A Constance reminder of a breathtaking lake
Amy Sharpe takes in four countries on a trip to a beautiful Alpine waterway
LAKE CONSTANCE is all about the water, our guide Tamara proudly announces.This might seem obvious in a destination named after the huge body of water in the middle of it. But gazing across its ripples from the Swiss shore dotted with ferries and fishermen, the German side just visible in the distance, I see what she means. Here, you are either on that water or admiring it from a glorious viewing spot high in the surrounding countryside.
Snuggled in the foothills of the Alps and fed by the Rhine, Lake Constance is bordered by three countries – Austria, Switzerland and Germany – and just a stone’s throw from Liechtenstein. The 40 mile-long lake is overlooked by a mix of charming port towns from which tourists can venture into the mountains, vineyards and explore cycling paths.
Locally known as Bodensee, Lake Constance may be less familiar than its more famous European cousins Bled and Geneva, but it’s making a splash on the active holiday scene, Tamara assures me. We’ve jetted in to Zurich
Contact us at traveldesk@reachplc.com and taken a 20-minute train to the waterside town of St Gallen on the Swiss side to begin our lakeside adventure.
“We want tourists to enjoy the whole region and that means all four countries, as each offers something different,” she says.
Visitors can buy a duo of passes that enable a whistle-stop tour of all the lake’s bordering countries and attractions, moving seamlessly from one to the next.
The Bodensee Card Plus allows three days of access to 160 local places of interest across all four countries including museums, cable cars, castles and thermal baths.
Combine this with a Bodensee Ticket, available for one day or three, which will take care of your bus, ferry and train travel across the German, Swiss and Austrian parts.
Yet one of the best ways to soak up the scenery is on two wheels, and bikes can be hired from most of the harbour towns surrounding the water. Cyclists can ride the
entire 170 miles around the lake in around a week, stopping overnight in the harbours. Hotels overlooking the lake start at around £80 a night, and there are increasing numbers of AirBnB properties popping up.
We take an e-bike tour from Rorschach on the Swiss side (around £50 for two hours) and head to the hills to make the most of those sunset views of that glittering lake – without legwork or sweat.
Next morning, it’s a 45-minute train and bus trip over the Swiss border into the Principality of Liechtenstein.
The world’s fourth-smallest country, just 62 miles square, it has real fairy-tale appeal with stunning views.
Hikers can explore the newlylaunched 300th Anniversary Trail, created to celebrate three centuries since the country’s formation. Download the
‘Listory’ app for navigation and insights about the landmarks en route.
The 47-mileroute winds through teeny capital city Vaduz. There, you may even bump into the Princely family, the down-to-earth royals who live inVaduz Castle overlooking the city and often schmooze with locals.
Sadly Prince Hans-Adam II is a no-show when we pop by, so we move on, and catch a 10-minute bus ride to the village of Malbun and ride a chairlift to the top of Sareisjoch mountain, at 6,561ft.
It’s the best way to get quick and easy access to 250miles of trails in Liechtenstein’s peaks, which are walkable outside ski season (June to October).
Ready for more hiking, we hop aboard a bus to Austria’s Karren mountain, 37 miles away in the outskirts of Dornbirn.
There’s a cable car option to the 3,200ft top – but if you can, snake your way up on foot through the pine-strewn forest and reward yourself with a comforting plate of kasspatzle.
This carby comfort dish of cheese, roasted onion and egg noodle differs slightly in each of the four countries in the region and I take this as encouragement to sample one in each.
We jump aboard the glassedbottomed “Karren-Kante” jetty at the top.The platform offers panoramic views of the Swiss mountains, Rhine valley and the buzzing town of Dornbirn below.
Back down in the valley, it’s time to get out on that famous lake. During the summer months, where activities on offer include kayaking, wake-boarding, diving or simply lazing in its many swim spots, it would be tough to know where to start.
But it’s autumn, so our water access is limited to huddling over steaming mugs of coffee on the ferry decks as we bomb along over the lake crossing from port to port.
One harbour of note is the delightful Lindau, sprinkled with cafes and tiny boutiques along its cobbled streets. It hosts a famous Bavarian Christmas market in December.
The lake’s bustling namesake Konstanz is also full of charm. Both German harbour spots offer respite from activity – dawdling through the streets and watching the world go by are the most pressing tasks I face.
If you like your walks fuelled by a glass of something grapey and alcoholic, head three miles from Lindau’s Old Town toWeingut Haug – one of Bavaria’s most renowned wineries. We wander through the Rhine valley and savour a glass of rosé while admiring the bulging vines and panoramic views of Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
A brief tour of the fermenting room and a tasting of six types follows along with some local Brotzeit – farmhouse fare which translates to ‘bread time’ – to soak up the booze (£129 per group of up to 10 people).
Keen for one last lakeside excursion, we spend our final morning exploring the Isle of Mainau – also known as flower island.As its nickname suggests, it is a stunning giant garden – accessible by bus or boat then foot – blooming with 111 acres of immaculately kept lawns and plants from midMarch to mid-October (£16 adults, £9 child or £34 family of four).
I lose myself in its impressive flower beds, before its time to board a train from Konstanz back to Zurich. But the next time I want quick access to some unspoilt outdoor spots and three countries and a lake to choose from, I’ll be back with my hiking boots laced, ready to rock and stroll.
Saturday, May 2, 2020