Ulm

Just off the Romantic Road, Ulm is worth a visit, if only briefly, to see its mighty Münster. The evangelical church is unusually ornate and has the world's tallest church tower (536 feet). Grown out of a medieval trading city thanks to its location on the Danube River, Ulm's Old Town is located directly on the river, which only adds to its charm. Each year, on the penultimate Monday in July—Schwörmontag—the townsfolk celebrate the mayor's "State of the Union" speech by parading down the Danube in homemade floating devices that make for a riotous sight. In the Fishermen's and Tanners' quarters the cobblestone alleys and stone-and-wood bridges over the Blau (a small Danube tributary) are especially picturesque. And down by the banks of the Danube, you'll find long sections of the old city wall and fortifications intact.