Ulm is not Berlin or Munich or Hamburg, but maybe that’s just the reason to come to Ulm!
So far, many of our guests only knew Ulm from the saying “In Ulm, um Ulm und um Ulm herum” (which is kind of a tongue-twister and which means in Ulm and around Ulm and round around Ulm) and maybe they have heard of the Ulm Minster. But upon their departures, we often hear that they thought Ulm was great and that they had a very good time here. The beautiful old town, the perfect location directly on the banks of the Danube, the really many restaurants, cafés, bars and small shops apart from the “mainstream” and the, for its size, large variety of cultural offerings. And compared to the hustle and bustle of a big city, things are very relaxed. The best thing to do is to walk or go by bike, you are quickly in the countryside and there are many exciting destinations in its vicinity. Just come and find out 🙂 In Ulm, around Ulm and round around Ulm…

Have a look here, for “cultural events” in Ulm and Neu-Ulm:
https://www.kultur-in-ulm.de/
https://tourismus.ulm.de/de/entdecken/veranstaltungen/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/wohininulm/posts/

Roxy – one of the largest socio-cultural centres in southern Germany with music, cabaret, comedy, literature, theatre, dance and visual arts and parties https://www.roxy.ulm.de/programm/programm.php

Theatre:
https://www.theater-ulm.de/
https://tourismus.ulm.de/web/de/ulm-und-neu-ulm/theater-und-buehnen/theater-buehnen.php
www.theaterei.de

Cinemas:
https://www.cineplex.de/ulm/
www.xinedome.de

And if you want to go out in local company, have a look at the “Mitgehbörse” (an online site to find like-minded people to visit a concert, theatre…):
https://www.mitgehboerse-ulm.de/

https://tourismus.ulm.de/de/entdecken/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungshighlights/

There are numerous festivals, markets and cultural events throughout the year:

• the Ulmer Zelt – a 6-week cultural festival in a big circus tent (end of May – beginning of July)
  https://ulmerzelt.de/
• the “Schwörwochenende” – THE city festival of Ulm with romantic moments (thousands of candles floating down the Danube), one big and many small concerts, lots of fun on the Danube and much more (3rd week-end of July)
  https://www.ulm.de/tourismus/stadtgeschichte/feste-und-traditionen
  
• the International Danube Festival, a 10-day colorful festival of cultures and encounters (and delicious food) (beginning of July, every 2 years)
  https://www.ulm.de/rathaus/%C3%BCber-ulm-hinaus/ulm-und-die-donaul%C3%A4nder/das-internationale-donaufest
• the historic “Fischerstechen” (boat jousting) (every 4 years)
  https://www.ulm.de/tourismus/stadtgeschichte/feste-und-traditionen/fischerstechen
• Christmas Markets (in Ulm and Neu-Ulm (-> medieval Christmas market)
  https://www.ulmer-weihnachtsmarkt.de/
  https://www.weihnachtsmarkt-neu-ulm.de/
• Wine festival on the Münsterplatz (2-3 weeks in August)
• Kleinbrauermarkt (Craft Beer Market) on the Münsterplatz (one weekend in May)
• Culture Night (September)
• Einstein Marathon (September)
• Medieval Market in Wiblingen (over the long weekend of Ascension of Christ)
• “Culture in the Street“ / Street art festival in Neu-Ulm (1 WE in August)

Artisan markets, pottery markets and much more …

On the website of the Tourist Information Ulm/Neu-Ulm you will find a good overview of what you can see in Ulm and Neu-Ulm, about opening hours, entrance fees, etc. Ulm Minster, Fishermen’s Quarter, Moat Houses…:
https://tourismus.ulm.de/de/entdecken/sehen-und-erleben/sehenswuerdigkeiten/

And there are also many beautiful things to do “for free”:
https://tourismus.ulm.de/de/news/freethingstodoulm.php

Information about museums and current exhibitions can be found here:
https://tourismus.ulm.de/de/entdecken/sehen-und-erleben/kunst-und-kultur/museen-und-ausstellungen/

Wiblingen
Do you feel like baroque splendour and ornate rococo? The Wiblingen Monastery with its magnificent library hall is only 4 km away – or, for a more beautiful way to get there – 6 km by bike or on foot along the rivers Danube and Iller.
https://tourismus.ulm.de/web/de/ulm-und-neu-ulm/kirchen-kloester/kloster-wiblingen.php

Blaubeuren
Of course, Blaubeuren, where Anja spent her childhood and youth must not be missing on this list. It is approx. 20km to this quaint little town. Also by bike a really nice trip – once you are outside of Ulm, you always follow the bike path along the river Blau and finally you will come to the almost mystical deep turquoise blue “Blautopf”, Germany’s most beautiful karst spring with a huge underground cave system.
And once there – the monastery, the historic town centre and the Museum of Prehistory are also really worth seeing. There is a delicious ice cream parlor, nice cafés and many hiking trails to caves, rocks and the Swabian Jura.

Swabian Jura
A trip to the Swabian Jura is also recommended – a paradise for hikers and cyclists, nature lovers, cave explorers, spaetzle fans. You will find castles, fortresses, museums, …
https://www.schwaebischealb.de/wandern
https://www.schwaebischealb.de/rad

And with a little planning it can also easily be reached by public transport – directly from Ulm for example with the “Schwäbische Alb Bahn”: https://www.alb-bahn.com/
or first by train from Ulm and then by bus: https://www.schwaebischealb.de/rad/rad-wanderbusse-auf-der-schwaebischen-alb

Allgäu Alps
You want “real” mountains? In 2 hours by train you are – without changing – for example in Oberstdorf where you can climb the Allgäu peaks!

The royal castles (such as “Cinderalla’s Castle/Neuschwanstein) near Füssen are also suitable for a day trip – however, the journey takes 2.5-3 hours by train, but is for example possible with the low-priced “Bayern Ticket”.

Bodensee / Lake Constance
Do you want to go to the sea? This is also not a problem and definitely also suitable for a day trip (e.g. with the low fare “Baden-Württemberg-Ticket”): Lake Constance – the “Swabian Sea”. By train you are in Friedrichshafen in 1h and from there you can either continue by train, for example to Lindau and Bregenz or Langenargen, Meersburg and Überlingen or by catamaran across the lake to Constance or to the flower island of Mainau… For us, too, it’s like a day of holiday every time we go there 🙂

Stuttgart/Munich
Do you want “more city”? In 1 hour you are in Stuttgart or in 1.5 hours in Munich…