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Beneath the gentle autumn sun, gazing out upon the water, I’m tasting a tart, cooling apple-secco. This effervescent drink echoes prosecco, but is made from apples rather than grapes. I try a few cinnamon-dusted apple chips, then advance to the potent stuff: liquor distilled from historic apple varieties.

If it wasn't clear, apples are huge enterprise in this region. I’m trekking along the edges of Lake Constance, on Germany’s south border. Nearly 250,000 tonnes of apples are gathered in this territory per year. Our excursion fell during the regular gourmet event, when nearby producers set up stalls and offer their wares along 15 kilometers of the scenic hiking trail connecting Überlingen, Sipplingen, and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. If apples aren’t your jam, there’s also pear-secco and spirits produced from a variety from plums, cherries, and blackcurrants to Jerusalem artichokes. Hikers can also taste food such as smoked sausages, cheeses, onion tarts, and homemade cakes and pies.

Multiple Nations – Shared Shoreline

Lake Constance’s tourism slogan is: “Four countries – one lake”. Germany, Austria, and Switzerland all converge at the lake, while Liechtenstein is just a half-hour drive away. On our mini vacation, we explored only the German area, but those with additional days could easily visit three or four countries. There is a extensive cycling circuit around the lake, which can be split into four to eight stages; and seven-day foodie, active, and highlights itineraries, all manageable using public transport. Special travel passes offer unlimited travel on trains, buses, and ferries, while enhanced options also include entry to multiple attractions.

Visiting Constance

We started our trip in Konstanz, the major city on the lake. We participated in a guided tour to learn about the city’s rich history – most notably the Council of Constance of 1414-1418, a series of meetings to resolve years of schism within the Catholic church – and visit its landmarks: the council building itself; Imperia, a controversial rotating waterfront statue; the church and its steeple with vistas over the city, lake, and mountains; and the charming Niederburg district, with its cobbled alleyways and houses from the late Middle Ages.

While the sun was out, we ate outside by the water at a classic inn in a former officers’ mess. As well as substantial meat dishes such as knuckle of pork and beef roulade, we were delighted to find delicious vegan versions of regional dishes. Maultaschen, usually meat-filled dumplings, were made with plant-based mince and served with potato and cucumber salad and vegetable gravy.

We were starting to tire when we heard the energetic sound of an oompah band. Heading towards the music, we emerged at a charming mountain inn

When it rained, we took refuge in a brewery and restaurant in a medieval building. Alongside its core menu of sausages, schnitzels, and Swabian specialities such as käsespätzle, it serves time-limited dishes. The pumpkin soup with giant pretzels was turning out to be popular; this autumn there is a chanterelle mushroom menu. We tried the malty Copper beer; later in the year, a dark, strong seasonal brew will be offered.

Indulgence and Adventure

After all this pleasure, it was time to walk to our campsite, nearly 19km around the lake. Just outside the city, we reached inviting thermal baths, with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and steam rooms. We pressed on and passed Mainau, known as the flower island. In September, the dahlias are in full bloom and the katsura trees give off scents of gingerbread and caramel; the arboretum is at its autumn-color peak in October.

We left the lake and headed a little way into the countryside, walking through meadows and climbing a couple of hills, before strolling through the lakeside village of Dingelsdorf to the campsite just beyond. The nights were getting cool, so we were glad to be staying in a cozy sleeping barrel rather than a tent. These wooden structures are reportedly based on historical accommodation – but presumably a lot warmer and cleaner. The campsite has a cafe, sells fresh bread in the mornings, and hosts a market on Fridays. A nearby restaurant serves local dishes plus pizza and pasta, in a modern space with a vaulted ceiling.

Food-Focused Walking and Picturesque Vistas

The next morning, we took a boat from Dingelsdorf harbor across the lake to Überlingen, a town with a medieval quarter and the longest promenade on the lake. This was the start of our gourmet walk – shorter but more challenging – traversing ravines, forests, and, of course, orchards. A particularly unforgettable stop was at a viewpoint where a winery was serving wine and snacks to accompany the breathtaking lake panorama.

Beyond Sipplingen, we were starting to tire when we heard the rousing sound of an oompah band. We headed towards the music and emerged at a mountain inn whose sun terrace has views all the way to the Alps. Fortified by more excellent German beer, it was a short hop to our journey’s end, a lakeside hotel with a heated outdoor pool and saunas—a perfect place to relax after a hike. The restaurant serves pike and char fish alongside pork cheeks and steaks, and more excellent vegetarian options such as panzerotti stuffed with porcini and truffles.

We’d packed a lot in, but there was so much left to see: the island old town of Lindau; the Middle Ages castle at Meersburg; the Zeppelin city of Friedrichshafen. And that’s without even leaving Germany. We’re going to need more apple-secco …