| Lake Constance Bodensee | |
 | |
Location  | |
| Area type | The needle |
|---|---|
| State | Germany, Austria, Switzerland |
| Region | Vorarlberg, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Canton of Thurgau, Canton of St. Gallen, Canton of Schaffhausen |
| Surface | 11500 km² |
| Tourism site | |
Lake Constance is located between Germany, Switzerland is Austria.
To know
All three nations have developed a specific culture around their part of the coast.
German is spoken throughout the lake. In Swiss cities, people normally speak the Swiss German dialect, but will be able to understand and speak German. Most of the people in this area speak English, especially young people and people who work in the tourism sector.
Geographical notes
The popular holiday region of Lake Constance (in German: Bodensee) spans three countries. It is the third largest lake in thecentral Europe and is on the path of the Rhine river. The lake shore is shared between the German federal states of Baden-Württemberg and of Bavaria, the Austrian Federal Vorarlberg and the Eastern Switzerland.
The lake is divided into three main parts: theObersee ("upper lake"), which covers the main area, the Untersee ("lower lake") to the southwest and the Seerhein, which is the short part that connects the first two bodies of water near Constance. The part of Obersee in the northwest it is called Überlinger See and the ferry connection between Constance and Meersburg roughly defines its border. The Rhine feeds into the lake at the southeastern end and exits to the west. It is the third largest freshwater lake in Europe after Lake Balaton and the Lake Geneva. It is 63km long and 14km wide and the deepest part is 252m.
Flora and fauna
The lake is a major source of drinking water for the surrounding regions.
Background
Its German name, Bodensee, comes from the city of Bodman, while the international name derives from the city of Constance and was adopted mainly by the Roman-Catholic world after the Council of Constance.
Lake Constance is also known for the unconventional borders of the three countries that have a shoreline. In practice, this has little effect for the traveler because none of the countries in question grants ius soli citizenship and migration issues are mostly irrelevant due to theSchengen agreement. In addition, Germany, Austria and Switzerland regularly collaborate in cross-border law enforcement and disaster relief.
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
Germany 
Most of the German part of Lake Constance is covered in the region of Bodensee.
- Constance - on the German side of the German-Swiss border, it is a beautiful city, notable for its cathedral and its old houses and shops. Its vibrant center (where live music almost always plays during the day) and the harbor, dominated by the statue of Imperia (holding the Kaiser in one hand and the Pope in the other) make Constanta a fantastic city to visit . Costanza has a palpable, Mediterranean atmosphere.
- Friedrichshafen - famous for being the city where Zeppelins were built
- Lindau - the beautiful historic center of this city is located on a small island that can be walked on.
- Meersburg - good wine area, historic town with a castle.
- Radolfzell
- Überlingen
Austria 
- Bregenz - world famous floating stage on the lake; known for the many cultural events and the mountains.
Switzerland 
Other destinations
There are seven islands of which Reichenau is the largest.
- Mainau Island - island full of flowers in German territory.
- Reichenau Island - vegetable island and on the UNESCO world heritage list for its abbey. On German territory.
How to get
By plane
The nearest commercial airport is located at Friedrichshafen (FDH).
Other relevant airports are located approximately 2 hours drive from the lake a Memmingen (FMM), Stuttgart (STR), Munich (MUC), Zurich (ZRH) e Basel (EAP).
On the train
There are trains that go around the lake and stop in most of the cities of interest. The most important junctions are a Radolfzell, Constance, Friedrichshafen, Lindau, Rorschach, Romanshorn is Kreuzlingen. (None of these stations are large, simply where several railway lines meet).
How to get around
Lake Constance: full screen map.On a boat
A Web page offers an overview of boat and ferry routes. Check thetimetable of the ships[link not working] (valid in 2018) for details on prices, available connections, different times according to the season and more.
The main boat / ferry operators are:
- Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe (Germany)
- Vorarlberg-Lines Bodenseeschifffahrt (Austria)
- SBS Schifffahrt (Switzerland)
The fastest crossings are:
- Ferry between Meersburg and Constance.
Passenger tickets cost € 3, for cars between € 8 and € 13.90 depending on the size of your vehicle, and for bicycles € 2.30. (Jun 2018). 
Several times an hour from 06:00 to 24:00 and once an hour from 24:00 to 06:00.. It's a delightful quarter-hour ride with cars, trucks, motorbikes, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. The upstairs lounge sells coffee, sandwiches, snacks, and cold drinks. Crossings are frequent and you shouldn't have to wait long. Even at night, ferries cross the lake every hour. If you're traveling on foot, be aware that buses may not be available all night, while ferries are still available. There are usually taxis waiting around the ferry docks. - Ferry between Friedrichshafen and Romanshorn. Passenger tickets cost € 9.20 or p. 10.20, for bicycles € 6.10 or Fr.7.50, and for cars (including the driver) from € 31.40 or Fr.34.50. (Jun 2018). It runs every hour from 05:30 to 22:30 (slightly reduced hours on weekends / holidays / winter season)..
- Ferry between Friedrichshafen and Constance. Tickets cost € 10.50 for adults and € 4.80 for bicycles. (Jun 2018). Runs once every hour from 06:00 to 19:00. The journey takes approximately 50 minutes. (Jun 2018).
Passenger tickets cost € 3, for cars between € 8 and € 13.90 depending on the size of your vehicle, and for bicycles € 2.30. (Jun 2018). 
Several times an hour from 06:00 to 24:00 and once an hour from 24:00 to 06:00.. It's a delightful quarter-hour ride with cars, trucks, motorbikes, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. The upstairs lounge sells coffee, sandwiches, snacks, and cold drinks. Crossings are frequent and you shouldn't have to wait long. Even at night, ferries cross the lake every hour. If you're traveling on foot, be aware that buses may not be available all night, while ferries are still available. There are usually taxis waiting around the ferry docks.There are also more relaxed crossings between many towns and lakeside towns, giving you more time for a beer, a meal, or even a nap on the sunny deck. These boats normally only run from April to October and do not run at night.
A particularly nice time to be on the lake is on a sunny day when there is a nice view of the Alps.
On the train
All towns and cities on the Bodensee are served by the three national railways of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The best service (the amount of time spent between stops) is far better in Germany and Austria than in the Swiss side. Lindau, Friedrichshafen, Konstanz and Bregenz all offer important connections to Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Consider the day pass Bodensee ticket which offers unlimited train / bus rides around Lake Constance for one day according to a division into three zones and discounts on specific ferries. The cost ranges from € 19 for zone 1 to € 27 for all zones. Or 42 € in all areas for three days. (Aug 2019) There are also rates for small groups and for the transport of bicycles.
By bike
The bicycle infrastructure is well maintained and cycling along the lake is easy as it is largely flat. The Bodensee-Radweg (the "Lake Constance cycle path") is a 260 km long cycle path around the lake and many parts are separated from the rest of the traffic. The shorter options for cycling around the lake are possible by skipping theUntersee (shortening the route by about 75 km) or taking the ferry to skip the Überlinger See (reducing the route by about 65 km).
In summer it can get very busy especially when you want to put your bike on the train. You should plan for alternative rail connections in case there is no space.
What see
The Bodensee and its banks are very beautiful and peaceful. The views are serene, not spectacular. If you want dramatic scenery, drive a couple of kilometers south to Switzerland or southwest to Upper Bavaria (Allgaeu) and Austria, (Vorarlberg) and visit the Alps. bowl and tends to be very foggy in the winter months.
- 1 Museum of the stilt house (Pfahlbaumuseum Unteruhldingen), Überlingen. € 10 full, € 8 reduced, 6 children (Jun 2018). Open air museum with Stone Age reconstructions and a Bronze Age stilt settlement. The open-air archaeological museum is arranged over a large area with reconstructions of lake stilt houses from 4000 BC. to 850 BC The museum was inaugurated in 1922 and various reconstructions have been added to the present day.
- Port and old town of Lindau.
- 2 Kunsthaus Bregenz (KUB), Karl Tizian Platz, ☎ 43 5574 485 94-0, fax: 43 5574 485 94-408, @[email protected]. € 9 (adults), € 7 (reductions), free (children / young people under 19) (Jun 2018). Tue-Sun 10: 00-18: 00, Thu 10: 00-20: 00. There are often several contemporary art exhibitions. The building was designed by Peter Zumthor.
- 3 Birnau sanctuary (Wallfahrtskirche Birnau), Maurach 5, Uhldingen-Mühlhofen. A stunning example of a German Rococo church not to be missed for its magnificence.
What to do
- Swim and sunbathe. If you want to spend a pleasant afternoon swimming and sunbathing, go to the beach. Buy an ice cream cone. Fall asleep on the grass. See how many sailboats you can count in one minute.
- The Lake Constance cycle path. It allows the cyclist to discover the entire region mainly along its routes along the shore of the lake.
- Excursions. The Pfänder (1064 m) is accessible from Bregenz and offers beautiful views of the lake.
- Wine. Explore the vineyards along the lake, especially around Meersburg is Hagnau.
- Floating stage. Go to an open-air opera show on the lake a Bregenz.
- Rhine cruise (Schweizerische Schifffahrtsgesellschaft Untersee und Rhein AG), ☎ 41 52 634 08 88, @[email protected]. Fr.49.50 adults, Fr.29 reduced. This company offers Rhine cruises from Schaffhausen to Kreuzlingen passing by several locations including Stein am Rhein, L'Reichenau island is Constance on Lake Constance. Cruises run from April to October. From Schaffhausen to Kreuzlingen the journey takes about 4 hours and 45 minutes, the return one hour less.
Shopping
Typical wines of the region are Müller-Thurgau (White wine), Weißburgunder (white wine) e Spätburgunder (Red wine).
Where to eat
- Bodensee Schifffahrt. Restaurant on cruise boats
Where stay
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Germany
- Ravensburg - medieval city famous for the puzzles made there
- Wangen im Allgäu
Switzerland
- St. Gallen
- Schaffhausen - with the Rhine Falls
Itineraries
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Lake Constance
Commons contains images or other files on Lake Constance
