Nürnberg in the Spring

The highlights to this trip were several daytrips that we took as well as a three day stay at Riva on the Gartersee in Italy. Spending time with the family and getting to see Nürnberg again was also a highlight. Some of the daytrips were to the Franconian Swiss region, Happburg, Bavaria to see my wife's family and several outings in and around Nürnberg to places such as downtown, the Frühlingsfest and the Tiergarten.

The trip was special like all of the others for many reasons. One was that I met a lot of my wife's family for the first time. We've been together since 1999, but all of the other times, we were running here and there and never stopped to go to some of the small towns to see them. Another reason was that I got to see some of my wife's memories from her youth. She showed me many places where she worked, hung out, or played as a child and teenager during her years in Nürnberg and Katzwang and that was very neat. Also, my daughter was around two years of age, so she was much more into the trip, her family, and the sights. Finally though, we brought something back with us. We found out about a month and a half later that my wife was pregnant, so we have a Euro-baby son now!

Quick Tips:

My main suggestion would be to just take your time and walk. Nürnberg is much like my hometown of Savannah in that I could tell you where to go and what to do but until you walk around a bit and take it in own your own, you'll never experience the full flavor of the town and surroundings. Take a stroll through the altstadt, go inside the many beautiful churches, have a bratwurst downtown and just stop and look around. You'll be surprised at what you will find and what there is to do when you slow down, put down your guidebook and simply look.

Another suggestion if you're staying in Nürnberg is to get the Nürnberg Card, which covers admission to 49 museums, free travel on the transit system and reduced price city tours. It is a bargain at €19 and they can be purchased at the Tourism Information Office, many hotels in downtown, and also through with certain tourism organizations. You'll have to research that though.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around in the city itself is the U-bahn. The prices are vey reasonable and free with the Nürnberg Card and you can also purchase S-bahn tickets to take you farther out than the U-bahn will take you. If you need to go farther out than in the city and the U- and S-bahn are not running, I would take a taxi. Although they are more expensive, I've found them to be safe and very clean. The drivers know their way around and according to my wife, they do not try to roundabout you to get a higher fare. I'm getting familiar enough with Nürnberg, Katzwang, and Schwabach now though to know this to be true also. I would not suggest renting a car unless you are doing so to go outside of the city to somewhere farther away than the S-bahn would go, then that would be a good option. However, for the city itself, parking would be an issue.

The Hütt'n is a charming little restaurant below the Kaiserburg in old town. The menu is definitely German and specialized to the point of serving Franconian style dishes. The restaurant is rustic in style with family size booths in the front, wooden floors and timbers within. Very old style and comfortable. The food is absolutely fantastic! I opted for the pork shoulder, or Schuefele, which was superb! There was a crispy crust and the meat came from the bone without a fork!

My wife, who is from Germany, and her family that lives in Nürnberg were familiar with the place, so they expected the food to be great, but I had no idea it would be that good. I suggest the Mandel Schnapps after dinner. It is the house specialty. The service was great and the Kellner was attentive, yet did not hover. I suggest the restaurant to anyone wanting authentic, local cuisine at a fair price and I'll definitely be going back!

This was a very nice restaurant. I had seen the place many times, yet never knew that the food would rival the view from the bridge over the River Pegnitz. The food was very good and authentic. I had the Nürnberg Bratwurst mit bratkartoffeln und kraut (nine stücken!) and it was as good as any I've tasted in Nürnberg. The atmosphere was very Bavarian with a knight in the door and a very interesting chandelier in the foyer. The service was good and prompt, yet did not fuss over you during the meal. Typical European type service. The view of the river while dining was great though and it made the difference. I would suggest this restaurant to anyone wanting a very nice authentic Nürnberg experience. The photo is one of Nünberg's most beloved views.

Now the Saigon Bar is an experience in itself. It seems that it is a bar that becomes occupied later in the evening and many locals say it is an after hours club. We went with one of those locals late one night after the restaurant that we were dining at closed our drinking down. And we had a pleasurable evening while there. The music was ambient type, slightly techno at times with rhythmic drums, very interesting.

Dimly lite with red stars as the main decorations, it was an interesting establishment. I continued along the lines of beer, but I heard that they serve a mean coffee. The only drawback was that it was hard to find and small with no food, but it was a very good time to sit and drink with friends and talk. I plan on revisiting the bar upon my next trip and would recommend it to people who are out eating and drinking and aren't quite ready to go home yet after the other bars close. But make sure you know where it is first, or you'll never find it.

Now this was a family fun event. There was a lot for kids to do as well as a giant beer tent. Rides and games for the kids will keep them occupied. There is everything from a ferries wheel to little kids rides. In addition, there is great food and a beer tent for the adults. I suggest Hax'n Lieberman for lunch and then a walk around to the tent for a beer or three. The ferries wheel offers an outstanding view of the city of Nürnberg as well as the lake, Frankenstadion and Zeppelinfield, so take a whirl in it. So if you happen to be in Nürnberg during the middle of April, it is an all-day family fun event... give it a shot!

I've been to a few zoos in my day and this one did not disappoint. The layout is very simple with very beautiful presentation and is easy to navigate . The animals are each in their own paddock with natural surroundings provided for them. Most of the animals have sizable areas in which to wander, although the larger ones seems to be a little more confined, obviously. I would suggest it if your visiting Nürnberg, especially with children. If you do go, I also suggest the restaurant Waldschaenke, on top of the hill in the zoo. The food is very good and there is a nice play area for the kids so you can enjoy a coffee or beer after your meal in the biergarten. Also to see is the Dolphin House, which is the only of its kind in South Germany. I highly suggest the Nürnberg Tiergarten, it was a very nice experience. Family tickets for two adults and children, with no discounts, are approximately €18, which is reasonable, or €7.50 per adult.

The Franconian Swiss is a region north of the city of Nürnberg that is one of the most popular vacationing areas in all of Germany. It is called the Franconian Swiss due to the fact that it looks very much like parts of Switzerland. With the River Wiesent bisecting the landscape, it offers everything from hills and meadows to rugged mountains and rocky outcropping. The region is truly a sight to behold. Bespeckled with over 100 Medieval Castles, taking a drive into the Franconian Swiss is like taking a step back in time. In fact, about six of the castles are open for visiting and touring. In additon to the castles, there is a high volume of breweries in the region as well as schnapps distillers. My visit was on a rainy day in April shortly after Easter Sunday. My family and I visited the Streitberger Schnapps facility and tasted quite a few varities of liqueur before deciding on a few bottles to take home with us. When we left the schnapps factory, we continued up into the hills until we came to an area where my father-in-law's grandfather lived and I saw one of the most beautiful green meadows that I have ever laid eyes upon. After leaving the meadow, we continued on until we came to a small village named Pottenstein, where we had lunch at the Gasthof Golden Krone. The food was outstanding and I had the hax'n with a local bier named Zwickel. I also had to purchase the large stein that it was served in due to its uniqueness. Overall, the ambience of the restaurant and the meal was truly a wonderful addition to the day trip. After leaving the restaurant, we headed down to Bayreuth and made a stop by the Opernhaus where we took pictures, as we were unable to gain entry. The late German opera star Hans Hopf is related to my wife and performed at the facility in Bayreuth many times and his portrait displayed inside. Unfortunately, we were unable to see it. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the Franconian Swiss and am greatful to my father-in-law for taking my family to see this special area of Germany. I would recommend it to anyone in the area for a daytrip or a few day visit.

One of the side trips that we took during our trip to Nürnberg was a four day getaway to Riva, Italy on the Gartersee or Lake Garda in Northern Italy. Riva is one of the larger cities on the lake and is located at the northern end of the lake nestled between Mts Baldo and Rocchetta. This location makes for spectacular views as well as an ideal place to enjoy the lake.

With a population of almost 16,000 Riva's main source of revenue is from tourism and it does not forget this as the town is very tourist friendly. With a main street that runs parallel to the lake until it runs into the main part of the town, there is plenty to do from dining to shopping to cycling and even hiking and rock-climbing.

The beach that lies beyond the road however is quite beautiful. Covered with small, rounded pebbles and friendly ducks, geese and swan, the beach is perfect for a picnic or even to rent a small boat and go for a sail. We opted for a picnic and had a great time until a gentle shower forced us into the hotel and out onto the balcony for the remainder of the first evening that we were there. We made up for it with the rest of the trip though as we tried to utilize every minute possible to see the town and do as much as possible.

We spent a lot of time walking around downtown, enjoying the sights, eating great food and relaxing in the atmosphere. The restaurants that we ate at were great, although the names escape me now, however, I will try to refresh my memory by reviewing the photos to see if I can remember any to do reviews on as some of them were worthy of their own reviews. I would also recommend any of the many gelaterias that dot the main street into town. If you've never experienced Italian gelaterias, you're in for a definite treat as their treats are beyond description.

Riva is located in an ideal spot to see northern Italy. I would recommend Riva to anyone who wants to enjoy authentic Italy and not be faced with the massive amounts of tourist activity that occurs in Venice or Trentino. However, Riva is close enough to make these cities a possible day trip.