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Swabian Alps Region

Often eclipsed by the Black Forest to the west and the Bavarian Alps to the southeast, the Swabian Alps (Schwäbische Alb in German) are wholly deserving of more attention. Ulm, where the Danube swiftly flows, forms the boundary in the south, while the Neckar runs past half-timbered towns, limestone crags, beech woods, juniper-cloaked heaths, hilltop ducal castles and robber-knight ruins further north.

The region is a geologist’s dream – 200 million years ago it had more volcanoes than almost anywhere else on earth; today it holds Unesco World Heritage Geopark status. The karst landscape is riddled with caves, where rare fossils and ice age art (including the 30,000-year-old Löwenmensch on display in Museum Ulm) have been discovered.

In 2017, the Swabian Jura Caves and ice age art received Unesco World Heritage status for having some of the world's oldest figurative art, dating from 43,000 to 33,000 years ago.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Swabian Alps Region.

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Ulmer 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, this Goliath of cathedrals, the world’s tallest, took 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 on the cobbles. Only by puffing up 768 spiral steps to the tower's 143m-high viewing platform can you appreciate the Münster’s dizzying height. There are terrific views of the Black Forest and, on cloud-free days, the Alps. The Israelfenster, a stained-glass window above the west door, commemorates Jews killed during the Holocaust. The Gothic-style wooden pulpit canopy eliminates echoes during sermons. Biblical figures and historical characters such as Pythagoras embellish the 15th-century oak choir stalls. The Münster’s regular organ concerts are a musical treat.
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Museum Ulm
This museum is a fascinating romp through ancient and modern art, history and archaeology. Standouts include the 20th-century Kurt Fried Collection, starring Klee, Picasso and Lichtenstein works shown in rotating exhibitions. Archaeological highlights are 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. There's free entry on the first Friday of the month.
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Marktplatz
Lording it over the Marktplatz, the 14th-century Rathaus sports a step-gabled, lavishly frescoed Renaissance facade. Out front is the Fischkastenbrunnen, where fishmongers once dumped their catch to be sold at market. The Rathaus' architectural antithesis is the cutting-edge glass pyramid of the Stadtbibliothek, the city's main library.
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Stadtmauer
South of the Fischerviertel, along the Danube’s north bank, runs the red-brick Stadtmauer (city wall), the height of which was reduced in the 19th century after Napoleon decided that a heavily fortified Ulm was against his best interests. Walk it for fine views over the river, the Altstadt and the slightly off-centre Metzgerturm.
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Fischerviertel
The charming Fischerviertel, Ulm’s old fishers’ and tanners’ quarter, is slightly southwest of the centre. Beautifully restored half-timbered houses huddle along the two channels of the Blau River. Harbouring art galleries, rustic restaurants, courtyards and the crookedest house in the world – as well as one of the narrowest – the cobbled lanes are ideal for a leisurely saunter.
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Einstein Fountain & Monument
A nod to Ulm’s most famous son, this fiendishly funny bronze fountain by Jürgen Goertz shows a wild-haired, tongue-poking-out Albert Einstein, who was born in Ulm but left when he was one year old. Standing in front of the 16th-century Zeughaus, the rocket-snail creation is a satirical play on humanity’s attempts to manipulate evolution for its own self-interest. Nearby, at Zeughaus 14, is a single stone bearing the inscription Ein Stein (One Stone).
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Zeughaus
With origins dating back to the early 14th century, the Zeughaus is one of Ulm's most impressive historical buildings. It underwent significant expansion in the 16th and 17th centuries – note the Renaissance and baroque motifs embellishing the portals – and was damaged during WWII. Only a few of the original arsenal's weapons remain as most were seized during the Napoleonic Wars. Out front is the Einstein Fountain, dedicated to Ulm's brainiest son.
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Stadthaus
Designed by Richard Meier, the contemporary aesthetic of the concrete-and-glass Stadthaus is a dramatic contrast to the Münster. The American architect caused uproar by erecting the postmodern building alongside the city’s Gothic giant but the result is striking. The Stadthaus stages exhibitions and events, and houses the tourist office and a cafe.
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Synagogue
Fitting neatly into Ulm's ensemble of eye-catching contemporary architecture, this free-standing synagogue was built for the Jewish community and completed in 2012. The architecturally striking edifice sits on the Weinhof, close to the former synagogue that was destroyed during Kristallnacht in 1938. At night its main window shimmers with the Star of David pattern.