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GERMANY: City trip to Franconia: in the heart of the historic centre of Nuremberg, modern life bustles behind ancient walls. This is the perfect place to be – whether you want to wander along heritage trails, hit the shops or simply enjoy good food.

To begin with, it feels a little bit like a trip back to medieval times: lying at the foot of the Kaiserburg castle, Nuremberg’s Old Town with its cosy cobbled streets, bay windows and half-timbered houses is surrounded by the almost completely preserved city wall. Yet behind the historic façades, the 21st century has long since been making its presence felt. Everywhere, you’ll find trendy cafés, restaurants and boutiques. And at the heart of it all is the new Adina Apartment Hotel.

Immerse yourself in the Middle Ages

If you want to explore Nuremberg, your best starting point would be the Hauptmarkt, the central square in the town with the Frauenkirche, town hall and the beautiful fountain in the shape of a Gothic church spire. The Lorenzkirche is also a veritable gemstone of High Gothic architecture. Traces of bourgeois life in the Middle Ages can still be seen today in the Weißgerbergasse with its picturesque half-timbered houses or the white tower in Ludwigsplatz, which has since lost its white plaster. Nurembergers humorously refer to the Hans Sachs fountain in front of the tower as the “Ehekarussell” (marriage carousel), as it shows vivid scenes from the ups and downs of married life.

Goosebumps in the Underworld

Anyone wanting to delve deeper into Nuremberg’s history can book a tour through the Medieval dungeons in the cellar vaults of the town hall or through the historic rocky passages, an extensively branched sandstone labyrinth under the city. A visit to the former executioner’s house (Henkerhaus), which now houses an exhibition on the history of law, will also be sure to give you goosebumps.

Fans of museums will be in their element in the city: the Germanisches Nationalmuseum the largest museum of cultural history in the German-speaking world with 23 collections from coins and weapons, to historical clothing and gardening culture, through to musical instruments and toys. On the other side of the River Pegnitz is Albrecht Dürer’s house (Albrecht-Dürer-Haus), which gives an insight into the life and work of the famous artist who lived and worked here from 1509 on. Nearby, you can pay a visit to the famous Kaiserburg castle. This iconic city landmark and its garden offer splendid views over the city.

Feasting, Sightseeing, Shopping!

Of course, there’s a lot more to experience in Nuremberg than history. Behind its ancient walls there are literally dozens of cosy cafés, restaurants and traditional shops. There are also numerous boutiques for fashion, designer goods and homewares here, turning the old town into a beautiful place to shop, especially along Europe’s oldest and largest pedestrian area.

On Karolinenstraße you can browse through the big department stores, perfumeries and bookstores, or discover the styles of the season from national and international fashion labels. You’ll find young fashions with a collection of trendy shops and street cafés in the Breite Gasse, while the Kaiserstraße houses Nuremberg’s elegant shopping mile. Indulge yourself in the luxury of famous fashion, jewellery and home décor labels. Of course, the old town also has typical souvenirs such as Nuremberg lebkuchen gingerbread, Zwetschgenmännla figurines, “Bratwurscht” in a tin or Christmas goods from the Käthe Wohlfahrt store.

The Adina Apartment Hotel Nuremberg, which is as cosy as it is trendy, is also located directly at the Kornmarkt, making it the ideal base for exploring the historic old town on foot.