Three Nights in Konstanz

Three Nights in Konstanz – Hotel 47 Grad

Hotel 47 Grad

We booked a lovely suite at the Hotel 47 Grad for our three nights in Konstanz. The suite had views of Konstanz Old Town and the Rheinsee, which refers to the very wide area of the Rhine River flowing out of the Bodensee (Lake Constance). Unfortunately, the unseasonably hot September weather meant that the extensive glass windows caused our room to overheat. The hotel provided an additional air conditioner which help immensely, but it was disappointing to have to draw the blinds during the heat of the day.

During the day, the banks of the Rhine were busy with sun bathers and swimmers. In the evening people strolled the riverfront promenade and spent time in restaurants along the way. Each morning a fog would form along the river for a short period before the sun burned it off. This was a special time of day when the quiet and the mist created a refreshing atmosphere before the heat of the day.

We enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the Hotel 47 Grad very much. Their breakfast offered eggs cooked to order, specialty coffees, pastries, waffles, yogurts, cereals and a host of other items. The cook at the egg station only spoke German, but the wait staff spoke several languages. One explained to me that she was an immigrant who spoke Sri Lankan and English, but had learned German to gain employment.

Three Nights in Konstanz – Old Town

Obermarkt, Konstanz

Our room at the Hotel 47 Grad was ready when we arrived. So, we immediately headed off for a self guided tour of old town Konstanz. From the hotel we walked along the Rhine River promenade to the pedestrian / bicycle bridge over the river. As we crossed to Konstanz Old Town, people were standing on the bridge railings and jumping into the river.

You can easily find all the major sites in Konstanz old town on your own, but you need to do a little research first to know where to look. We started at the Cathedral, which had amazing stained glass and a very unique sculpture that looks like a painting from a distance. From there we wandered the pedestrian only streets past the historic facades of the Hotel Graf Zeppelin, the Obermarkt and the Rathaus. We also walked through the Schneztor tower and to the Kaiserbrunnen fountain. Then we crossed under the rail station to the harbor to see the Imperia Statue and the lighthouse. We finished our independent tour of Konstanz Old Town by admiring the frescoes in the lobby of the Steigenberg Inselhotel.

Holly’s Restaurant

Holly’s Restaurant, Konstanz

Holly’s Restaurant became our go to for meals in Konstanz. After more than a week of traditional Swiss dinners up to this point, we were excited to experience a more North America dining experience. Holly’s served great burgers & fries, pizza, Maui chicken bowls and cold draft beer. The music was modern popular songs instead of Swiss alpine accordion jigs.

English is not commonly spoken in Konstanz, so I made my best effort to speak German. Once you make an effort, people seem much more willing to meet you half way and show off their English skills. At one point, I was asked “Haben Sie eine Reservierung?” to which I responded “No” without thinking about which language was in play. They immediately switched to English.

Three Nights in Konstanz – Stein am Rhein

Stein am Rhein

On our first full day of our Three Nights in Konstanz, we took a day trip to Stein am Rhein and the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen. We set out before the fog lifted in Konstanz, as I knew that Stein am Rhein was already in bright sunshine. We chose to travel on the Swiss side of the Rhine via Kreuzlingen since the connection times are better with Swiss Rail. The train trip from Konstanz to Stein am Rhein takes about 35 minutes.

The route for the short walk from the Stein am Rhein train station over the Rhine River to the historic old town is clearly marked. An open market was underway on the pedestrian only street. This made a nice contrast with the backdrop of historic facades. Stein am Rhein is one of the best preserved old towns in Switzerland. The old town only extends a few blocks. We timed our stroll with the train schedule so that we spent exactly one hour visiting Stein am Rhein. Then we continued on to Schaffhausen.

Schaffhausen

Schaffhausen Old Town

From Stein am Rhein the train ride to Schaffhausen and the Rhine Falls took about 30 minutes. First we started by wandering the pedestrian only streets of old town Schaffhausen. Next we climbed up to the historic round stone fortification called the Munot. Back at the Schaffhausen main train station, we then took about a 4 minute train ride to the Neuhausen Rheinfall stop. From this stop you can take a series of free elevators down to the base of the falls or you can hike down a path that leads to the river’s edge above the falls. The latter route saves you from walking back up and down again later to catch the views along the falls after your elevator ride.

Rhine Falls

Rheinfall Felsen, Rhine Falls, Schaffhausen

We continued our day trip at the Rhine Falls by walking along the water’s edge to the boat excursion stations at Schlössli Wörth. A number of excursions are offered including the popular crossing to the base of the pinnacle rock directly in the cascading flow of the falls. That tour allows you to leave the boat and climb the rock. We opted for the simple and inexpensive ferry crossing over the river to Laufen Castle.

Laufen Castle – Rhine Falls

Once we reached the other side of the river, it was quite confusing. You begin hiking up the stairway without any idea how to get to the viewpoints or the castle. After a while there is a ticket vending machine for 5 CHF but it’s not clear whether that is to enter the falls viewpoints, for the castle entrance or to use the large glass elevator to get up to the castle. No one seemed to know what the ticket covered, but the turnstile at the viewpoint made it clear a ticket was required there. I paid the 5 CHF and enjoyed the two viewpoints which protrude right up close and personal with the rushing waters of the Rhine Falls.

The path then leads you up to the base of the Laufen Castle elevator. As we were about to cram into the elevator, I noticed the Neuhausen, Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall train stop just a few short steps away. We headed there instead, which was a great choice. After waiting only a few minutes, the train whisked onto the stone train bridge crossing over above the falls and we were on our way back to Konstanz.

Three Nights in Konstanz – Mainau Island

Floral Peacock, Mainau Island

On the last full day of our three nights in Konstanz we visited Mainau Island. We got an early start in order to do our best to avoid the September heatwave. Our Bodensee West Card allowed us to take the 4/13 bus to the island. The 4/13 is a pretty confusing circular line with an additional segment to the Konstanz main station. In the opposite circular direction you ride the 13/4. Pay careful attention when you board at the main station or you might take an hour long loop instead of a 10 minute trip to your destination.

Gardens, Mainau Island

From the Mainau Island ticket booth you cross a long pedestrian bridge to get to the island. I was surprised by how large the island is. You can easily find your own secluded area on the many trails. The other surprise to me was how few flowers there were. The gardens did boast a beautiful and gigantic flower peacock, 3 smaller flower birds and an extensive section of dahlias, but most of the island is forest and grassy meadows. The well known stream cascading down a series of steps was so covered in vegetation that you could barely see the flowing water. I hoped the butterfly house might salvage the visit, but the enclosure was very small, crowded and hot with difficult viewing in the heavy mist.

Rhine River near Konstanz

Boat from Mainau Island to Konstanz

The island has a second ticket booth on the opposite end where the boat jetties are located. We were able to use this location to purchase a boat ride back to Konstanz harbor instead of retracing our bus route. I know that Mainau Island is a popular destination for German tourists, but I guess my own impression was affected by the magnificent Butchart Gardens in my home town of Victoria, Canada. Plus I’m now aware that the Butterfly Gardens beside Butchart Gardens in Victoria are also a world class attraction.

Radisson Blu, Zurich Airport

Radisson Blu, Zurich Airport

Our vacation to Beckenried, Appenzellerland and Konstanz had come to an end. We took a one hour train ride from Konstanz to the Airport in Zurich, where we spent the night before our flight. Instead of booking a less expensive hotel near the airport, I booked the Radisson Blu at the airport. The Radisson tried online to entice me to pay for early check in but I declined. We arrived near noon and they gave us a room immediately without an up charge. When I saw the room looked into the parkade, I immediately paid the upgrade to the runway view, which was so worth it.

The Radisson Blu Zurich Airport is a bit unusual. The hotel is built in a square with an open interior atrium. A gigantic multi-story winetower fills the center space. The glass elevators looking into the atrium are fun to ride, but it’s weird to look into all the interior facing rooms and see what’s going on. I wouldn’t like any of those rooms at all. Most of the other guests we saw at the Radisson were starting their Viking River Cruise. One woman complained that it took a half an hour to figure out they needed to insert their room card in a slot to turn on the power. She thought it was a silly security requirement and didn’t realize it saves on energy.

Filini Restaurant – Radisson Blu

Filini Restaurant, Zurich Airport

We loved our experience with the Radisson Blu’s Filini Restaurant nearly as much as our runway view room. We didn’t feel like sitting at the restaurant, so we arrived at their reception to ask for take out. The receptionist was very confused, but one of the best customer service manager’s I’ve ever met came to the rescue. With a wonderful Italian accent he indicated they would be more than pleased to provide take out service. He directed us to a pleasant area to sit and wait. After a short time, he personally delivered our take out order. Our order was placed on trays normally used by room service delivery, including full cutlery and condiments. What a pleasurable experience and what a delicious pizza too.

Edelweiss Air

Business Class, Edelweiss Air

A few days before our scheduled flight back from Zurich to Vancouver, Edelweiss Air made an email offer at a set price for an upgrade to business class. On our flight to Zurich we had accepted the upgrade offer for our first ever experience on business class. We were excited to enjoy this all over again on our return flight. Luckily I was on free wifi calling when their head off in Zurich called me to finalize the offer, as I didn’t buy a voice plan during this vacation.

Until you fly business class, you don’t fully comprehend how wonderful it is. Arriving extra early for your flight is now a pleasurable benefit. You hang out in the business class lounge feasting on draft beer, hot meals and ice cream. When it comes time to board, you go first. The luggage bin above your seat is all yours. No one else contends for the space. The seating space is nearly 3 times that of economy with room to fully recline and shelves to store things. You also can easily stand to rummage through your bags without blocking the isle.

Then there’s the champagne to sip while the rest of the plane boards. During the flight you get two delicious meals served with linens, silverware, glassware and an open bar. On the previous business class flight to Zurich, I got lots of rest by fully reclining. On the way back to Vancouver I watched 3 movies using the quality headsets and still found time to nap as well. Then it’s first off the plane too. What a way to go! I don’t think I can ever fly economy again.