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Konstanz, Germany
Konstanz is a rare German city with a fully intact medieval center, having escaped Allied bombing because its lights blended with those of neighboring Swiss cities across the border. The Altstadt is a compact labyrinth of half-timbered houses, painted facades, and narrow lanes, centered on the Minster, a Romanesque-Gothic church whose tower offers views across Lake Constance to the Swiss Alps. The harbor area, where the famous Imperia statue rotates on a pedestal (a satirical commentary on the Council of Constance), connects the old town to the lakefront promenade. The Niederburg, the oldest quarter, is a tangle of medieval lanes south of the Minster. The university campus on the Giessberg hill and the Botanical Garden of the University of Konstanz add green walking options. Mainau Island, the Flower Island in the lake, is reachable by boat or footbridge and is a horticultural wonderland.
explore by interest
Walk along the Rhine from the old town to the Seerhein quarter, then follow the lakeside path — you will cross the Swiss border without even noticing.
May through September for lakeside walking weather, with Mainau Island's gardens at their peak bloom from late April through October.