We ended our trip down the Romantic Road at Nürnberg (Nuremberg) in the evening of 12/19. Once again, Christine had wisely made arrangements for accomodations beforehand, as the city was packed: it is famed for its Christmas market (and rightly so). She had also made sure that we had a place with parking, which is essential for stays within the city walls. We walked a lot around the market, but also all the way up to the Kaiserburg (emperor's castle), which is near the youth hostel where Christine stayed the first time she visited. We covered both quarters of the Altstadt (old town), the Seebalder Altstadt to the north of the Pegnitz river, and the Lorenzer Altstadt to the south.

12/19
Königstrasse (king's street), Altstadt
Christine enjoys a night-lit, east-side view of the Pegnitz river on the bridge.

12/19
Königstrasse, Altstadt
East-side view: the beautifully-lit Pegnitz river.

12/19
Kaiserburg, Seebalder Altstadt
The Altstadt (south-side view).

12/20, right after midnight
Lette'm Sleep Hostel, Lorenzer Altstadt
A peek into our room, named the Dionysos Garden and our leaf-topped bed (a-la A Bug's Life).

12/20
Lette'm Sleep Hostel, Lorenzer Altstadt
The outstanding view of the Staatstheater (state theater) opera house from our hostel window.

12/20
Lorenzer Altstadt
A giant lizard steps over the edge of the Ehekarussell-Brunnen (marriage carousel fountain), which depicts the bittersweet nature of marriage.

12/20
Fleischbrücke, Altstadt
Christine enjoys the west-side view of the Pegnitz river in the daytime.

12/20
Fleischbrücke, Altstadt
The Seebalder Altstadt full of Christmas visitors.

12/20
Fleischbrücke, Altstadt
West-side view: Pegnitz river (panorama).

12/20
Fleischbrücke, Altstadt
West-side view: Pegnitz river and Trödelmarkt (flea market) (panorama).

12/20
Kaiserburg, Seebalder Altstadt
Christine looks over the Altstadt (south-side view).

12/20
Albrecht-Dürer-Strasse, Seebalder Altstadt
A gift shop displaying memorabilia from the summer exhibition of 7000 bunnies by local artist Ottmar Hoerl. His project was inspired by the painting The Hare by Albrecht Dürer, who also hailed from Nuremberg.

12/20
Altstadt
Another lovely view of the Pegnitz river at night

12/20
Königstrasse, Lorenzer Altstadt
A Christmas market kiosk displaying figurines made from metal hardware.