Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [406]
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Orientation & Information
The heart of Altstadt is the elongated, pedestrianised Marienplatz; almost all of Ravensburg’s sights are nearby. The train station is six blocks to the west along Eisenbahnstrasse.
Tourist office ( 823 24; www.ravensburg.de; Kirchstrasse 16; 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat) A block northeast of Marienplatz.
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Sights & Activities
Slip back a few centuries taking in the sturdy towers and frescoed patrician houses framing Marienplatz. The 51m-high Blaserturm (adult/child €1/0.50; 2-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat Apr-Oct), part of the original fortifications, has superb views over the Altstadt from up top. Next door is the late-Gothic, step-gabled Waaghaus, while on the opposite side of Marienplatz sits the 15th-century Lederhaus, with its elaborate Renaissance facade, once the domain of tanners and shoemakers.
Ravensburg’s newcomer is Museum Humpis ( 828 20; www.museum-humpis-quartier.de, in German; Marktstrasse 45; admission free; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun, to 8pm Thu), three blocks east of Marienplatz. Seven exceptional late-medieval houses set around a glass-covered courtyard shelter a permanent collection and rotating exhibitions focusing on Ravensburg’s past as a trade centre.
At the northern end of Marienplatz is the round Grüner Turm (Green Tower), with its lustrous tiled roof, and the weighty, late-Gothic Liebfrauenkirche.
The all-white Mehlsack (Flour Sack) is a round tower marking the Altstadt’s southern edge. From there a steep staircase leads up to the Veitsburg, a quaint baroque castle with outlooks over Ravensburg’s mosaic of red-tiled roofs.
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Sleeping & Eating
Marienplatz is lined with buzzy cafes, pizzerias and bars, many with pavement seating.
DJH hostel ( 253 63; www.jugendherberge-ravensburg.de; Veitsburgstrasse 1; dm 1st/subsequent night €19.10/15.90) Follow in dukes’ footsteps to hillside Veitsburg castle, transformed into a hostel with creaky charm, well-kept dorms and gardens. It’s a 25-minute uphill walk from the train station.
Gasthof Ochsen ( 254 80; www.ochsen-rv.de, in German; Eichelstrasse 17; s €52-62, d €82-92; ) Just paces from Marienplatz, this 14th-century pile was once a butcher and baker. Today it’s an inviting guesthouse with bright, parquet-floored rooms, free wi-fi and a wood-panelled Stube (lounge) serving hearty fare (mains €8 to €12).
Gasthof Obertor ( 366 70; www.hotelobertor.de; Marktstrasse 67; s €70-90, d €110-125) The affable Rimpps take pride in their lemon-fronted patrician house. Obertor is the pick of the Altstadt hotels, with spotless rooms, a sauna area, and generous breakfasts.
Sláinte ( 882 12 Eichelstrasse 4; snacks & mains €4.50-11; 11am-1am Sun-Thu, 11am-2am Fri & Sat) Pop in for a pint, a bite to eat, or one of the regular concerts at this relaxed Irish watering hole.
Colours Café ( 352 6828; Bachstrasse 25; mains €7-15; 9am-1am Mon-Sat, 10am-1am Sun; ) The menu skips from drinks to tapas, pasta and blow-out brunches at this arty cafe with a covered patio.
Central ( 325 33; Marienplatz 48; mains €7.50-17; 9am-1am Mon-Sat, 10am-1am Sun) Ravensburg hipsters head to this cafe-bistro for lounge grooves, cocktails and global cuisine from bouillabaisse to Thai curries.
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Getting There & Away
Ravensburg is on the rail line linking Friedrichshafen (€3.65, 21 minutes, twice an hour) with Ulm (€15.20, 55 minutes, at least hourly) and Stuttgart (€30.70 to €40, 2¼ hours, at least hourly).
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LINDAU
08382 / pop 24,300
Glossy brochures enthuse about Lindau being Germany’s Garden of Eden and the Bavarian Riviera. Paradise and southern France it isn’t, but you can believe at least some of the hype. Wedged into Lake Constance’s northeastern corner, snuggling up to Austria