It’s been almost ten years since our first and only visit to Nuremberg – Isaac was 4 months old and Ben was barely two. Now Isaac is 10 and Ben nearly 12.
The boys have clearly changed since that first visit. And so has our family.
We just spent 24 hours in this city with a storied past as we make our way to Vienna, Austria and then Bratislava, Slovakia for our Christmas travels. (I am writing this on the train.)
While Nürnberg was not that exciting to the boys (they‘ve honestly had their share of European Christmas Markets, castles and churches), Dave and I were thrilled to have time together to tour this city.
Upon arrival via train from Berlin, we checked into our budget hotel and were soon off to the historical and world famous Christmas Market/Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christkindlmarkt.
Since the boys were getting on each others nerves, Dave and I split up and each took a boy to explore the old town, as captured in many of our shots.
With some gingerbread and Glühwein under our belts, we reconvened for dinner in the historic hospital (built in 1339 and heavily destroyed during WWII) turned tavern called Restaurant Heilig-Geist-Spital for a hearty German dinner.
Afterwards, we split up for a game we like to play in Medieval towns.
Using the Find My iPhone app, we give one group a head start (usually 5-10 minutes) before the other group, using the app, joins for a chase through the town.
We’ve found it a great way to see a city while keeping the boys entertained, not to mention getting in some exercise (some running may be involved).
After about a half an hour, we met up again.
Being tired as it was winter solstice time, we headed back to our hotel and watched Shazam together.
The next day, after having breakfast in our hotel, Dave and I left the boys to chill while we went to the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds.
The National Socialists held their Party Rallies in Nuremberg from 1933 to 1938.
This is also where the huge propaganda film Triumph of the Will was shot.
After a brisk 30-minute walk back to our hotel, we collected the boys, checked out, had some Asian food for lunch and went through the old town once more to visit the Ehekarussel fountain that Ben loved when we was 2.
The expressive fountain, which to some is controversial, has a ring of statues portraying Hans Sachs’ poem ‘Bitter-sweet Married Life’.
Our time in Nürnberg was almost over. We gathered our luggage from the hotel, walked to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), picked up some provisions, and boarded our train to Wien (Vienna).
Now we are almost to the border with Austria as I write. More to come…
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