Nuremberg wears its history heavily and with some honesty. The old town sits inside a ring of walls on both banks of the Pegnitz, crowned by the Kaiserburg, the imperial castle on its sandstone ridge, where the Holy Roman emperors held court. In the late Middle Ages the city was one of the richest in Germany, a centre of trade, craft and invention, and the home of the painter Albrecht Dürer, whose house you can still visit, as well as of the toy-makers, gingerbread bakers and instrument makers who made it famous.
Most of the old centre was destroyed in the air raids of January 1945 and rebuilt in a careful, simplified version of the original, which gives it a slightly curated feel. The twentieth century has left its mark in other ways too. The Nazi party rally grounds in the south-east of the city are now a documentation centre, and the Palace of Justice, where the war crimes trials were held after 1945, is still a working courthouse. It is an uncomfortable and important place, and a visit adds weight to the idea of the Castle Road, which links the castles and towns of Franconia.
As a place to ride, Nuremberg is a city, with the usual traffic, tram lines and one-way streets, and not somewhere to hurry. The Castle Road itself, coming in from Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the west, crosses gentle Franconian farmland and wooded hills, with easy bends, pleasant villages and a good surface. Heading north from here toward Bamberg is a similar landscape of orchards, half-timbered houses and hop fields. Fuel and food are no problem at all: Nuremberg is a city of half a million, with a station on nearly every main road.
Do not leave without trying the small, finger-sized Nuremberg bratwurst, usually served in sixes on a plate with sauerkraut or potato salad, and the gingerbread known as Lebkuchen, which is a Christmas tradition. The Christkindlesmarkt in December is among the best-known Christmas markets in Europe.
For a short visit, park outside the walls and walk. The centre is compact, and the castle gives a fine view over the roofs.