Bodenseekreis: Lake Constance Shore, Pile Dwellings and Rolling Hills
Accommodation in Lake Constance
In Unteruhldingen, the visitor route through the pile dwellings takes you into villages from the Stone and Bronze Ages. The ARCHAEORAMA multimedia show takes you on a virtual dive to the pile dwellings in Lake Constance. This is where a journey begins in an area with offerings ranging from nature and culture to thermal baths.
Between the shores of Lake Constance and rolling hills
Bodenseekreis stretches along almost the entire northern shore of Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg and has 57.7 kilometres of lakeshore. At the same time, it extends into the Upper Swabian Hills and, to the east, into the Westallgäu Hills. The landscape is shaped by the lake and the adjoining hills, with orchards, vineyards, meadows and forests. The shoreline and the inland landscapes are therefore equally part of the district’s geographical character. For planning your trip, the lake and the hills offer two distinct points of reference.
Pile dwellings and archaeological insights
The Unteruhldingen pile dwellings are Germany’s oldest archaeological open-air museum. The visitor route leads through villages from the Stone and Bronze Ages and includes the ARCHAEORAMA multimedia show, with a virtual dive to the pile dwellings in Lake Constance. The site also features the DISCOVERER TRAIL with a pile-dwelling cinema. There, experimental archaeologists introduce visitors to historical house-building techniques. The route, multimedia show and cinema thus present the subject in different ways.
Museums and history
The Dornier Museum Friedrichshafen houses almost 400 exhibits across 6,000 square metres, including 14 original aircraft and a helicopter. By contrast, the Auto & Tractor Museum on Lake Constance uses 350 vehicles on display to illustrate 100 years of urban and rural life. The two collections offer different perspectives: one focuses on aircraft and other exhibits, the other on vehicles and depictions of both urban and rural life.
The Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen offers public workshops, guided tours, lectures, discussion sessions and DIY activities; the individual programme offerings vary. The Museum im Humpisschloss provides a historical perspective on trade, with information about the Humpis Counts’ trade routes. Salem Abbey and Palace was founded as a Cistercian monastery in 1134 and is one of the most beautiful and significant cultural monuments in the Lake Constance region. If you are interested in history, you can explore technical collections as well as the history of trade and monasteries in Bodenseekreis.
Experience nature and go hiking
The Eriskircher Ried is the largest and most valuable nature reserve on the German shore of Lake Constance’s Upper Lake and offers visitors opportunities to experience local nature. The Eriskirch Nature Centre offers nature tours, lectures and special activities for children throughout the year. Nature watching and a range of nature-focused programme formats can therefore be interests in their own right, alongside museums and cultural sites.
The 53-kilometre SeeGang Premium Hiking Trail connects the Lake Constance towns of Konstanz and Ăśberlingen. Its length is a practical factor when planning your hike; trail conditions may vary, so it is advisable to check the latest conditions before setting out.
Thermal bathing and wine tasting
The Bodensee-Therme Überlingen combines thermal bathing, sauna infusions, its own beach and panoramic views of Lake Constance and the Alps. Its thermal water is drawn from a depth of more than 1,006 metres and flows into all the warm-water pools. The water’s source and use give a visit to the thermal baths a special connection to the area.
Wine is another experience on offer: in the historic setting of Meersburg Castle, a wine tasting featuring four selected Lake Constance wines from the Meersburg Winegrowers’ Association is held every Thursday. If you plan to attend, check the current date, as the exact schedule may change.
Planning your trip
Friedrichshafen lies at the junction of routes to Ulm and Stuttgart, as well as Basel and Munich. If any of these directions matter for your trip, factor current connections and timetables into your plans. When choosing a hotel, you can first decide whether archaeological sites, museums, nature experiences or thermal bathing will be the main focus of your stay; then check the specific location in relation to your plans.
Discover more destinations: Owingen, Markdorf, Uhldingen-MĂĽhlhofen, Bermatingen, Daisendorf, Heiligenberg, Meckenbeuren, Neukirch, Roggenbeuren, Sipplingen, Deggenhausertal, Billafingen, Oberteuringen, Ăśberlingen, Tettnang, Salem, Meersburg, Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Langenargen, Kressbronn on Lake Constance, Immenstaad on Lake Constance, Hagnau on Lake Constance, Friedrichshafen, Frickingen, Eriskirch, Baitenhausen, Beuren.
Back to the main travel overview: Baden-WĂĽrttemberg.
