Poland’s spring break for schools work a bit differently than in the US, as I’ve learned. Called Feria, they’re two weeks long, and they’re staggered at different times for different areas of Poland. To prevent a flood of Polish tourists across Europe, I suppose?
During a recent break at my school, I decided I needed explore some German cities I hadn’t seen yet. So I choose Munich and Nürnberg, as they’re both easily reachable by train from Wroclaw. While are both beautiful in their own right, they’re very different places. They do have some great vegetarian restaurants as well as easy to find vegan street food.
Nürnberg
This city has a lovely medieval center, with picturesque cobblestone streets and many bridges connecting different parts of the center. My recommendation for the best restaurant there is Mariposa, which is vegan and has gluten-free options clearly marked. It’s really cozy, the waiters are happy to explain what’s in all the dishes, and the food is a healthy take on German meals. I had polenta with green beans in a creamy cashew sauce. It was light while being lovely comfort food for a cold evening.
I would recommend making a reservation, as when I arrived, the only free seats were at other tables (luckily, the other diners were very nice about an unexpected guest joining them.)
If you’re looking for a quick bite for lunch, I’d suggest finding a place with falafel. There a couple of places that serve up freshly made falafel (ask for them in a box if you want to avoid the gluten in the pita bread.)
For sights, I’d recommend the Albrecht Dürer house, which offers a tour of the famous German artist’s house. (You get to help use an actual printing press! Made me very happy to live in the age of both printers and Kindle.) The city also has a thoughtful museum (Courtroom 600) which examines the history’s darker past during WWII, as first as a center for Nazi rallies and then as host to the Nuremberg Trials after the war.
However, it’s also the kind of city where you can just wander around and drink in the scenery.
Munich
This city has a much more modern feel and is also more spread out. I think later spring would be a great time to explore this city’s extensive Englischer Gardens, a huge, lovely park through the middle of the city.
Munich also had one of the best vegan restaurants I’ve eaten at— Max Pett, which has an extensive menu in both English and German. To start, I suggest their potato pancakes, which melt in your mouth, and come with smoked “salmon.” The yams they used were amazing, and one of the most unique and delectable faux-meats I’ve tasted.
They also had a lot of raw dishes, and I tried their walnut burger, which had an excellent unusual and savory sauce. This place is totally worth the trip— but I’d also suggest to make a reservation first. I managed to snag a table at the bar, but it was very busy.
Tian also had some interesting choices, is close to the center, and has a great atmosphere.
It’s home to several wonderful art museums, like the Glyptothek Museum and the Franz von Stuck museum. However, if museums aren’t your thing, there’s also a fabulous system of pools and saunas— Müllersches Wolksbad being the prettiest, with a soothing art deco interior, and also near the city center.
Happy travels!
Detroiter in Poland 
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