Konstanz

Imperia statue, the Niederburg lanes and a boat to Mainau

Three days in Konstanz cover the old town and the lake. Start at the harbour with the turning Imperia statue and the Konzil building, climb the Münster tower and walk the Niederburg lanes, then give day two to the flower island of Mainau by boat or bus, and swim in the Rhine on a warm afternoon.

Day one. Start at the harbour with the Imperia statue turning on her plinth and the Konzil building beside her, the old warehouse where the 1417 papal election took place. Walk up through the Marktstätte to the Münster and climb its tower before the crowds arrive, then lose an hour in the Niederburg lanes north of the cathedral, where 14th-century houses still carry painted guild signs. Cross to the Rhine to see the Rheintorturm and Pulverturm, remnants of the old walls. Late afternoon, swim in the Rhine near the pedestrian bridge or have a drink at the beach bar on the south bank.

Day two. Take a morning boat or bus to Mainau. The island's baroque palace, arboretum and rose garden take most of the day, and the butterfly house is good in any weather. Back in town, walk across the bridge to Petershausen and along Seestraße past the art nouveau villas, then climb to the Bismarck tower for sunset over the lake.

Day three. Ride a bus west to Reichenau, a flat island linked by a causeway, where three Romanesque churches survive from a monastery that was among the great centres of learning around the year 1000. Its market gardens supply the region's vegetables. Return for the evening, or instead take the car ferry from Staad to Meersburg, with its hilltop castle and wine taverns, and be back by dinner.

Felchen in butter, Kretzer perch and Reichenau vegetables

Lake fish is what to eat in Konstanz. Felchen, a whitefish from the open lake, comes fried in butter with boiled potatoes or smoked, and Kretzer perch fillets cost more. Käsespätzle and Flammkuchen cover the Baden side of the menu, and Reichenau island supplies the vegetables served round the lake.

Lake fish is the thing to order. Felchen, a delicate whitefish caught in the open lake, appears on almost every menu, usually fried in butter (Müllerin Art) with boiled potatoes or served smoked. Kretzer, small perch fillets, is a pricier treat, and pike-perch and char turn up in season. Ask whether the fish comes from the lake itself; local catches are smaller than they once were.

Beyond fish, the cooking is Baden and Alemannic. Käsespätzle with melted mountain cheese and crispy onions is a filling cold-weather dish, and Flammkuchen, the thin cream-and-bacon tart, is a common snack with wine. Reichenau supplies salads, tomatoes and cucumbers to restaurants all round the lake, so vegetables are better than usual.

Lake Constance wine is mostly light: Müller-Thurgau whites and Spätburgunder reds, with a pale rosé called Weißherbst. The Swiss shore adds its own bottles.

The best place to start is the Marktstätte, the main square, with terraces from spring to autumn, and the old Fischmarkt just to the north. The Niederburg is the place for wine bars and small restaurants in old houses. Students eat in the cheap kebab shops that line the centre, some among the best in the region.

For listings, look for Die Seezunge, an annual magazine covering local restaurants, sold at kiosks and tobacco shops. Prices are higher than elsewhere in Germany, and summer terraces are full by 19:00, so book or eat early.

Swimming summers, Mainau tulips and winter lake fog

Late June to early September is the time for Konstanz if you want to swim, with highs of 24 to 26 °C, though these are also the wettest months at close to 100 mm each. April and May bring Mainau's tulips, autumn stays mild into October, and winter brings lake fog and Fasnacht.

The lake shapes the climate. Summers are warm and humid, with highs of about 24 C in June and 26 C in July and August, but these are also the wettest months, each taking close to 100 mm of rain, much of it in afternoon thunderstorms. The water warms enough for swimming by late June, and the Rhine and the Hörnle beach are busy through August.

Spring arrives early on the shore. April averages 16 C and May 20 C, and Mainau's tulip display peaks in April and May. Autumn is long and calm: September still reaches 20 C, and October, at 15 C, brings harvest colour to the vineyards across the lake, while the dahlias on Mainau carry on until the first frosts.

Winter is the dull season. Highs hover at 4 to 6 C from December to February and lake fog can sit over the city for days, though the Alps above it are often sunny. The harbour Christmas market and the warm pools of the Bodensee Therme brighten the gloom.

The big local festivals cluster at either end of the year. Fasnacht, the Alemannic carnival, takes over the old town in the days before Lent, with carved wooden masks, guild parades and a lot of noise. In summer, concerts and open-air cinema fill August evenings on the lakefront. Across the lake, the opera on the floating stage at Bregenz makes a good summer add-on.