In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Roughly 350 kilometres from Konstanz Minster via the monastery island of Reichenau, the towns of the northern shore and Lindau to the Upper Swabian Baroque Road, the Federsee moor and the upper Danube valley: a route of short stages with plenty of walks, ferry crossings and churches, and heavy traffic in high season.
The spirit of the route
Lake Constance is a landscape where three countries run into one another: Konstanz sits right on the Swiss border, Austria is ten kilometres from Lindau, and along the shore orchards, vineyards, half-timbering and Baroque onion domes follow one another. The stages on the northern shore are short, because the best hours belong to the water: lakeside promenades, ferry crossings, the pile dwellings of Unteruhldingen, the flower island of Mainau and the monastery island of Reichenau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you travel in July or August, bring patience – lakeside roads, ferries and car parks are overloaded on fine weekends, and almost every lakeside municipality has its own rules for motorhomes. From Lindau the route leaves the shore and becomes quieter. The Upper Swabian Baroque Road links monasteries, pilgrimage churches and residential towns built in the 17th and 18th centuries: the basilica in Weingarten, the pilgrimage church of Steinhausen by the Zimmermann brothers, the library hall of Bad Schussenried Abbey. Beyond lies the Federsee moor, where settlements from the Stone and Bronze Ages were excavated near Bad Buchau, and finally the narrow valley of the upper Danube with the Hohenzollern castle at Sigmaringen. Around 350 kilometres, a good eight days, with many stretches best covered by bike or on foot.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Konstanz to Reichenau (approx. 25 km)
- The drive
- From Konstanz old town along the Reichenaustraße on the north shore of the Untersee, then over the causeway to Reichenau just before the island. On the right lies the Wollmatinger Ried, the largest nature reserve on Lake Constance. If you want to visit the island of Mainau, first drive from Konstanz towards Litzelstetten and Mainau (about 8 km) and then back to Reichenau. Both roads are busy in summer, with queues at the Reichenau access. A good 30 to 45 minutes of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Konstanz Minster with its tower overlooking the old town and the Seerhein, plus the harbour entrance with the statue ‘Imperia’ – the old town is best explored on foot.
- Island of Mainau (flower island of the Bernadotte family): castle, arboretum, flower beds and butterfly house, worth half a day to a full day; admission is tiered and depends on season and offer.
- Monastery island of Reichenau (UNESCO World Heritage): three churches from the 9th to 11th centuries – St. Maria and Markus Minster in Mittelzell, St. George in Oberzell with Carolingian wall paintings, St. Peter and Paul in Niederzell.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In and around Konstanz there are lakeside campsites: Klausenhorn in Dingelsdorf and the site near Litzelstetten (towards Mainau), plus further campsites on Reichenau (for example Sandseele). In Konstanz itself there is the municipal Europabrücke motorhome pitch in the Petershausen-West district with about 90 places (recently 15 euros per day, maximum 72 hours, card payment at the machine); check fees and availability with the city beforehand, as parking charges were revised in May 2026.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Konstanz, on Reichenau and around Mainau, car parks and lakeside promenades are often closed to motorhomes at night or time-limited, and the island is a nature reserve with shore and reed zones. Overnighting ‘to restore fitness to drive’ is possible once where no sign forbids it, but in high season hardly realistic; book a pitch in advance.
- Insider tip for campers
- Konstanz has a small, much-visited old town: car parks have height limits and much of the centre is pedestrianised. It is best to stay outside and ride into town by bike or bus. The Swiss border runs straight through the twin town of Konstanz/Kreuzlingen: anyone crossing needs valid ID, and duty-free limits apply to goods. Mainau is very close: the 2026 adult day ticket most recently cost 26.90 euros online and 29.50 euros on site; according to the operator, motorhomes may stay on the visitor car park (recently a 6-euro day rate and a 12-euro night rate from 0 to 7 a.m., without electricity, water or waste disposal). In September and early October the island is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; check hours and prices with the operator beforehand.
2Stage 2: Reichenau to Überlingen (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- From Reichenau via Allensbach and Radolfzell on the B33 and the country road along the Bodanrück, then via Ludwigshafen and Sipplingen on the Überlinger See to Überlingen. On the lake the road is often narrow between shore and slope, with village crossings, 30 km/h zones and speed cameras. About 1.5 hours without stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Radolfzell: Minster of Our Lady, waterfront promenade with a view of the Mettnau peninsula and the Untersee, small old town with remains of the town wall.
- Sipplingen: small village between steep slope and lake with a view across the Überlinger See, about 10 km before Überlingen; the steep shores are a nature reserve.
- Überlingen: St. Nicholas Minster with a late Gothic interior, spa gardens with cacti and palms, waterfront promenade and the Franziskanertor town gate.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: On the Überlinger See there are several campsites near Überlingen (for example in Nußdorf and Überlingen-Süd) with sanitary facilities and electricity, some open only in season. Überlingen itself has the Reisemobilhafen in Kurt-Hahn-Strasse above the town (42 places for up to 8 m length, open all year, recently 18 euros per 24 hours including tourist tax, maximum three nights, no reservations; overnight guests receive the Echt Bodensee Card); check the fee beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the shore and at viewpoint car parks overnighting is generally prohibited, and the shores are protected. Daytime parking at places such as the harbour or the station only as signposted; at night municipalities and police check. The reeds and open water of the lake are protected: neither boats nor motorhomes belong there.
- Insider tip for campers
- Überlingen is overcrowded in high season; motorhomes over 2 m high do not fit into some multi-storey car parks – check beforehand. The Lake Constance cycle path (about 270 km around the lake) follows the shore here and is an alternative to the congested road: carry bikes in the motorhome and cover the distance between pitch and old town without the car. Allow generous time on summer weekends; the lakeside road jams at peak times.
3Stage 3: Überlingen to Meersburg (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- From Überlingen a short way inland to Salem, then back to the lake at Birnau and Unteruhldingen and on along the B31 to Meersburg. Country roads with two village crossings, then the lakeside road with traffic-light queues before Meersburg. About 45 minutes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Salem Castle and Abbey: former Cistercian abbey with minster, cloister and monastery complex; in the neighbouring area the Affenberg Salem with free-roaming Barbary macaques.
- Birnau pilgrimage church: Rococo church on the shore above the lake, designed by Peter Thumb, with stucco and frescoes; best early in the day before the coaches arrive.
- Unteruhldingen pile dwellings: open-air museum with reconstructed Stone and Bronze Age houses in the lake, part of the UNESCO World Heritage ‘Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps’; open daily in 2026, 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 14 May to 30 September, 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. in spring and from 1 October to 1 November (last admission 30 minutes before closing); check admission beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Meersburg has three municipal motorhome pitches on the edge of town (Allmend 1 and 2 on Allmendweg, Ergeten on Daisendorfer Strasse; recently 21 to 26 euros per 24 hours, maximum 72 hours, no reservations, shuttle bus to the old town in season). In Uhldingen-Mühlhofen there are pitches and campsites near the shore; offer and fees change every year and fill up early in high season – check beforehand in a pitch app or with the tourist office. Meersburg also has holiday apartments and wine estates, some of which offer motorhome pitches (ask by phone in advance).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around the pile dwellings and Birnau, car parks are charged by day and at night mostly closed or signed for motorhomes. The shoreline is a nature reserve. Wild overnighting quickly brings a fine in Uhldingen-Mühlhofen as in Meersburg – book a pitch or campsite in advance.
- Insider tip for campers
- Meersburg has two levels: the lower town at the harbour and the upper town with the Old Castle (one of the oldest inhabited castles in Germany) and the New Castle. The connection is steep and the lanes are narrow – the motorhome is best left at the pitch on the edge of town. The Meersburg–Konstanz-Staad ferry (about 15 minutes) shortens the journey by about 55 kilometres compared with driving via Überlingen. The fare depends on vehicle length (2026, most recently one way 17.80 euros up to 6 m, 22.60 euros for motorhomes over 6 up to 8 m and 28.00 euros up to 10 m; the return ticket is cheaper). The ferry runs every 10 to 15 minutes by day and cannot be reserved; on summer weekends and at peak times expect waits – check the tariff beforehand.
4Stage 4: Meersburg to Friedrichshafen (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- On the B31 along the north shore via Hagnau and Immenstaad to Friedrichshafen. The road passes orchards, vineyards and lakeside villages, with frequent queues in season; the cycle path runs partly directly on the shore. About 45 minutes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hagnau and Immenstaad: wine villages with half-timbering and harbour, fruit and wine estates with farm shops – Lake Constance apples and Müller-Thurgau straight from the producer.
- Zeppelin Museum at the harbour of Friedrichshafen: the largest airship collection in the world, with a reconstruction of part of the ‘Hindenburg’; nearby the Dornier Museum at the airport.
- Waterfront promenade and harbour of Friedrichshafen with a view of the Swiss mountains on clear days; departure point of many Lake Constance boats.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Campingplatz Fischbach in Friedrichshafen-Fischbach (directly on the lake with a sandy beach, sanitary facilities and electricity, recently open from early April to mid-October) is the best-known site in the town; alternatively municipal motorhome pitches within the town. Check opening times and fees beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Friedrichshafen and the lakeside villages overnighting outside the designated sites is not intended; the promenades are often subject to time limits or night bans for motorhomes. Overnighting ‘to restore fitness to drive’ in a car park without a prohibition sign remains possible, but in season rarely practical.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Zeppelin Museum is worth half a day and good in rain too. A passenger boat runs from Friedrichshafen to Romanshorn in Switzerland (about 40 minutes): an excursion without the motorhome, check the timetable beforehand. Access to the harbour is tight for motorhomes; park on the outskirts and use bus or bike.
5Stage 5: Friedrichshafen to Lindau (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- On the B31 via Kressbronn and Langenargen along the north shore towards Lindau. Just before Lindau you pass through Nonnenhorn and Wasserburg, the small villages on the shore. The trip to Bregenz (about 10 km beyond Lindau) is optional: the road through Lochau needs no vignette, whereas on the A14 motorway in Austria a vignette is compulsory. About 45 minutes to Lindau.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Langenargen: Montfort Castle in Moorish style directly on the lake, on a peninsula; concerts in summer, small harbour.
- Nonnenhorn and Wasserburg: small villages on the Bavarian shore with fruit growing and wine, Wasserburg with church and castle on the peninsula.
- Lindau: island town with the harbour entrance, the lion and the lighthouse, plus Maximilianstraße and the Old Town Hall with its painted façade.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Lindau, Campingplatz Lindau-Zech (Park-Camping) lies on the shore in the district of Zech, about 4 km from the island, with electricity and sanitary facilities. The city directs motorhomes to two car parks on the mainland: Hartplatz Zech (about 4 km from the island, about 30 places, recently 20 euros per 24 hours) and P1 Blauwiese (about 1.8 km, about 30 places, recently 30 euros per 24 hours). The maximum stay is 24 hours, solely to restore fitness to drive, and at Zech there is no entry or exit between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.; city bus line 5 runs to the island. Park-Camping has about 300 touring pitches with its own lake access.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The island of Lindau and the lake fringe are taboo for overnighting in motorhomes. The town and the municipalities on the Bavarian shore check regularly; fines for camping behaviour outside the sites are common. On the shore between Nonnenhorn and Lindau there are protected areas for birds and shore plants that may not be entered.
- Insider tip for campers
- Bregenz (about 10 km beyond Lindau) is a very worthwhile detour: the lake stage of the Bregenz Festival (July/August), the Pfänderbahn cable car with a view over the lake, old town. The Austrian vignette is compulsory on motorways, buy it digitally in advance (the 10-day vignette for 2026 recently cost 12.80 euros for vehicles up to 3.5 t; from 2027 digital only); motorhomes over 3.5 t need the GO toll. Without the motorway the road via Lochau is vignette-free. For Switzerland the motorway vignette (40 francs, available only as an annual vignette valid to 31 January 2027) applies, for vehicles over 3.5 t the LSVA – enter only with preparation.
6Stage 6: Lindau to Weingarten (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- From Lindau on the B31 as far as Kressbronn and on via country roads to Tettnang, then via Meckenbeuren and Ravensburg to Weingarten. The route is quick, with commuter traffic before Ravensburg; in town only a few roads pass the basilica. About 1 hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Tettnang: New Castle of the Counts of Montfort in Baroque style, plus hop growing – the hop gardens shape the landscape.
- Ravensburg: well-preserved medieval old town with the Mehlsack and Gemüseturm towers, Marienplatz with half-timbered houses; Ravensburger Spieleland near Meckenbeuren for families.
- Weingarten: St. Martin’s Basilica, one of the largest Baroque churches north of the Alps, with the monastery from which the ‘Blutritt’ begins on Ascension Day.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Ravensburg and Weingarten there are municipal motorhome pitches and campsites in the surrounding area; check offer, opening times and fees beforehand. The Weingarten pitch at the Festplatz (Abt-Hyller-Strasse) has only eight places (recently 10 euros per 24 hours, maximum three nights, no reservations, about 10 minutes on foot to the basilica) and is closed at times during events such as the Welfenfest in July and the Oberschwabenschau in October. Around Meckenbeuren there are campsites near the leisure parks.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Ravensburg and Weingarten stationary traffic is monitored: overnighting ‘to restore fitness to drive’ is only possible in a car park without a prohibition sign, camping behaviour is not. Forest and field tracks are closed to motor vehicles.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Blutritt (Friday after Ascension Day) is the largest equestrian procession in Europe with thousands of participants – in that week pitches and roads in Weingarten are overcrowded. The basilica is accessible, church tours on request; observe dress and photography rules. Ravensburg has many pedestrian zones and narrow old-town lanes – leave the motorhome at the pitch and go into town by bus or bike.
7Stage 7: Weingarten to Bad Schussenried (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- Via Baienfurt and Baindt towards Bad Waldsee, then via Steinhausen to Bad Schussenried. Country roads through the Upper Swabian hill country with moraine ridges, farms and ponds; only short village crossings. A good hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Bad Waldsee: old town with lakeside promenade and town lake, as a side trip the Wurzacher Ried near Bad Wurzach, one of the largest raised bogs in Central Europe.
- Steinhausen: pilgrimage church of St. Peter and Paul by Dominikus Zimmermann, called ‘the most beautiful village church in the world’ for its ceiling paintings and stucco.
- Bad Schussenried: monastery with Baroque library hall, church and monastery garden, plus the museum in the monastery building.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Bad Waldsee and Bad Schussenried there are municipal motorhome pitches near the thermal baths; check location, opening times and facilities beforehand. You will find campsites at the lakes in the area; some are open only from May to September.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the car parks of the baths and pilgrimage sites overnighting for motorhomes is not always permitted; the moors and lakes are nature reserves with access bans. Park only by day and observe the signs.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Upper Swabian Baroque Road is marked with its own road sign and leads to about 30 monasteries and churches. Opening times of the churches differ by parish, often daytime only; check tours beforehand. The church in Steinhausen is small and best seen with a limited number of visitors; come early and switch your phone to silent.
8Stage 8: Bad Schussenried to Sigmaringen (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- From Bad Schussenried to Bad Buchau on the Federsee, then on country roads via Riedlingen on the Danube to Sigmaringen. About half of the route runs in the Danube valley, partly with cyclists and slow farm vehicles; the valley is narrow, but federal roads run nearby. About 1.5 hours without stops. Biberach an der Riß (about 20 km from Bad Buchau) is possible as a detour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Federsee and Bad Buchau: Federsee Museum with finds from the Stone and Bronze Ages, plus the Federsee boardwalk through the reeds – one of the best bird-watching spots in Upper Swabia.
- Riedlingen: half-timbered old town on the Danube with town tower and church, quiet and hardly touristy.
- Sigmaringen: Sigmaringen Castle of the Hohenzollerns above the Danube with a large weapons collection; view from the castle hill over the upper Danube valley.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Bad Buchau has four municipal pitches: at the Kurpark by the thermal spa (21 places, recently 18 euros), at Seegasse (17 places, 18 euros), at the Federsee Museum (12 places, no services, 17 euros) and at the open-air pool (10 places, pool season only). A campsite in Seekirch on the Federsee could not be confirmed – ask locally beforehand. In Sigmaringen there is the pitch at the Stadthalle (Georg-Zimmerer-Strasse, 24 places, according to a listing portal recently 10 euros per night, maximum 5 days, no toilet or shower); check details beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the tracks at the Federsee and in the Danube valley (Upper Danube Nature Park) vehicles are barred, fires and camping prohibited. Overnighting in car parks is only possible without a prohibition sign. Use the municipal pitches.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Federsee boardwalk leads about 1.5 km on wooden planks across the reeds to the lake (admission recently 2.50 euros, cash only); the weather in the moor is often damp, bring sturdy footwear. Sigmaringen Castle can be visited on a guided tour, opening times depending on season. For the onward journey (for example to Ulm, about 85 km) or back to the lake you can extend the Danube valley along the Danube cycle path.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- In Germany a motorhome on public roads and car parks counts as a parked vehicle if it is only standing ‘to restore fitness to drive’ – in practice one night, without camping behaviour (no chairs, tables, awning, levelling legs or wedges, no grey water on the ground). Anyone who stays several nights or sets up is camping – and that is not permitted outside campsites and motorhome pitches.
- On Lake Constance the shores, reed zones and harbours are protected areas; almost every lakeside town has night bans, height and weight limits and parking bans for motorhomes. Signs saying ‘no overnighting’ or showing a crossed-out motorhome take precedence; fines are set by the municipalities, who check frequently in season.
- The municipalities on the lake and in Upper Swabia offer a dense network of motorhome pitches, often with a machine for electricity, water and parking fee. Private alternatives are pitches at wine estates, fruit farms and country inns (call ahead).
- Useful aids: park4night, Campercontact, the pitch overviews of the tourism associations and printed pitch guides; user information on fees and facilities is often outdated – check on site. On Lake Constance the rule of thumb is: book ahead in high season.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Service stations stand at almost all municipal pitches and campsites; many take coins or cards, some tokens. Fresh water is usually sold in portions for a fee.
- Release grey water only at the station, empty the chemical toilet only into the marked openings – not into drains or public toilets. Formaldehyde-based sanitary additives are unwelcome at many stations.
- Tap water in Germany is drinking water throughout; observe ‘not drinking water’ signs at cemeteries and fountains. Lake Constance supplies drinking water, but water taken from the lake itself is not for drinking.
- Gas: grey 11 kg and 5 kg exchange cylinders are available at many petrol stations, DIY stores and campsites; tank cylinders and gas tanks are filled at autogas (LPG) stations, which in Germany use ACME connectors – bring the right adapter from countries with a different system. Foreign exchange cylinders are not exchanged.
- Tourist tax: many lakeside towns charge a tourist tax per person and night (in 2026, in high season, recently about 2.80 euros in Friedrichshafen, 3.30 euros in Lindau, 4.10 euros in Überlingen and 4.50 euros in Meersburg; Konstanz instead charges 5.6 per cent of the accommodation price; children usually exempt up to 15); at campsites and pitches it is billed with the pitch fee and often entitles you to discounts with the guest card. The Bodensee Card PLUS (2026, recently 78 euros for 3 days and 124 euros for 7 days, adults; valid all calendar year) bundles admissions and boat trips on 2 or 4 days and pays off if you visit several sights such as Mainau, the pile dwellings and the Zeppelin Museum – check services and prices.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t drive like cars – 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h outside, motorways without a general limit (recommended speed 130 km/h). Motorhomes over 3.5 t up to 7.5 t: 80 km/h outside built-up areas, 100 km/h on motorways; over 7.5 t: 60 km/h outside, 80 km/h on motorways. Caravan combinations: 80 km/h, 100 km/h on motorways only with a 100 km/h approval.
- Low-emission zones: as far as I know there is no designated low-emission zone on this route (Konstanz, Friedrichshafen, Ravensburg, Sigmaringen); whether cities set up or abolish zones, check with the Federal Environment Agency or the city before travelling. The low-emission zones in Ulm and Neu-Ulm were lifted in 2024.
- Tolls: in Germany there is no vignette for cars and motorhomes; the truck toll concerns goods vehicles over 3.5 t, and motorhomes are generally not liable. Austria (Bregenz): motorway vignette (buyable digitally in advance; 10 days recently 12.80 euros, 2 months 32.00 euros) for vehicles up to 3.5 t, GO toll above that; Switzerland: motorway vignette (40 francs, annual only) for vehicles up to 3.5 t, LSVA above. Country roads are vignette-free.
- Ferry: Meersburg–Konstanz-Staad runs round the clock 365 days a year according to the operator, hourly at night; the fare depends on vehicle length and is much higher for motorhomes over 6 m than for cars. Check timetable and price beforehand; on summer weekends expect waits.
- The Sunday and public-holiday driving ban and the holiday-travel ban on July and August Saturdays apply to lorries over 7.5 t; motorhomes registered as motorhomes are generally not affected, those with lorry registration are – check the registration certificate.
- Winter tyres apply situationally: in ice, snow, slush or black frost tyres with the Alpine symbol (mountain pictogram with snowflake) are compulsory, plain M+S tyres are no longer enough. In the Upper Swabian hills and by the lake frost can occur as early as November.
- Rear carriers: a warning board as in Italy or Spain is not required, but number plate and rear lights must remain visible (otherwise a light bar with plate). Alcohol: 0.5 per mille, 0.0 for novice drivers and under-21s. Phone at the wheel only hands-free – fine and a point in Flensburg.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- A supply of euro coins: many pitch machines for electricity, water and parking fees do not take cards.
- Long mains cable (at least 25 m) with CEE plug and adapter to Schuko – the posts at pitches are often far apart.
- Folding bike or e-bike: the Lake Constance cycle path, the Danube cycle path and the tracks around the Federsee link pitches with old towns, churches and museums without hunting for parking.
- Buy the digital vignette for Austria and, if needed, Switzerland before the trip if you include Bregenz or the Rhine valley.
- Note the ferry tariff and timetable for Meersburg–Konstanz in advance; in summer travel early in the morning or late in the evening.
- Comfortable non-slip shoes for cobbles, wooden boardwalks at the Federsee and the paths on Reichenau.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
