We started in the self-titled Cultural Mile, which Walter drily noted is actually only 200m long. The most daring addition in this clutch of creative storehouses is the art museum Kuntshaus Bregenz, the town's most contemporary structure. It's basically a steel skeleton cloaked in a layer of floating translucent glass.
Walter and I headed to the medieval heart of Bregenz, the once fortified Upper Town which occupies the site of the Celtic and Roman town of Brigantium. Highlights include the baroque-era St Martin's Tower, built in 1601 and boasting the largest onion-shaped roof in Europe. I admired the 14th century frescoes adorning the chapel. They must have been crafted by an Italian, because their 3D artistic effect hadn't been mastered at the time, north of the Alps.
Got a head for heights? Rising above the city like a protector is Pfänder, a landmark Bregenz is very proud of. Reaching the summit of this 1000m-high mountain can be easily accomplished on the six-minute ride aboard the Pfänderbahn cable car, unless you want to opt for a virtuous two-hour trek up the slopes.
Pfänder is a must-visit for the expansive views over Lake Constance and the Alps. On a clear day, some 240 mountain peaks are visible, making it one of Austria's most prized lookout points.
Back down by the water, I loved taking leisurely strolls around the picturesque lakefront promenade, edged with attractive al fresco eateries, vintage piers and blazing flowerbeds.
Bregenz comes with the bonus of facing the north-west, which means stupendous sunsets from the shores of Lake Constance. Grab an ice cream and stroll along to the prime viewing spot, the Sunset Steps, known as Molo to the locals.
Heading west on the promenade, I checked out the rustic heritage gem of “Mili”, the military bathhouse. Built on stilts above the lake in 1825, this is the oldest public bath on Lake Constance, originally developed as a training facility for military cadets.
You'll also want to check out the world's largest floating stage, which hosts the Bregenz Festival in summer. Millions of dollars are spent on the elaborate stage design for each production and this year it was Puccini's Madame Butterfly. The setting featured in James Bond's “Quantum of Solace”, with 007 chasing the villains across the floating stage.
The beautiful harbour is the home port for Vorarlberg Lines and their fleet of lake steamers ferrying people across to many neighbouring destinations dotted around the placid lake. I took a short jaunt over to the southern tip of Germany, where the little island of Lindau always gets the cameras clicking. This was a hugely prosperous merchant town along the trade route from Italy, connected to the mainland by a bridge. The island's showpiece is its magnificent harbour entrance, guarded by an impressive sandstone Bavarian lion and a gorgeous lighthouse. Both were installed in the 1850s.
Navigate the cobblestoned streets, admiring the decorative gables, half-timbered houses and seductive shopping scene in the old town. And you'll find there's no shortage of biergartens to enjoy some great wiener schnitzel and Bavarian lager. If you spot some Zeppelin airships in the skies, don't worry, the lager hasn't gone to your head. Just west of Lindau is the town of Friedrichshafen, proud home to those cigar-shaped airships, which still operate scenic flights.
Where to stay? In the heart of Kornmarkt Platz, Messmer Hotel is a beacon of Bregenz hospitality, with a story reaching back 400 years. All manner of historical figures have passed through its doors, including Alois Negrelli, the great engineer and architect of the Suez Canal. He lived in the hotel for several years. Comfortable accommodations, an excellent buffet breakfast and convivial wine bar are all part of the package.
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