Meersburg

Meersburg is a town in the south of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It lies on Lake Constance. Meersburg is known for its two castles and for its wines.

Understand

Meersburg lakeside

It is known for its medieval city. The lower town ("Unterstadt") and upper town ("Oberstadt") are reserved for pedestrians only, and connected by two stairways and a steep street ("Steigstrasse").

The Meersburg vineyards at the northern banks of Lake Constance are famous within Germany. The rosée "Weissherbst" wine is a specialty of the region.

Tourist information

• 1 Tourist Info (Gästeinformation), Kirchstraße 4, ☏ +49 7532 440400. M-F 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:30, Sa Su closed. (updated Mar 2016)

Get in

By car

Meersburg lies along the B31 and B33 highways.

By boat

There is a car ferry several times an hour from Konstanz, which takes about 15 min.

Boats from other locations around Lake Constance also stop in Meersburg.

By train and bus

There is no train station in Meersburg. The best way to get there by train is to travel to Friedrichshafen or Überlingen and take the bus into Meersburg.

Get around

Old town of Meersburg

The most interesting parts of the city are lower town ("Unterstadt") and upper town ("Oberstadt") and are best seen on foot. They are mostly pedestrian zones, and connected by stairs or alternatively via a very steep street. There are great views from the upper town over the lake.

See

Meersburg with Old and New Castle, and lakeside

• 1 Meersburg Castle (Burg Meersburg), Schlossplatz 10 (upper town). Daily 09:00–18:30. The oldest parts of this castle date back to the 7th century. Most of the rooms are furnished in period style. A newer section was the living (and death) quarters of one of Germany's best known poets, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. This castle is probably the single best reason to visit Meersburg. It also has a small café with outdoor seating with lake view. If you only want to visit the café, you can see the first few rooms of the castle for free on your way to it. (To do this, you have to buy a café coupon for a couple of euros which is then used to purchase items at the café.) Absolutely recommended if you happen to be there on a day when there's a clear view of the Alps across the lake. Full castle access is €8.50, plus another €2.50 if you want the guided tour and tower access.  
• 2 New Castle (Neues Schloss), Schlossplatz 12 (upper town), ☏ +49 7532 8079410. This baroque castle was built between 1712 and 1760. It houses some art galleries and temporary exhibition. Skip the café though, there are lots of better places to eat in Meersburg. There are great views from behind the new castle (free access). General information: +49 7251 742770. Adults €4, children €1.  

Do

• 1 Meersburg Therme, Uferpromenade 12, ☏ +49 7532 440 2810, info@meersburg-therme.de. Beautiful pool and spa right at the lake €12/4 hours for adults. 
• Meersburg International Castle Music Concerts, New Castle. Concert series taking place during the season. (updated Mar 2016)
• Wine Festival, Castle square. Yearly event on the second weekend of September featuring wines from the surrounding area. (updated Mar 2016)

Buy

• 1 Staatsweingut Meersburg, Seminarstraße 6 (upper town). Buy or drink a bottle of the local wine. At the official shop you can also try the wine before you buy it. 

Sleep

• Zum Bären, Marktplatz 11 (upper town central), ☏ +49 75 32-43 22-0. Single €47, double €79-104. 
• Hotel Seehof, Unterstadtstraße 36 (lower town east), ☏ +49 7532 80769-0. 
• Strandhotel Wilder Mann, Bismarckplatz 2 (lower town west), ☏ +49 7532 4349-0. Single: €70-80, double: €95-130. 
• Zum Schiff, Bismarckplatz 5 (lower town central), ☏ +49 7532 4500-0. Single €54-75, double €81-124, suites €105-180, prices depend on the season and the room's view. 
• 1 Hotel Garni Eden, Menizhoferweg 4 (Height Town east), ☏ +49 753243050. In this family-operated hotel, guests will find modern and elegant rooms as well as a quiet residential location and every desirable convenience. Single €79, double €108-139. 

Go next

• Other cities and towns on Lake Constance. Especially recommended are Überlingen, Konstanz, Lindau and Bregenz.
• Stein am Rhein
• Schaffhausen — go there to see the Rhine Falls
• Salem — castle and Affenberg (monkey hill)
• Unter-Uhldingen (Uhldingen-Mühlhofen) — Pfahlbauten (Lake Dwellings)