Rovinj

Rovinj is a coastal Istria’s city and its famous attraction. Primarily a fishing port, or to be precise, the last true Mediterranean fishing port, Today Rovinj is overrun by tourists thanks to the abilities of its citizens to benefit from their natural resources. Rovinj manages to keep up with the modern times in a very interesting way, by combining its rich tradition with the new trends.

The Old Town, contained within an egg-shaped peninsula  and surrounded by luscious forests, is criss-crossed with steep cobbled streets and piazzas. The 14 islands of the Rovinj archipelago are a pleasant destionation for an afternoon away,; the most popular are Saint Catherine and Crveni Otok (Red Island). About 1.5km south is the Punta Corrente Forest Park and the wooded Golden Cape, with its age-old oak and pine trees and several large hotels.

Church of St Euphemia : Theproud ot the town, this imposing church dominates the old town from its hilltop location in the middle of the peninsula. Built in 1736, it’s the largest baroque building in Istria, reflecting the period during the 18th century when Rovinj was its most populated town. Inside,the church visitors can marvel at the marble tomb of St Euphemia behind the right-hand altar. Modelled on the belfry of St Mark’s in Venice, the 60m bell tower is topped by a copper statue of St Euphemia, which shows the direction of the wind by turning on a spindle.

 

Batana House is a museum dedicated to the batana, a flat-bottomed fishing boat that stands as a symbol of Rovinj’s seafaring and fishing traditions. The multimedia exhibitions inside the 17th-century town house have interactive displays, excellent captions and audio with bitinada, which are typical fishers’ songs. 

The elaborate Balbi Arch was built in 1679 on the location of the former town gate. The top of the arch is ornamented with a Turkish head on the outside and a Venetian head on the inside.

Grisia: Lined with galleries where local artists sell their work, this cobbled street leads uphill from behind the Balbi Arch to St Euphemia. The winding narrow backstreets that spread around Grisia are like a maze where tourists like to lose themselves among windows, balconies, portals and squares which embody a buffling, but pleasant to the eye mixture of styles – Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassicism. A special attention should be paid to the unique fumaioli (exterior chimneys), built during the population boom when entire families lived in a single room with a fireplace.

Known as one of the most picturesque and romantic towns on Mediterranean, over the last few decades Rovinj attracts a large number of tourists. Most of them faithfully return year after year due to the unique combination of the breath of past times felt as you walk around old town's cobbled narrow streets, with its  22 islands and islets, the mild Mediterranean climate, carefully designed parks, the tidiness of its streets, the friendliness of the local population or numerous and varied town events.

Ulm

Ulm has a lot to offer both inside and outside its city limits. Here, for example, an impressive mix of architecture meets historic sites and numerous gardens and parks. These are ideally complemented by great museums, theaters and collections of world class. The most popular Ulm attractions can be found in the city center.

High, higher, Ulm Münster! With 162 m, the Ulm Cathedral has the highest church tower in the world. At the same time the Ulm Cathedral is the largest Protestant church in Germany. The construction of the imposing church began in 1377 and spread over a period of 500 years. The profane reason for this: In 1543 the money for the further construction was missing. However, church construction was nearly completed by this year. To this day, it has been preserved in its original substance.

The Fishing Village (Fischerviertel): The talk is about the fishmonger Ulm, which is the most important old town complex in Ulm. Situated at the mouth of the Blue River in the Danube, the fishing village enchants with half-timbered architecture, old alleys and winding passages, as well as its numerous bridges. Once upon a time, craftsmen, whose work was related to the water, lived and worked here. Among them were Fischer, Gerber, Seifensieder or Müller.

Architecture: Opposites attract! If the city houses impressive historical buildings on the one hand, it shows an exciting architectural interplay with super-modern buildings on the other side. Ulm's town center, for example, is home to historic buildings such as the Town Hall, the Market Square and the Ulm Cathedral. On the other hand, there are modern buildings such as the White Town Hall and the pyramidal, glassy Central library.

Ulms Museums: If you are going on a trip to Ulm on the Danube, you will be surprised by the range of museums and exhibitions. For example, you can get an insight into the age of primordial and early history or the art of modernity in the cultural institutions of the city. To choose one of the museums in Ulm is anything but easy. How about visiting the Museum of Bread Culture? It gives you an exciting insight into the importance of grain and bread for the cultural development of mankind. A focus is on the depiction of the lack of bread or its history and present.

The Crooked House from the 15th / 16th century, the best-known house in the old town of Ulm, is located in the Fishermen's quarter on the banks of river Blue.According to the Guinness Book of Records, this building lodges, since 1995, the "most crooked hotel" of the world. After a complex renovation, it is corrected and secured in its crooked position.

The Town Hall Ulm: It is located close to the Ulm Cathedral and can be recognized by its impressive exterior paintings from the early Renaissance period. The paintings depict doctrinal representations of commandments, virtues and vices, dating back to 1900. In fact, they are considerably older. However, they had to be re-applied because of the weather.

Einstein Fountain: Once Ulmer, always Ulmer! One of the most famous sons of Ulm is none other than Albert Einstein. On March 14, 1879, the world-famous genius was born in Ulm. Although Einstein lived only 15 months in the city, he felt that he will be connected with the city even after his death.

The Danube Aquarium: A visit to the zoo with Danube Aquarium should not be missing on your to-do list of the most exciting attractions in Ulm. In the zoo you can marvel at more than 2,000 animals up close. There are numerous native species as well as exotic inhabitants to admire. When visiting the zoo, for example, you will discover arrowgift frogs and iguanas. In the tropical house, monkeys, crocodiles and colorful birds await you.

A holiday in Ulm is more than worthwhile. The Donube city is the right place for adventurers and explorers as well as for culture and nature fans. These most popular Ulm attractions promises you a colorful mix that shows how versatile the city is. Therefore you can look forward to an impressive combination of tradition and modernity, from history and innovation as well as exciting experience.