Overview
Bregenz is the capital of Vorarlberg in Austria at the Lake Constance. The shore of Lake Constance, one of the biggest lakes in Europe, meets with the town centre. Go down to the lake in the evening and check out the beautiful sunset.
Understand
Bregenz has 29,000 inhabitants (2022) and its roots go back to Roman times. The city was founded by the Romans in 15 BC, when it was known as Brigantium.
Bregenz sits at the northern edge of the Alps, between Lake Constance (the Bodensee) and the Pfänder (1064 m). To the west lies the Rhine delta, a huge valley dividing Switzerland and Austria. To the south lie the mountains of Switzerland and southern Vorarlberg. To the north, overlooking Lake Constance, are the hills of Allgäu of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in Germany.
Bregenz is the capital of Austria's most modern province. Inhabitants of Vorarlberg are said to be much more friendly and open than the rest of Austria.
Bregenz Tourismus & Stadtmarketing. Offers help with accommodation and has free maps, along with information on transportation and sightseeing.
Get in
By plane Zürich-Kloten is quite a big airport, about 1 hour with train/car (100 km).
Friedrichshafen is smaller but closer, about 40 km from Bregenz. Approached by some companies like Condor and Ryanair (from Stansted London).
Munich is the biggest airport around. About 2½ hr to Bregenz.
Altenrhein : Switzerland, about 20 km to Bregenz but few connections to Vienna.
By car From direction Vienna: on the A1 via Salzburg via Germany.
From Chur/Zürich: about 10 km to the Swiss motorway.
Austria requires autobahn drivers to pay a fee and purchase a Vignette (Austrian: Pickerl), a sticker which must be affixed to the windshield. Careful: The Vignette is only valid 18 days after the purchase. The vignette must be pasted on the windshield; they are considered invalid if kept in the glovebox, which also earns a fine. The vignettes are available for sale at ADAC, ÖAMTC and TCS motor club offices (in Germany, Austria and Switzerland respectively; membership is not required), as well as at almost all petrol stations before the Austrian border. You can purchase them here.The more affordable so-called Korridorvignette for the 23-km-long stretch of the A14 between the German border and Hohenems is no longer available.
Drivers from Germany should take Exit 2 (Lindau) before reaching the border, as the A14 then enters a tunnel and only emerges south of Bregenz. Likewise when driving toward Germany drivers should head north on 190 and cross the border before driving onto the autobahn.
By bus Check out Eurolines from Vienna and Berlin. There are also connections with Flixbus from Milan and Munich.
Vorarlberg Lines. It is also possible to approach Bregenz by ferry, with direct connections to Lindau, Friedrichshafen, Meersburg, and Konstanz.
Get around
By foot Many sights in the centre toward the lakefront are easily accessible by foot.
By bicycle In summer, bicycles are perhaps the best way to get around, as Bregenz is quite small.
Stadtbus Bregenz. 5 routes provide good coverage for most of the city. Schedules for all route can be downloaded here (in German); a route map is available here.
By car Carsharing Zipcars are available in Bregenz.
Seetaxi. Guided tour on a motorboat, up to 10 people
See
The city wall from the 13th to 16th centuries surrounding the upper part of town (Oberstadt) has been largely preserved.
Lower City Hall. Built in 1686 and remodelled in 1898.
Kunsthaus Bregenz. Frequently changing contemporary art exhibitions. The building was designed by Peter Zumthor.
Martinsturm. Bregenz's most famous landmark, the tower features the largest onion cupola in Europe. The foundations of the building date to the late Roman period. St. Martin's Chapel (on the ground floor) can be visited for free and has medieval frescoes. Not wheelchair accessible.
Vorarlberg museum. Modernerised and enlarged, the museum opened in June 2013, with exhibits documenting the history of Vorarlberg as well as other current themes.
Wettingen-Mehrerau Abbey. A bit outside of the city, but can easily be reached by walking or cycling along the lake. The monastery has a museum with exhibits illustrating monastic life.
Vorarlberg Regional Library. Free guided tours are available upon request, but may not be in English).
Künstlerhaus Bregenz. A collective Vorarlberg artists stages exhibits of members' works. Not wheelchair accessible.
Magazin 4 Bregenzer Kunstverein. Workrooms of department Culture of the City government, exhibition rooms.
Galerie Lisi Hämmerle. Exhibits the work of local artists.
The "narrowest house in Europe". First mentioned in 1796. 57cm wide.
Do
Boat cruises. From April to October, Vorarlberg Lines offers a number of cruises on Lake Constance, including a scenic 'three-country' cruise (daily 14:30); cruises to Friedrichshafen, home of the Zepplinmuseum (daily, various times); the "Flower Island" of Mainau (daily, various times); the city of Konstanz, home of the Sea Life Center/Aquarium (daily, various times); and a number of sunset and dinner cruises. You can also consider a short trip to the German port Lindau, which on a sunny day offers splendid views of the Swiss landscape. The town is beautiful and one can also consider shopping in the main market, a 5 minute walk from the port/train station.
Bregenz Festival. A famous festival attracting 200,000 visitors each year. The centerpiece of the festival is its main stage built on Lake Constance, the largest floating stage in the world. The open-air production changes every two years. The setting – 7,000 seats looking out over the lake, the larger-than-life stage, night falling during the performance, and the cool breeze coming off the lake – is truly spectacular. In addition to the production on the floating stage, there is a yearly changing program including an opera in the Festival House (Festhaus), a series of orchestral concerts and other cultural events such as Kunst aus der Zeit (KAZ) and cross culture. There are seats for wheelchair users and a signage system for the visually impaired.
Bregenzer Frühling. A modern dance festival attracting choreographers and dancers from around the world. All performances are staged in the Bregenz Festival House (Festspielhaus Bregenz). Tickets are available at the tourist information office and online.
Vorarlberger Landestheater. Tickets for theatre performances can be ordered online here .
Symphony Orchestra Vorarlberg. Orchestra concerts are performed on a regular basis.
Young Art Generation. Competition for young creatives, age 16 to 23 presenting their art and shows.
Klassik Krumbach, a small and new festival for classical music. , .
The Lake Promenade (Strandweg) is a very popular place for residents to stroll and spend the evening. There are shaded paths and outdoor restaurants. The sunsets in Bregenz are beautiful from any place at the lake.
In summer, Bregenz offers many possibilities. Bregenz is splendid for swimming in the lake (the lake's temperature reaches 26°C in the summer), hiking, cycling, and several other sports. The tourist office offers a map of hiking paths in Bregenz and the immediate vicinity, as well as a map of trails in the nearby Bregenz Woods (Bregenzwald).
Pfänder. Don't miss the 360° view from the top: you can either walk (ca. 2-3 hr) or take the cable car (6 min). Hiking suggestions are listed here . You can also bike the Pfänder.
Gasthaus Pfänderdohle. Restaurant at the top of Pfänder, serves Austrian and international dishes, as well as snacks.
Gebhardsberg. Gebhardsberg is 598 m above sea level and it offers a splendid view on the Rhine Valley (Rheintal) and Lake Constance (Bodensee). It is popular among the local population for walks. On it you can find the ruins of Burg Hohenbregenz, which was built at the end of 11th century, in 1097, by the Dukes of Bregenz. It later changed ownership several times and in the 17th century it was extended into a stronghold. In 1647 it was captured by the Swedes without any resistance and they blew up the fortress in the same year. From 1670 the ruins gained importance as a place of pilgrimage of St. Gebhard and they were adapted for religious and gastronomical purposes several times. In 1723 the church, which was built within the ruins, was consecrated. In this time the "mountain" got its present name. There is a restaurant there now.
Georunde Rindberg hike. Nature in Motionis the theme of this hike. In 1999, the village in the Bregenzerwald was affected by a gigantic landslide: on an area of around 1.6 square kilometres, the mountainsides on the Rindberg plot started moving, with 18 buildings sliding down to the valley, some houses moving from their original spot by up to 240 metres.This walk is a reminder of twhat happened, and raises awareness amongst locals and guests that they are part of nature.
Public Pool. The bathing complex by the lake has a large outdoor pool and an indoor pool.
Buy
Kaiserstraße is the main pedestrian shopping street, and was renovated in 2006. The inner city in particular has many smaller shops which invite one to browse. In general, stores are open Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 18:00. Local shops and markets here.
Wolford. The maker of stylish hosiery and lingerie is headquartered in Bregenz. This location includes a boutique, factory outlet and restaurant.
Sennerei Jungholz-Hinteregg. Local cheese shop producing cheese close to Pfänder.
Eat
Gasthaus Bahnhof - Silvana`s Bahnhofreste.
Gasthaus Maurachbund. A traditional Vorarlberg establishment.
Wirtshaus am See. Highly regarded, with outdoor seating in nice weather. Also has a BeachBar.
Küchentanz. Traditional Austrian cuisine in a rustic setting.
Germania . Restaurant. Specialises in regional cuisine with a modern contemporary twist.
Casino Restaurant Falstaff. Serves international cuisine.
Eltoro Las Tapas Al Andalus. Organic Tapas Restaurant
Drink
BeachBar Seepromenade 2, . Every year, the BeachBar in Bregenz presents itself as a trendy summer meeting place. During the day, the cozy beach bar invites you to chill and relax. In the evening, it turns into an absolute party location. Sandy beach, sun loungers and refreshing cocktails give you that holiday feeling. DJs provide the right atmosphere, so that people like to move from the deckchairs to the dance floor. Lake Constance itself is only a few steps away.
Heurigen Möth. An especially popular place serving Austrian wines, with pleasant outdoor seating.
Sleep
From the genteel Dueringschlössle to budget-friendly guesthouses, Bregenz offers a range of accommodation for all budgets. The city becomes very busy during the Festival season that runs from mid-July to mid-August; during this time it's advisable to book accommodation ahead of time. Prices posted below are for the high-season summer months; if you don't travel in July and August, prices are a lot cheaper.
Ferienhaus Unger-Taube. 15-min walk to the town centre, but surrounded by greenery, cozy house, romantic, peaceful, personal, close to hiking trails as well.
Familie Wilhelm - Ferienwohnungen. Apartments around town with kitchen, bathroom, balcony, internet, etc. breakfast can be included.
Jufa Bregenz on Lake Constance. Close to the lake and train station. Laundry facilities, meals available, Wi-Fi.
Gasthof-Hotel Lamm. In a historic structure built in 1734. Has an onsite restaurant, half- and full-board also available. Hotel or guest house available.
Hotel Ibis Bregenz. 24-hour bar, internet, pets accepted.
Best Western Hotel Weisses Kreuz. Onsite restaurant and bar.
Hotel Messmer. Also has holiday apartments, and a well-regarded restaurant.
Mercure Bregenz City. Two restaurants, pets accepted.
Hotel Schwärzler. Climate friendly. Also has two well-regarded restaurants serving Austrian, French, and international cuisine.
Camping Mexico am Bodensee. Open May – September. Has spots for campervans and tents, and has an onsite bistro. Kayaks and canoes available to rent.
Camping Weiß. Has places for campervans and tents. Also has an onsite restaurant.
Make Bregenz your own.
Before committing, pick one main reason for this visit and two nearby experiences that support it. Check the guide’s transport sections against current operator information. A convenient base can save more time than adding another attraction.
- Choose your arrival point and one base. Write down the real transfer time, not just the map distance.
- Build a first-day plan with room to settle in. Cluster the places you want to see rather than crossing the city repeatedly.
- Use actual accommodation and transport quotes in your budget. Add fees to the quote before comparing it.
- Keep one uncommitted block. Weather, energy and a good local recommendation can all change your plan.
Source transparency
This guide adapts licensed text by Wikivoyage contributors. It is not a claim that Lakhou has visited or independently verified every listing. We converted the source to plain text, selected practical sections and removed price sentences and private contact information. The planning framework and any related-business booking recommendations above are Lakhou editorial additions.
Original revision 5349142 · Contributor history · CC BY-SA 4.0. Reused text and adaptations on this page are available under that license. Source revision date: 2026-09-12. This is not a date of field verification.
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