things to love {about nuremberg}

by Jenni, the blogger I live vicariously through
as she lives abroad in Austria and Germany. (Seriously, though, I'm so jealous).

1. If Nuremberg doesn't have something you need, huge cities like Frankfurt and Munich are just a train ride away. On the other hand, Nuremberg is surrounded by small Bavarian villages so a ''small-town feel'' is easily within reach as well!
2. With only 1 million inhabitants, you can wander around the city without feeling as though you are lost in a sea of people. Tourists do come to Nuremberg, but it is by no means a ''tourist trap''. I love that!
3. Walking through Nuremberg feels as though you have entered a fairy tale land. The castle, the churches, the buildings - all of it exudes a Middle Ages fairytale-ish feeling and you'll wonder if you've gone back in time.
4. There are so many historical sites to be found in Nuremberg! After WWII, for example, German officials involved in the Holocaust were brought before an international court; famously referred to as The Nuremberg Trials. Visitors can see the site firsthand and visit the documentation center where the Nazi rallies once took place. Hauntingly fascinating, it is not something to be missed.
5. You won't go hungry in Nuremberg. The Nürnberger Bratwurst, for instance, is a burger so famous that McDonald's added it to its German menu! I've never tried it but I love walking through the Hauptmarkt (main market in the city center) trying all sorts of snacks; roasted almonds, pretzels, chocolates, etc.
6. The beautiful Pegnitz river runs through the city center and further enforces the fairytale-ish nature of the city. One of my favorite things to do is stroll across the bridges at sunset and stare out at the peaceful river. It's a very tranquil place to be!
7. Perhaps what Nuremberg is most famous for (arguably moreso than the Nuremberg trials) is the Christmas market. Every year at the end of November (and throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas), 2 millions visitors from all over the world flock to the city to take part in this festive tradition. Hundreds of vendors set up wooden stalls in the Hauptmarkt (main market square), festooned with red-and-white cloth, selling traditional Christmas treats; Nuremberg spicy gingerbread, fruit loaves, baked goods and other sweets, Christmas ornaments and candles, Christmas toys and various other arts and crafts products.

This week, I'm so excited to share the first international "things to love" post! Jenni is a Fulbright scholar spending 4 months in Austria and then 10 months in Germany. Did I mention that these are two of my favorite countries that I've visited? My favorite thing about her list is that Nuremberg is like a fairytale- untouched by tourists and not a tourist trap. When I travel, these are my ideal cities. There's something so honest about them. Jenni's list also comes at a very timely part of the year as she writes about the Christmas market at the end of the month (Jenni, I hope you're stocking up). Any town that dedicates this much love and attention to Christmas has my stamp of approval anytime of year. Thanks so much for sharing your list, Jenni! To see more of Jenni's Nuremberg photos, visit my flickr-- or, just visit her blog and delight in all that is beautifully Austrian and German.