Christmas is just around the corner – it’s time to decide whether to celebrate the holiday in Nuremberg. In December, Germany turns into a vast fair of lights and scents. Here, you can celebrate among wooden houses and to the sounds of Christmas choirs.
Select a hotel in NurembergWhen planning a trip to Germany at Christmas, it’s worth setting aside a couple of days for Nuremberg – a city where crafts, food, and music come together in one big celebration. Choose your hotel in advance: many people want to spend Christmas here, and the best options are quickly snapped up.
Christmas market on Hauptmarkt
Christmas in Nuremberg begins on Hauptmarkt square. The Christkindlesmarkt market, with its red and white tents, is like a grand celebration hall filled with the aromas of cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, and fresh mulled wine. Here you can buy gingerbread, carved decorations, prune figurines, and warm winter trinkets.
Everything opens with a traditional prologue from the balcony of the Church of Our Lady, when a golden-winged messenger announces that the holiday has begun.
It’s best to come in the morning, when the city is just waking up, or in the evening, when the shopping arcades turn into a golden maze of lights.
Children’s market and craft workshops
Walk a little further from the main square, and the noise will gradually give way to children’s laughter and the ringing of the carousel. Hans-Sachs-Platz is home to a children’s fair – tiny houses among fir trees, workshops where children make candles, decorate gingerbread cookies, and assemble wooden toys. All this is supervised by craftsmen in traditional costumes. Here, Christmas is not just something to see – it’s something you can create with your own hands.
The traditional German Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, waits for every child in his little house. The magical hero listens to their wishes, sits them on his lap, and takes memorable photos.
Real Nuremberg souvenirs are recognised not by their price but by their mood. Sometimes it’s a prune figurine bought from a smiling craftsman; sometimes it’s a gingerbread cookie with a warm inscription that you don’t want to eat. And some people leave with just a mulled wine mug but later take it out at home and again sense the scent of winter, lanterns, and the festive square’s cheerful noise.
Craftsmen’s Courtyard
Continue your walk along the city walls, where the Handwerkerhof – the old Craftsmen’s Courtyard – begins. After the bustling squares, it feels almost intimate: a narrow passage leads to the courtyard where blacksmiths, potters, and jewellers work under wooden signs.
It’s especially cosy here in December: the windows glow with warm light, the air smells of resin and mulled wine, and handmade items appear on the shelves – toys, decorations, and Christmas wreaths. This is not a market in the usual sense but rather a living museum of crafts, where you can see the process and talk to the artisans.
Thus, a Christmas walk through Nuremberg comes full circle – from the lively fair to the quiet workshop, where the holiday returns to its origins.
A walk through the city
The holidays in Nuremberg aren’t just about the fair and mulled wine. Take the time to see the city itself – ancient towers, churches, and cobbled streets where Christmas can be felt even without garlands. The city centre is especially beautiful at this time of year: the squares near St. Lawrence’s Church are decorated, lights gleam against the backdrop of the fortress, and families with children gather around the Toy Museum.
Our audio guide is perfect for such a walk. We are just finishing work on it, and it will be ready by Christmas. With it, you can explore at your own pace, without a group or schedule – the guide tells the stories of the city anytime, even when all tour guides have gone home.
Along the way, you’ll see the main symbols of Nuremberg – the fortress, the Church of Our Lady, the old gates, and the cosy Craftsmen’s Court. May you be lucky with the weather, and may the city show itself in all its Christmas splendour – lively, bright, and full of joy.
If you want to continue after the festive concerts, the night is just beginning in Berlin. There, December parties and club shows rival Christmas markets in scale – music plays until morning, and dance floors replace the stages.
» READ MORE – Berlin celebrates: where to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve in style?
Time for a snack
Christmas walks in Nuremberg rarely go without a snack – here, the food finds you. To get a taste of the city, you don’t have to go to a specific place.
Delicious traditional food can be found both in restaurants and at street stalls. Choose a place that appeals to you and keep a list of gastronomic attractions.
- Christmas goose – a traditional dish that you won’t find anywhere else. The bird is served with sauerkraut
- Nuremberg sausages – juicy meat sausages in a fragrant, crispy bun with mustard, perfect for a street snack
- Gingerbread cookies – be ready to eat them on every corner. Both adults and children find it hard to resist these fragrant treats
- Weihnachtsbier – a special red beer available only here and only at Christmas. Don’t miss the chance to try it
- Stollen – a cake with candied fruit that you should taste at least once
» READ MORE – Traditional Christmas dishes from 10 European countries
Run to the ice rink
When the Christmas bustle in the squares quiets down a bit, it’s time to swap mulled wine for ice skates. There are several places in Nuremberg where you can skate, and almost all of them are decorated with lights and garlands.
- The most famous is at Wöhrder See: an ice rink is made on the lake, and kiosks with hot punch are set up, turning a walk into a winter picnic
- Another rink opens at the airport, easily accessible by metro. Families skate here, evening shows are held, and sweet waffles are sold right by the ice
Those who aren’t ready to put on skates will also find plenty to do. The old town hosts street performances, small plays, and Christmas choirs. Sometimes, right by the fortress walls, you’ll find a brass band playing – no posters, just for the joy of the holiday. There are viewing platforms, cafés, and bakeries where you can relax after your walk.
Hurry to the concert
In Nuremberg, Christmas is not only heard on the streets. In December, the whole city turns into a concert hall – from cathedrals to historic venues.
- The most anticipated event is the Adventskonzerte in the historic hall of the town hall: the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra performs classics and Christmas hymns, and tickets for these evenings sell out in advance
- Fans of contemporary music should visit the Löwensaal, where singer Claudia Koreck will present a cosy acoustic programme on 20 December
- At the end of November, the Meistersingerhalle will host the opening of the Gregorian – The Magical Christmas Tour 2026, combining choirs and a light show
During the fair itself, the music continues outdoors: choirs and brass bands perform daily at the Frauenkirche church and in the old town squares. So even if you don’t get tickets for a big concert, Christmas in Nuremberg will still be filled with sound and beauty.
If Christmas in Nuremberg isn’t enough, consider visiting Dresden, where music can be heard at every turn. Christmas concerts and choir evenings take place in the halls of the Zwinger and ancient churches, while Germany’s oldest fair provides the backdrop for open-air classical performances.
» READ MORE – Christmas in Dresden with Saxony’s most delicious tradition
Don’t forget the museums
If the weather turns cold, it’s the perfect moment to visit a museum – fortunately, Nuremberg’s museums are as captivating as its fairs.
- The Germanisches Nationalmuseum holds the largest collection of cultural treasures from the German-speaking world. Medieval sculptures, stained glass, Dürer’s paintings, and antique musical instruments make it a must-see for anyone who loves history
- The Museum of the Future (Das Zukunftsmuseum) transports visitors to the 21st century. Here you can control robots, explore the technologies of a «smart» city, and discover how transport and medicine will evolve tomorrow
- Travellers with children will enjoy the Toy Museum (Spielzeugmuseum) – showcases with wooden, porcelain, and plastic toys from different eras create the feeling of being inside a huge Christmas shop window
- Art lovers should visit the Neues Museum Nürnberg, dedicated to contemporary art and design: snow-white halls, vibrant installations, and bold forms offer a pleasant contrast to the festive lights
When the music fades in Nuremberg, Christmas simply moves on – to neighbouring towns, new streets, and new squares. We’re not saying goodbye: there are still many places ahead where December smells of cinnamon and light. Just keep scrolling.
» READ MORE – Paris Christmas window displays: a fairy tale behind glass
Tonda Tran / Pixabay 
Evgeny Ignatik / Pixabay 
Alex Haney / Unsplash
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!