🔗 Share this article

Beneath the warm autumn sun, looking out upon the water, I’m sipping a tart, cooling apple-secco. This effervescent beverage resembles prosecco, but is made from apples instead of grapes. I try a few cinnamon-infused apple chips, then proceed to the hard stuff: brandy created from heritage apple varieties.

If it wasn't clear, apples are major industry in this locality. I’m hiking along the shores of Lake Constance, on Germany’s south border. Approximately 250,000 tonnes of apples are collected in this territory per year. Our excursion coincided with the regular gourmet event, when local producers establish stalls and sell their products along a lengthy stretch of the lakeside hiking trail between Überlingen, Sipplingen, and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. If apples aren’t your jam, there’s also pear sparkling wine and spirits made from an assortment from plums, cherries, and blackcurrants to Jerusalem artichokes. Travelers can also taste food such as smoked sausages, cheeses, onion tarts, and handmade cakes and pies.

Four Countries – Single Body of Water

Lake Constance’s tourism tagline is: “Four countries – one lake”. Germany, Austria, and Switzerland all border at the lake, while Liechtenstein is just a short drive away. On our short break, we explored only the German area, but those with more time could easily visit three or four countries. There is a 257-kilometer cycling circuit around the lake, which can be broken into four to eight stages; and extended foodie, active, and highlights itineraries, all achievable using public transport. Special travel passes offer endless travel on trains, buses, and ferries, while deluxe options also include entry to numerous attractions.

Visiting the City

We commenced our trip in Konstanz, the major city on the lake. We joined a guided tour to learn about the city’s rich history – most notably the Council of Constance of 1414-1418, a series of meetings to address years of schism within the Catholic church – and visit its icons: the council building itself; Imperia, a controversial rotating waterfront statue; the münster and its spire with views over the city, lake, and mountains; and the charming Niederburg district, with its stone-paved alleyways and houses from the late Middle Ages.

While the sun was bright, we ate outside by the water at a historic inn in a former officers’ mess. As well as hearty meat dishes such as knuckle of pork and beef roulade, we were thrilled to find flavorful vegan versions of regional dishes. Maultaschen, usually meat-filled dumplings, were made with plant-based mince and served with potato-based and cucumber salad and vegetable gravy.

We were starting to tire when we heard the rousing sound of an oompah band. Heading towards the music, we emerged at a charming mountain inn

When it poured, we took cover in a brewery and restaurant in a medieval building. Alongside its core menu of sausages, schnitzels, and Swabian specialities such as käsespätzle, it serves time-limited dishes. The pumpkin soup with giant pretzels was turning out to be popular; this autumn there is a chanterelle mushroom menu. We tried the malty Copper beer; later in the year, a dark, strong seasonal brew will be on tap.

Enjoyment and Adventure

After all this enjoyment, it was time to walk to our campsite, nearly 19km around the lake. Just outside the city, we reached inviting thermal baths, with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and steam rooms. We pressed on and passed Mainau, known as the flower island. In September, the dahlias are in full bloom and the katsura trees give off scents of gingerbread and caramel; the arboretum is at its foliage-viewing peak in October.

We left the lake and headed a little way into the countryside, walking through meadows and climbing a couple of hills, before strolling through the lakeside village of Dingelsdorf to the campsite just beyond. The nights were getting crisp, so we were glad to be staying in a warm sleeping barrel rather than a tent. These wooden structures are allegedly based on historical accommodation – but presumably a lot warmer and cleaner. The campsite has a cafe, sells fresh bread in the mornings, and hosts a market on Fridays. A nearby restaurant serves local dishes plus pizza and pasta, in a modern space with a vaulted ceiling.

Culinary Hiking and Scenic Views

The next morning, we took a boat from Dingelsdorf harbor across the lake to Überlingen, a town with a medieval quarter and the longest promenade on the lake. This was the start of our gourmet walk – shorter but more challenging – traversing ravines, forests, and, of course, orchards. A particularly memorable stop was at a viewpoint where a winery was serving wine and snacks to accompany the breathtaking lake panorama.

Beyond Sipplingen, we were starting to tire when we heard the rousing sound of an oompah band. We headed towards the music and emerged at a mountain inn whose sun terrace has views all the way to the Alps. Refreshed by more excellent German beer, it was a short hop to our journey’s end, a lakeside hotel with a heated outdoor pool and saunas—a perfect place to relax after a hike. The restaurant serves pike and char fish alongside pork cheeks and steaks, and more excellent vegetarian options such as panzerotti stuffed with porcini and truffles.

We’d packed a lot in, but there was so much left to see: the island old town of Lindau; the Middle Ages castle at Meersburg; the Zeppelin city of Friedrichshafen. And that’s without even leaving Germany. We’re going to need more apple-secco …