Konstanz is 125km (78 miles) SE of Freiburg

German speakers call this enormous body of water the Bodensee, but elsewhere in Europe it’s known as Lake Constance. Whatever you call it, it is the largest lake in Germany–15km (9 miles) across at its widest point and 74km (46 miles) long. Because of its mild, generally sunny climate and natural beauty, the Bodensee is considered by the Germans to be a kind of inland Riviera. The northern shore is German; Switzerland and Austria share the western and southern portions of the lake’s 258km (160 miles) of shoreline. The Rhine flows into the lake from the Swiss Alps, which rise up in majestic splendor along the southern shore, and leaves at Konstanz, continuing on from there to the North Sea. In the summer, holidaymakers descend on the shores, where vineyards slope down to crowded marinas, and charming old towns bask in the golden sun. You even find subtropical vegetation growing in sheltered gardens.

On this day trip we’re suggesting that you travel east from from Freiburg to get a glimpse of the lake from the pretty old town on its northwestern shores, Konstanz.