Lake Constance District: Lakeshore, rolling hills and special discoveries

In the Lake Constance District, long stretches of shoreline meet a hilly hinterland. The region extends along almost the entire northern shore of Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg and reaches into the Upper Swabian Hills and, to the east, the West Allgäu Hills. The district has a total of 57.7 kilometres of Lake Constance shoreline. When choosing a holiday destination, you can therefore consider whether you would like to focus more on the lake and its shores or on the rolling hills.

Between Lake Constance and orchards

The landscape is shaped by Lake Constance and the neighbouring hills, with orchards, vineyards, meadows and forests. These varied landscape features give the district its distinctive character: water and cultivated landscapes are just as much a part of it as open meadows and woodland. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in the Lake Constance District, your preferred surroundings can be a first guide when choosing where to stay. A location oriented towards the lake differs from one focused on the hills that extend further inland.

Pile dwellings: the Stone and Bronze Ages by the lake

The Unteruhldingen Pile Dwelling Museum is Germany’s oldest archaeological open-air museum. The visitor route leads through villages from the Stone and Bronze Ages. The tour also includes the ARCHAEORAMA multimedia show, which features a virtual dive to the pile dwellings in Lake Constance. The DISCOVERER TRAIL adds to the experience on the grounds: in the pile-dwelling cinema, experimental archaeologists introduce visitors to historical house-building techniques. The visitor route thus offers several different ways to explore the site: a look at the prehistoric villages, a virtual underwater perspective and an introduction to ancient building methods.

Museums and cultural history

In Friedrichshafen, the Dornier Museum is dedicated to aviation: covering 6,000 square metres, it houses almost 400 exhibits, including 14 original aircraft and a helicopter. The Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen offers public workshops, guided tours, lectures, discussion sessions and DIY activities. Those interested in technology and how it is presented can therefore find a range of museum subjects and formats in Friedrichshafen.

Kloster und Schloss Salem offers a different historical perspective. The monastery was founded in 1134 as a Cistercian abbey; the complex is one of the most important cultural monuments in the Lake Constance region. The Museum im Humpisschloss focuses on the trading journeys of the Counts of Humpis. Meanwhile, the Auto & Traktor Museum am Bodensee illustrates 100 years of urban and rural life through 350 vehicles on display. These places each highlight a different aspect: monastic history, the history of trade, and the development of vehicles as part of urban and rural life.

Nature, thermal waters and regional experiences

Eriskircher Ried is the largest and most valuable nature reserve on the German shore of Upper Lake Constance. Visitors can experience the local natural environment there. The Eriskirch Nature Conservation Centre offers guided nature tours and lectures year-round, as well as special activities for children. For families who would like to plan guided activities in addition to exploring nature on their own, these children’s activities are one practical option.

At Bodensee-Therme Überlingen, thermal water is drawn from a depth of more than 1,006 metres and flows into all the warm-water pools. The spa also offers sauna infusions and its own bathing beach; panoramic views stretch across Lake Constance to the Alps. In the historic setting of Meersburg Castle, a wine tasting featuring four selected Lake Constance wines from the Meersburg Winemakers’ Association takes place every Thursday.

Travel area and getting your bearings

The SeeGang premium hiking trail is 53 kilometres long and connects the Lake Constance towns of Konstanz and Überlingen. Friedrichshafen lies at the junction of routes to Ulm and Stuttgart, as well as to Basel and Munich. These details offer different starting points for planning your trip: you can weigh up your interests in nature and culture while considering which part of the Lake Constance District could serve as your base. When choosing a holiday apartment, it is useful to start by asking whether your trip will focus mainly on Lake Constance, museums and cultural sites, or nature in the district.

More places in the Lake Constance District: Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Meersburg, Kressbronn am Bodensee, Langenargen, Hagnau am Bodensee, Heiligenberg, Daisendorf, Bermatingen, Salem, Tettnang, Überlingen, Oberteuringen, Billafingen, Deggenhausertal, Sipplingen, Roggenbeuren, Neukirch, Uhldingen-Mühlhofen, Baitenhausen, Beuren, Meckenbeuren, Friedrichshafen, Owingen, Immenstaad am Bodensee, Eriskirch, Frickingen, Markdorf.

For the higher-level travel overview: Baden-Württemberg.