Can you visit the city of Nuremberg in a Motorhome?
Yes! Extremely easily in fact.
When we think of visiting a city in the motorhome, we don’t always think of it as being that simple. Certainly not in the UK. It is of course possible, we’ve visited plenty. From our experience, however, it just requires a little more planning.
When we were looking at google maps, deciding on the next destination on our EuroTrip, I saw Nuremberg and knew we had to go. In contrast to UK city trips, a quick scout on Park4Night came up trumps and we found a suitable looking stopover in Nuremberg in minutes.
Motorhoming made easy in Nuremberg
We were pleasantly surprised to find our chosen Stellplatz was a 30 minute walk, or 15 minute bike ride, from all the action.
It was busy but we were lucky to nab a space. Even better, the sign said you could stay for up to 72 hours! Plenty of time to explore. Plus, it was free.
Basic park up but does the job
There were no services at the Stellplatz but that didn’t bother us, we had emptied/filled up at the previous stop.
It was also next to a pre-school but again, this didn’t really bother us. We were either out or pottering during the day and of course, it was closed at night so didn’t pose any issue.
One point to mention if you visit this same spot, it does get busy with cars at school pick up times!
Scoot Scoot Mother Trucker!
One thing we were excited to see were electric scooters for hire dotted around! We’ve never hired before & decided what better way to get around Nuremberg than by scooter.
We chose the ‘Bolt’ scooters. They were slightly more expensive but also sturdier and the brakes seemed like they might actually work.
I have never even ridden an electric scooter before so I was apprehensive. Mainly because I didn’t fancy falling a*se over t*t, in the middle of the road, for all to see.
Jon was, of course, a natural. Put him on anything with wheels and he’s like a gazelle, gliding gracefully along the tarmac as if he’s on water.
To be fair, after a couple of Bambi moments, I too was gliding along the tarmac. I probably looked like a giraffe trying to ride a unicycle but it was fun so thats all that mattered.
Another Day, Another Doner
Our first evening in the city was fantastic. After the scoot fest, we pitched up the scooters and went for a stroll (one benefit of hiring is that you don’t have to worry about locking and leaving your scooter).
The city was buzzing, the many cafes and restaurants full of people out enjoying drinks or a meal with friends. We may have stopped to indulge ourselves, it was dinner time after all.
Any guesses what we ate? What’s that? A doner box? Correct answer! (Well done for picking up the clue in the header). We opted to sit outside and the people watching absolutely did not disappoint.
People watching is great anyway, watching everyone going about their business. But there is something special about it in another country, you start to get a real sense of a place when you sit back and observe.
After food, we carried on our meander through the city, stopping to admire the view across the river Pegnitz that runs through Nuremberg.
As we crossed the bridge, the sun was starting to set and the vibe was shifting. Maybe it was the lights? (you know how I love lights at night!). It just felt like something came alive as the beautiful buildings became illuminated and the streets were alive with .
The scene was finished off perfectly by a street performer playing the glockenspiel.
Even though many of Nuremberg’s buildings were rebuilt after WWII, they were done sympathetically. This means Germany’s medieval charm wasn’t lost, one of our favourite things is when modern meets old.
And nothing says medieval charm like a medieval craft village. Imagine our little faces when we walked smack bang in to one on our stroll.
Handwerkerhof
Built inside the old city walls, opposite Nuremberg’s huge train station, Handwerkerhof is a craftsman’s village with half timber frame houses (swoon) and cobbled streets. We learnt it was built in 1971 but the idea behind it goes back to the 15th Century (When the Tudors were in power back in England. Double swoon).
It pays homage to a time when the city was known for its craftsmen and handcrafted products, who supplied to markets all over Europe.
To say it has character would be selling it short. I know it was at night so the scene would have been enhanced but, wow!
There are craft shops, food shops and pubs in the village and when we walked around, the bars were spilling over with people! (Not that I got any pictures of it. To be honest, we were just walking around soaking it all up with our eyeballs)
Everyone was jolly and the beers were flowing, set against a backdrop of twinkling lights. It definitely felt like we had stepped back in time when we walked through that huge gate (except there was electricity and not candles, obvs).
A Little Spritz With My Aperol Please
Same as when we were in Heusenstamm, the external food vendors soon caught our eye as we headed back for the motorhome.
We couldn’t resist grabbing a treat, Jon had an ice cream but I went with a liquid refreshment. An Aperol Spritz! To say it was strong would be an understatement but I kept a calm face on as I drank it. I swear the lady who served me was watching as I took that first sip.
Our first day in Nuremberg was awesome, so good in fact, it has its own post and the rest of the Nuremberg visit will follow in another post! (Because that is also so good it needs its own post). Keep an eye on those notifications for the next instalment.