Lindau and Meersburg: plan the towns separately
Lindau and Meersburg are on different parts of the German shore. Each deserves time on foot, and combining them depends on the actual transport service available that day.
Lindau: island old town and harbour
Lindau's old town occupies an island linked to the mainland. The New Lighthouse at the harbour entrance is Germany's southernmost lighthouse and Bavaria's only lighthouse; the nearby Mangturm is an older watch and signal tower. Check local parking or public transport before entering the island area, then allow time for the old town beyond the harbour.
Meersburg: two distinct castle sites
Meersburg rises above the lake around the medieval Altes Schloss and the baroque Neues Schloss. They are separate attractions with their own operators, access and opening information. The lower town, steep lanes, waterfront and vineyards give the visit its shape; verify current museum access rather than relying on superlatives about the castles.
Check the two castles separately in winter
The New Palace operator’s calendar, checked on 10 September 2026, lists weekend and public-holiday opening from 2 November to 24 December, daily opening from 25 December to 6 January, and closure from 7 January to 19 March. Use the palace’s own calendar for your date and the separate Burg Meersburg website for the Old Castle; their winter visits are not interchangeable.
Do not mistake the car-ferry route
The year-round car ferry runs only between Konstanz-Staad and Meersburg. It does not continue to Lindau. Seasonal scheduled boats may provide useful connections elsewhere on the lake, but the exact route and travel time must be checked with BSB. Plan Lindau and Meersburg as separate stops unless a current timetable makes the combination practical. Checked on 10 September 2026: low water is disrupting passenger boats and making gangways steep. BSB is not calling at Langenargen; from Dingelsdorf, wheelchairs and bicycles can currently travel only on MS Überlingen. Mannenbach is not accessible to wheelchair users. Confirm the exact pier, vessel and assistance arrangements with the operator before relying on a crossing.
Common mistakes that weaken the trip.
These are practical cautions, not live availability claims. Current ferry and boat timetables, garden seasons, opening hours, and cross-border rules still belong to official sources.
Calling the Mangturm Lindau's lighthouse; the New Lighthouse is the active harbour landmark.
Treating Meersburg's two castles as one attraction with one ticket or schedule.
Assuming the Konstanz–Meersburg car ferry provides a through link to Lindau.
Keep the lake plan coherent.
Continue with the guide that matches your next question: base and shore, getting around, the islands, the postcard towns, cross-border day trips, and season. For a separate stop in Munich, use munichguide.app.
Where to stay on Lake Constance: five useful base towns
Compare Konstanz, Meersburg, Lindau, Friedrichshafen and Überlingen by location, transport and the places you want to visit.
Getting to and around Lake Constance
Plan rail and air arrivals, BSB passenger boats, the year-round car ferry and catamaran, and the 260-kilometre Bodensee-Radweg.
Mainau and Reichenau: gardens or World Heritage
Compare Mainau's ticketed gardens with Reichenau's three Romanesque churches, including current access checks and realistic transport planning.
Current details belong to official sources.
Ferry and boat timetables, garden seasons, opening hours, festival dates, and cross-border rules can change. This page gives the practical context; the sources below verify current facts.
- Lindau TourismLindau destination context: the island old town, the harbour with the Bavarian Lion and the New Lighthouse, the Mangturm, and current visitor information for the Bavarian corner of the lake.
- Stadt MeersburgMeersburg context: the Altes Schloss and the baroque Neues Schloss, the terraced vineyards and lakefront, and current visitor and event information.
- Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe (BSB)Current route-specific timetables for the scheduled BSB passenger ships and links to the operator's 2026 timetable downloads.
- Konstanz–Meersburg Car FerryThe Konstanz (Staad)–Meersburg car ferry, which operates around the clock throughout the year; current timetable and fares for cars, bikes, and foot passengers.
- Internationale Bodensee TourismusThe official cross-border tourism board for the whole lake region: shore-by-shore framing, the passenger-boat network, the Bodensee-Radweg, and events across Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
- Burg Meersburg: Old CastleThe Old Castle’s own visitor information, history and event programme.
- New Palace: opening calendarThe separate New Palace operator’s seasonal opening and winter closure calendar.
How we verify
We check changing boat and ferry timetables, tickets, garden access, and border details against the relevant official authority or operator.