Lake Constance: The Three Main Islands
Part 3 | Besides the islands, this section also has information about two other sights of interest near Lake Constance, specifically the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen and the open-air Stilt Houses Museum.
Out of the 13 islands located in Lake Constance today, only three have more than 100 permanent residents and are large enough to be of any interest to tourists. All three main islands (Lindau, Mainau, Reichenau) are in Germany. Three former islands have either disappeared or they became peninsulas in the 18th or 19th century.
By the way, the -au ending in the island names is an old Germanic term related to water, rivers, or islands. The German word die Aue can mean “meadow”, but it is also a poetic term for “isle” or “island”. The “water” meaning in the Germanic forms is also distantly related to Latin aqua (water). Some German towns on or near rivers also use the -au suffix. Examples include Hanau, Ilmenau, Nassau, Passau, Schönau, Spandau, and many others.
Below you’ll learn more about each of the three largest islands, starting with Lindau, the most populated island on the lake.
Lindau Island (Bavaria, Germany)
This Bavarian island and its Old Town section of the city of Lindau comprise a scenic attraction that rivals most of the other towns and islands on Lake Constance. The island town itself is of course the main attraction, with the Lindau harbor and its nautical atmosphere being a highlight. But the town’s architecture is also appealing. The Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) is a good example of this. Strolling around Lindau’s very walkable Old Town and its harbor is a pleasure. And an inviting café, pub, or restaurant is never far away.
A bird’s-eye view of the town and island of Lindau on the eastern shore of Lake Constance in Bavaria, Germany. PHOTO: Edda Praefcke CC-BY-2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lindau’s harbor entrance is framed by the 33-meter-high new lighthouse on one side and the Bavarian lion on the other, with cruise ships and other boats constantly entering or leaving the harbor throughout the daylight hours. After you’ve seen most of Lindau, it’s easy to take a short cruise over to Bregenz, Austria for the day or a few hours. Bregenz (see more above) is the closest boat destination from Lindau, and offers a visit to another country. The Austrian border is only 3 miles (5 km) away by car or rail, but it’s much more fun to go by water.
Day visitors are encouraged to use the Park & Ride lots on the mainland. It is cheaper than parking on the island (€5-€8 per day, depending on location). If you’re staying overnight on the island, parking is available, but it’s limited and will cost you €13-€24 per day. Your hotel will tell you the best parking area to use. The main parking lot (there are several on the island) is a short walk from the town center, so most people drop off their luggage near the hotel before parking the car.
WEB > Parking on Site (lindau.de – in English)
Mainau Island (Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
Also known as the “Flower Island” (Blumeninsel), Mainau Island is located near the southern shore of the Überlinger See section of the lake, and has been part of the city of Konstanz since 1971. The island belongs to the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung, a foundation created by Swedish-born Prince Lennart Bernadotte (1909-2004), Count of Wisborg, and his wife, Countess Sonja Bernadotte (1944-2008), on 13 December 1974 in order to ensure the future of the island and its gardens. Today, as part of the foundation’s operations, the island’s facilities are run by the Mainau GmbH company. Bernadotte’s remains and those of his second wife, the countess, are interred in a crypt under the palace chapel on Mainau. A memorial bust of the count stands in a garden on the island. Today Lennart’s son, Count Björn Bernadotte, lives on the island with his family.
Mainau Island viewed from a zeppelin flying over Lake Constance in April 2018. On the right the castle, church, and boat landings are visible. PHOTO: Holger Uwe Schmitt CC-BY-SA-4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Of the lake’s three main islands, Mainau has the lowest number of residents (185) and the smallest area (0.447584 sq km/0.17281 sq mi/110.6 acres), but it makes up for that with its beautiful historic buildings, parks and gardens, a mild climate, and its green ecological policies. The waters between the island and the mainland are a protected marine zone.
The island is popular with tourists despite the fact that it charges an entrance fee. It is open daily year round from 9am to 5pm (7pm in summer) and can be reached by car via a road bridge and by boat at docks served by the Weiße Flotte (White Fleet) BSB cruise ships (from Easter through October, from Konstanz or Meersburg). Visitors are attracted to the island by its historic structures and gardens. Each spring the Blumenjahr (Flower Year) opens with an exhibition of orchids.
From March to May visitors can view many kinds of flowers in full bloom (tulips, daffodils, primroses, forget-me-nots, hyacinths, etc.). To better display their full beauty, the pedestrian walkway called Frühlingsallee (Spring Avenue) spans part of the island, offering views of the flower beds, including the Italian Rose Garden with over 1,200 varieties of roses, and the Mediterranean Terrace where exotic plants such as palms, agaves, cacti, and bougainvillea are on display in the summer months. The Butterfly House (Schmetterlingshaus) is one of the more recent attractions. The large Arboretum is 150 years old and features giant sequoias and other trees. The Palm House features a wide variety of palm species. There is also a Kinderland with a playground and attractions for kids. Cafés, restaurants, a bakery, and a beer garden (in season) are also available.
Admission to the island is free for children 12 or younger. You can save one euro on tickets by buying them online. Students pay €6.50/7.50. Adults €10.50/11.50. Parking is free except during the Christmas Garden event (€2.00). See the Mainau Island website for current prices, a map of the island, and more information for visitors.
Reichenau Island (Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
Reichenau Island lies west of the city of Konstanz, between the Gnadensee and the Untersee, two sections of Lake Constance’s Lower Lake. The island, whose official name is Monastic Island of Reichenau, is connected to the mainland by a poplar-lined causeway completed in 1838. The first monastery on the island was built in 724 by the bishop Pirmin, for whom the island’s principal street (Pirminstraße) is named. Reichenau quickly developed into an influential religious, cultural, and intellectual center. Because of its historical importance and the exceptional quality of the architecture and artwork found in the island’s three churches and an abbey, Reichenau was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The major attraction for visitors is the church architecture. There are also nature reserves, some with viewing platforms. Bathing beaches and parks are also available.
The ceiling of the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Niederzell, Reichenau. The exterior is Romanesque style, but the interior, including the ceiling seen here, was redone in Rococo style between 1750 and 1760. PHOTO: © James Palik, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO)
Reichenau is an island and a community of the same name, consisting of three loosely defined villages named Oberzell, Mittelzell, and Niederzell (Upper, Middle, and Lower Zell). Mittelzell is the largest village and also the administrative center for the island community. With 3,570 residents (2011), Reichenau is also the most populated island on the lake. The name “Reichenau” comes from the island’s original Alemannic name, which was Latinized as Augia, later also Augia felix or Augia dives (rich, or fertile, island), becoming German Richenow or Reichenau. The island is about three miles (4.5 km) long and just under a mile (1.5 km) wide. Nowadays the island is also known for its vegetable farms and vineyards. The Wollmatinger Ried next to the island is a large nature reserve, a wetland area of reeds that is used by many birds as a migratory stopover.
WEB > reichenau-tourismus.de – in German
Lake Constance: Other Attractions
The following museums, natural features, and other places of interest are located along the shore of Lake Constance or near the lake.
Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen (Stilt Houses Museum in Unteruhldingen)
Although evidence of prehistoric stilt houses or pile dwellings (built atop wooden pilings/posts) has been found all around Lake Constance and in other European locations, the open-air museum at the village of Unteruhldingen (part of the town of Uhldingen-Mühlhofen) is the only place on the lake where you can see reconstructions of these structures. The original museum opened in 1922 with two stilt-house (Pfahlbauten) reproductions. Over time the museum and its approach to prehistory has evolved and now reflects current science related to the stilt houses. For instance, it was once thought that the wood-post structures were built over open water, but today it is thought they stood in reed-covered marshlands along the shore. The museum has also expanded its scientific and research roles. Today its full name is: Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen am Bodensee – Freilichtmuseum und Forschungsinstitut, which translates as “Stilt Houses [in] Unteruhldingen on Lake Constance – Open-Air Museum and Institute”.
Pfahlbaumuseum Unteruhldingen – Stilt House Museum: A recreation of the Bronze Age stilt house village that once stood at what is now the town of Bad Buchau on Federsee lake. PHOTO: Andreas F. Borchert CC BY-SA 3.0 DE via Wikimedia Commons
Today there are two museum exhibit buildings: the Old Museum and the New Museum. In the Old Museum you’ll find the exhibit named “Stilt Dwellings from All Around the Alps” with more than 1,000 artifacts found at the sites of ancient settlements in the Lake Constance region. The open-air portion of the museum now includes a total of 23 reconstructed pile dwellings from the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. They are divided into sections representing various original locations around Lake Constance and the Federsee (Feather Lake) in Upper Swabia: Arbon, Bad Bachau, Sipplingen, and other sites.
The museum in Uhldingen-Mühlhofen can be reached via car, bus, ship, and train. During the summer months some cruise ships serve the museum directly from Friedrichshafen, Lindau, Meersburg, Konstanz, and other ports. There’s a Deutsche Bahn train station in nearby Oberuhldingen. Year round bus service (“Seelinie 7395”) is also available. The museum lies directly on the Bodenseerundwanderweg (Lake Constance Circuit Hiking Trail) and bike paths. See the website (“Ihre Anreise” below) for various transportation options. GPS address: Unteruhldingen, Strandpromenade 6.
WEB > Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen – Official museum website (in German)
WEB > Pfahlbauten – Ihre Anreise – Arrival and transport info (in German)
WEB > Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps – A list of 111 sites (as of 2011) located in Switzerland (56), Italy (19), Germany (18), France (11), Austria (5), and Slovenia (2)
Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen (Canton Schaffhausen, Switzerland)
Although not located directly on the lake, Schaffhausen (pop. 36,587) is near the site of the famous Rhine Falls (Rheinfall) where the Rhine flows out of Lake Constance at the Lake Rhine, and then past rocky sections on its way west to Basel. Schaffhausen is located in a finger of Swiss territory surrounded on three sides by Germany. The falls, however, are actually located between the neighboring Swiss towns of Neuhausen am Rheinfall on the Rhine’s right bank, and Laufen-Uhwiesen (Canton Zürich) on the left bank.
Rhine Falls with Laufen Castle and a Swiss SBB train crossing the Rhine. PHOTO: Kabelleger/David Gubler (Wikimedia Commons)
The falls are not very high (75 ft, 23 m), but they are 490 ft (150 m) wide and considered the most powerful waterfall in Europe. The average volume of water at the falls is 373 cubic meters per second, but in summer that may increase to over 600 cubic meters per second. The highest flow rate recorded to date occurred in 1965, when 1,250 cubic meters of water per second plunged over the rocks. There are predictions that the Rhine’s water volume will decrease over the next 30 years due to climate change.
In addition to boat tours to the Rhine Falls rock (Rheinfallfelsen), there are also viewing platforms on both sides of the Rhine River. Access to the platforms is via steep, narrow stairs, and there is an admission fee. There are some elevators, but disabled access is limited.
BACK | Part 1: Lake Constance: Introduction
See Part 1 of this guide for information about Lake Constance, Europe’s third largest lake. In Part 2 you’ll learn about the scenic cities and towns on the lake’s shores.
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: The Cities and Towns
More | City Guides: Germany
Related Pages
MORE CITIES/COUNTRIES
- City Guides: Austria
- City Guides: Germany
- Switzerland for Tourists
- Travel and Tourism in German-speaking Europe
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