Lago de Constanza: hoteles, restaurantes y bodegas con interés gastronómico

On the shores of Lake Constance, at its southern end, Germany has an almost Mediterranean feel. A new generation of winemakers, chefs inspired by the region's fish and vegetables, and young hoteliers work with passion to serve their guests.

On the Höri peninsula, the Hotel Hirschen has been in the hands of the Amann family for seven generations. Today, it specializes in wellness, with a very large spa, infinity pool, and panoramic sauna, and offers two restaurants: the traditional inn, serving regional cuisine, and the "Untersee-Stuben," with a Mediterranean-inspired half-board menu. The Hotel Riva, a boutique hotel by the lakeside promenade, combines a historic Art Nouveau villa with a contemporary extension. It features a year-round heated rooftop pool, a spa with sauna and gym, and two restaurants: the casual See-Restaurant, with its spacious terrace, and the elegant Ofelia, located within the villa itself.

The Seegut Zeppelin complex comprises a listed villa and four modern buildings in a park with private lake access, and its rooms feature natural materials, from lime plaster to sheep's wool carpets. High above the lake, surrounded by orchards, the villa, run by mother and daughter Sonja and Alisa Fischer, boasts a country style with Mediterranean influences and a 400-square-meter spa with three saunas.

At the Tubos de Peixe restaurant on the banks of the Rhine, a young team cooks with fish from the lake. They offer two set dinner menus and a weekday executive lunch menu, along with a well-curated wine list featuring exclusively German wines. At the Seegut Zeppelin, the Pinus restaurant serves vegetarian dishes, as well as meat and fish sourced locally. Among her family's vineyards, Sophia Aufricht has opened Miss Sea Watcher, an elegant wine tavern whose recommendation is the freshly smoked trout on sourdough bread, paired with a glass of Seegucker rosé; it is only open in good weather.

The Gasthof zum Schiff, a lakeside inn in Switzerland, is nearly 250 years old and renowned for its fresh lake fish, crispy roast chicken, and ice cream specialties. In the Langenargen marina, Edith Pusceddu's Malereck serves meticulously prepared dishes with a Mediterranean-Italian flair, boasting a popular verdant terrace, direct beach access, and views of the Swiss and Austrian Alps. On the Höri peninsula, the Hirschen Inn is known for its warm hospitality and butchery, offering dishes such as freshly made veal strips or liver dumplings, accompanied by freshly harvested vegetables.

Dirk Hoberg has transformed the lakeside restaurant, Ofelia, into the area's finest: his creations are dazzlingly beautiful, sophisticated in flavor, and impeccably crafted. The wine list, curated by sommelier Jerom Nicke, boasts 700 selections, and the ambiance of the modernist villa at the Hotel Riva, with its contemporary interiors, large windows, and lake views, completes the experience. At Pino, the focus is entirely on vegetables; young chefs Philipp Heid and Michel Müller relegate fish and meat to a secondary role, offering dishes designed for sharing, a good wine list, appealing non-alcoholic options, and a terrace overlooking the lake and the Alps.

Just across the border, Mike Schwarzenbacher, owner of Restaurant Mangold, masterfully blends his passion for Austrian tradition with international influences. The establishment offers elegant rooms, a charming courtyard, and expert wine advice. At La Villa, a light-filled conservatory surrounded by a lush garden, Toni Neumann's cuisine combines artisanal skill with Italian and, to some extent, Asian influences, while hostess Sonja Fischer and sommelier Rainer Hörmann provide warm and professional service. At Schlössli, a young team welcomes guests to a waterfront bistro setting with a terrace. Chef Moni Huber is considered a rising star, and her menu is divided into "France," "Italy," "Iberian Peninsula," and "Classics."

For shopping and wine tasting, young pastry chef Amelie Bröll has transformed her great-grandparents' house into an elegant café with a charming terrace, offering original cakes, colorful macarons, and the "CookieBox"; reservations are not accepted. Stotz Farm, situated by a lake, has a shop, café, and a large playground; its bistro serves regional and seasonal dishes, and the shop sells farm produce, such as pumpkins, and local produce, as well as a homemade cider that is highly recommended for families. In the Meersburg Nature Reserve, the Aufricht Winery, a family business with two generations of tradition, is known for its numerous award-winning wines, and those from Johannes Aufricht's own line, made using purist winemaking methods, are generating considerable buzz. Finally, the Vollmayer Winery, on the slopes of an extinct volcano, produces organic wines with a fresh minerality at up to 560 meters altitude, the highest altitude in Germany for vineyards, and features an eight-room "wine villa".