When you plan a trip, you always hope to have wonderful weather. I had visions of touring lovely towns on Lake Constance (Bodensee in German) with sun filled vistas of the lake with the Swiss Alps in the background. I could see my husband and I sitting at an outdoor café having a beer and a glass of wine while watching ferries slowly cross the lake from Germany to Switzerland. Instead we ended up dodging rain drops and bands of rain that were constant for the two days that we were in the area. A rainy day can’t get me down. Grab an umbrella and a rain jacket because we are off on another adventure.
One of the most picturesque towns on the lake is Meersburg, Germany. I know that you have heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. I’m going to show you through my photos that Meersburg is worth stopping for a visit even if the weather isn’t perfect. Just imagine how wonderful the town is when the sun is shining brightly.
My husband and I were lucky enough to find a parking lot with an empty space right across the street from one of the original gates of the upper portion of the Medieval town. Walking though the brightly colored gate, we started meandering down the winding cobbled streets.
There are quite a few hotels with restaurants in both the upper and lower parts of the town. On a warm and sunny day, I’m sure all the outdoor tables would be filled with people enjoying a meal while watching the passing crowds. Today everyone was inside.
We walked past the old Meersburg castle that was built in the 7th century. Built next to it is the New Castle that is often called the “pearl of Lake Constance. It was built in the early 1700’s.
Reaching the lower part of the town, we passed through another town gate and headed towards the sea promenade to look for a place to enjoy lunch. We chose the Alte Post Hotel restaurant right across from one of the ferry landings and had a window table where we could watch the comings and goings of the ferries.
Pumpkins are in season and I chose a wonderful cream of pumpkin soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and drizzled with pumpkin seed oil that was served inside a pretty little pumpkin. One word to describe it…delicious.
My husband wanted fish and our waiter suggested a platter of three different fresh fish from the lake. It came with boiled potatoes and a little pot of melted butter. It was a great recommendation.
After lunch we walked along the lakefront promenade before heading back up to the upper gate.
I have to warn everyone who might be planning a trip here that the walk back up is very steep. Unless you are a good hiker, you will probably need to stop several times along the way. There are plenty of wonderful places to take photos and no one will know that you are just trying to catch your breath.
I’m happy that we stopped in the quaint and colorful town of Meersburg before heading to our next destination further along on the lake. I hope you enjoyed the tour.
Back Road Journal 
Oh Karen, I about cried reading this post. The very last trip with my mother was to Lake Constance. It was the most beautiful place. We spent almost a week there. It wasn’t until late in the trip that she related a story of spending summers there with a boyfriend. It was the first time she ever “opened up” about her youth. WOnderful place. Thank you for a great memory.
Hope you are enjoying yourselves. I know that over there, you can have WEEKS of drizzly rain. As mom always said–Well-guess we take the raincoats! There was no days inside for us. Go go go!
: )
Thank you Sue, for your lovely comment. I am so happy that I brought back wonderful memories of the time you and your mother spent on Lake Constance. Sorry our weather wasn’t better…this is our second time we have traveled to the lake and both times it has rained. I guess we will have to make another trip. The rain seems to be following us so far on this trip but I have packed two umbrellas and our rain jackets…we are well prepared but I sure would enjoy some sun.
These remind me of the stories of the Brothers Grimm! 😉 Love it!
Hi FCG, I’m with you…you can’t help but remember all the Brothers Grimm stories that we grew up with when traveling in Germany. Thank you for your nice comment.
Meersburg looks beautiful, as does the food 😉
Hi Mad Dog, I’m so happy that we stopped in Meerburg even though the weather wasn’t very good. Actually it made the town less crowded than if it had been a sunny day. We had a lovely visit and enjoyed the food as well. Thank you as always for your comment.
Hi Karen,
Just catching up on all your wonderful posts from your trip to Europe. Beautiful photos that just swept me along…and the food-yum! That pumpkin soup served in the little pumpkin looked divine. We have a store not too far away from us which has German owners and they sell wonderful oils including pumpkin oil which I’ve been using this Summer as a salad dressing but now I must give it a go when I make pumpkin soup!
Hi Dragonette, I’m happy that you are following along on our adventure. I’ll be catching up with everyones posts when I return home…I know you will have some lovely ones. Please do add your pumpkin seed oil to your soup when you next prepare it. It really adds a special depth of flavor. Thank you for your nice compliment about the posts and photos.
Charming town and that pumpkin soup looks delicious.
Thank you Rosemary, for your nice comment. The town was very charming…I can just imagine it on a warm sunny day. The soup was delicious!
Lovely photos Karen. I hope the weather improves and you find some sun!
Thank you Kay, for your nice compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the photos. I do hope the weather improves but we will have a nice trip no matter what.
Sometimes rain adds to the adventure my friend, this quaint town looks like it has more character and mystery because of the weather! Thank you for sharing such beautiful photos 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you Uru, for your lovely sentiment…you are absolutely right. I have walked many streets in the rain and it gives each place an entirely different feel than if you were visiting on a perfect sunny day. I’m glad that you enjoyed the photos.
What a charning place! I love your photos for their intense colour.
Hi Peggy, Thank you for your nice comment. The brightly painted buildings certainly did help to cheer up a gray day.
No matter the weather, your trusty camera has captured the beauty of the area. It looks like a wonderful place to visit. Should we put it on our list of places to go?
Hi Lulu, Thank you for your nice compliment. I’m happy with the photos…I got a new point and shot camera (brought along my old one just in case). I think Meersburg should go on everyones list of places to visit if they are going to be in southern Germany.
Wonderful photos as always – what a beautiful place … I love the German small towns – they are always kept so well, colorful and full of flowers plus they are spotless clean. Never been to
Meersburg, but I would love to go now. So happy you took me there.
Hi Viveka, I’m happy to know that you enjoyed the photos…thank you for your compliment. You are so right about German towns being spotless and so well kept. Happy that you are following along.
Thanks so much for sharing, Karen. It’s so beautiful and picturesque. It’s like something out of my Christmas story books. The architecture is amazing. And the colours! They’re so vibrant. I’m so glad you were able to enjoy your time in this town despite the weather xx
Hi Charlie, I’m happy that you enjoyed the post and photos. I do think that Germany looks like what you see in the Christmas story books. We have been twice at Christmas time and then you should see it then…so wonderful. Thank you for your nice comment.
Thank you for such a lovely tour. The photos were amazing, and I loved the beautiful colors they use on their wonderful homes. The window boxes were spectacular also. My husband’s family was originally from Germany so I’m really enjoying your trip through your posts.
Hi Judy, Thank you for your lovely compliment. I’m happy to know that you are enjoying our travel through Germany. Aren’t the buildings special…I love all the flowers and colors as well.
Another fabulous stop in our tour Karen, thank you.
🙂 Mandy
Thank you, Mandy. I’m glad that you are enjoying the tour so far. I appreciate your lovely compliment.
So, I’m not the only one who uses that excuse?
“You ok?”
“Oh, I’m FINE…just looking for the best place to take a photo. Go on – I’ll catch up….”
Such a beautiful town.
That is so funny, Marie…you are just like us. My husband and I stopped several times on the steep climb back up. Nice that there were photo opts so that we could catch our breath without people thinking we were wimps. LOL.
The only word that comes to mind is WOW and it isn’t big enough to describe how much I appreciate the tour and pictures. Enjoy your journey and thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Southern, for your lovely comment. I’m glad you are enjoying the tour through my photos.
What a colorful city! The photos do speak for themselves! Even the cafe tables and chairs outside of the New Castle are so delightfully colorful. I can see why the charm would invite a leisurely pace and my guess is that you took a lot more photos than you could share here! 🙂 I would love the recipe for that beautiful soup, too, Karen. Even the meal was beautifully colorful. What a grand adventure and I’m enjoying it, too! 🙂 Debra
Isn’t Meersburg colorful, Debra. Even the gray damp weather couldn’t dim the vibrate colors. I do have so many beautiful photos that I didn’t put in the post. I don’t want to bore everyone by putting too many in each post. I’m glad that you are enjoying the travel adventure with us. Thank you for your lovely compliment.
Looks so pretty! Your photos didn’t mind the lack of sun at all:)
Hi Monique, Thank you for your compliment. The lack of sun didn’t effect our enjoyment of the town or dim the lovely colors on the buildings.
This is a beautiful picturesque city Karen! The German architecture is very particular!
Hi Katerina, I love the architecture of the buildings, the lovely bright colors and all the pretty flowers in each of the German towns that we are visiting. Thank you for your comment.
Beautiful, Karen! Even in gray weather!
Thank you Dana, for your nice compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the photos. The town was terrific even in gray weather.
What a beautiful walk through a lovely place, even with overcast clouds and rain. Cream of pumpkin soup … so soothing on such a day.
Thank you Judy, for your nice comment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the tour of Meersburg. The cream of pumpkin soup was perfect after our day of visiting in the cool, damp weather.
Another great adventure with you through your terrific photos. Rainy days don’t get me down either!
Hi Victoria, I’m glad that you enjoyed this little adventure with us. It was nice that the town was so colorful…it really helped on the gray day of our visit. You just have to do your best on a rainy day. Thank you for your comment.
Love the architecture in Meersburg! The different colors of the buildings, all the windows, the roof lines, building details – really a nice visual cornucopia. Your lunch looked great – I’ll have some of that soup, please! I really enjoy travel in Europe at this time of the year, but in my (admittedly limited) experience, weather can be a bit dodgy. Usually the weather is reasonably clear, but rainy days certainly do happen. But that means you may have nice puddles on the streets and sidewalks – perfect little mirrors to reflect the buildings you’re photographing! I’m enjoying your trip. Thanks for taking us all along.
Hi John, I like your positive thinking about puddles on the streets…they do act like mirrors. We have traveled to Europe at this time of the year often but the weather doesn’t seem to be at its best this year. I’m glad that you enjoyed the post and photos. Thank you for your nice comment.
Absolutely spectacular photos Karen!! Seeing the soup in the pumpkin reminded me of the recipe I just posted today…Curried Pumpkin Soup…maybe you can share that recipe on your travels with one of the restaurants!
Hi Reg, Thank you for your nice compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the photos. The pumpkin soup I had was terrific as I’m sure yours was as well.
I love rainy days when traveling because it keeps people indoors and I can explore outdoors! Loving your photos – thanks for sharing – Happy Monday:)
Hi Adventurer, You are right about the rain keeping the people indoors. As you can see from the photos, no one was setting at the outdoor tables. I can imagine how crowded the town might have been on a sunny day. Thank you for your nice compliment…I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
What an amazng trip! The food looks delicious. I can see why you wouldn’t let the weather stop you, it’s a fantastic place.
Hi Carol, You can never let rain stop you from enjoying your holiday if you can help it. Of course, if it is too bad you just have to make other plans. Meersburg was a delightful place to visit even though the weather wasn’t perfect. Thank you for your nice compliment.
Looks beautiful even with the rain. Nice tour, thankyou.
Thank you Roger, for your nice compliment. The town really was lovely and we enjoyed our visit.
Thoroughly enjoyed the toured, a very colorful town indeed. Was the pumpkin container edible? That fish platter sure look tasty.
Hi Norma, I’m glad you enjoyed the tour of Meerburg…it really is a colorful town. Yes, it was an edible pumpkin and the fish was terrific.
I can certainly sympathize with the bad weather, you know all too well our trip was made soggy by several days of rain. But as you did, we persevered and a little wetness didn’t stop us (nor did a sprained ankle). I love these old towns, so picturesque and you do take some lovely compositions. Years ago we stayed in a gorgeous little place called Stein Am Rhein and it was equally as beautiful (in Switzerland). I noticed that they didn’t have blankets on the outdoor seating, we ate at a place in St. Moritz Switzerland and it was rather nippy (four years ago) but we were happy that they provided logo’d blankets on every seat. It was lovely to drape it over our legs to get the chill off. The food looks absolutely wonderful, thanks for sharing it with us.
Hi Eva, I do know that you experienced some rainy weather as well and that you had to deal with your husbands sprained ankle. We just have to deal with what comes along while traveling. If the weather hadn’t been drizzly, the blankets would have been out on the chairs. I do know the little town on the Swiss side of the lake that you speak of. Thank you for your nice comment.
What a beautiful area, I love all the flowers! And that pumpkin soup looks scrumptious!
Hi Laura, Meersburg is a lovely medieval town…such character to the buildings. The flowers just add to the appeal. Thank you for your comment.
You should see me smile at the moment! What a fantastic array of photos in a fairytale place. Have been to Bodensee: Meersburg does not ring a bell however: pity!! A simple but appetizing meal beautifully served . . . . and love that slope of flowers which somehow look very like the begonias I have just planted?
Hi Eha, I think that Meerburg is a town that you could drive right through and not know that the old medieval city is there since the road is at the top of the town and you have to walk down to the lake on pedestrian only streets. It is between Friedrichshafen and Lindeau on the German side of the Bodensee. Weren’t the flowers just beautiful…that was a catch your breath moment on the way back up to the top of the town. Thank you for your lovely compliment.
Karen this is just how I pictured Germany…almost as if I was in Disney’s Epcot Center visiting it is so fabulous…love that pumpkin soup.
Hi Donna, Do you know that I said almost the same thing about Meersburg as we were walking the cobbled streets. I can see where Disney got his ideas from. The pumpkin soup was delicious. Thank you for your comment.
My goodness! How picturesque – and the fish looked wonderful!!
Hi Kelli, Thank you for your comment. I just loved visiting Meersburg…very picturesque. The waiter made a wonderful suggestion to try the fish platter with three different kinds of fresh fish from the lake. It was delicious.
I agree with you about the weather. I now bring at least one umbrella and a poncho just in case… Your pictures are really beautiful!
Hi Meg, You always have to be prepared for bad weather. Each time I pack for a trip to Europe, I include two folding umbrellas and two rain jackets with hoods that fold up into pouches. Some years they are never used but other times I’m very happy to have them. Thank you for your lovely compliment…I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
I don’t know if I can stand this-this place looks even better than the first! How long is your trip and how many more stops? I’m putting Meersburg on my go see list! Safe travels Karen!
Hi Linda, Hopefully I’ll have photos from other towns that you will enjoy as well. Our trip is for three weeks…we are staying in a total of eight hotels and will be doing day trips from each if the weather is good. I’m glad to know that you are enjoying our travel adventure. Thank you for your comment.
the pictures are just breathtaking! Glad you didn’t let it get you down
Thank you for your compliment, Jessica. You just have to go along and enjoy the situation as best as possible when traveling.
Absolutely beautiful…I feel like I’m seeing a fairy tale in photos. Thanks for sharing:)
Thank you Marietta, for your compliment. We are traveling to towns that look like they are straight out of a fairytale. Actually a lot of fairytales do come from famous Germany writers like the Grimm brothers.
I know it might sound weird, but because I live where a rainy day maybe 6 times a year, I LOVE it when I travel and get to stroll in the rain! 🙂 My hair gets curly too! Love these pictures. The colorful buildings and the field of flowers are beautiful!
Hi MJ, It doesn’t sound weird to enjoy weather that you do have very often. My brother said he missed the sound of thunder when he lived on the west coast. Isn’t Meersburg a wonderful little medieval town with all the beautiful colors and flowers.
I loved the tour, Karen! Thanks for taking us with you! So picturesque!
Hi Celia, I’m happy that you are enjoying our tour…Meersburg is truly a picaresque little town. It must be lovely on a warm sunny day.
What a gorgeous town Karen…picture perfect with wonderful architecture. The pumpkin soup looked pretty good too! Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Thank you Jenny, for your wish about our trip…I know we will have a great time. Meersburg really is picture perfect. The pumpkin soup was delicious.
so jealous! touring around Germany? how cool! this town looks amazing and so the pumpkin soup. going to update myself with your other posts, gosh did I miss you guys during my hiatus!
Hi Barbara, Nice to hear from you…and nice to know you will be following along on our adventure. We had a lovely little visit in Meersburg…it is so quaint and pretty.
Beautiful photos Karen! It looks like you made the best of the weather. It’s been rainy here too ;(
Hi Laura, Thank you for your compliment. I think we will be having gray and rainy weather for a while. A little rain won’t stop me enjoying wonderful Germany.
What a charming place! Beautiful photos.
Thank you, A House and A Garden for stopping by for a visit and your nice compliment. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. Hope you stop by again.
It all looks and sounds wonderful Karen!
Hi Claire, Meersburg is a lovely little medieval town to visit and we had a very nice lunch. Thank you for your comment.
I’ve never heard of this town but how amazing! I’m in love. I’ve been wanting to take Joshua to Germany for quite some time. We’ll add this town to the list!
Hi France, Meersbury is about center on the Bodensee (Lake Constance) on the German side. I think you would enjoy visiting the town very much. I think I will have a few more towns that you might want to add to your list by the time we head home. Thank you for your nice comment.
I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve been on a real vacation. These photos make me want to travel again!
Hi Chunklet, I am glad you are enjoying the photos from our adventure. I know that you are longing for a real vacation…I’m sure you will have one before too long. Thank you for your compliment.
Enjoyed the tour??? I couldn’t have asked for better guides. Thank you for taking us along. You have some fabulous photos of such a beautiful place. I would love to visit Europe someday! Problem is, I wouldn’t know where to start LOL!
Hi David, Thank you for your nice compliment about the photos. I’m happy to know that you are enjoying our adventure through Germany. If you ever decide to make a trip to Europe…I will be more than happy to make suggestions of lovely small towns that we have visited over the years that you might enjoy.
by just enjoying and looking at your photographs made it seem that i am in meersburg.. those are wonderful vivid photos.. love them… enjoyed your storytelling..
Thank you Elizabeth, for your lovely compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the photos of Meersburg and my story of the visit.
Gorgeous images, Karen. Didn’t look like the rain has dampened your creative photo skills either. These are awesome. I almost feel as I’m standing there… almost… perhaps someday I’ll make it there for real. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
Hi Emily…so nice to hear from you. I’ll take it as a real compliment about the photos coming from you. I hope someday you will get a chance to see Meersburg. Thank you for you lovely comment.
Thank you for taking us along on your tour. Beautiful shots and I am glad a little moisture did not ruin your spirits. It rained each and every day while I was in Germany. That is the weather there… cold and rainy but our spirits still run high as we get to eat all that yummy comfort food to make up for the dismal weather. Take Care, BAM
Hi Bam, So far we have had little sun but a whole lot of rain on our trip. You just have to make the best of it as we can’t change the weather. Sorry your trip was rainy as well. Comfort food always makes things better. Thank you for your comment.
Despite the rain, your photos display only the bright and cheery colors of a very quaint village. I loved strolling along with you and seeing the historical buildings. I feel it’s been far too long since I’ve had a holiday like this.. this will be an area I would love to walk around, dine and snap photos!! xx
Hi Barb, I’m glad you enjoyed our little journey down the cobbled streets of Meersburg. You would absolutely love seeing it in person, I’m sure.
What a colorful little city! I just love it. The town colors offset the gray skies no doubt. We just came back from a rainy vacation too. You’re right that you can’t let it get you down. Upward and onward! 🙂 I’m enjoying your trip Karen. It’s a great one so far!
Hi Kristy, Between the colorful buildings and flowers, the town was very cheerful despite the weather. I’m glad you are enjoying the trip…thank you!
Despite the weather it appears that you thoroughly enjoyed the trip to this beautiful area and your photos are excellent even if it was a dull day, I feel as if I have seen it all through your eyes and I am not even out of breath 🙂 Thanks.. have a good day Diane
Hi Diane, Thank you for your nice comment. You are right…following along with me definitely keeps you from getting out of breath on the steep climb back up to the gate of the city. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and photos.
What a beautiful place and amazing food (I need that pumpkin!). Yes, rain in Europe just has to be dealt with, or you´d never go anywhere 🙂
You are so right Tanya…you just have to deal with rain when traveling. We were so lucky that we had beautiful weather on last years trip. The little town was lovely and the food terrific. Don’t you just love the soup being served in that colorful pumpkin. Thank you for your comment.
What a gorgeous town, Karen! Your photos are so beautiful I almost feel as if I were there (how did you do it in the rainy weather?). My option for rainy weather while on holidays is eating, drinking and shopping if I’m in a big city 😉 The food you had looks lovely too. I have already forgotten how simply cooked potatoes taste great with butter.
Hi Sissi, Isn’t Meersburg a quaint little town. I was really happy when I downloaded the photos…sometimes sun can wash out colors. The simple potatoes were terrific with just melted butter and parsley. Thank you for your nice compliment.
Looks like you picked a great place to visit, even with a little rain.
Hi Larry, We had tried to visit Meersburg one other time but we could never find a parking spot. This time we found one right across from the gate to the city. I think it was because the weather wasn’t great. Thank you for your comment…we loved the town.
Sounds like you are having a great holiday – enjoy the rest of it.
Hi B, We are having a very nice time. I’m glad you are following along on our adventure. Thank you for your comment.
I’ve been wondering if you have been on vacation, because I haven’t received notification of any posts. I was right on one level, but you’ve still been posting …and I’ve been missing them. I’m glad I got to see the highlights from your raining day in Meersburg, as the photos are just gorgeous. Looking forward to reading through your other recent posts later tonight…
Hi Barb, I have had trouble in the past with notification about my posts not being received. Thank you for your nice compliment. I’m glad you will be following along on our adventure.
Karen, I am so happy to read that you are really enjoying yourself! Meersburg at the Bodensee really looks like quite a picturesque place to visit: I especially like the photos of the “New Castle” (“Neues Schloss”) and the “Old Castle” (Altes Schloss”), just fantastic! Hope you are going to continue to have a splendid time!
Hi Andrea, I think that anyone who visits Germany would love it. I love everything about Germany…the beautiful countryside, the warmth of the people and their hospitality and the delicious food that we always get when traveling here. I’m glad that you enjoyed the post. Even though the weather wasn’t perfect, we enjoyed Meersburg. I’m sure it is very crowded in the summer on a sunny day. Thank you for your nice wish…I know we will continue to enjoy our trip.
I love these towns in the Alps and their traditional half-timbered architecture. So classic. And that pumpkin soup looked amazing!
Hi Ducky, Isn’t Meersburg a great little town. I agree with you…I love the half-timbered architecture. I’m so happy that it has withstood the hundreds of years that it has been around. I loved the pumpkin soup, it was delicious. Thank you for your comment.
Love the architecture and those vines crawling from the facade
Hi Raymund, I have to agree with you about the architecture. Europe has so many beautiful and interesting buildings. Thank you for following along.
I hate the rain here in New Zealand but when I travel, I don’t mind it at all. I saw the Lake District in England in the rain and Machu Picchu in the rain and it made them all the more beautiful for the added atmosphere. Anywhere can look good in the sun but if you look good in the rain, then you are spectacular.
That town is sure picturesque – they must take great pride in keeping it beautiful.
Hi Suzanne, I know what you mean about when things still look beautiful in the rain. I did an early post about visiting Monet’s garden in the rain. It was beautiful despite the weather. I think that most German villages like this take great pride in keeping what makes them special stay that way. Thank you for your comment and visit today.
How wonderful! I am completely enjoying your pictures… a little window to a beautiful place in this world. Sounds like you’re having a blast and the food… oh the food looks fantastic!
Thank you Karista, for your nice compliment. I’m so happy that you enjoyed the photos. We are definitely traveling in a beautiful part of the world. Germany is one of our favorite places to visit…we keep returning time and again. The food was every bit as good as it looked.
Beautiful, just simply beautiful!
Hi Sibella, Meersburg is such a fun little medieval town to visit…the location is wonderful. As you say, simply beautiful. Thank you for your nice comment.
Another picture-perfect post! And I think all pumpkin soup should be served in the pumpkin like yours!
Thank you Carolyn, for your lovely compliment. I agree about using pumpkins to serve the soup in. It made a wonderful presentation…didn’t it.
I so love your photos. I want to go to Germany!
Thank you Summer for your nice compliment. I love visiting Germany and if you get the opportunity to travel there, I think you will enjoy it as well.