Traveling in Germany

The island of Mainau is like a fairytale country – with a wonderful castle and many flowers. It is located in the beautiful Lake Constance, which the Germans called Bodensee and even the Swabian Sea. The lake is located on the Rhine River, which flows into its southeastern part and flows out of the northwest. With an area of 536 sq. Its coasts stretch between three countries – Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It is the largest lake in Germany and the third largest in Central Europe after Lake Balaton and Lake Geneva. Lake Constance was formed during the Ice Age, and today its water is quite cold. The deepest place was 254 m, with an average depth of 90 m. In the summer many tourist bath in it, but we were among those who only admired its beauty from the deck of the ferry boat traveling from the town of Konstanz to Mainau.

The first port where our ship docked was Uberlingen. Next was the stop in Meersburg, and the third long-awaited stop – the wonderful island of flowers Mainau.

It was the third largest island in the lake, and it was connected to the shore by a bridge. On the island there was a Baroque castle, greenhouses and everywhere gardens with palm trees, tropical plants and many, many flowers. The history of the island dates back to 3000 BC, passing through various possessions and was used as a fortress or shipyard. Its present form Mainau received in the 18th century, when a  noble family erected castle on this land, and everything around it was turned into a huge park. The foundations of the present gardens were laid by Duke Frederick I, who acquired Mainau in 1853. He loved to travel and constantly enriched his collection with new and exotic flowers, creating an Italian rose garden and greenhouse. The mild climate of the island favored the cultivation of rare, tropical and subtropical plants. In 1974, the Bernadotte family turned Mainau into a foundation to support scientific projects related to botany and environmental protection. Every month Mainau gets a new look – April was dedicated to colorful tulips, May to exotic orchids, June to fragrant roses, etc.

We began our walk through the picturesque alleys heading to the Baroque palace, which rose on a hill and was visible from the harbor. By the time we got to it, we went through dozens of different types of shrubs, flowers and trees. Especially beautiful were the colorful tulips, whose alleys led us to a round tower. The so-called Garden Tower dates back to the Middle Ages, being part of the island’s fortification system. Today there was an information center with an audio-visual presentation of Mainau.

Just opposite the tower was the beautiful castle erected in the period 1739-1746. Its shape resembled a horseshoe facing the center of the island and its back to Lake Constance. Today there is an exhibition hall in the castle, a souvenir shop and a pastry shop, which we visited at the end of our tour.

After the castle we descended along some beautiful alleys with lots of flowers. There was a primitive settlement made of trees and flowers, where even the inhabitants were made very originally from wood and roots. There was a pond with a fountain, and lots of turtles.

From there we headed to the animal corner, where there were llamas, ponies and goats. Before we reached the butterfly house, we passed the uniquely flower-made huge four ducklings, next to them a beautiful pheasant with an outstretched tail, and on the other side a big flower – all of them consisting of hundreds of colorful flowers.

The butterfly house was made like a butterfly and its entrance was a tunnel in the form of a caterpillar. Inside, it was very warm, but it was not as humid as in the butterfly house in Vienna or the one in the London Zoo. The pictures became relatively clear and nice, except that the butterflies were constantly moving, and it was especially difficult for me to catch them with the lens. In fact, butterflies from dozens of countries were stored and lived here, they seemed to get along well especially with the tourists.

We walked around the wine hills of the island returning back to the castle, where we entered the pastry shop located in the palm garden. At that time, the glass greenhouse with palm plantations was closed for visits, but sitting in the patio of the restaurant we found ourselves right there. We tried a gorgeous chocolate raspberry cake with a crust full of walnuts – it was very tasty – an ideal end to the tour of an ideal island. They say flowers are the smile on the ground, and on the island of Mainau it seems to be the most radiant.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT MAINAU ISLAND:

Location: Mainau is an island in Lake Constance (German Bodensee) and is located in southwestern Germany on its border with Switzerland.
Working hours: from sunrise to sunset
Area: 45 hectares

Trip Tips for island of Mainau:

Best time to visit: The island is open all year round, but in winter there are no flowers, only a beautiful park, a butterfly house and an open café in the castle. In spring, Mainau is probably the most beautiful, especially in mid-April, when tulips begin to bloom. In summer, roses bloom and then there are the largest crowds of tourists. In autumn, the dahlia blooms and the trees are dotted with flowers.
Places to eat: There are several dining options on the island: Café Vergissmeinnicht (offers reasonably priced food), Schmetterlingsbistro / Butterfly bistro (offers various snacks and drinks), Schwedenschenke / Swedish Taverna (these are many arranged outdoor tables), Schlosscafe / Cafe in the castle (excellent pastry shop with very tasty sweet temptations), Rothaus Seeterrassen (restaurant with excellent cuisine and panorama, fish specialties are recommended),  Wurstle-Grill (outdoor tables, just outside the castle walls, the menu includes many delicious toasted sausages), Backerei Taglich Brot / Bakery with delicious hot breads, Comturey Restaurant (offers traditional local cuisine, such as fish soup, beef stew and chocolate desserts), Biergarten am Hafen / / beer garden at the port.
Places to visit: The whole island is a park with a wide variety of trees, flowers and shrubs, with other attractions including a 13th-century Baroque castle and the largest butterfly house in Germany.