Swabian Alb: castles, springs and the Danube
Cliff-top castles, a tufa waterfall and the blue Blautopf spring on the limestone plateau between Stuttgart and Ulm.
- Distance
- 221 km (137 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 03 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 8
- Countries
- Germany
- Updated
- August 2, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 221 km (137 mi) with 8 stops, from Stuttgart to Ulm. About 3 h 03 min of driving in total.
Route description
From Stuttgart, take the B28 south-east to Bad Urach, a half-timbered spa town at the foot of the Alb escarpment. The Uracher Wasserfall is a short walk from the edge of town and pairs well with a visit to the ruined Hohenurach castle above.
Climb onto the plateau to Lichtenstein Castle, a Romantic castle perched on a pillar of rock; the viewpoint beside it looks down a sheer drop. Continue south-west to Hohenzollern Castle, visible for miles on its cone of a hill, and take the shuttle from the lower car park.
Cross the plateau to Sigmaringen, where the Hohenzollern princes’ castle rises over the Danube. The upper Danube valley just west of town, with its limestone cliffs, is a worthwhile detour for cyclists and canoeists.
Follow the Danube downstream towards Ulm, stopping at Blaubeuren for the Blautopf, a spring so blue it looks dyed. Ulm Minster has the world’s tallest church spire, and the old fishermen’s quarter lines the river. The Alb is cool and breezy; spring and autumn are lovely, and the roads suit motorhomes.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Stuttgart
Germany - 244 km
Bad Urach
Germany - 33 km
Uracher Wasserfall
NatureBad Urach, GermanyA waterfall dropping 37 m over a mossy tufa ledge, reached by an easy half-hour walk up the Brühlbach valley from the car park.
- 416 km
Lichtenstein Castle
HistoryLichtenstein, GermanyA fairy-tale castle perched on a cliff edge of the Swabian Alb, built in the 1840s after a romantic novel. Even without a tour, the view from the grounds is worth the stop.
- 529 km
Hohenzollern Castle
HistoryHechingen, GermanyThe ancestral seat of the Prussian kings crowns a lone cone in front of the Swabian Alb. Leave the car at the lower car park and take the shuttle bus or walk up.
- 640 km
Sigmaringen
Germany - 770 km
Blautopf
NatureBlaubeuren, GermanyA karst spring of startling blue, the outflow of a vast cave system beneath the Swabian Alb. Park in town and walk a few minutes; the colour is strongest in sunshine.
- 819 km
Ulm
Germany
