bodensee
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:25 PM
#5
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Lindau,the old town with nice harbor; Bregenz (by boat from Lindau)and the Pfaender cable car; Nonnenhorn; Meersburg; Insel Mainau; Konstanz. (koinstanz, Meersburg and Mainau can be combined in a half day trip.
Mar 30th, 2007, 11:38 AM
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The word is "Zeppelin".
The museum is at the harbor in Friedrichshafen. Take a train to Friedrichshafen "Stadt" Bahnhof, and change for a train to the "Hafen". It's all of about 1 km. When you get off the train, the museum is right in front of you. If you look in the window, you can see the mockup of the Hindenburg.
As an engineer, I was totally fascinated with the museum, and would recommend it. My wife is a liberal arts major (degrees in English literature) and could not appreciate it.
The museum is at the harbor in Friedrichshafen. Take a train to Friedrichshafen "Stadt" Bahnhof, and change for a train to the "Hafen". It's all of about 1 km. When you get off the train, the museum is right in front of you. If you look in the window, you can see the mockup of the Hindenburg.
As an engineer, I was totally fascinated with the museum, and would recommend it. My wife is a liberal arts major (degrees in English literature) and could not appreciate it.
Mar 30th, 2007, 11:55 AM
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Larry - maybe you have an update on actual Zeppelin flights that a few years back they were offering here?
Guess they started making Zeppelins as well again now here - plans were to fly them on tourist jaunts over the Alps for one thing.
Guess they started making Zeppelins as well again now here - plans were to fly them on tourist jaunts over the Alps for one thing.
Mar 30th, 2007, 12:02 PM
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Larry, I'm an art historian, have no clue about engineering and appreciated the Zeppelin museum very much.
treplow: "Doing" Konstanz, Meersburg AND Mainau in one single half day trip sounds just crazy to me. Each of the three deserves a full day.
Don't miss the Western part, the Untersee, with the island of Reichenau (see the treasure chamber at the monastery of Mittelzell!), Arenenberg palace on the Swiss side and, further West on the Rhine, Stein am Rhein and Schaffhausen.
treplow: "Doing" Konstanz, Meersburg AND Mainau in one single half day trip sounds just crazy to me. Each of the three deserves a full day.
Don't miss the Western part, the Untersee, with the island of Reichenau (see the treasure chamber at the monastery of Mittelzell!), Arenenberg palace on the Swiss side and, further West on the Rhine, Stein am Rhein and Schaffhausen.
Mar 30th, 2007, 12:04 PM
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The big three for me would be Meersburg, Mainau Insel, and Lindau. Great things to see and experience. The Mainau Insel in particular was spectacular with all the flowers and the butterfly house.
Mar 30th, 2007, 11:59 PM
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hi calcrimson,
great idea to visit Lake Constance or Bodensee. If you like beautiful landscapes, you will be pleased, as all the other visitors there.
There is nothing like a must see but there is a want to see or a would like to see approach.
So, you have first to become aware of your wishes, and then to do further research - here at fodorīs, at the placesī own homepages or in your local library.
Remember Larryincolorado, who was pleased with the Zeppelin Museum located in Friedrichshafen, but his wife was disappointed - there is an art exhibition there to be found too, well, but not that large. But there is art to be found. For a real art lover, I wourd suggest Basel or Winterthur (a daytrip if you use the train).
For your stay, I recommend a place on the German lakeside, as the panorama there is much more better (you look onto the Austrian and Swiss alps). You have to decide, whether you go on a round trip or you take a place for your base. This depends on the way you want to travel, by car or by public transportation (train, bus, passenger boat). You can also go by bike, which is quite popular there.
Island of Mainau is considered a main attraction, a favorite amongst all lovers of parks and flowers. You can get there with a passenger boat, so you have a boat trip with it. There are passenger boats on the lake, connecting the towns an villages at the lakeside on a schedule. There are also trains and busses, but the passenger ships wonīt cost that much more and you have a nicce trip on them. Google for Bodensee Schiffahrt.
If you like places with that European old town feeling - do some further research on Lindau, Konstanz, Überlingen, Stein am Rhein, and, Fodorites favorite, Meersburg.
Lindauīs city is located on an island with a nice lakeside harbour and nice old town buildings. The train station has some jugendstil elements.
Konstanz is a larger town, restricted by its off location. Nice city with a cathedral and that special old town feeling, nice lakeside, an university town (wich indicates a certain pub and culture scene). The university, located on a hill, quite ugly, pardon, built in a modernistic style to make the students go inside, where they find the place being constructed around an accessible library. Nice view from its Mensa or commons on the lake and island Mainau.
Überlingen, has a nice old town center a cathedral and a nice lakeside promenade. This town is smaller and calmer than Konstanz- no students, but lots of pensionnaires - as it wants to keep his status as Kurort - you can take Kneipp hydrotherapy applications there.
Stein am Rhein is known for its houses decorated with murals. A nice place for a daytrip, as you can go there by passenger boat. You can continue your trip from there towards Schaffhausen and the Rhine Fall.
Meersburg has kept its old town charme in a remarkable way. It is also a hub, passenger boats in directions Friedrichshafen, Überlingen and Konstanz, there is also a ferry in direction Konstanz. The castle or fortress Meersburg is also worth a visit.
Friedrichshafen has been named. It makes a good base, for it has an airport (hello Britishers, Ryanair is here) and is a street and railway hub. Home of the Zeppelins, nice museum. nice lakeside promenade, but, alas, nothing of the old time charme which is to be found so abundantly 20 km off in the hinterland in the town of Ravensburg.
St. Gallen has been named, impressive monastery. Also Reichenau, the oldest monastery there, this one for the conaisseur.
Birnau, an impressive baroque church located between Meersburg and Überlingen, deserves a mention and a visit.
Bregenz has been named, also a nice town which has kept some of his old times charm. But these Vorarlbergers! (Bregenz is the capital of the Austrian state of Voralberg) They honour whatīs old, they test whatīs new - you will find some extravagant examples of up-to-date architecture there. Also a nice lakeside and famous for its Bregenzer Festspiele - an opera performed on a stage on the lake. The funiculaire on mountain Pfänder has been mentioned, excellent panorama overlooking the lake.
There is also on the Swiss side hinterland a funiculaire onto the Säntis mountain.
If you like to stay in a village, do some further research on Nonnenhorn Kressbronn, Langenargen and Eriskirch. The last one, Eriskirch, might be a hidden gem for nature lovers, known for its iris meadow and reedy marsh lakeside.
Also Immenstaad (there is Immenstaad am Bodensee and Immenstadt im Allgäu, donīt confound), Hagnau, Uhldingen deserve mention, at Uhldingen is a reconstructed bronze age settlement (Pfahlbauten). Off the beaten track, Deggenhausertal in the hinterland offers priceworthy accomodation.
And, a mention for Bodman, the place which gave the name for the lake (Bodman See --> Bodensee), with a nice little rokoko castle of the counts of Bodman tha park is open for the public.
Local products:
Despite dense settlement, the area is also known for agricultural products as apples (Bodenseeobst) and fruit liquor (Obstler, Williams), wine (Meersburg, Hagnau) vegetables (Reichenau) and hops (Tettnang) for excellent beers, Weizenbier would be the choice for warm summers. You can also get Rothaus there, a pilsner brewed in the Schwarzwald (or Black Forest) with a certain cult status.
The lake also provides excellent fish. So, you once should have a Bodenseefelchen (a fish comparable to trout) together with a Viertele Meersburger (0,25 l of white wine from Meersburg).
Do not miss the little delights, as Butterbrezel or Butterseele (buttered pretzels or buttered seele) from a local bakersī or a Bratwurst or a Schübling or a Leberkäsweckle from a local butcherīs shop.
great idea to visit Lake Constance or Bodensee. If you like beautiful landscapes, you will be pleased, as all the other visitors there.
There is nothing like a must see but there is a want to see or a would like to see approach.
So, you have first to become aware of your wishes, and then to do further research - here at fodorīs, at the placesī own homepages or in your local library.
Remember Larryincolorado, who was pleased with the Zeppelin Museum located in Friedrichshafen, but his wife was disappointed - there is an art exhibition there to be found too, well, but not that large. But there is art to be found. For a real art lover, I wourd suggest Basel or Winterthur (a daytrip if you use the train).
For your stay, I recommend a place on the German lakeside, as the panorama there is much more better (you look onto the Austrian and Swiss alps). You have to decide, whether you go on a round trip or you take a place for your base. This depends on the way you want to travel, by car or by public transportation (train, bus, passenger boat). You can also go by bike, which is quite popular there.
Island of Mainau is considered a main attraction, a favorite amongst all lovers of parks and flowers. You can get there with a passenger boat, so you have a boat trip with it. There are passenger boats on the lake, connecting the towns an villages at the lakeside on a schedule. There are also trains and busses, but the passenger ships wonīt cost that much more and you have a nicce trip on them. Google for Bodensee Schiffahrt.
If you like places with that European old town feeling - do some further research on Lindau, Konstanz, Überlingen, Stein am Rhein, and, Fodorites favorite, Meersburg.
Lindauīs city is located on an island with a nice lakeside harbour and nice old town buildings. The train station has some jugendstil elements.
Konstanz is a larger town, restricted by its off location. Nice city with a cathedral and that special old town feeling, nice lakeside, an university town (wich indicates a certain pub and culture scene). The university, located on a hill, quite ugly, pardon, built in a modernistic style to make the students go inside, where they find the place being constructed around an accessible library. Nice view from its Mensa or commons on the lake and island Mainau.
Überlingen, has a nice old town center a cathedral and a nice lakeside promenade. This town is smaller and calmer than Konstanz- no students, but lots of pensionnaires - as it wants to keep his status as Kurort - you can take Kneipp hydrotherapy applications there.
Stein am Rhein is known for its houses decorated with murals. A nice place for a daytrip, as you can go there by passenger boat. You can continue your trip from there towards Schaffhausen and the Rhine Fall.
Meersburg has kept its old town charme in a remarkable way. It is also a hub, passenger boats in directions Friedrichshafen, Überlingen and Konstanz, there is also a ferry in direction Konstanz. The castle or fortress Meersburg is also worth a visit.
Friedrichshafen has been named. It makes a good base, for it has an airport (hello Britishers, Ryanair is here) and is a street and railway hub. Home of the Zeppelins, nice museum. nice lakeside promenade, but, alas, nothing of the old time charme which is to be found so abundantly 20 km off in the hinterland in the town of Ravensburg.
St. Gallen has been named, impressive monastery. Also Reichenau, the oldest monastery there, this one for the conaisseur.
Birnau, an impressive baroque church located between Meersburg and Überlingen, deserves a mention and a visit.
Bregenz has been named, also a nice town which has kept some of his old times charm. But these Vorarlbergers! (Bregenz is the capital of the Austrian state of Voralberg) They honour whatīs old, they test whatīs new - you will find some extravagant examples of up-to-date architecture there. Also a nice lakeside and famous for its Bregenzer Festspiele - an opera performed on a stage on the lake. The funiculaire on mountain Pfänder has been mentioned, excellent panorama overlooking the lake.
There is also on the Swiss side hinterland a funiculaire onto the Säntis mountain.
If you like to stay in a village, do some further research on Nonnenhorn Kressbronn, Langenargen and Eriskirch. The last one, Eriskirch, might be a hidden gem for nature lovers, known for its iris meadow and reedy marsh lakeside.
Also Immenstaad (there is Immenstaad am Bodensee and Immenstadt im Allgäu, donīt confound), Hagnau, Uhldingen deserve mention, at Uhldingen is a reconstructed bronze age settlement (Pfahlbauten). Off the beaten track, Deggenhausertal in the hinterland offers priceworthy accomodation.
And, a mention for Bodman, the place which gave the name for the lake (Bodman See --> Bodensee), with a nice little rokoko castle of the counts of Bodman tha park is open for the public.
Local products:
Despite dense settlement, the area is also known for agricultural products as apples (Bodenseeobst) and fruit liquor (Obstler, Williams), wine (Meersburg, Hagnau) vegetables (Reichenau) and hops (Tettnang) for excellent beers, Weizenbier would be the choice for warm summers. You can also get Rothaus there, a pilsner brewed in the Schwarzwald (or Black Forest) with a certain cult status.
The lake also provides excellent fish. So, you once should have a Bodenseefelchen (a fish comparable to trout) together with a Viertele Meersburger (0,25 l of white wine from Meersburg).
Do not miss the little delights, as Butterbrezel or Butterseele (buttered pretzels or buttered seele) from a local bakersī or a Bratwurst or a Schübling or a Leberkäsweckle from a local butcherīs shop.
May 4th, 2007, 12:54 PM
#12
Wonderful insider tips from above poster. Definitely deserves to be ttt.
Just came back from a two-day bike ride around the lake.
Day 1: Arbon - Kreuzlingen - Konstanz - ferry to Meersburg.
Day 2: Meersburg - Lindau - ferry to Rorschach - ride to Arbon
Bike paths: fine gravel to paved paths.
Worst bike path: Immenstad to Friedrichshafen. You'll be riding parallel to a busy road with little scenery.
Best bike path: the rest.
Signs are a bit confusing. We had a good book with us that gave us detailed description of bike paths.
Accommodation: Many hotels and pensions don't like one-night guests. We stayed at Pension Brigitte in Meersburg. Family room: 80 Euro. Double room: 60 Euro.
Food: We ate better and cheaper on the German side. The Swiss still have a lot of catching up to do.
Scenery: Lake, German houses and some quaint towns. Some mountains (Säntis) far away.
For our family, this was a great way to spend two days on a bicycle without doing any hills. The kids loved it for this reason. We enjoyed the physical fitness and relying on bikes for transport. The food was great and the towns (especially Meersburg and Lindau) are beautiful.
Wouldn't recommend biking around Bodensee for first-timers in Europe. Go to the mountains instead for a more breath-taking experience.
Just came back from a two-day bike ride around the lake.
Day 1: Arbon - Kreuzlingen - Konstanz - ferry to Meersburg.
Day 2: Meersburg - Lindau - ferry to Rorschach - ride to Arbon
Bike paths: fine gravel to paved paths.
Worst bike path: Immenstad to Friedrichshafen. You'll be riding parallel to a busy road with little scenery.
Best bike path: the rest.
Signs are a bit confusing. We had a good book with us that gave us detailed description of bike paths.
Accommodation: Many hotels and pensions don't like one-night guests. We stayed at Pension Brigitte in Meersburg. Family room: 80 Euro. Double room: 60 Euro.
Food: We ate better and cheaper on the German side. The Swiss still have a lot of catching up to do.
Scenery: Lake, German houses and some quaint towns. Some mountains (Säntis) far away.
For our family, this was a great way to spend two days on a bicycle without doing any hills. The kids loved it for this reason. We enjoyed the physical fitness and relying on bikes for transport. The food was great and the towns (especially Meersburg and Lindau) are beautiful.
Wouldn't recommend biking around Bodensee for first-timers in Europe. Go to the mountains instead for a more breath-taking experience.
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