Überlingen Travel Guide
A detailed destination guide for your next Germany vacation
Überlingen Overview
Überlingen is a city on the northern shore of Lake Constance (Bodensee). After the city of Friedrichshafen (Friedrichshafen vacation rentals | Friedrichshafen travel guide), it is the second largest city in the Bodenseekreis (district), and a central point for the outlying communities. Since January 1, 1993, Überlingen has been categorized as a large district city (Große Kreisstadt).
Überlingen lies on the so called Überlinger Lake portion of Lake Constance, an important watersource for southwestern Germany. The countryside is a hilly moraine, formed in the last Ice Age. The city is 64 miles from Zürich (Switzerland), approximate 1.25 hours; 25 miles from Constance, or approximately 40 minutes, 145 miles to Munich (Munich vacation rentals | Munich travel guide), approximately 2.5 hours. The closest airport is 20 miles away, at Friedrichshafen, and the closest airport with international/transoceanic flights is Zürich. The city is also connected by rail to major hubs at Singen and Radolfzell (Radolfzell vacation rentals | Radolfzell travel guide), the German station in Basel, Friedrichshafen, and Constance. In late spring through early fall, regular water transportation links Überlingen with Lindau (Lindau vacation rentals | Lindau travel guide), Constance, Meersburg (Meersburg vacation rentals | Meersburg travel guide), and the islands of Mainau (Mainau vacation rentals | Mainau travel guide) and Reichenau (Reichenau vacation rentals | Reichenau travel guide) in Germany, Bregenz in Austria, and St. Gallen and Rorschach in Switzerland.
Where to stay in Überlingen?
Check out our selection of hand-selected and quality Überlingen vacation rentals and holiday apartments.
Things to See in Überlingen
Market Day-Wednesdays and Saturdays are traditional market days in Überlingen, and have been since the late 14th century, when the city was granted market rights. Today's 21st century Market Days bring farmers, fruit growers, wine and brandy producers, honey producers, from throughout the region; in addition to local growers and producers, some come from the Three Corner area by Basel, and others from the Tyrol.
The Überlingen Christmas Market, also called Weihnachtsmarkt, and Christkindlmarkt, begins with the celebration of St. Nikolaus day, December 6. Nikolaus is the patron saint of Überlingen. A Nikolaus figure, complete with attendees including Black Peter, travel from Constance by boat, arriving at the city landing. The "saint" leads a procession to the church, and then offers a special mass, particularly for children.
Schloss Salem-Überlingen also is home to the famous boarding school Schule Schloss Salem (Salem vacation rentals | Salem travel guide), with upper school campuses of Spetzgart Castle, Hohenfels (Hohenfels vacation rentals | Hohenfels travel guide), and the new campus at Härlen.
Münster St. Nikolaus is the largest late Gothic building in the region and is a city landmark, as well as an emblem of Überlingen. The church has a large wooden alter carved by Jörg Zürn in the late Renaissance.
The Chapel St. Michael (Aufkirch), outside of the city, was built in the year 1000, and was the city’s first parish church. It and the village were severely damaged in the 1634 siege
[ source: wikipedia ]
Maps and Driving Directions to Überlingen
Am Bodensee Uberlingen
[ source: Flickr]
Related Sites
We collected some useful links related to Überlingen. If you know a few more sites not listed here, or also know some insider tips or point of interests for this destination? Please share and submit your Germany travel tip. If approved it will be shown on this page!
- Homepage of Überlingen: Überlingen (official home page)
- Wikipedia: Überlingen
More about the History of Überlingen
The history of Überlingen dates back to Roman times, but a variety of settlements pre-dated Roman occupation. Stone age settlements, discovered along the shoreline of Lake Constance, document that the lake supported several dozen thriving communities of 50–100 individuals. These settlements fall under the category of the Hallstatt culture, and their habits, dress, and diet has been illuminated through the excavation of archaeological sites, such as a major site in Hallstadt, Austria, excavated in the mid-to late 19th century; similar sites, although smaller, have been found in vicinity of Überlingen: a site near Hodingen, another near Dettingen, and a major site near the village of Unteruhldingen, where there is now an open air archaeological museum. The dead were either burned, or buried in mounds or flat graves; women wore jewelry made of Bronze or gold, especially earrings. Tools uncovered in archeological excavation suggest that these communities engaged in a combination of hunting, fishing and agriculture.
In 1972, Überlingen became the first city in the German Federal Republic to institute a tax on second homes, which became known as the so-called Überlingen Model. With the administrative reform of 1973, Überlingen was established as the seat of the County of Überlingen, in the Bodensee region. In 1990, the population of the city passed the 20,000 mark. The city authorities applied for status as a large county seat, which was granted by the state administration of Baden-Württemberg in January 1993.
[ source: wikipedia ]
What makes this Live Like a German Überlingen Travel Guide special...
This Überlingen travel guide provides you with an overview of Überlingen, Überlingen pictures, and a local travel guide that suggests many special trips, unique activities, and vacation ideas, that you can't find in a typical Germany travel guide.
Some of this information is compiled from popular and well-known sources (e.g., such as Wikipedia, Wikitravel, and great pictures from Flickr). However, what makes this Germany travel guide special is that most of the travel suggestions and insider tips are provided by local residents, property owners, and our readers, who share and submit their travel tips with us. All submissions are then editorially reviewed to ensure high quality. All this information is logically organized within this destination guide to make it easy for you to find things quickly.
In addition, the Überlingen destination guide features restaurant recommendations, restaurant reviews, where to go for grocery shopping, sports activities, getting around, cultural events and highlights, entertainment, and health related information - so you are informed for your travel to Germany, and you can learn about all the cool things you can do during your Germany vacation!
