Get to know the Bodensee region, my home during this year of volunteering

When I decided to volunteer in Germany, they offered me different projects in the federal state of Baden Württemberg, I was clear that I wanted to live in a small place to be able to learn German and have a place with water, since I come from some islands, and see the sea or something similar causes me tranquility and is my natural habitat.

I started to see the different locations of the projects and I was hesitant as the two projects that caught my attention the most were in different places, one in Freiburg located in the black forest and the other here near the Bodensee. I wasn't sure until I talked to some Germans I knew, and the expression when I told them about the Bodensee was epic, their faces lit up, and they said that's a place where we Germans go on vacation, it's super top. I don't dude and here I am, one of the best decisions of my life, clearly not everything is positive.

Lake Constance is a fascinating place full of nature and culture belonging to three countries: Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with a wide variety of water and land activities, for all tastes and ages, that we can enjoy throughout the year.

Its surface is 536 km² and the average level is 395 m above sea level. The Rhine River enters the lake from the southeast near Bregenz (Austria) and leaves the lake from the west at Stein am Rhein (Switzerland).

Around 2.5 million people live in its catchment area, mostly German-speaking. Constance is the largest city, on the shores of the lake and with more than 83,000 inhabitants. Through this city, the Rhine leaves the lake, heading for the North Sea. Some prominent places in its surroundings are Friedrichshafen, Bregenz, Lindau and Meersburg.

The Lake Constance region has activities for all tastes, although the most popular is cycling tourism, since you can easily skirt everything around the lake thanks to a 260-kilometer bike path that crosses the three countries that delimit it: Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

“Lake Constance is rightly one of the most popular holiday destinations in Germany, which is visited by many holidaymakers every year. Its special attraction lies in its versatility. Culture-hungry people will find numerous sights to explore in the cities of Lake Constance, such as Constance, Lindau und Überlingen”.

“Nature lovers will find pure diversity on the islands and in the nature reserves. Sport lovers can take advantage of the wide range of water and land activities on offer and lovers of culinary delights can enjoy the regional specialities and gourmet cuisine of Lake Constance. In this way, a variety of interests and activities can be combined in a single holiday. Whether a visit to Germany, Switzerland or Austria, there is much to discover for holidaymakers. Lake Constance holidays leave nothing to be desired.”

Personally I consider this lake a magical place, it gives me the feeling of being in the sea, it gives me calm, it's nice to eat something on the shore especially in summer, watch the sunset, the swans are very nice to see, but better not get very close because sometimes they attack.

One of the negative things is that it is a bit far, the people are quite traditional, but at the same time very friendly.

I will always remember this place and I will carry it in my heart. From today there is one month left to finish my volunteer experience and leave this beautiful place.

References:

Bodensee > Información, Biografia, Archivo, Historia, Cumpleaños, Nacimiento (wikidat.com)

Lago de Constanza - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

El Lago de Constanza, un maravilloso paraíso al pie de los Alpes – Don Viajón (donviajon.com)

Lago Constanza [Qué ver en la ruta por la orilla alemana] (abordodelmundo.com)

Lake Constance - Visit Lake Constance (bodensee.de)

The German shore of Lake Constance | Lake Constance Tourism (bodensee.eu)