Lindau

Lake Constance, at roughly 395 meters above sea level, lies between Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, covering 536 square kilometers. Stretching 69 kilometers from Bregenz to Stein am Rhein, it plunges 251 meters at its deepest point between Fischbach and Uttwil. The Alpine Rhine flows in, the Seerhein connects the Obersee and Untersee, and the river then exits as the Hochrhein.On the German side, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria share its shores. Travel by ferry and ship here between Konstanz, the flower island Mainau, the castle town Meersburg, and the island city Lindau, where a UNESCO World Heritage site awaits on Reichenau Island.

Above Lake Constance, in Meersburg, rises Meersburg Castle, which is considered Germany's oldest inhabited castle. It has been documented since 1147, and its keep is named Dagobertsturm. The poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff lived at the castle from 1841 and died there in 1848; her death room is part of the tour.In the castle museum, you can visit over 30 furnished rooms, from the castle kitchen and knight's hall to the dungeon. Opposite stands the Neues Schloss, built in the 18th century as the residence of the Prince-Bishops of Konstanz. From Konstanz, you reach Meersburg in about 15 minutes by car ferry.

Konstanz, with over 85,000 inhabitants, is the largest city on Lake Constance and is located where the Rhine leaves the Upper Lake. To the south, the city borders directly on Swiss Kreuzlingen. It made world history with the Council of Constance from 1414 to 1418, during which Martin V. was elected Pope in 1417 in the market hall at the harbor, thus ending the Western Schism.At the harbor, Peter Lenk's nine-meter-high Imperia statue turns, a satirical commentary on the Council. From here, ships depart for Mainau, Meersburg, and by catamaran to Friedrichshafen, and in the old town, the Minster rises, whose tower platform is open from Easter until October.

Flower Island Mainau on Lake Überlingen, covering around 45 hectares, is the third-largest island in Lake Constance and has belonged since 1974 to the non-profit Lennart Bernadotte Foundation. Thanks to the mild lake climate, palms and other Mediterranean plants thrive here; in the Palm House stands a Canary Island Date Palm planted in 1888.The blossoms change throughout the year: tulips and daffodils in spring, around 500 rose varieties in the Italian Rose Garden in summer, and approximately 20,000 dahlias in autumn. Also featured are the baroque Deutschorden Palace, an arboretum established from 1856, and a butterfly house open year-round. You can reach the island via a pedestrian bridge from the mainland or by boat.

Situated on the Lech at 808 meters, Füssen is Bavaria's highest city. Above the old town, the Hohe Schloss, the late Gothic residence of the Augsburg Prince-Bishops, presides. Below it lies the baroque former Benedictine monastery of St. Mang, home to the city museum. In 1562, Europe's first lute-makers' guild was founded here.Füssen marks the end of the Romantic Road and serves as the gateway to the royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. At the Lechfall, the river carves its way through a gorge; northeast of the city, it flows into Lake Forggensee. Regional trains connect Füssen with Munich and Augsburg.