Lindau is an island that behaves like a postcard. The old town sits on a small piece of land in the eastern corner of Lake Constance, linked to the mainland by a causeway and a railway bridge, with a harbour entrance guarded by two monuments, a stone lighthouse and a tall statue of the Bavarian lion. Boats cross to Bregenz in Austria and to the Swiss shore, and behind the harbour wall are cobbled streets, painted houses and cafés that spill onto the quay. The Bodensee, as the Germans call it, is the third largest lake in Central Europe and the surrounding land is orchard country, apple trees and vineyards, with the Alps rising over the south shore on a clear day.
The town has a quietly distinguished record. Lindau was a free imperial city in the Middle Ages, and an old tower that once served as a lighthouse still stands at the harbour. Since 1951 it has hosted a meeting each summer where Nobel laureates talk with young scientists. For the motorcyclist it is also the starting point of the German Alpine Road, which heads east along the foot of the mountains toward Berchtesgaden near the Austrian border, a long journey through the Allgäu and Upper Bavaria.
The ride up toward Schwägalp is a typical Alpine foothills loop, with smooth bends through meadows and forest, church towers appearing between hills, and the snowy peaks of the Säntis in view. Surfaces are generally excellent, but the area is popular, and weekends bring caravans, cyclists and other riders, so go early. Austrian and Swiss borders are close, and each country has its own rules for vignettes and speed limits, so plan your route accordingly. Fog can sit on the lake until midmorning in autumn and spring.
Fuel is easy in Lindau's mainland districts and in nearby towns, while the island itself is for walking. Coffee and cake beside the harbour is the usual reward, and freshly caught lake whitefish, called Felchen, is the local fish. Evening is a good time to sit at the water's edge and watch the sun go down behind the mountains across the lake.