This April, I took a trip with my dog to Meersburg at Lake Constance, or “Bodensee” as it is called in German. Meersburg is a great place to take your dog, as both the upper as well as the lower city are reserved for pedestrians only, so you don’t have to worry about cars as you stroll along.
THE ROUTE
This walk starts at the ferry terminal in Meersburg. There is a parking lot where you can leave your car for 0.90 EUR per 30 minutes. Not exactly cheap, but very central. There are also restrooms directly at the parking lot for your convenience.
The ferry terminal is a good starting point for discovering both the city of Meersburg as well as going for a stroll along Lake Constance. The main attraction to see in Meersburg is certainly the medieval castle (or “Burg”) that gave the city its name.
And great news: You can take your furry friends along inside the museum if you wish! Unfortunately it is not allowed to publish pictures taken inside the castle, so you will have to live with just a shot from the outside.
Just next to the castle is the “Neues Schloss” (New Castle). From the gardens, you have a nice panoramic view of the lake. It makes for a good spot to take a short break after the climb up to the castle and just enjoy the view.
After seeing the castle and walking around the upper city, it’s time to head down to the promenade.
On your way down, look out for the views on the right side of the road too. I found the houses and fields to be very relaxing.
Once you reach the promenade, walk into the direction of Unteruhldingen.
Passing the ferry terminal, you will reach the small beach of Meersburg soon. This is a great spot for your pup to get their paws wet and enjoy a bit of frolicking. My dog enjoyed exploring the rocky beach and getting a taste of Lake Constance.
For the humans, there is a gorgeous view of the mountains on the Swiss side of the lake to enjoy.
HOW LONG IT TAKES AND WHO IT’S FOR
This walk took me around one hour. If you want to visit the inside of the castle, I would budget at least 90 minutes for that in addition. Please note that the castle sits on top of a small hill, so the walk up there is a bit steep. This route along the shore is completely flat and also suitable for prams. However, you might not want to take your pram down to the rocky beach.
Should you fancy a longer walking route, you can continue walking along the shore of Lake Constance all the way until Unteruhldingen and visit the “Pfahlbaumuseum”, an open air museum of stilt houses. The walk to Unteruhldingen from Meersburg is about one hour each way.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This was a nice afternoon walk to get to know the area, enjoy some views of the lake and learn a bit about the history of the town. If you’re in the region, Meersburg makes for a nice pit stop!
Bonus tip: If you fancy a snack after your stroll, don’t hesitate to get a “Fischbrötchen” (fish bun) at Cafe Möwe on the promenade just in front of the parking lot. I had the salmon bun and it was delicious. Of course, my pup got a little piece of salmon too!
A trip with my dog 