Visit Lake Constance and see three countries in one go
The next time you’d like to take a short trip but can’t decide which country to visit, head to Lake Constance, or Bodensee, as it is known in German. The lake not only offers so much water that it is hard not to believe you’re by the sea, but it also borders on three countries, namely Switzerland, Germany and Austria. This melding of national identities adds up to a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere that is helped no doubt by the Mediterranean climate. During the summer months, sun worshippers line the beaches, dipping into the lake or one of the outdoor pools occasionally to cool off. Lake Constance is also a place where Germans love to spend their holiday, so it must be good!
The lake is 42 miles long, eight miles wide and 827 ft. (252 m) deep, making it the largest lake in western Europe. The water creates a benign climate, enabling all types of fruit to be grown on the fertile shores. Depending on the season, succulent raspberries, strawberries and baskets of apples or plums are laid outside farmhouses for passers-by to purchase, turning the area into a true Garden of Eden. Winemaking and fishing are major industries. The chief towns and cities around the lake are Konstanz, Friedrichshafen and Lindau, all in Germany; Bregenz in Austria; and Rorschach in Switzerland.
The lake and the surrounding forest and mountains provide the ideal setting for all sorts of sports and outdoor activities. Endless trails for cycling, inline skating or running wind their way around the lakeshore. It is also enjoyable to hike up one of the snow-capped mountains, such as Switzerland’s Säntis, which dominate the lake’s backdrop. And that’s not forgetting swimming, sailing, windsurfing and diving in the lake itself. Of course, there is also a lot to see for those who aren’t feeling so active.
HOW TO GET THERE:
It takes about three hours to travel by train from Munich’s Central Train Station to Friedrichshafen Stadt, changing in Ulm en route. You can reach Lake Constance by car via the A96 to Lindau, which continues to Bregenz.
CONSTANCE
Konstanz, or Constance, lies on the Swiss border at the western end of Lake Constance. Romantic alleyways and cobbled streets wend their way between the medieval facades and modern buildings. Numerous historic buildings line the streets of the city, which was founded as a Roman fort in the fourth century AD, including the 11th-century cathedral, the council building (1388) and a former Dominican convent (now a hotel), the birthplace of the soldier and aviator Graf von Zeppelin (b. 1838).
The city is excellent for shopping. Keep your eye out for artistically designed clothes, jewelry and furniture—indeed, many Swiss come over the border to buy their wares here. If that’s not your idea of fun, then the Sea Life Centre is also worth a visit, especially for the children. Its dozens of aquariums are home to around 3,000 freshwater and seawater fish, ranging from perch to sharks.
It is best to approach Constance by ferryboat from Meersburg, as there is a dramatic welcome when you pull into the harbor. Some 18 tons of stone have been carved into a 30-foot-high sculpture, representing a voluptuous beauty called Imperia. Peter Lenk created the statue to immortalize the heroine of Honore de Balzac’s stories.
Constance is a vibrant university city, which means that there are plenty of trendy cafés and happening bars and clubs to visit at night. It is also pleasant just to stroll in the sun along the lakeshore and feed the swans. The mild climate allows grapes to thrive. Sun-blessed terraces and steep slopes run down to the lake, offering ideal conditions for producing Müller-Thurgau, Burgunder, Schwarzriesling and Chardonnay wines. It is worth trying the elegant, full-bodied wines from the Sonnenhalde and Haltenau vineyards.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Tourist Information Center, Tel. (07351) 13 30 30
Fischmarkt 2, 78462 Konstanz
www.konstanz.de, info@ti.konstanz.de
MAINAU
A squadron of gardeners walk down the path with knives, buckets and barrows in tow. Inching into a thick grove of color, they start deadheading blooms, both massive and minute. The gardeners are among the 400 employees who help fill Mainau with intoxicating scents, colors and an abundance of flowers. Mainau is an island in Lake Constance and one of Europe’s most famous gardens.
The gardens that visitors see today took root in 1827, when an Austro-Hungarian prince took possession of the land, clearing it to make way for rare plants and Mediterranean bushes. About 30 years later, Grand Duke Friedrich I, the new owner, began planting exotic palms, citrus trees and a classic Italian rose garden. When he died, his widow ordered that no changes be made to the palace or the grounds. The Duke’s daughter, Queen Victoria of Sweden, bequeathed the island to its current owners, Count Lennart and Countess Sonja Bernadotte.
The 110-acre gardens feature a variety of flowers and trees. Among them are soaring Sequoias, whose seeds were imported from California in 1853 by Friedrich I. Not to be missed is the island’s aforementioned Italian Rose Garden and its 100-year-old climbers and rhododendrons, which soar to ten feet tall. Youngsters will have fun at Mainau’s Children’s Land, which features “flower animals” and a farm with real livestock.
In the spring, Mainau hosts a huge orchid show, followed by the blooming of more than a million tulips, which emerge just as the cherry trees blossom, as well as other favorites like hyacinths and daffodils. In summer, you’ll find thousands of rhododendrons, roses and other warm-weather flowers, followed by the late bloomers, such as dahlias, in autumn.
The island is also home to Germany’s largest butterfly house, which enables visitors to see hundreds of the colorful creatures at close range. There is also a tree collection that features everything from giant cedar tress to the Japanese Katsura tree and the North American Tulip tree.
Part of the fun of Mainau is getting there. The best way to reach the “island of flowers” is via the passenger ferries that traverse the lake from the fairy-tale town of Meersburg. The journey takes about 40 minutes. Mainau’s most famous attraction, the Palm House, looms into view as you approach the dock. The Palm House is home to 20 varieties of palms, 3,000 Mediterranean and subtropical plants, and a citrus collection. The greenhouse protects the lush tropical plants all year round.
You can’t spend the night on the island, but there are restaurants and a beer cellar for food and drink.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Insel Mainau Information Center, Tel. (07531) 30 30
www.mainau.de
Mainau is open all year round. The park closes at dusk. An adult ticket costs € 11 and a family ticket for parents with children up to 15 years of age costs € 22.20
REICHENAU
Vitamins for the monks. Maybe that’s how it all started in the days of itinerant Bishop Pirmin back in AD 724. The Benedictine abbey developed the “reiche Au” (rich meadow) into a fertile island. Romanesque churches followed. The island has three splendidly preserved medieval churches, which illustrate monastic architecture from the 9th to the 12th century. Valuable works of art can still be admired here, including the Ottonian wall paintings in St. George’s Church in Oberzell.
Today, Reichenau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rows of fruit trees and vegetables, lined up in straight, parallel rows, fill the island’s fertile grounds. Rich fishing waters surround the island. Thousands of birds from all over Europe flock to the “Wollmatinger Ried,” one of Germany’s largest nature reserves, to rest on their way further south.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Tourist Information Center
Tel. (07534) 920 70, Pirminstrasse 145, 78479 Insel Reichenau
Touristinfo-reichenau@t-online.de
LINDAU
A trip to Lake Constance isn’t complete without a visit to Lindau, which was an imperial city from 1275 to 1803 before being passed to Bavaria in 1805. Connected by bridges to the mainland, it is a picturesque summer resort and a starting point for steamboats to Austria and Switzerland.
Lindau has a historic town center as well as a reputation of being one of the region’s leading health spas; it also has a promenade along the harbor with a stirring view of the Alps. With a population of less than 35,000, Lindau manages to retain much of its Old World charm: small shops and hotels, cobblestone streets and squares. The main street of Lindau, or the Hauptstrasse, is lined with picturesque old inns and houses as well as the municipal museum and the old town hall. Much of this area is off limits to vehicles during most of the day and evening, so you can wander about casually without having to dodge cars.
Orchestras or smaller musical groups often perform along the waterfront. Many people spend a pleasant couple of hours sitting on an outdoor bench or eating outside a nearby restaurant while enjoying an al fresco concert. And, to add to the atmosphere, many of the waterfront buildings are illuminated after dark.
At the foot of the car bridge to the mainland, there is a beautiful park area where outstanding floral displays change to fit the seasons. From this vantage point you can also get a good view of the many stately old homes located just across the water on the mainland, or just stare at the gleaming waters of the lake.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Tourist Information Center, Tel. (08382) 26 00 30
Ludwigstrasse 68, 88131 Lindau
www.lindau-tourismus.de, info@prolindau.de <<<
