Walking along Lake Constance in southern Germany, I sip apple-secco, a sparkling drink made from apples, and taste cinnamon apple chips and brandy made from old apple varieties. Apples are big here, with 250,000 tonnes harvested every year. In October, the gourmet hiking event brings stalls along the 15km SeeGang trail between Überlingen, Sipplingen and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. Visitors taste apple drinks, plum spirits, cheeses, sausages, onion tarts and homemade cakes.
Lake Constance borders Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with Liechtenstein only a short drive away. Many travelers cycle the 160-mile route around the lake or use the Bodensee ticket for ferries, trains and buses. The Bodensee Card Plus includes entry to attractions, making it easy to explore.
We began in Konstanz, the largest city on the lake. A guided tour showed us the cathedral, the council building, and the famous rotating Imperia statue. The old Niederburg district, with cobbled lanes and medieval houses, was charming. At Constanzer Wirtshaus we found vegan versions of regional dishes, while Brauhaus Joh Albrecht served käsespätzle, pumpkin soup and craft beer.
From Konstanz, we walked 12 miles to Campingplatz Klausenhorn, where we stayed in a wooden sleeping barrel. Nearby, Ufer 39 served local dishes in a bright hall. The next day we took a boat to Überlingen for a shorter but tougher hike through orchards and forests. At Torkelbühl viewpoint we enjoyed snacks with wine from Kress Winery and sweeping lake views. Later, music led us to Höhengasthaus Haldenhof, where we relaxed on the terrace with views of the Alps. Our hike ended at Seehotel Adler in Bodman-Ludwigshafen, complete with spa and regional dishes such as pike, pork cheeks and vegetarian panzerotti with porcini.
Even with all this, we missed Lindau’s island old town, the castle at Meersburg and Friedrichshafen’s Zeppelin museum. Lake Constance has more to see, and we will return for another glass of apple-secco.
