The Seventh Edition of my guidebook Daytrips Germany is now available, and here's a sample chapter from it. Enjoy!
Trip 10
Lindau
A Daytrip from Munich
Smiling, sunny Lindau, the beautiful and elegant old resort town on an island in Lake Constance, makes a delightful destination for a daytrip from Munich. Although inhabited since the 9th century and possessing many fine medieval buildings, its character is really shaped by the nearby Alps and the warm, placid lake that joins three nations together. There is just enough to see here to leave most of the day free for relaxing in the sunshine, sitting at outdoor cafés, or sailing across the shimmering waters. A day in Lindau is really a day reserved for pleasure.
Lake Constance, known to Germans as the Bodensee, is the third-largest lake in central Europe. It is actually a part of the Rhine, whose waters, flowing north from the Swiss Alps, are trapped in an old glacial basin before continuing their long passage to the sea. This area has been settled since prehistoric times. For centuries it formed an important link in joining the economies of Northern Europe with those south of the Alps. Today the lake is a playground for the people of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
GETTING THERE:
Trains leave Munich's main station almost hourly for Lindau, a trip of a bit over 2 hours by EC express or 3 hours by locals. Return service operates until early evening.
By Car, Lindau is approximately 180 km (112 miles) southwest of Munich, following the A-96 Autobahn. You are probably better off parking on the mainland and walking across the bridge.
PRACTICALITIES:
A sunny day in warm weather will make Lindau even more enjoyable, but be prepared for crowds on weekends and holidays. The local Tourist Information Office (Verkehrsverein), T: (08382) 260-030, W: lindau.de, is opposite the train station. Lindau has a population of about 25,000.
FOOD AND DRINK:
This old resort has plenty of restaurants and cafés, including:
Helvetia (Seepromenade 3, near the Mangturm) A good hotel restaurant overlooking the harbor. T: (08382) 91-30. X: Nov.-Feb. €€
Lindauer Hof (Seepromenade, between the Mangturm and the Altes Rathaus) A stately old hotel on the harbor, with an outdoor terrace. T: (08382) 40-60. €€
Zum Sünfzen (Maximilianstr. 1, 2 blocks northeast of the Altes Rathaus) Hearty regional specialties in a colorful old inn, outdoor tables on the pedestrian street. T: (08382) 58-65. €€
Alte Post (Fischergasse 3, near the casino) Traditional German cuisine, plus vegetarian specialties. T: (08382) 934-60. X: Christmas through March. €€
SUGGESTED TOUR:
Numbers in parentheses correspond to numbers on the map.
Begin your walk at the train station (1). It was the coming of the railway in the late 19th century that radically changed the character of this former Free Imperial City. For centuries before that, Lindau was a prosperous trading center — a port from which goods were exchanged across the lake. This business died as the tracks continued on to Austria and Switzerland. But those trains provided an easy way for vacationers to reach these sunny shores, and the old warehouses were soon torn down to make way for grand hotels.
A stroll along the Seepromenade will take you past these. Stop at one of the piers (2) to ask about round-trip *sightseeing cruises (Rundfahrt) on the lake. A wonderful way to spend an hour or so, the cruises usually take you by Bregenz in Austria and Rorschach in Switzerland. The size of the lake is astonishing. It is easy to see why it played such an important part in the early days of aviation. Both the Zeppelins, whose home base was always in Friedrichshafen, just 12 miles away, and the Dornier flying boats were developed on these waters.
Back on land, continue along the Seepromenade to the Mangturm, an old lighthouse erected in the 13th century as part of the defensive fortifications. Beyond this lies the Römerschanze (3), once a separate island and now a terrace offering views across the harbor. A large statue of the Bavarian Lion proudly stands guard at the end of the quay.
Stroll back along the harbor and into Reichsplatz. The beautifully-frescoed Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) (4), whose façade has both a sundial and a clock, was first built in 1422 and later modified in the Renaissance style. Once the meeting place of a 15th-century Imperial Diet, it now serves as the town archives.
Turn right, passing the Fountain of Lindavia, onto the picturesque Ludwigstrasse. This leads past the ancient Stadttheater and into Fischergasse. Along here you will find a little passasgeway through a building between numbers 19 and 21 on the right, which winds its way around old houses to the Gerberschanze (5), a charming spot on the water.
Return to Fischergasse and make a right into a very narrow alleyway called Kickengässele. In a few steps you will come to Hintere Fischergasse, a relic of olden times. A left on this quaint street puts you back on Fischergasse, which continues on to the Heidenmauer (Heathen's Wall), the remains of a defensive bastion probably dating from Roman days. To the right are the public gardens and the Casino (Spielbank) (6), where table gaming begins at 3 p.m. daily, slots at noon.
Stroll through the gardens and turn right on Schmidgasse. The Protestant Stefanskirche (St. Stephen's Church) (7) was built in 1180 and later reconstructed in the Baroque style. Next to it is the Roman Catholic Stiftskirche (St. Mary's Church) (8), formerly part of a convent, with its rococo interior. Both are worth seeing.
Cross the market square and visit the:
HAUS ZUM CAVAZZEN (9), T: (08382) 944-073. Open April-Oct., Tues.-Fri. and Sun. 11-5, Sat. 2-5. €.
This grand old patrician mansion now houses the Municipal Museum (Städtische Kunstsammlungen). You can easily spend an hour here looking at the old room settings, folk art, armaments, and paintings ranging from medieval to Art Nouveau (Jugendstil).
Now follow the map along Cramergasse to the pedestrians-only Maximilianstrasse, a particularly inviting main street lined with beautifully restored old houses and sidewalk cafés.
Continue on to the Diebsturm (Thieves' Tower) (10), whose turreted spire, a landmark of Lindau, evokes a vision right out of the Middle Ages. Built in 1420, this was once both a watch tower and a prison. Directly adjacent to it is the former Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church), reputed to be the oldest building on Lake Constance. Now a war memorial, it dates from about the year 1000 and contains what are probably the only surviving frescoes by the Swabian artist Hans Holbein the Elder.
Walk along the top of the old town walls following Zeppelinstrasse and turn left across a bridge. Folow the path by the water's edge to the Pulverturm (Gun Powder Tower) (11), another medieval defensive work. From here continue back to the harbor where you can go out on the breakwater to the Neuer Leuchtturm (New Lighthouse) (12). A climb to the top reveals a spectacular view of Lindau and the distant peaks in Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Open late March to early Nov., daily 10-sunset. €. After this it is only a few steps back to the train station.
NEARBY SIGHTS:
It requires advance reservations, but a cruise aboard a genuine Zeppelin, floating in the air above the lake, offers an unforgettable experience. Departures are from nearby Friedrichshafen, reachable by rail or car. T: (07541) 590-03, W: zeppelinflug.de. One-hour flights and tours at mooring are offered, check current prices and availability.
While in town, check out the Zeppelin Museum, where you can stroll through a reconstruction of the passenger section of the Hindenburg, which exploded in New Jersey in 1937. Seestrasse 22, T: (07541) 380-10, W: zeppelin-museum.de. Open May, June, Oct., Tues.-Sun. 9-5; July-Sept., daily 9-5; Nov.-April, Tues.-Sun. 10-5. €€.
Text and map copyright © 2009 by Earl Steinbicker
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