Will be travelling to Marbach Castle on Lake Constance. What is there to do in or around this area. What other destinations might you consider when traveling in and out of Zurich?

I can highly recommend Stein am Rhein. It is practically at the Swiss and German border at the western edge of Lake Constance where the Rhein River feeds into it.

It is amazing. The buildings in the old town are covered with paintings from the 16th century. Absolutely beautiful. We stayed at the Rheingerbe Hotel on the river promenade. Nice place and friendly owners. It's just picture perfect and wasn't crowded at all during the week. Weekends are a different story though as it is a very popular destination.

We spent 2 days there in May and it was one of the highlights of our trip.

www.lindau.de,
www.romanshorn.ch
www.saentisbahn.ch
www.toggenburg.ch
www.st.gallen-bodensee.ch
www.museumoskarreinhart.ch
www.schwaegalp-schwinget.ch/ (Swiss wrestling...)
www.appenzell.ch/e_neu/index.php
www.rheinfall.ch
www.tompgalvin.com/places/ch/rheinfall.htm
http://www.ermatingen.ch/xml_1/inter...on/d47/f48.cfm
www.myswitzerland.com/en/ navpage-Culture-Customs-9019.html
www.buwy.ch/?action=Degustationen (wine tastings etc.)
www.gvs-weine.ch/inhalte/wein_gm.html
www.rapperswil.ch/11_English/intro_englisch.htm
www.einsiedeln.diorama.ch/english.htm
http://activityworkshop.net/hiking/s...urfirsten.html
www.planetware.com/glarus-canton/ glarnisch-ch-gl-glar.htm
www.engelberg.ch
www.titlis.ch/001tit_0503_en.htm

WK

Another vote for Stein am Rhein. Stein is picture postcard charming and a great place to overnight for doing the Rhinefalls and lower end of the Black Forest. The promenade along the river is especially nice as is the town square with all its frescoed buildings. This walled town is extremely well preserved. Visitors and buses can park just next to the wall and walking is minimal. If you're staying in Stein you can park inside the wall at your hotel. We have stayed several times at the Hotel Adler, which is on the town square, has a nice restaurant and is historically significant. http://www.adlersteinamrhein.ch/eng/home.html

Hi guys,

I'm putting together a European visit for May, 2007.

I had planned on stopping off overnight in Lindau.

It would add only about 0:40 hr to the drive to get to Stein am Rhein.

Suggestions as to which would be a better town to spend an afternoon and night?

Would I need to buy a Swiss vignette to get to Stein am Rhein?

Thanks.

PS,

We plan on being there on Whitsunday.

If you get a good map and stay off the expressways you don't need a vignette. But more than likely, at least if you ask and insist, your rental car comes with (should come with!) a vignette affixed already.

Don't know about Whitsunday - what/when is that - does it make any difference to your plans?

WK

I have relatives who live in Rohrshac, Switzerland, which is right on Lake Constance. I spent a spur of the moment week there, and thoroughly enjoyed it. After I got home to Maryland, I found out that very close to Rohrshac, no more than ten miles away, over the Swiss-German border, right on the lake, is the town where the dirigible was first built by Count Zeppelin. They have, from what I understand, a great museum dedicated to lighter than air flight. Also, that is the town where the Luftwaffe was founded, and there is a museum dedicated to that. I don't know whether it's the same museum or not. I kicked myself in the rear end for missing this. Don't make the same mistake I did.

No-one's mentioned the wonderful gardens yet - which my 20 year old memories tell me are at Lindau. can't remember much else though - sorry!

>No-one's mentioned the wonderful gardens yet - which my 20 year old memories tell me are at Lindau. can't remember much else though - sorry!

They are actually at the opposite end of the lake, on the Mainau island. There is a good regular boat service along the lake, wich is slower than train or car but nicer.

Insel Mainau can be very beautiful if you go at the right time of year. I would not, for example, go there in winter as not much would be going on except in the greenhouses.

There are ferries on the lake that take cars, which are lots of fun. You can get from one side to the other or across the lake that way. There are, of course, many more ferries in summer.

Another popular destination around the lake is Das Rheinfels at Schaffhausen. It is a large waterfall. By Niagra standards, it is not so impressive, but, if you pass it in the car, you might want to stop. You can just go down and look at it or take a boat right up to the falls.

If you go to Lindau, there is an interesting old city. Try and get tickets to the Marionnetten Theater. It's fabulous. I saw two puppet operas there recently and highly recommend it.

The zepplin museum is very interesting. There is one part where there is a mock up of the inside of the passenger cabin of a zepplin. Those people really traveled in style.

You can also take tourist boats on the lake in Lindau. The access to the boats is right by the gate to the old city. There is paid parking to the right as you approach the old city (the parking on the left is for residents).

We are planning a trip to the Bodensee also. It looks like we might easily want to spend a couple of days there. How much time would anyone recommend?
Thanks

Ira, we've been to both Lindau and Stein am Rhein and both are really beautiful with their frescoed buildings. However, Stein am Rhein has the most frescoed buildings of any city in Europe. Of course, Lindau has lovely Bodensee for a backdrop while Stein am Rhein only has (drum roll) the Rhein River.

It's a tough decision, but I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Thanks, betty