Nuremberg is 2 hours north of Munich and is home to about half a million people. Reaching its economic height in the early 17th century, its fortunes declined when it lost free imperial city status, trade routes shifted towards the sea, and damage from war. The arrival of railways in 1835 signalled a resurgence as an industrial centre.

There is quite a lot to see in the city with reconstructed historical sights, military history from the Nazi era, and a wonderful Christmas market.

This was the start of my 2-week trip around this part of southern Germany, exploring various Christmas markets in the smaller, less-touristed towns.