With its more than 500,000 inhabitants, the Bavarian city of Nuremberg is one of the largest cities in the state of Bavaria. It is home to the River Pegnitz, which flows through the city and then flows straight through the Old Town. The city was founded in the early Middle Ages around the year 1000 to 1040 and is therefore one of the oldest cities in Germany. It gained international popularity with the Nuremberg Christmas Market, which counts around two million visitors a year.

The sights of Nuremberg

The  State Theater Nuremberg: The State Theater Nuremberg is the largest theater in the city and was founded in 1905. It is easy to see from a distance because of its axis. The operetta "Don Giovanni" by the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart belongs to the opera and itis on the list of regular theater performances.

The Toy Museum Nuremberg was founded in 1971 and is a historic patrician house from the 16th century. The visitors can learn about the cultural history of toys from ancient times to modern times.

St. Lorenz: The church of St. Lorenz was built in the Middle Ages and is named after the town patron, the Holy Lorenz, who watches over Nuremberg. The two double towers and the nine-meter wheel windows are the most striking features of the ecclesiastical structure. The sound that can be heard from the church is produced by 17 bells and three organs with 12,000 pipes.

The Beautiful Fountain: The Beautiful Fountain is part of the Historic Mile of Nuremberg and one of the most famous sights of the city. It is located next to the Town Hall on the Main market and due to its large eight rings is easy to spot. Two of the rings are rotatable and if you rotate one yourself, your wish will come true,as the legend has it.

The White Tower: The White Tower is the last gate tower of the former city fortress and is located on the Ludwigsplatz. In the vicinity of the tower is the Carousel of marriage, a beautiful fountain which consists of bronze figures, which tell about in various presentations the marriage life with all its ups and downs.

The Nuremberg Town Hall: The Nuremberg Town Hall is located in the Old town and is a baroque building. It was built in the 16th century and is open for tourists. The hole jails in the cellar of the town hall are especially worth seeing, where visitors can learn how the prisoners spent their time here.

The Nuremberg Castle: The Nuremberg Castle is the landmark of the city and includes the Kaiserburg and Burggrafenburg. The history of the castle dates back to the year 1105, when it was a temporary accommodation of the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire. The visitor can have a nice view of the Old town of Nuremberg and learn about the emperors and kings during guided tours.

The Nuremberg Egg: The Nuremberg Egg is a 293-meter-high telecommunication tower, which has gained its name through a tower basket in the form of an ice. Since 1991, it has not been accessible to visitors, although a viewing platform and a restaurant had been built for this purpose.

Experience Nuremberg in a friendly way and combine the visit of the traditional Old town with the enjoyment of typical Franconian specialties in various pubs.

Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic center. Skopje is located on the upper course of the Vardar River, and is located on a major north-south Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens. It was known in the Roman period under the name Scupi.

The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; remains of Neolithic settlements have been found within the old Kale Fortress that overlooks the modern city centre. On the eve of the 1st century AD, the settlement was seized by the Romans and became a military camp. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in 395 AD, Scupi came under Byzantine rule from Constantinople.

Being the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje is home to the largest cultural institutions of the country, such as the National and University Library "St. Kliment of Ohrid", the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the National Theatre, the National Philarmonic Orchestra and the Macedonian Opera and Ballet. Among the local institutions are the Brothers Miladinov Library which has more than a million documents, the Cultural Information Centre which manages festivals, exhibitions and concerts, and the House of Culture Kočo Racin which is dedicated to contemporary art and young talents.

The Skopje Jazz Festival has been held annually in October since 1981. It is part of the European Jazz Network and the European Forum of World Wide Festivals. The artists' profiles include fusion, acid jazz, Latin jazz, smooth jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Ray Charles, Tito Puente, Gotan Project, Al Di Meola, Youssou N'Dour, among others, have performed at the festival. Another music festival in Skopje is the Blues and Soul Festival. It is a relatively new event in the Macedonian cultural scene that occurs every summer in early July. Past guests include Larry Coryell, Mick Taylor & the All-Stars Blues Band, Candy Dulfer & Funky Stuff, João Bosco, The Temptations, Tolo Marton Trio, Blues Wire, and Phil Guy.