Mainau Island

Mainau Island in Lake Constance, part of the city of Konstanz, is Germany's famous "Flower Island" and one of the top day trips in the south of the country. Its roughly 111 acres (45 hectares) hold rose and dahlia gardens, an arboretum begun in the 1850s, a Baroque palace and one of Germany's largest butterfly houses. About one million people visit every year, and from spring blossoms to autumn dahlias it is a garden lover's dream.

Where it is and how to get there

Mainau sits in the northwestern arm of Lake Constance (Bodensee), close to the borders with Switzerland and Austria, about 4 km north of Konstanz's old town. Konstanz is roughly two and a half hours by car from Stuttgart, and Zurich Airport is the closest major international airport.

By public transport, take the train to Konstanz and then ring bus line 4/13, which stops near the island entrance. For a more memorable arrival, take a Lake Constance passenger boat from Konstanz harbor (about 300 meters from the station), Meersburg or Überlingen. Drivers park on the mainland right at the island entrance; parking costs €6 per day in summer, with the first hour free.

What to see

• Italian Flower and Water Staircase: cascading water between cypress trees and flowerbeds
• Baroque palace and church: built for the Teutonic Order in the 18th century by architect Johann Caspar Bagnato
• Butterfly House: about 10,700 square feet, with up to 80 species flying freely
• Dahlia garden: some 20,000 plants of about 250 varieties, at their peak in September and October
• Arboretum: planted from 1856 by Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden, with about 500 species of trees and shrubs

The island's modern history began in 1932, when Count Lennart Bernadotte, a member of the Swedish royal family, opened it to the public as a garden. Since 1974, it has belonged to a foundation bearing his name. The island also has a place in postwar history: in 1955, Nobel laureates including Otto Hahn issued the Mainau Declaration here, warning against nuclear weapons, and the "Green Charter of Mainau" on environmental protection followed in 1961. Before all that, the Teutonic Order ran a commandery on the island for more than five centuries, from 1272 until secularization in 1806.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, the summer season runs through October 18, 2026:

• Adults €29.50 at the gate or €26.90 online
• Students and trainees 13 and older €20 (online €17)
• Children 12 and under free

From October 19, 2026, winter prices apply: adults €14 (online €13). Day visitors can enter from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until October 18 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October 19 to November 18, and may stay until sunset. Booking online saves money and time at the ticket windows.

Tips and is it worth visiting?

Yes, Mainau is worth a half or full day, especially from April to October. Dogs on a leash are welcome and free, though not in the butterfly house or palace exhibition rooms. Bikes are not allowed on the island. Wheelchairs are lent free of charge, and accessible paths are marked on the island map. Combine your visit with Konstanz's old town or a boat trip to Meersburg across the lake.