Ulm

Einstein's birthplace, with the soaring spire of Ulm Minster and the Fishermen's Quarter; out of town are the deep-blue Blautopf spring and Ice Age caves.

Ulm lies in southeastern Baden-Württemberg on the north bank of the Danube, facing Neu-Ulm in Bavaria across the river, with several bridges linking the two. Albert Einstein was born here, and in the Middle Ages trade, especially in linen, made it a wealthy Free Imperial City. The climate is mild; May–Sep is best for strolling along the Danube and day trips into the countryside; the Christmas market on Cathedral Square in December is very atmospheric; winters are fairly cold and some sights outside town close. Sightseeing centers on the old town: climb the tower of Ulm Minster, wander the Fishermen's Quarter and the Leaning House, see the astronomical clock on the Town Hall, walk along the Danube city wall, then visit the Museum Ulm to see the 40,000-year-old "Lion Man". South of the city is the Rococo library of Wiblingen Abbey. For a half-day trip, take the train west to Blaubeuren to see the deep-blue Blautopf spring and the abbey, as well as the World Heritage Ice Age caves of the Swabian Jura. Getting there: Ulm is an ICE rail hub, about 1 hour from Stuttgart and about 1.5 hours from Munich; the old town is compact and walkable. Plan to stay 1–2 days. Note: Legoland Deutschland is in Günzburg, about 25 km east, roughly 20 minutes from Ulm by train; many museums close on Mondays.

Top sights

• Ulm Minster – A Lutheran cathedral with a 161.5-meter Gothic spire. Climb 768 steps to the 143-meter viewing platform for a view over the whole city.
• Fishermen's Quarter – An old town district crossed by the branches of the Blau River, where half-timbered houses, small bridges and water channels intertwine. It…
• Wiblingen Abbey Library – A Benedictine abbey south of the city. Its Rococo library hall, completed in 1744, is so ornate that it is considered one of Germany's most…
• Blautopf – A karst spring in the town of Blaubeuren, 21 meters deep, with water of an almost unreal deep blue. It is the most beautiful spring in the…
• Crooked House – A severely leaning medieval half-timbered house on the Blau River in the Fishermen's Quarter, billed as the world's most tilted hotel.
• Ulm Town Hall – A town hall whose exterior is covered with Renaissance paintings, with an astronomical clock on the east facade made in 1520.
• Danube City Wall – A surviving stretch of medieval city wall along the Danube. You can stroll along the top, look across the river to New Ulm, and pass the le…
• Blaubeuren Abbey – A Benedictine abbey right next to the Blautopf spring. The late Gothic winged altarpiece inside the church is a masterpiece of southern Ger…
• Museum of Prehistory Blaubeuren (urmu) – Displays the roughly 40,000-year-old “Venus of Hohle Fels” and bone flutes. It is a world-class small museum for understanding Ice Age art.
• Hohle Fels – One of the World Heritage cave sites of the Swabian Jura, where an Ice Age Venus figurine was found. A large cave hall inside is open to vi…
• Archäopark Vogelherd – An archaeological park beside the Lone Valley World Heritage caves, where you can see excavated small ivory mammoths and experience Stone A…
• Museum Ulm – A city history and art museum housing the roughly 40,000-year-old ivory figure “Lion Man,” one of the oldest realistic sculptures in the wo…
• Museum of Bread and Art – A specialty museum devoted to bread. It covers grain cultivation and baking, the history of famine, and related artworks.
• Einstein Fountain – A playful sculpture honoring Einstein, who was born in Ulm. His tongue-out head pokes out of a snail carrying a rocket.
• Wilhelmsburg Fortress – The core citadel of a 19th-century German Confederation fortress. You can climb to the top for views over Ulm, and the site hosts concerts…
• Kunsthalle Weishaupt – A modern art museum in the New Center with works by Warhol, Lichtenstein, Klein, and other postwar artists.
• Ulm Christmas Market – A large Christmas market held on the cathedral square, with more than a hundred wooden stalls ringing the Gothic spire. It is a reason to v…

Where to eat

• Zunfthaus der Schiffleute – Swabian restaurant in a 15th-century boatmen's guild house in the Fishermen's Quarter, ranked highly on Tripadvisor for…
• Zur Forelle – Old tavern in the Fishermen's Quarter, operating since 1626 beside the small bridge over the Blau River, known for fish…
• Barfüßer Hausbrauerei – Brewpub with a copper brewing kettle in the middle of the hall, brewing fresh beer to pair with roast pork knuckle, ide…
• Edda Brasserie – Affordable sister venture of the Michelin one-star bi:braud, listed in the Michelin Guide, with a seasonal menu featuri…