’s Church
4. Platz am Tiergärtnertor
5. Imperial Castle
6. Town Hall
7. Hauptmarkt
8. Holy Ghost Hospital
9. St Lawrence’s Church
10. Old Granary
11. Craftmen’s Courtyard
12. Konigstoturm

The total distance from the Old Chain Bridge to Konigstoturm is just around 1.5 miles. If you go directly from end to end without stopping, the walk would take about 45 minutes.

Realistically, you can plan for around 90 minutes to take this self-guided walking tour because you’ll be stopping at least briefly throughout the walk. Add an hour to that time if you include a visit to the inside of the Imperial Castle. If you step inside the three churches, you can add an additional 30 to 45 minutes to your tour.

This walking tour is just a quick overview of many of the city’s highlights. Find more to do with my two-day guide to Nuremberg.

Tips for this Nuremberg Walking Tour

• Start early! I love to do all my walking tours around new cities early in the day. While it isn’t absolutely necessary, it does give you one huge advantage: Starting early lets you beat almost all the crowds. You’ll get to enjoy everything in relative peace and quiet while also not having to maneuver around throngs of people to get from one place to another. Another advantage is that it gives you an idea of places to focus on later in the day. Just take note of any opening hours if you want to stop inside anywhere along the way, and plan to start your walk accordingly.
• I chose the Old Chain Bridge as the starting point of my self-guided walking tour for one specific reason. Starting here allows you to do the entire route in a mostly straightforward fashion without any backtracking except for one very brief stretch. Of course, this partly depends on where your hotel is, but if you stay at my recommended hotel, Hotel Elch, starting at the Old Chain Bridge is the most efficient starting point.
• Dress Appropriately, especially in winter. Nuremberg was around 15 degrees Fahrenheit when we visited and even colder than that when I did this walk. Don’t try to be brave. Wear layers, boots and keep your skin covered where possible. On the other hand, if it’s hot when you visit, dress in thinner, more airy clothes to keep yourself comfortable while walking.

Self-Guided Nuremberg Walking Tour Stops

Old Chain Bridge

This self-guided walking tour of Nuremberg’s Old Town begins at the Old Chain Bridge (Kettensteg) spanning the western end of the Pegnitz River just inside the town wall. I chose this as the starting point of the walk for practical reasons, but also because it offers a fine view of the Old Town’s skyline for visitors.

From the Old Chain Bridge, you can look along the river to see various buildings, including the steeples of St Lawrence’s Church. The view is particularly nice if you visit at sunrise. Looking in the other direction, you get a close-up view of that section of the town wall going over the river. It’s not as picturesque as the city view, but it is still neat to see.

The Old Chain Bridge is also notable for being the oldest bridge of its kind in Europe. It was built in 1824 to connect these two sections Nuremberg.

As you stand here admiring the views, it’s worth considering that this section of the river at one time was not so pleasant. This part of town was where many of Nuremberg’s less desirable factories and industries were found.

Tanner’s Lane

After spending a few minutes at the Old Chain Bridge, cross back over to Tanner’s Lane (Weissgerbergasse) for Nuremberg’s most iconic street.

Tanner’s Lane has the largest collection of traditional, half-timbered houses in Nuremberg. These homes are the type that many people think of when thinking about this part of the world, and they’re what give many Bavarian towns a fairy tale-like atmosphere.

The name Tanner’s Lane is associated with the artisans who built the homes and is a testament to the wealth accrued by medieval leather makers. Interestingly, dark-red paint commonly seen on these houses is made from ox blood, which helped to prevent rot.

Now, this enchanting road is mostly lined with cafes and bars. If the old-world charm has you in the mood for a drink served by someone in a rustic frock in a tavern lined with animal pelts, check out Finyas Taverne here on Tanner’s Lane.

St Sebald’s Church

Continuing up Tanner’s Lane and turning right on to Weinmarkt brings you to St Sebald’s Church, a large mixed Romanesque and Gothic church. St Sebald’s is notable for being Nuremberg’s oldest city parish church.

If you have a few minutes, pop in to check out the interior. There isn’t much to see that you can’t see in any medieval church, but its dark interior is impressive. If you’re pressed for time, just check out the exterior and keep moving along up the hill via Albrecht-Dürer-Platz to Platz am Tiergärtnertor.

Platz am Tiergärtnertor

Platz am Tiergärtnertor is one of Nuremberg’s livelier city squares. In addition to the Imperial Castle sitting above the square, it has several other points of interest. The first of these that you’ll come across is the World War II Art Bunker where you can tour the cellars used during the war to protect many of Nuremburg’s historic treasures during the Allies’ air raids.

Continuing into Platz am Tiergärtnertor, you’ll see Der Hase. This somewhat bizarre and creepy sculpture is a satirical monument to one of Nuremberg’s most famous citizens, Albrecht Dürer.

Dürer was one of the most famous artists of the Northern Renaissance. He was born in Nuremberg in 1471 and then died here in 1528. During much of his time in Nuremberg, he lived in a house on the other side of Platz am Tiergärtnertor. This house is now known as Albrecht Dürer’s House and is a museum showing what his life was like here in Nuremberg.

Besides these three tourist attractions, Platz am Tiergärtnertor also has a few cafes and a beer garden to enjoy a drink at while watching the crowds. Because it was cold during our visit, we opted to head indoors for a bite to eat and a beer at Augustiner zur Schranke. It’s small, cozy, has delicious food and excellent Augustiner beer on tap to warm you up on a winter day.

Imperial Castle

The next stop on my walking tour takes you to the top of the hill to visit Nuremberg’s Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg). Even if you don’t plan to enter the castle, it’s still well worth walking up to its main courtyard.

From here, you get a closer look at some of the architecture of the castle with its red and white half-timbered construction. More importantly, behind the large tower in the courtyard is a fantastic view of Nuremberg that you shouldn’t miss (as seen in the picture at the top of this post).

The Imperial Castle has foundations from around 1,000 A.D. and was first documented as a royal estate of the Holy Roman Empire in 1050. Over time, due to Nuremberg’s strategic location on several important trading routes and because they were using it more frequently, the Holy Roman Emperors added to the castle complex to make it more befitting for royalty. The ruling elite also started to use the castle to host frequent Diets where they would meet to discuss the governance of the empire.

If you decide to enter the Imperial Castle, you can see several rooms, such as some living quarters, a peaceful Romanesque Church and an exhibit with military armaments.

The highlight of the castle is the Upper Hall. This large, open space contains a museum with many interactive exhibits detailing the history of the Holy Roman Empire. It contains more information than you could ever need about this former European power. It’s a great place to better understand the history of Nuremberg and the larger region.

Nuremberg’s Town Hall

After you’re done at the Imperial Castle, exit back towards Platz am Tiergärtnertor. Instead of going back down Albrecht-Dürer-Platz, this time go to the east side of the square. Take Obere Schmeidgasse till it ends at Burgstrasse, and then turn right down this street towards the Hauptmarkt.

Along the way, you’ll pass one museum worth stopping at with time during your trip to Nuremberg and one historical building. The first is the City Museum (Stadtmuseum) to your right. This small museum tells the history of Nuremberg from its heyday as an imperial city to post-World War II.

Shortly after the City Museum, you’ll pass Nuremberg’s Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) on the left. The Town Hall was built in the 14th century to give city administrators a more formal place to conduct business. It was then renovated in the 16th century, with some of the new designs undertaken by Albrecht Dürer. You can visit the medieval dungeons in the basement of the Town Hall with a guided tour, but it doesn’t sound worth your time based on reviews.

Take a look at the Town Hall’s exterior, and then continue along the road till you reach the Hauptmarkt.

Hauptmarkt

Nuremberg’s Hauptmarkt, or Market Square, is the lively center of the city. Prior to the 13th century, Nuremberg actually consisted of two separate towns separated by the river. When the two towns merged, this became the new town center built by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV.

Today, the Hauptmarkt is most notable for three things: Frauenkirche, its stunning fountain (Schöner Brunnen) and Nuremberg’s Christmas Market.

Frauenkirche is the moderately sized church standing on the eastern side of the Hauptmarkt. This church and all of the square stand on what was formerly the Jewish section of Nuremberg. When it became the central location of the newly united city, the Jews were forced out and 562 were killed. Inside Frauenkirche, you can find a Star of David on the floor behind the altar commemorating this sad chapter in Nuremberg’s history. Outside the church, at noon each day is a short show below the clock depicting the Golden Bull of 1356.

On the other side of the Hauptmarkt is a beautiful medieval fountain worth spending several minutes admiring. Because the river was used to dump industrial waste, this golden fountain was the city’s source of clean water. In addition to its functional usage, it’s also packed with artistic highlights and symbolism. From the bottom of the fountain, each level depicts philosophical and scientific arts, the four Evangelists and four Church Fathers, the seven Prince-electors, the Nine Worthies, and finally Moses and the seven Prophets.

You may also notice a gold ring on the fence surrounding the fountain. According to local legend, spinning this ring three times will bring you good luck.

The Hauptmarkt is also the site of one of Germany’s largest Christmas markets. From December 1st to Christmas Eve, Nuremberg’s Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt) fills the square with around 180 different stands selling anything you could possibly need to celebrate the season. It’s a great time to visit Nuremberg to experience its history while also sipping on a glühwein and nibbling away on various Christmas treats.

Holy Ghost Hospital

Continuing through Nuremberg’s Old Town, leave the Hauptmarkt along the road on its southeastern corner. A short walk brings you to one of Nuremberg’s many bridges and one of my favorite spots in town.

Before you get to that spot, take a second to ponder the monument to a 15th-century book The Ship of Fools. The figures in the sculpture depict violence, technology and apathy.

From the bridge, look east to see Holy Ghost Hospital (Heilig-Geist-Spital). This former hospital spans Nuremberg’s Pegnitz River creating a lovely view from the bridge. You can get a little closer by crossing the bridge and going under a short arcade to a viewpoint that juts slightly out over the water.

Holy Ghost Hospital was built in 1339 by one of Nuremberg’s wealthy citizens, Konrad Gross, to care for Nuremberg’s disabled, needy and ill. The section of the building spanning the river wasn’t built till the 16th century, though.

While still on the bridge, if you turn around, you can see the Fleisch Bridge (Fleischbrücke). This single-arch bridge was built in 1598 and believed to have been inspired by the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

St Lawrence’s Church

Standing Outside St Lawrence’s Church

St Lawrence’s Church (Lorenzkirche) is the next stop on my walking tour of Nuremberg. To get here, just keep walking down Königstrasse. This street, the King’s Street, is one of Nuremberg’s main drags leading from the bridge you just crossed to the Old Town’s southern entrance.

Despite the name Königstrasse, Holy Roman Emperors would typically arrive from the west entrance of town so they could see St Lawrence’s as they made their way through town. It’s fun to stand under the church’s facade while looking out west to imagine the royal entourage parading through town.

The church itself has some great details. It was finished in the 15th century. Initially, it was built as a Catholic church but became Protestant during the Reformation. Fortunately, most of its Catholic decorations survived this era despite the change.

Before you enter, admire the 260-foot-tall facade. St Lawrence’s entrance shows several biblical scenes, including the Passion, Jesus’ birth, the Massacre of the Innocents, Judgement Day and more.

Heading Inside St Lawrence’s Church

After you’re done craning your neck outside, enter the church and take in its vastness. The sheer size of St Lawrence’s Gothic interior is a highlight by itself, but it does have two things that deserve a mention.

The first is the tabernacle that housed Communion wafer. This immaculately carved structure was built in the 1490s by Adam Kraft. You can see his likeness at the bottom of the tabernacle, holding its weight on his shoulders. Like many other artists of the Renaissance, Kraft inserted himself into his masterpiece to declare himself as its creator. At the top of the tabernacle is a wooden figure of Jesus. This is the only part of the structure not made from stone. Kraft used organic material here because Jesus was considered living.

The Annuncation sculpture hanging over the altar is the other piece worth seeing. This wood sculpture was created by one of Nuremberg’s own residents, Veit Stoss, in 1517. It depicts the moment when the Virgin Mary was told by Gabriel that she would give birth to the Son of God. It’s a beautiful sculpture that conveys a remarkable amount of detail whether you’re looking at it from the front or back.

Near the back of St Lawrence’s, you can find photos of the church’s destruction and rebuilding after Allies performed air raids of Nuremberg towards the end of World War II. These photos are a vivid reminder that nearly 90% of Nuremberg’s Old Town was destroyed by these raids. Most of what you’ve seen along my walking tour of Nuremberg is reconstruction after 1945.

Old Granary

A little farther along Königstrasse is a medieval granary (Mauthalle). While not profoundly significant, this large building is an interesting peek into some of the more daily functioning of Nuremberg’s society.

This granary is one of 11 such buildings used throughout Nuremberg to store grain for its citizens. Grain would be stored in the upper floor to be kept safe in the case of famine or siege. The attractively arranged windows on the gable provided adequate airflow to keep the grain free from mold. After 1572, this granary also began to see use a customhouse.

Besides all the history, the granary is just an impressive building with its size and design!

Craftmen’s Courtyard

Right next to the entrance to Nuremberg’s Old Town is the Craftmen’s Courtyard (Handwerkerhof). The Craftmen’s Courtyard was built in 1971 to celebrate the 500th birthday of Albrect Dürer. Dürer was considered a master craftsman, so Nuremberg constructed this faux rustic space to house various artisans selling traditional wares.

It may not be from the Middle Ages, but it’s still very cute and worth at least a walk through. This space does hold some history, though. It used to be used as a holding zone for incoming merchants and visitors to be checked out before being allowed entry into Nuremberg.

Konigstortum

The last stop on my self-guided walking tour of Nuremberg is just outside the Craftmen’s Courtyard. Konigstortum is one of Nuremberg’s city towers that guarded one of the city’s four main entrances. This tower was originally square. As cannon’s became more modernized and common, Konigstortum was redesigned in its current form so cannon balls couldn’t make direct impact.

These walls were built between the 12th and 16th centuries. 90% of the town walls, including this section here, are original, albeit restored in many places.

And that’s it! If you’re not too exhausted by this point, you can continue your tour by visiting the Germanic National Museum just a couple hundred yards away from the Craftmen’s Courtyard.

Where to Stay for My Self-Guided Nuremberg Walking Tour

Hotel Elch is an excellent option for visiting Nuremberg, and it’s particularly well suited for my self-guided walking tour. The hotel has pleasant staff who are willing to guide you in the direction of many of Nuremberg’s highlights. They can also provide a map to help with getting around if you need it during your walking tour.

In addition to the friendly staff, the rooms at Hotel Elch are a great place to relax after a long day of sightseeing. Rooms are large, offering you plenty of space if you are visiting with a partner so you don’t feel cramped together. Our room was exceptionally quiet and had a comfy bed allowing us to get good sleep during our stay here.

What makes Hotel Elch ideal for my self-guided walking tour, though, is its location. The starting point of my walk, Old Chain Bridge, is just a short five-minute walk from the hotel’s entrance. This makes it easy to get up in the morning and get going if you want to beat the crowds along the walk.

Resources to Book Your Trip to Nuremberg

Whether you’re looking for tours, hotels or flights, here are some tools to help get you started planning your trip to Nuremberg!

Look for activities and tours offered through GetYourGuide or Viator!

Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Check out my travel essentials pages for more of my recommendations.

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