A town that's actually two: Ulm

Since 1810 there have been two Ulms – Ulm itself and its neighbour across the river, Neu-Ulm. A treaty at that time transferred Ulm to Württemberg, while the districts on the eastern bank of the Danube remained with Bavaria. For visitors, this means twice as many reasons to visit. There is almost a big city buzz on one side of the river, not to mention Ulm Minster and a historical town centre, while the friendly, smaller town on the other side boasts a stunning water tower, fortifications and various traditional brewhouses.

The finger of God and a heavenly clock

Ulm Minster, the 'finger of God' with the highest church tower in the world, is the dual town's predominant building. And the square on which it stands is an endlessly fascinating place that offers a great mix of historical and modern architecture. But there is definitely more to Ulm than the Minster and Münsterplatz square, and at a stone's throw away, the beautiful town hall is one of the reasons why. The oldest part of the present building was erected in 1370 and served as a trading house. It was first mentioned as a town hall in 1419 and the ornate astronomical clock was added in around 1520.

Pioneers: Einstein and the tailor of Ulm

In the stairwell in the town hall, visitors can look up and see a replica of the flying machine built by Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger, the legendary tailor of Ulm. Unfortunately his attempts at flying two hundred years ago were not crowned with success. On the crucial day there was no favourable wind and his 'flight' ended in the gushing Danube. Nevertheless, he is still esteemed today as an able man, and the locals' penchant for striking out in new directions – at least in spirit – is a reminder of another famous son – Albert Einstein, who was born in Ulm.

Further ahead, via the Weinhof – an important trading house for almost 500 years – are the ancient Steinhaus (stone house), the Romanesque Chapel of St. Nicholas dating from around 1220 and the 17th century Schwörhaus (oath house). Jahrhundert. Every year on Schwörmontag, a public holiday in Ulm, the town's mayor stands on the Schwörhaus balcony and repeats the historic oath of 1397 to uphold the constitution. A walk through Ulm Museum is also fascinating. The archaeological collection boasts the Löwenmensch (lion man), the oldest animal/human sculpture in the world dating back approx. 30,000 years, and features alongside a collection of major European and American artworks from 1945 onwards.

Where the town's fat butchers came to a sticky (or boggy) end

A distinctive feature of Ulm's townscape are two towers that form part of the old town fortifications: the Gänseturm (goose tower) and the Metzgerturm (butchers' tower), built in 1345 and better known as the Leaning Tower of Ulm. The story behind the tower is typical of Ulm. Legend has it, the tower got its name from the butchers who added sawdust to their sausage mix. When the townspeople realised this, they locked the culprits in the tower. And as the corpulent butchers huddled together in fear in a corner upon the angry major's entrance, the tower is supposed to have tilted. In actual fact, the tower is leaning because it stands on a former swamp.

Visitors should try to stay upright, however, when they visit Ulm/Neu-Ulm's many beer gardens, some of which still brew their own beers. Several beer gardens are located in Friedrichsau Park, which runs along the banks of the Danube and has been the largest green space in Ulm/Neu-Ulm since 1811. Other lovely places to relax include Glacis Park in Neu-Ulm, where remnants of the town's former fortifications are still to be seen, the university's botanical gardens, and lots of smaller but no less pretty spots. Then again, wherever you go in this wonderful double town, you will discover that you can't help but relax and enjoy yourself.