A glass of wine on Lake Constance

What is the best time of year to visit Lindau?

Here on Lake Constance every season has its own charms.

The summer is perfect if you like swimming. In winter, you can go skiing. That’s when we winemakers have more time. Guests can visit wine tastings and cellars.

I currently love autumn most of all. Sometimes an early morning mist hovers over the lake. The atmosphere is somewhat melancholic, but you often get striking light effects.

It’s really beautiful in spring when the apple trees are in blossom: For those two weeks, this whole place is full of white and pink blossom, usually around 1st May.

Where do you meet your friends in summer?

In summer, we love meeting in the Strandbad Lindenhof in Lindau. This is an old lido from the 1970s – the oldest natural swimming pool that we have here. It’s home to the Lindenhof Beach Cafe. It’s also nice there in the evenings – sitting by the lake with a “Currywurst” and a glass of wine or beer makes the perfect end to the day.

What do you do in your free time?

The recreational opportunities here on Lake Constance are extremely varied: surfing, swimming, walking, cycling, stand-up paddling, skiing – all these are possible.

In summer, I like to go cycling in the back country and then to the lake. One of my favourite routes runs from Lindau through Wasserburg to Hattnau and Selmnau. Here it’s well worth taking a short break because from the Antoniuskapelle you get a wonderful view over the lake. Then it’s either on through the forest or past Hengnau to Unterreitnau and back to Lindau.

Where do you go when you want to celebrate?

For celebrations we go to the “Haus am See” in Nonnenhorn. This is a restaurant and hotel run by a friend of mine, Valentin Knörle. It’s all beautifully done: a really small hotel right on the lake, and Vali is a simply fantastic chef. He learned to cook in the Mangold Restaurant, then spent a season in the legendary Tantris, among others, and now has an excellent kitchen here.

Your favourite food by the lake?

That’s easy: Fish from our friendly fisherman Christoph Boesenecker, which is then prepared by head chef Valentin Knörle in the “Haus am See” in Nonnenhorn. A dream.

And if it’s raining?

In Lindau, there’s an interesting city museum that displays both the history of the city and a modern art collection. For something rather more active, there’s the Aquaria Water Park in Oberstaufen. Then you should definitely repair to the Blaue Haus for a delicious slice of cake.

Where do you drink wine yourself?

I like going to the gallery and wine bar “Zur Fischerin”, the oldest wine shop in Lindau. It’s wonderfully cosy there and you come across lots of locals. This wine shop doesn’t only stock many wines from the region but also offers a small but lovely menu.

Do you have any favourite places?

Yes, two: up above us in the vineyards we have a small hut. I like to take a picnic basket with me, or a bottle of wine, and enjoy the view across the entire lake … it’s beautiful.

The other place is right behind our house: I sit on the rocks right by the water’s edge. What I love about this place is the stillness. Lake Constance has such a calm aura.

And your tips for families?

The Karibu experience farm in Sigmarszell offers great adventures for children. It’s also really beautiful to walk along the Argen, one of our local rivers. Here the children can play in and around the water, which is very shallow in places. The treetop trail in Scheidegg in the Allgäu is a real experience for children: a circular tour leads up to the top.

An excursion into the great outdoors?

I like the Scheidegg waterfalls in the Allgäu – they are listed among the 100 loveliest biotopes in Bavaria. There’s also a petting zoo and a water playground.

A secret tip please …

There’s a really old steamer here, the Hohentwiel. You should board this ship and do a cruise round Lake Constance. An unforgettable experience!