There’s Much to Love About Southwest Germany’s Lake Constance
In Europe’s very heart and bordering Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is Lake Constance. Europe’s third largest freshwater lake by volume, its span is nearly 40-miles long and almost 10-miles wide, comprising nearly 210-square miles. Called Bodensee by locals, it’s not just pristine and gorgeous, but also provides fresh drinking water daily to millions of European households.
With about 165-miles of a dedicated, mostly flat bike path around the lake, it’s a cycling nirvana, all in view of the majestic Alps, baroque churches, castles, and villas. Fortunately for Constance, it was one of the only German cities untouched during World War II owing mainly to its proximity to and familial relations in neutral Switzerland.
Only an hour from Zurich by train, Lake Constance makes the perfect weekend get-away whether you seek wellness, cycling, or culture. But truth be told, you’ll want to stay longer.
The Bed
The Hotel Riva, located in the old musician’s quarter of Constance, is a gorgeous 20-minute walk from the center of town. The light-filled lobby is a showcase for the exuberant, colorful art installed in connection with the Gallery Terminus Munich. This year’s installation is by artist Christian Awe and it’s an utterly magnificent addition to Hotel Riva complimenting perfectly its architectural design and panache.
There’s sparkling wine, iced tea, or infused water to welcome guests, and in a playful homage to one’s youth, and occasionally, an old-fashioned popcorn machine should you need a little crispy nosh.
Hotel Riva has three wings seamlessly connected: the original 1906 lake front Art Nouveau Villa, repurposed in 2008 into six rooms and suites, the Lake House wing, and the new wing for a total of 69 rooms and suites, with four more rooms debuting later this summer. The hotel’s heart is accentuated by a crisp white, modern circular staircase, the very DNA of this utterly feel-good property.
My hat was hung in a lovely premier Lake House room interior designed to appear like a ship state room, only larger, of course. An excellent king-size bed with high-count cotton sheets, and a large, padded headboard provided comfort for reading or television viewing. There was a spacious seating area with a coffee bar, stocked mini refrigerator, mini safe, and a flatscreen swivel television.
Of course, the pièce de résistance of my Lake House room was the large balcony. Furnished with a delightful lounger, table and chairs for morning coffee or an afternoon aperitif, it overlooked the glorious Lake Constance, the snow-covered Alps, providing a bird’s eye view of bicyclists peddling the dedicated bike path, and walkers and joggers enjoying the separate pedestrian path.
The bathroom had a walk-in shower with both a 12-inch rain shower and European shower head, environmentally-friendly French Biosthetique amenities, magnifying makeup mirror, thick silky-soft terry cloth robes, and a separate water closet.
Hotel Riva also has a fitness center with a TechnoGym treadmill and spinning bike, a dedicated yoga studio with daily sessions and Pilates classes, a beautiful Spa with steam, sauna, several calm contemplation areas, extremely talented masseuses, and a heated pool overlooking Lake Constance, all of which provide an elevated rejuvenating experience.
Above all, the staff at Hotel Riva will welcome you with a level of warmth and hospitality second to none, and throughout your stay you’ll consistently be treated as honored guests.
The Meals
To get my bearings, the first evening I boarded the MS Stuttgart for a lake dinner cruise. Making several stops at local towns during the three-hour cruise, it provided a blueprint of where else to visit while in the region. The dinner included grilled salmon, local river fish, shrimp, octopus, sausages, salads, and grilled locally sourced vegetables. This was complemented by good regional German wines.
Breakfasts at Hotel Riva are a delightful affair with charcuterie, cheeses, fresh fruit, yogurts, breads, and a complete à la carte menu with Belgian waffles, omelets, eggs Benedict, avocado toast, and happily for this caffeine addict, excellent coffee.
After admiring all of the flora at Mainau Island head into Restaurant Schwedenschenke that serves traditional fare, river fish, salads, and vegan options in a charming Swedish-style country house.
A regional hidden gem on the other side of the lake is Reck’s Hotel-Restaurant in Salem, not far from the Monastery. Set on a gorgeous estate owned by the same family since 1967, it boasts a gorgeous dining terrace, large gardens, fountains, and statuary. Run by the second generation of three delightful sisters, one of whom is Chef Alexander who trained under three Michelin star Chef Dieter Müller, and it showed.
A fabulous beet and goat cheese platter was drizzled with balsamic glaze accompanied by a rocket salad and pine nut pesto. As white asparagus was at the height of its season, we enjoyed these oversized spargal with a perfectly prepared razor thin crepe and creamy hollandaise. This marvelous meal ended with Espresso affogato hosting vanilla ice cream so creamy, it may be illegal in some circles. The top floor of the third, modern wing houses the patriarch’s traditional art collection and daughter Annette’s modern, colorful pieces by Berlin-based artist, Peter Robert Kiel.
If we are to take any of Winston Churchill’s quips seriously, in one he must’ve been speaking about Reck’s when he said, “One should offer something good to the body, so that the soul wants to live in it.” That meal, the surrounds, and the proprietors, did just that.
Überlingen’s Bad Hotel has a lovely lake front terrace perfect for a happy hour or sunset respite. If you get peckish, its Rotunde has a good selection of oysters, fish, steaks, and regional items.
Constance’s only Michelin two-starred restaurant, Ophelia, is happily located at Hotel Riva under the direction of Chef Dirk Hoberg, who often himself serves the amuse bouche or other courses. You’ll want to book the “Kitchen Table.” This allows you a bird’s eye view to the magic of the art worthy culinary creations while you dine on a tasting menu of haute French cuisine in sophisticated surrounds while simultaneously being grateful for the experience.
The Finds
Strolling downtown near the waterfront is akin to an open-air museum with significant statues representing the region’s storied past as a trading center. The statue of Imperia is a beacon who makes a revolution every five minutes and appears as a renaissance piece holding a small man in each hand: a pope and a king as somewhat coupled irony. There’s also an obelisk statue memorializing and honoring Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the airship inventor who was born in Constance. Once a walled city, Constance still has three of its original 27 gates standing and plenty of artistic murals and architecturally significant 13th century buildings to admire. At the Steingenberger Insel Hotel, the cylindrical tower still present where prisoners used to be kept. Perhaps only slightly tongue-in-cheek, it has been repurposed into a bridal suite.
At nearby Cathedral of Our Lady, there are 14th century intricately carved wood main doors while much of the original church was built in 500AD. Inside is a massive 500-year-old organ, while down in the crypt, enormous etched gold plates will catch your attention.
A short drive away is the hundred-year-old Mainau Island, also known as Flower Island, and for good reason. Over 113 acres and employing 60 full-time gardeners and another 40 seasonal ones, it’s a veritable botanical bliss. There are also over 86,000 square feet of greenhouses with the main one housing multiple species of butterflies.
Überlingen is a charming lake side town to stroll, and its Münster St. Nikolaus is the largest late Gothic building in the region, the city emblem, and its landmark.
In Meersburg, on Constance’s northern shore, half-timbered houses abound. It was also once home to George Elser, who in 1939 attempted to assassinate Hitler in a Munich beer hall. At Meersburg Castle, Germany’s oldest in private possession, the well-preserved rooms range from Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque to Middle Ages. There’s a room dedicated to 16th and 17th century weapons and suits of armor, a fully equipped 19th century kitchen, and a massive old water well.
The Salem Monastery and Palace is likewise not to be missed. Founded in 1134, it became one of Germany’s most important Cistercian monasteries. Today on 50 beautifully tended acres, sits several marvelous buildings mainly in 18th Century Baroque style, including the magnificent Gothic cathedral, the Prelacy, containing the Abbots’ residence with its stunning library and ballroom, and the museum with many masterpieces. At its peak in the 18th century, there were about 500 residents, including 130 priests and 180 monks. Today there are about 350 live-in co-eds who study based on the principals of the original 1920 founders Kurt Hahn and Prince Max Von Baden.
After seeing all that Lake Constance has to offer, take a lovely one mile stroll from Hotel Riva through a neighborhood of architecturally significant villas to the pleasant respite of the indoor and outdoor lakeside thermal baths, cascades, and jacuzzis at Bodensee Therm Konstanz.
The Lessons Learned
Lake Constance will wow you its architecture, history, a multitude of cultural sites, bike riding, and hiking. All of this in surrounds of undeniably pristine physical beauty. When skies are clear, the lake positively glistens and when the sun sets, it appears to kiss the lake goodnight. A stay at Hotel Riva will leave you feeling good – spoiled really – recharged, and counting the days until your return. Happy travels!
