Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [369]
History fans should take a 35-minute German-language tour (adult/6-15yr/concession €8/4/6; 9am-5.30pm mid-Mar–Oct, 10am-4.30pm Nov–mid-Mar), which takes in towers, overblown salons replete with stained glass and frescoes, and the dazzling Schatzkammer (treasury). The grounds (admission without tour €4) command tremendous views over the Swabian Alps.
Frequent trains link Tübingen, 28km distant, with Hechingen (€4, 25 minutes, one or two an hour), about 4km northwest of the castle.
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Naturpark Obere Donautal
One word: wow. Theatrically set against limestone, cave-riddled cliffs, dappled with pine and beech woods that are burnished gold in autumn, and hugging the Danube’s banks, the Upper Danube Valley Nature Reserve (www.oberedonau.de, www.naturpark-obere-donau.de, in German) bombards you with rugged splendour. Stick to the autobahn, however, and you’ll be none the wiser. To explore the nature reserve, slip into a bicycle saddle or walking boots, and hit the trail.
One of the finest stretches is between Fridingen and Beuron, a 12.5km ridge-top walk of three to four hours. The signposted, easy-to-navigate trail runs above ragged cliffs, affording eagle’s-eye views of the meandering Danube, which has almost 2850km to go before emptying into the Black Sea. The vertigo-inducing outcrop of Laibfelsen is a great picnic spot. From here, the path dips in and out of woodlands and meadows flecked with purple thistles. Berghaus Knopfmacher ( 1057; Fridingen; mains €8-14) has a terrace for reviving over drinks and Swabian fare, including game in season.
In Beuron the big draw is the working Benedictine abbey, one of Germany’s oldest dating to 1077. The lavish stucco and fresco church (admission free; 5am-8pm daily) is open to visitors. See the website www.beuron.de (in German) for sleeping options.
Fridingen and Beuron lie on the L277, 75km south of Tübingen and 45km east of Villingen. Frequent trains link Beuron to Tübingen (€25, two hours), Villingen (€29.50, 58 minutes) and Ulm (€20.40, 1¾ hours).
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ULM
0731 / pop 121,500
Starting with the statistics, Ulm has the crookedest house (as listed in Guinness) and one of the narrowest (4.5m wide), the world’s oldest zoomorphic sculpture (aged 30,000 years) and tallest cathedral steeple (161.5m high), and is the birthplace of the all-time brainiest physicist, Albert Einstein. Relatively speaking, of course.
Superlatives aside, this idiosyncratic city will win your affection with everyday encounters; particularly in summer when your chain sings as you pedal along the Danube and the Fischerviertel’s beer gardens hum with animated chatter. One Helles too many and you may decide to impress the locals by attempting the tongue twister: ‘In Ulm, um Ulm, und um Ulm herum.’ Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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Orientation
Ulm’s Altstadt, on the north bank of the Danube, is delineated by the river (south), the Hauptbahnhof (west) and Olgastrasse (north). The Münster looms above the pedestrianised centre. The Blau River’s two channels, lined with quaint houses, meet the Danube about 300m south of the Münster.
Skipping south of the Danube is the comparatively bland, modern city of Neu-Ulm in Bavaria. The two cities share transport systems and municipal facilities.
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Information
Eco-Express SB-Waschsalon (Wielandstrasse 29; 6am-11pm Mon-Sat) A self-service laundry four blocks northeast of Willy-Brandt-Platz.
Herwig ( 962 170; Münsterplatz 18) A bookshop with a good selection of travel guides and maps.
Internet Café (Herdbruckerstrasse 26; per hr €1; 10am-10pm)
Post office (Bahnhofplatz 2) To the left as you exit the Hauptbahnhof.
Tourist office ( 161 2830; www.tourismus.ulm.de; Stadthaus, Münsterplatz 50; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11am-3pm Sun