Nuremberg Old Town Walking Tour (Self Guided), Nuremberg

The historical center of Nuremberg, Old Town (German: Altstadt) is easily differentiated from other parts of the city. Divided in two by the Pegnitz River, the district represents a complex architectural ensemble with a maze of historical lanes (e.g. Weissgerbergasse) packed with half-timber houses, linked by centuries-old bridges, such as Maxbrücke, and set against the picturesque backdrops of large churches like St. Sebaldus' and St. Lawrence's, as well as medieval sites like the Heilig-Geist-Spital found along the banks.

Under the Nazi dictatorship, the Old City was cleansed of everything ideologically unsuitable, plus the Allied air raids nearly totally destroyed much of what was left by the end of World War II. Luckily, as early as in 1945, reconstruction began, and in 1950 a general plan was outlined, set to restore the Old Town structure. Today, this historical area is just as gorgeous as it once was, fit to make anyone walk around for hours, not getting enough of it.

If you arrive in Central Station – the imposing Neo-Baroque edifice, the birthplace of the German railway – you can start your journey near the Frauentorturm, one of the four main towers in Nuremberg's medieval fortification, and proceed in the direction of the Imperial Castle. Pretty much all the attractions along the way will be worthy of attention, be it the Mauthalle (Former Customs House) from the late 15th century; Hauptmarkt (Main Market Square) – center of local commerce since ancient times; or the Rathaus (City Hall) – one of the most important buildings in Nuremberg; to mention but a few.

The city's medieval center is best explored on foot. All you need, apart from GPSmyCity mobile app, to enjoy this self-guided walking tour are a pair of comfortable shoes, a backpack, and a camera.