LINDAU

E43, E54, A96, 3 km west (north: exit 3; south: exit 2) /2/

The little medieval town of Lindau is a true gem among all the beautiful places around the Bodensee. It has an ideal position, totally surrounded by water. Seen from a distance on a hazy summer’s day the houses of the town appear to be floating on the shimmering water and the picturesque scene is perfected by the wooded alp-tops in the background.

Starting off as a fishing village the town developed into an important trade route between Germany and Italy. The Romans built a fortification here and in the 9th century Lindau is mentioned for the first time in connection with the building of a nunnery, Our Lady under the lime trees, giving the town its name.

In the 13th century Lindau was proclaimed independent town of the realm within the holy Roman Empire and was juggled between Austria and France countless times until it finally became Bavarian in 1805.

During the 18th and 19th centuries a stage coach service was based in Lindau and among its users was Goethe, when he made his first journey to Italy in 1786. Fortunately, Lindau was spared during both World Wars and many of its medieval buildings are still intact. Nowadays Lindau is world famous for the scientific meetings held here between Nobel laureates on the initiative of Lennart Bernadotte at Mainau.

A MEDIEVAL TOWN CENTRE

In the old town we can still find many beautiful patrician houses in the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles, often decoratively painted. They are lined up, one grander than the other, along the town’s aorta, Maximilianstrasse, in particular but also in many of the town squares. At Reichsplatz we find the grand old Town Hall with its façade in sparkling colour and at Marktplatz is displayed one of Lindau’s most handsome burgher-houses by far, Cavassen.

At Schrannenplats rises the Church of St Peter from the 10th century with a famous mural by Hans Holbein, and not far from the church are remains of the old city wall with its watch tower Diebsturm. All over the old town restaurants and bars crowd together with well frequented outdoor dining places in the shade of graceful arcades which provide shelter come rain or shine.

THE HARBOUR, A NATURAL MEETING PLACE

A muddle of small streets with ornate half-timbered houses start out from the squares and turn off down to the harbour, where stand some grand old hotels from a bygone era.

Here in the harbour it makes sense to have a little sit-down at a café table and enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the lion statue, symbol of the town, and the lighthouse in front of a fantastic panoramic view over the lake and the mountains. You can also set out for a walk around the whole island, finding even more amazing sights. From the north-western bank of the island, for example, you have a pretty view of the garden town Bad Schachen, once a suburb intended to cater for all the tourists spilling over from the island proper.