Lake Constance, or the Bodensee, lies between Germany and Switzerland, with a little bit of Austria at one end. The Rhine flows in at the East, and out at the West, past Konstanz, and on to the famous falls at Schaffhausen. Germans are inclined to be lyrical about the Bodensee, especially in Spring. On our first visit in April, we were a little early, and this time, in July, a little late for the full beauty of blossom around the lake, but it is really, truly, stunningly beautiful. We stayed in Uberlingen, which is off to one end, on an arm of the lake known as the Uberlinger See, but it’s a delightful medieval town with a bustling promenade on the lakeside and tour boats and ferries heading off in all directions. Our hotel had an ice-cream parlour on the ground floor, and our room overlooked the lake — also the Promenade Festival, which we hadn’t known about, and which went on into the small hours. It’s a good thing we sleep soundly and are tolerant of German oompah music. (There’s also German folk music with accordeon, lederhosen and furry clogs).
Hire bikes gave us the opportunity to potter along to the stone/iron/bronze age village on stilts which is fascinating but you have to go on the tour and it’s only given in German — so learn German. On to Meersburg — more delightful medieval buildings.
Main reason for being near the Bodensee was to hear daughter Beth sing in Haydn’s St. Cecilia Mass as part of the choir. The performance was in the Birnau, a stunning pink Baroque building high above the lake, flanked by vineyards, and inside a confection of glacial white marble, some coloured marble, fat little angels with golden flags and crosses, sad saints, precipitous altars — all too too much for mere protestants, let alone Quakers — but an absolutely stunning place to listen to Haydn (and one’s daughter too, of course).
Top tip: German ice-cream parlours are the best — though often run by Italians.
