From Fürth to Nuremberg along the Pegnitz

From the main station, walk along Fürther Freiheit towards Nürnberger Straße. If you fancy a cappuccino, a slice of cake or a savoury snack beforehand, the Fürther Markt or the charming Milchhäusle Café are both great options. Once you reach Nürnberger Straße, turn left behind the Babylon cinema and you’ll reach the Stadtpark after just a few metres.

Fürth City Park is regarded as the ‘secret love of the people of Fürth’. As early as 1867, the manufacturer Johann Wilhelm Engelhardt was granted permission to transform the then derelict site into a park. The result was the ‘Engelhardt Park’. To this end, numerous trees and shrubs were planted on the banks of what is now the Stadtpark pond. In 1911, the park was expanded into a spacious recreational area. The park was adorned with the Lion Gate, several Baroque stone figures, a fountain and a school garden.

However, it was the 1951 ‘Grünen und Blühen’ garden show that laid the foundation for the close bond between the people of Fürth and their park. This led to the creation of the Rose Garden, the Reception Garden, the Fountain Courtyard and the Rhododendron Garden. The large playgrounds, an open-air stage and the Stadtpark Café invite visitors to spend their leisure time here, enjoying exercise and fun, tranquillity and culture. For those with a thirst for knowledge, the tree trail – open all year round – offers intellectual stimulation. In the Stadtpark Café, visitors can relax with a glass of wine or a cappuccino.

On the south-eastern edge of the park stands Fürth’s second-oldest church, the Protestant Auferstehungskirche, built between 1825 and 1826. The Catholic and Jewish communities also contributed to the financing of its construction at the time. In this respect, this church also stands as a symbol of ecumenism in practice.

From the Auferstehungskirche, head right along the avenue to the school garden and from there down to the Pegnitz. Cross the river and follow the path to the right. After about 200 metres, you’ll come to a junction. A small ‘stream’ points the way to the ‘Kleine Mainau’, a hidden park with a temple dedicated to healing springs – the perfect place to rest and enjoy the sun. Following the Pegnitz, you’ll cross the Fuchslochsteg footbridge and pass the Pegnitztal West landscape conservation area on your way to the Nuremberg city boundary. Continuing along the Pegnitz, you’ll pass the waterwheel at the Lederersteg and walk a short distance through a residential area. Passing under the underpass, the route continues along the Pegnitz, over the Maxbrücke and then left towards the Henkersteg. It was across this wooden footbridge that the executioner – who, in the Middle Ages, was forbidden to have any dealings with respectable citizens – would sneak from his flat in the Henkerhaus into the town. Today, you can stroll across the footbridge to the flea market.

On the small island in the Pegnitz River lies one of Nuremberg’s most beautiful squares: the Trödelmarkt. Markets were already held here in the Middle Ages. Initially, it was used as a trading post for pigs – hence its old name, ‘Säumarkt’. From the 16th century onwards, second-hand goods were sold at the Trödelmarkt, which is how the square came to be known by its current name. Nowadays, you won’t find any bric-a-brac here; instead, small, charming shops, galleries and restaurants line the streets in lovingly restored buildings, inviting you to stroll and linger. After a chat in one of the lovely cafés, you can take a leisurely stroll to the eastern tip of the Trödelmarkt island, also known to the people of Nuremberg as “Liebesinsel” (Love Island). Venetian gondolas at Liebesinsel invite you to take a trip along the Pegnitz.

Continue along the Pegnitz via the Schleifersteg and cross the Fleischbrücke into the Lorenz district. To reach your next destination – the church that gives its name to the old town quarter, St Lorenz’s Church – turn right onto Königstraße from Kaiserstraße. Opposite the Nassauer-Haus and the Tugend Fountain, you can already see the intricately decorated façade of this venerable church.

It is one of the finest examples of German Gothic religious architecture: the imposing Church of St Lorenz, one of the city’s landmarks. A Romanesque chapel once stood on the site of today’s St Lorenz Church. Nuremberg continued to grow throughout the Middle Ages, and so, between 1250 and 1477, a stately civic church was built using donations and endowments from the citizens.

The ‘Star of St Lorenz’ – a stone rose window – and the imperial coat of arms greet visitors as they enter via the west façade. Inside the church are precious works by Nuremberg artists, including Veit Stoss’s ‘Annunciation’ and one of the largest organs in the world. When the three-part Lorenz organ, with its more than 12,000 pipes and 165 stops, is played, it is a truly special auditory experience. Equally impressive are the bells of St Lorenz; the oldest of the 16 bells date back to the 14th century.

Tower tours take place after Easter – bookings at tourist.lorenzkirche.nuernberg@elkb.de

Continue along Königstraße, past the Fränk’ness restaurant, which invites you to enjoy a delightful break with its regional-inspired haute cuisine cooked in a stone oven. Before you reach the Königstor, turn right towards the Handwerkerhof.

“Little Town at the Königstor”: that’s what the people of Nuremberg call their Handwerkerhof, a charming ensemble of narrow lanes, shops and half-timbered houses at the foot of the Frauentorturm. This was once the site of the Waffenhof, which belonged to the tower; today, locals and visitors alike stroll along the historic cobbled streets and enjoy the medieval atmosphere of the area. The Handwerkerhof was built in 1971, the Year of Dürer – as a tourist attraction, but also to commemorate Nuremberg’s past as a city of craftsmen.

Among the many shops inviting you to browse, you’ll also find a gingerbread bakery, a wine bar and a bratwurst restaurant. Anyone looking for a typical souvenir is sure to find something among the craftsmen’s wares. Here you’ll find pewter casters, leatherworkers, glass cutters, potters, wax artists, goldsmiths and silversmiths, stained-glass artists, gingerbread bakers and doll-makers, who have set up their workshops in the impressively reconstructed half-timbered houses.

Download the map: https://www.nuernberg.de/imperia/md/handwerkerhof/dokumente/allgemeines/lageplan.pdf

Before you set off back to the main station, the traditional Bratwurstglöcklein inn in the Handwerkerhof offers one last chance to sample a few hearty, authentic Nuremberg specialities – be it the much-praised grilled sausages or delicacies for the adventurous, such as salted heart and pig’s tongue. Once you leave the Handwerkerhof through the Frauentor, you’ll find yourself right on Bahnhofsplatz.