Live the good life

LIVE THE GOOD LIFE

Food, wine and more – indulge yourself at Lake Constance

If your idea of a holiday is to eat, drink, relax and be merry – and whose isn’t? – it’s time you discovered everything the Lake Constance region has to offer. Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Principality of Liechtenstein rub shoulders here and treat you to delicious food and wine in fabulous surroundings: simply looking at the mountains across the lake, which locals lovingly call ‘Bodensee’, is five-star enjoyment.

So many of life’s pleasures, some sophisticated, others simple, are to be found here:

Wine: Sample some of the famous Müller-Thurgau and Blauburgunder (Pinot noir) which is produced from grapes which grow on the shores of Lake Constance. You can visit the vineyards, too, including the ‘Blauburgunderland’ in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland or the Olgaberg, Germany’s highest vineyard at the Hohentwiel mountain. Guided wine tours, wine tastings and the unusual experience of sleeping in a wine barrel are just a few more highlights which you can experience all around the lake. A timeless and delicious pleasure: A glass of local Lake Constance wine in the warm evening sun.

Beer: Tettnang in Germany is famous for its hops, which are used in a number of European pale lagers and wheat beers. Why not try one – or perhaps more than one? The Lake Constance region boasts many regional breweries such as Ruppaner in Constance.

Fish: Lake Constance is known for ‘Felchen’, a particularly delicious white fish. Each autumn restaurants in the lower lake regions offer Felchen specials – so give them a whirl! And there are perch and pike too… Feel free to accompany one of the 200 fishermen when they reel in their nets at the break of dawn.

Fresh produce: the region has an abundance of things to enjoy. At Reichenau, for instance, you can have cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuces grown in the monastic garden on this beautiful little island. The perfect place to enjoy a summer salad…

Apples: the German shores of Lake Constance and the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland are noted for many wonderful varieties of apples. Delicious – and there’s no better time to try them than perfectly ripe during Apple Week…

Käsknöpfle, Kässpätzle and more: heard of them? They are cheesy variants of Spätzle and Knöpfle, forms of pasta, and every region around Lake Constance puts its own little twist on them. Dünnele are the Alemannic version of thin baked sweet or savoury sandwiches which you definitely need to try and there are plenty more specialties to sample from all four countries.

Fondue on a ship: everyone loves a cheese fondue, and when it’s served on board a ship crossing Lake Constance against a backdrop of mountain scenery it simply can’t be beaten…

Tickle a gourmet’s taste buds: the number of award-winning restaurants in the Lake Constance region is unparalleled within Europe. It includes Michelin-starred restaurants where renowned chefs take the local produce and regional specialties of all four countries to a higher level. These culinary delights are accompanied by a breath-taking lake-view.

Christmas markets: you haven’t really been to a Christmas market until you’ve come to the Bodensee. Wander among the stalls and see if you can resist the smell of cinnamon, mulled wine and punch, of melting chocolate, sweets, biscuits, savoury treats and more. It won’t be long before you admit defeat!