Things to do in Ulm
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Einstein Fountain & Monument
About 750m northeast of the Münster in front of the 16th-century Zeughaus (arsenal), at the northern end of Zeughausgasse, stands a fiendishly funny fountain dedicated to Albert Einstein, who was born in Ulm but left aged one year. The nearby health administration building, at Zeughaus 14, bears a single stone attached to the wall with the inscription Ein Stein (One Stone).
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Münster
Ooh, it's so big…first-time visitors gush as they strain their neck muscles gazing up to the Münster. It is. And rather beautiful. Celebrated for its 161.5m-high steeple, the world's tallest, this Goliath of cathedrals took a staggering 500 years to build from the first stone laid in 1377. Note the hallmarks on each stone, inscribed by cutters who were paid by the block. Those intent on cramming the Münster into one photo, filigree spire and all, should lie down on the cobbles.
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Ulmer Museum
It's easy to spend half a day discovering the outstanding Ulmer Museum, which romps through ancient and modern art, history and archaeology. Standouts feature the 20th-century Kurt Fried Collection, starring Klee, Picasso and Lichtenstein works. Archaeological highlights include tiny Upper Palaeolithic figurines, unearthed in caves in the Swabian Alps, including the 30, 000-year-old ivory Löwenmensch (lion man), the world's oldest zoomorphic sculpture.
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Stadthaus
Besides the Münster, the other highlight of Münsterplatz - from a completely different era - is the white-and-glass 1993 Stadthaus, designed by the American architect Richard Meier. He caused an uproar by erecting a postmodern building next to the city's Gothic gem but the result is both gorgeous and functional. The structure stages art exhibitions and special events, and also houses the tourist office and a café.
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Kloster Wiblingen
This one-time Benedictine monastery was founded in 1093 and rebuilt in the baroque style in the 1700s. Highlights of a visit include the splendid Bibliothekssaal (library hall), a rococo masterpiece in pink and green (in 1757 the monastery was in possession of 15,000 volumes, a huge number for the time). The late baroque/early classical Klosterkirche (Monastery Church) and a museum opened in 2006. An audioguide is available.
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Fischerviertel
Just southwest of the Schwörhaus is the Fischerviertel, the city's old fishers' and tanners' quarter. This charming area of half-timbered houses is built along the two channels of the tiny Blau River - crossed by a series of footbridges - which are confluent with the Danube nearby. Here you'll find several art galleries, a number of restaurants and the crookedest hotel in the world.
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Stadtmauer
Along the south side of the Fischerviertel, along the north bank of the Danube, runs the Stadtmauer, the height of which was reduced in the early 19th century after Napoleon decided that a heavily fortified Ulm was against his best interests. Note the Metzgerturm (Butcher's Tower), leaning 2m off-centre.
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Zur Forelle
Since 1626, this low-ceilinged tavern has been convincing wayfarers (Einstein included) about the joys of seasonal Swabian cuisine. Ablaze with flowers in summer, this wood-panelled haunt by the Blau prides itself on its namesake Forelle (trout), kept fresh under the bridge.
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Museum der Brotkultur
How grain grows, what makes a good dough and other bread-related mysteries are unravelled at the Museum der Brotkultur. The collection celebrates bread as the stuff of life over millennia and across cultures, displaying curios from mills to Egyptian corn mummies.
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Sammlung Weishaupt
Across the street from the Ulmer Museum, is this brand new building housing the Sammlung Weishaupt, spotlighting modern and pop art. This impressive structure is the latest in a series of bold and acclaimed modern buildings that have injected new dynamism into Ulm's Altstadt.
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Yamas
Yamas means 'cheers' in Greek and this slinky glass-walled restaurant is certainly an arrival to toast. Wonderfully fresh seafood, such as baby calamari with homemade pesto, pairs well with zesty wines from the huge cellar. Round out with an unusual brew from the tea menu.
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Legoland Deutschland
A sure-fire kid-pleaser, Legoland Deutschland is a pricey Lego-themed amusement park, with shows, splashy rides and a miniature world built from 25 million Lego bricks. It's in Günzburg, 30km northeast of Ulm, just off the A8 and served by bus 850.
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Albrecht Berblinger Plaque
East of the Herdbrücke (the bridge leading to Neu Ulm) is a bronze plaque marking the spot where Albrecht Berblinger attempted his flight (his failure was later determined to have been caused by a lack of thermals on that particular day).
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Weinkrüger
A rustic wine tavern in a five-century-old bathhouse and tannery between the two channels of the Blau River. It has a good selection of traditional Swabian dishes and offers 90 different wines, 16 of them by the glass.
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Rathaus
The 14th-century Rathaus has an ornately painted Renaissance façade and a gilded astrological clock (1520); bells count off every quarter-hour. Inside you can see a replica of Berblinger's flying machine.
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Drei Kannen
A rustic Swabian restaurant whose courtyard is overlooked by an Italian-style loggia. Loosen a belt notch for dishes like pork knuckles and Schupfnudeln (potato noodles), washed down with malty beers.
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Schwörhaus
On the third Monday of July, the mayor swears allegiance to Ulm's 1397 constitution from the 1st-floor loggia of the early 17th-century baroque Schwörhaus, three blocks west of the Rathaus.
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Kunsthalle Weishaupt
The glass-fronted Kunsthalle Weishaupt unveils the private collection of Siegfried Weishaupt. The accent is on modern and pop art, with bold paintings by Klein, Warhol and Haring.
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Wiley Club
On a former US military base, this one-time canteen has a restaurant, cafe-bar and stage, and hosts live music and club nights. Situated 2.5km south of the Altstadt; take bus 6 to the Wiley Club.
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Tagblatt
Welcome to Bavaria and one of Ulm's finest riverside beer gardens, with prime views to the Altstadt. Grab a chair outside to quaff a cold one, or chomp imaginative salads, schnitzels and burgers.
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Café im Kornhauskeller
Art-slung walls and an attractive inner courtyard create a laid-back vibe at this cafe, great for breakfast (we like the Da Vinci with prosecco, melon and Parma ham), salads and drinks.
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Einstein Monument
Over near the Hauptbahnhof, on Bahnhofstrasse, is Max Bill's monument (1979) to the great physicist, a stack of staggered granite pillars on the spot where Einstein's babyhood home once stood.
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Roxy
A huge cultural venue, housed in a former industrial plant 1km south of the Hauptbahnhof, with a concert hall, cinema, disco, bar and special-event forum. Take tram line 1 to Ehinger Tor.
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Zentralbibliothek
That striking all-glass pyramid behind the Rathaus - 28m by 28m at its base and 36m high - is the city's main library, the 2004 Zentralbibliothek, designed by Gottfried Böhm.
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Barfüsser
Light bites like Flammkuchen and Käsespätzle (cheese noodles) soak up the prize-winning beer, microbrewed in Neu-Ulm, at this brewpub. Tuesday is karaoke night.
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