A rainy day in Au, Austria gave us a perfect excuse to take the local bus to Bregenz and spend the day sightseeing. FYI: There is a yearly Schubert Festival held in Schwarzenberg, Austria that features almost 100 events including orchestra and piano concerts, chamber music and more.  You can buy tickets through any Bregenzerwald Tourist Office or the Schubert Festival link above. While we were waiting for the bus to Bregenz, spent a little time talking to two Japanese people who few to Austria for one week just to attend this yearly festival. Something to keep in mind. The local buses all stop at the Bregenz train station and from there, it’s a short two block walk to the huge “I” (Information) office where you can get maps and brochures for the entire region. Traveling by train or car to (or from) Austria, Germany or Switzerland – the three countries bordering Lake Constance/Bodensee/Konstanz – more likely than not, the route will go through Bregenz. Definitely try to spend at least one day visiting this charming city and great jumping off spot. For example: – There is boating on the lake. A fleet of 35 steamers ply Lake Constance in all directions daily. Make use of the boat, train and bus systems and go crazy trying to decide what to see and do. Lindau on the German side. Bregenz in Austria and St. Gallen in Switzerland are just a few of the many stops.

- How about renting a bicycle and spending time on some of the entire 268 km/166 miles circling Lake Constance? It takes about seven days for a leisure bicyclist or complete the entire circuit in three days if you are one of those 80 km/50 mile a day bikers. One of the many websites to look at is Bodensee-Radweg who will arrange tours including breakfast as well as transport bags. We did neither.

Armed with the walking map given to us by Information, we walked down to Lake Constance and the Bregenz Festival Platform. This bright blue “eye” platform is a landmark in Bregenz and Tosca in the 2008 Festival had just ended a week before we came. There is an Opera House connected to the Floating Stage, so if the weather turns bad, performances can take place indoors. This unique location was recently used for the new James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace” and there were quite a few tourists touring Lake Stage…View image…

Bregenz Festival Stage, AustriaThrough a small park by the Seepromenade with some unique and colorful sculptures..View image… on exhibit…

this sculpture reminded me of “Gumby” in Bregenz, Austria…Over to the main pedestrian walking area with its historical sights – Town Hall, Kornmarkt Square – cafes, restaurants, shops (Kas-Fredi is considered the leading cheese gourmet in Central Europe) and Bakereis…Hooray!! More Schnecken, (snail-like danish pastry). Three different types in one place. With nuts, with chocolate and with cinammon and frosting. What to choose! Even if, by chance, a person wasn’t hungry who could resist with food and goodies surrounding you on all sides…

tourists along the pedestrian only streets in Bregenz, Austria Bregenz Sponge Bob, AustriaRefreshed, there was more to see in Bregenz…

Hotels.com by city, dates and number of guests