When I talk with foreign friends about Germany, most of them know cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. Sometimes Cologne and Frankfurt too. However, Germany offers so much variety across the country and one of those gems is the city of Ulm in the southern German province of Baden-Württemberg. Truth be told, it was the first time for me too to visit Ulm. It was a sunny and mild weekend end of September when I took the train from Berlin to Ulm and headed to the local and pretty hip ‘me and all hotel ulm’. And what can I tell you – I was more than pleasantly surprised!
Let me start with the most basic (and quite often most important) part: the accommodation! I had the chance to stay in the recently opened ‘me and all hotel ulm’, a four-stars hotel in the city’s center, just opposite of the main train station. The convenient location is perfect for travelers arriving by train – you are literally in one minute in the hotel. Plus walking to the historical city center will take you about five minutes.
The hotel offers comfy rooms with an urban interior style and lots of great amenities such as a pretty nice restaurant and rooftop bar, a gym with views of the famous Ulm cathedral, and – what I liked in particular – cool urban gardening on the rooftop. The green living wall is amazing and a smart watering system provides the necessary care for the lush plant wall.
The city of Ulm itself is really a German gem – I felt that way even though I was born and raised in nearby Austria and I’ve been living for the past 15 years in Germany. Now imagine how this will feel for someone visiting Germany from another country! Ulm has a quaint city center with the famous cathedral in its center and a lot of medieval structures – little cobbled alleys, timber-framed houses, picturesque squares, old towers, and even a walkable fortification wall. The Danube runs through the city offering splendid recreational areas and green parks.
Moreover, you won’t be disappointed when it comes to nice cafés, little shops, and good restaurants. Some of my personal highlights were the local farmers’ market on the central square on Saturdays to stroll around and take in the colors and sounds of Ulm. If you are there, do not miss to grab a cup of great coffee from Kley coffee roasters on the market. Stroll down to the amazing town hall building, then walk on the medieval city walls, pass by the famous ‘crooked house’, and when you feel a little hunger announcing itself, stop by at Noe, a fabulous deli in the city center.
Later I recommend a relaxed stroll along the Danube and climbing the twisted Berblinger tower for a bird’s eye view of the city. Later walk back to the center via the cute ‘Grabenhäusle’ settlement – the tiny houses date back to the 17th century when they were built as housing for soldiers atop the fortification walls. Today these terraced houses look like a dreamy village in the city and are beyond picture perfect.
If you need more coffee, stop at Kaffee Fred and maybe have a look at the cute little shop Die Tagträumerei. For dinner experience the delicious Kukku spicy ramen in the ÜBER rooftop restaurant at the ‘me and all hotel ulm’ or opt for local food specialties at the brewery and restaurant Barfüßer.
I have also saved all my Ulm Instagram stories in my IG highlight Ulm if you fancy to see more impressions of the city, the hotel and its sights. So what are you waiting for? Ulm is waiting for you!
This blog post has been brought to you in collaboration with ‘me and all hotels’. As always all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who support this blog!
Photography by Igor Josifovic-Kemper
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