24 hours in Ulm

‘In Ulm, um Ulm und um Ulm herum’

or, in English: ‘in Ulm, around Ulm and round about Ulm’

– a saying from, you guessed it, Ulm.

I’m not sure whether there’s any deeper meaning to this saying, but at the very least it seems a fitting thing to say atop the Ulmer Münster as you take in the view on all sides. The 360° panorama from the church spire is a familiar view and evokes a feeling of being at home in me, having grown up here myself. At 161.53 meters in height, the (protestant) Münster is the tallest church in the world (yes, taller than the one in Cologne!) – a total of 768 steps take you to the top of the tower, where I am now standing.

It’s still early in the morning and far below I can see the inner city of Ulm. From my vantage point up here, the beginnings of morning commerce give it the impression of a bustling anthill. To the South, I might be able to spot the Alps, if I’m lucky and the weather is clear. To the North lie the rolling hills of the Swabian Alb and the Wilhelmsburg, a huge fort, which towers majestically over the landscape. If you have some time to spare during your visit, I’d definitely recommend taking a trip to the fort and climbing up the little watch tower near the entrance – you have a great view of the city from up there. The loveliest detail of the scene atop the Münster is not in the distance though, it is rather close: a small golden sparrow which sits on the church roof. The story behind the ‘Ulmer Spatz’ is one every child in Ulm knows: as the builders of the church struggled to carry a huge beam through the city gate (they tried it crosswise), they observed a sparrow flying by. The small bird was building its nest and they saw it carried a straw in its beak – lengthwise. Problem solved.

One last look, then it’s time to climb down again to walk around the inside of the building for a bit. I love the beautiful nave of the church and the colourful stained glass of the Gothic windows, so keep an eye out for those. After lighting a candle, I step outside.

Now I feel as if I’ve really deserved my breakfast. One of my favourite places for that is BellaVista just across the street. Thankfully, it’s still early enough for me to get a seat on the sunny terrace on the top floor, where I enjoy some scrambled eggs and a mint tea.

Afterwards, it’s time for some window shopping. I say window shopping, but I simply cannot resist taking a peek inside Ehinger Schwarz. Since 1876, all jewellery here has been handmade by the Ulmer family of Ehinger, later the Schwarz family. As you can imagine, every single piece is unique in its design. And speaking of design: just outside the door is the Ulmer Stadthaus, an outstanding piece of modern architecture by New York architect Richard Meier. This building has been, and still is, somewhat controversial, as its modernity defaces the traditional look of the Münsterplatz in the eyes of some. Personally, I love the contrast between the old Münster and the new Stadthaus. Make sure to have a look inside, as there are sometimes free exhibitions, for example one about Albert Einstein, one of Ulm’s most famous residents.

Feeling a little peckish, I make my way to either the Bäckerei Zaiser or the nearby Café Tröglen for some of the finest local pastries and sweets. The latter, I must admit, is a rather old-fashioned locale, but it brings back fond memories of my childhood – I remember watching the Christmas market from here, with its sheep and donkey enclosures. I buy a piece of my favourite cake, ‘Argentinische Sauerrahmtorte’, for my mum at home and a marzipan version of the Ulmer Spatz for my niece.

Now I stroll down the Hirschstraße, which is the main shopping street. As I’m in the need for some new sunglasses I pop into Eyes, which is great for eyewear. After trying on some of their new collection, I settle on a new pair of sunnies – now the vacation can begin! Then I walk straight towards Knopf und Perle, where I have been a frequent customer since my school days – mainly for their DIY pearls, strings and beads. Today however I’m not in the mood for handiwork, so I buy a ready-made bracelet made of silver and turquoise.

Leaving the store, delighted with my new purchases, I enjoy a little walk along the lovely streets and alley just off the main shopping area: Sterngasse, Hafenbad, Hafengasse, Platzgasse, Rabengasse and Kohlgasse, just to name a few. In the Herrenkellergasse, you can find Fräulein Berger – a small and homey café offering local specialities (also vegan ones!), a wide variety of tea and home-made cakes. I’m a big fan of their vintage furniture and an even bigger fan of their cheesecake. Café Stella in the Hirschstraße also has terrific coffee, if you’re feeling like a pick-me-up, their soups and snacks are quite tasty, too.

As I’m in the area, I stop by the Museum der Brotkultur. This museum is centred around grain and bread. It sounds dry at first (no pun intended), but, as you will find out, there are actually a lot of fascinating things to know about bread, such as its cultural and sociohistorical dimensions and the technical aspects involved in its making. One of my favourite parts of the exhibition is the surprising, though not at all arbitrary, inclusion of artwork by Salvador Dalí and Joseph Beuys.

Having pondered long enough upon this fundamental source of human nourishment, you may be thinking about getting some nourishment yourself – I know I am. But where to go? The sun is shining, maybe I could do some gourmet shopping and sit on a bench in the sun, eating all the delicious food and watching people. I could first walk to the Käshäusle, a lovely place where they sell over 300 types of cheese (and have been doing so for over 30 years) – maybe some goat cheese with chutney? It would go perfectly with some fresh fish from Fischhaus Heilbronner, which is the place in Ulm for high-quality fish and seafood – perhaps I’ll get some cold smoked trout. And a Swabian bread roll, a ‘Seele’ or ‘Wasserwecken’ from a nearby bakery, to go along with that. For dessert, I could try some chocolate or pralines from the lovely Waltraud’s Confiserie Chocolat.

As tempting as that sounds – and my word does it sound tempting – I’m quite exhausted from all the walking and would prefer to sit down somewhere to have lunch, so I opt for Café Brettle. Don’t expect a five-course menu in a luxury interior when you come here – this place is down-to-earth and unpretentious, the atmosphere is laid-back and the crowd is young. They offer an excellent lunch meal, including authentic Swabian cuisine such as ‘Linsen mit Spätzle’. After Lunch, I have a vitamin power shot at the smoothie bar Fruchtrausch. Bring some patience, as this spot is often very crowded. It’s definitely worth waiting for, though. As I love green smoothies, I get a ‘Zappel Philipp’, made with fresh apples, cucumber and mango.

Having subdued my empty stomach and my tired legs for now, I’m ready to get going again, this time for some record shopping. At Soundcircus they have a huge selection of CDs and vinyl, secondhand as well as new ones. I browse the Rock section and pick out some older stuff for our rack at home. If you’re not that into music, try the inspiring kunsthalle weishaupt. Their exhibitions in the city centre showcase contemporary as well as older artwork and sculptures, including some Mark Rothko, Jean Tinguely, and Keith Haring. Make sure to take in the architecture of the building itself, it’s gorgeous. Speaking of architecture, just a little further on is the renowned Ulmer Rathaus, the town hall. When I’m here, I always take some time to admire the beautiful coloured frescoes and the astronomical clock set into the facade of the early Renaissance building. Across the street, the new public library is settled in a mesmerisingly modern glass pyramid.

I keep on strolling through the old town Fischerviertel with its tiny alleys, historical timbered houses and bridges over the little stream called the Blau. I pass the Schwörhaus, where the mayor gives his traditional speeches, and the synagogue. The building Schiefes Haus, a late Gothic timbered house with a clearly noticeable slant, is located here as well. You can stay a night in one of its eight slanted hotel rooms, but no worries, the beds are all perfectly level. In 1997, the Schiefes Haus claimed the title of the world’s most inclined hotel, as confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records.

As I walk on, I notice that people are still sitting outside having a late lunch. If you didn’t have lunch with me earlier and aren’t sure where you should eat, you could go to Zur Forelle for fantastic fish dishes, or Wilder Mann, where the Flammkuchen is heavenly, or QMUH for great burgers, or – my best tip: Erstes Ulmer Pfannkuchenhaus (Allgäuer Hof), where you can choose from 44 sweet or savoury varieties of pancakes! As I ate earlier though, I’m content with just a black coffee at Cafébar Kutter, a cosy café on two levels (which doubles up as a nice place to have a drink and enjoy some music in the evening). Alternatively, coffee and cake on the sunny terrace at becker’s is always pleasant.

Will you join me for a late afternoon stroll? – Through the gate of the Metzgerturm and along the Stadtmauer, the beautiful walls of the old city. On the banks of the Danube, families and couples are sunbathing on the lawn, kids are giggling and students are setting up their portable grills for a BBQ. I pass through the marvellous Rosengarten and reach the spot where Albrecht Berblinger, the ‘Tailor of Ulm’, attempted to cross the Danube in 1811 using his very own flying machine. He failed spectacularly, but at least everyone in town knows his story. By the way, you can also take the boat ‘Ulmer Spatz’ instead of walking (you may miss some beautiful spots along the way if you do this, such as the Bootshaus, where you can have a pre-dinner drink on the lounge deck).

Friedrichsau is my final destination – a park with wonderful areas for playing volleyball or mini golf, also home of the soccer team SSV Ulm 1846. If you have kids, they’ll love the Tiergarten Ulm with its huge outdoor bear enclosure – I know I always did.

For dinner, LAGO is my locale of choice. A la carte or set menu, every dish that comes out of their kitchen is a treat for the palate. Tonight, it’s a nice vegetarian pasta for me, with a glass of exceptional Italian white wine on the side. No dessert for me however, as I have tickets for a concert at the Ulmer Zelt. I love to visit the little festival that takes place here every summer, full of eclectic music performances and comedy shows. The show tent is quite small, which allows for a super intimate and friendly atmosphere.

Stepping outside after the show, I head back to the city centre, to one of those places where I’ve been partying with my friends since forever – ROXY for independent and Electro clubbing over several floors, Cat for indie music and dancing, Sauschdall for live jamming and jazz music, or Trödler Abraham if you just want to have a few pints of beer. Let’s enjoy a great night out before falling into bed!