The German shore of Lake Constance, or Bodensee, offers a perfect combination of waterside hiking, historical exploration, and exceptional feasting, making it an ideal destination for a stress-free autumn break. The region, which is a major apple-growing hub, capitalizes on its harvest with gourmet hiking events and tastings of unique local spirits. From the mediaeval charm of Konstanz to the serene waterside trails of the SeeGang, the area encourages slow, deliberate travel, with seamless public transport options connecting three countries—Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Blending high-culture history, such as the site of the Council of Constance, with hearty regional cuisine and the surprising comfort of a ‘sleeping barrel,’ Lake Constance is a rewarding destination for both the active traveller and the dedicated gourmand.
Konstanz: History, Humour, And Hearty Food
The journey begins in Konstanz (Constance), the largest city on the lake, a place steeped in history that also embraces modern, and sometimes provocative, humour.
The city’s history is dominated by the Council of Constance (1414-1418), a series of meetings that resolved a schism within the Catholic Church. Key landmarks include the council building itself, the soaring tower of the münster (cathedral) with its panoramic views, and the charming, cobbled alleyways of the Niederburg district. A highlight of the waterfront is the controversial, nine-metre, rotating statue of Imperia, a voluptuous woman believed to be a courtesan holding a king and a pope, a modern, satirical commentary created by artist Peter Lenk in 1993. The city’s inns, like the Constanzer Wirtshaus, an inn in a former officers’ mess, serve hearty regional dishes, including excellent vegan versions of local specialities like maultaschen (dumplings), catering to contemporary tastes.
The Culinary Trail: An Apple-Lover’s Paradise
The German shore of Lake Constance is a major agricultural region, with apples taking centre stage in both the scenery and the local culinary offerings.
Roughly 250,000 tonnes of apples are harvested in this region annually, leading to a rich tradition of fruit-based gastronomy. The autumn break often coincides with the annual gourmet event, where local producers set up stalls along a nine-mile stretch of the SeeGang hiking trail between Überlingen, Sipplingen, and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. Visitors can feast on smoked sausages, local cheeses, and homemade tarts, but the stars are the apple-based beverages: tart, refreshing apple-secco (a sparkling aperitif) and hard spirits distilled from heritage apple varieties. Beyond apples, the region distils spirits from pears, plums, cherries, and even unexpected ingredients like Jerusalem artichokes.
Seegang: The Gourmet Hiking Adventure
The SeeGang trail provides the perfect framework for blending scenic walking with continuous culinary exploration, offering both waterside paths and challenging woodland sections.
A shorter but more challenging section of the gourmet walk involves traversing ravines, forests, and orchards outside of the town of Überlingen. A particularly memorable stop along the trail is the Torkelbühl viewpoint, where the Kress Winery serves wine and snacks accompanied by incredible, sweeping panoramas of the lake and the distant Alps. The atmosphere of the walk is often punctuated by unexpected, classic German touches—at one point, the “rousing sound of an oompah band” leads hikers to a picture-perfect mountain inn, the Höhengasthaus Haldenhof, where they are fortified by excellent German beer before completing their journey.
Cosy Inns And Unusual Accommodation
The area offers accommodation that ranges from lakeside luxury to quaint, unexpected campsites, all while maintaining a strong local flavour.
After a long walk, the Seehotel Adler in Bodman-Ludwigshafen offers the perfect place to relax, featuring a heated outdoor pool and three saunas. Its restaurant serves local catches like pike and char alongside meat dishes and more excellent vegetarian options, such as panzerotti (mini calzones) stuffed with porcini and truffles. For a more rustic, charming experience, a campsite near the village of Dingelsdorf offers stays in cosy sleeping barrels—wooden structures supposedly based on the accommodation at the Council of Constance, but significantly warmer and cleaner. This blend of simple comfort and luxury ensures that relaxation is a priority after a day of walking and feasting.
Gateway To Three Nations: The Broader Appeal
Lake Constance is uniquely positioned as a hub for international travel, with Germany, Austria, and Switzerland all meeting at the lake’s edge, providing endless exploration potential.
The lake’s tourism tagline, “Four countries – one lake,” highlights its accessibility, with Lichtenstein also just a short drive away. Visitors can easily travel between countries using the Bodensee ticket, which offers unlimited travel on trains, buses, and ferries. The region offers far more than just walking; there is a 160-mile cycling circuit around the lake that can be divided into multi-day stages. For those sticking to the German side, the area is rich with further sights, including the famous flower island of Mainau, the Middle Ages castle at Meersburg, the island old town of Lindau, and the Zeppelin city of Friedrichshafen, confirming that a single trip can barely scratch the surface of this rich cultural and geographical nexus.
