The wonderful canton of Thurgau: a journey through ifolor’s home canton
After having travelled throughout all of Switzerland with you once already for this article, we are now turning our attention to a very special canton: the canton of Thurgau. Since this is where ifolor has its roots, and it is in Kreuzlingen by Lake Constance where ifolor’s photo products are made.
Today we’d like to show you that Thurgau has so much more to offer than just apples and cider. And so we spent two days travelling through the canton on the hunt for Thurgau’s most beautiful spots. We can tell you one thing already: the canton by Lake Constance has so much to offer that two days is definitely not long enough! Even so, we’ve discovered so many places, and can pass on plenty of travel inspiration for you from a canton that is often somewhat underrated. And we’d like to share these with you all now!
Day 1: a journey through ifolor’s home canton
Our journey begins right by one of the canton’s most well-known sights: Ittingen Charterhouse in the municipality of Warth. The former Carthusian monastery exudes plenty of charm, is wonderfully peaceful and serves as the ideal base for various hikes and walks around the charterhouse. The grounds are set in a particularly idyllic location. You’ll also find a hotel, restaurant, farm shop and stunning gardens here, which invite you to come and relax and enjoy a stroll through the grounds. We can really recommend it!
From Warth, it takes us another 15 minutes or so by car to reach Lower Lake Constance – or, to be more specific, the village of Mammern. From here, the street follows the water until it reaches Steckborn. Many people have recommended this small town with a population of 3,700 to us – and we can absolutely see why. Steckborn not only enjoys a wonderful, idyllic location right by Lower Lake Constance, but its old town also looks like it’s been lifted straight out of a picture book. What stories would these old walls tell us if only they could?
After a journey of discovery through the old town and along the promenade, we continue on to Salenstein. Here, the pretty Arenenberg Castle sits on a hillside. In addition to the Napoleon Museum, visitors here can also enjoy wonderful views across Lower Lake Constance, from above the vineyards and beside the beautiful gardens. We can’t help but stop for a while, it’s that beautiful here. What’s more, this also makes for a great photo spot!
Another seven kilometres or so from here, we finally reach our last stop for the day: the small municipality of Gottlieben. We were absolutely taken with Gottlieben from the moment we got there. This little village, situated on the Rhine between Lake Constance and Lower Lake Constance, is just lovely. Although it has a population of just 340, Gottlieben is understandably a popular getaway destination in the canton of Thurgau. The well-known Gottlieber Hüppen wafer rolls are also made here.
As you stroll by the water along Gottlieben’s small but beautiful promenade, you’ll feel like you’re on holiday. A simply enchanting experience…
The most beautiful restaurant in the village is probably the one at Gottlieber Hotel Krone. The interior is also beautifully furnished – but nothing can top its terrace right by the water. Don’t forget to make a reservation though! We treat ourselves to an aperitif overlooking the Rhine and can barely get enough. So it’s fortunate that we’re spending the night in this pretty hotel too.
Day 2: From Gottlieben to Bischofszell
Our second day in the canton of Thurgau begins particularly early. We set the alarm to go off at 4:45 in the morning so that we can watch the sun as it comes up over the water.
Luckily it doesn’t take long to get anywhere here. It’s just a short walk to the kayak that we rented the previous evening. Just before 5 in the morning, we pick up our oars and set out towards the sunrise. The atmosphere is just so peaceful here, the water mirror-like and – aside from a few birds and our oars splashing in the water – there is scarcely a sound to be heard. Until suddenly a noisy flock of birds flies over our heads, leaving us absolutely transfixed. And behind them, the sun begins to slowly creep over the horizon. Yes, nature really can be this beautiful…
The sunrise kayak trip was a definite highlight of our time in Thurgau – and something that we won’t soon be able to forget! After a hearty breakfast in our hotel, we continue on towards Kreuzlingen. Along the way, we drive by extensive orchards and crop fields in Tägermoos and briefly stop off at the farm shop, where you can get your food fresh from the field. This is also where the vegetables for the Biotta juices are grown.
From here, it takes just a few minutes before we reach Kreuzlingen – the home of ifolor! On the way to Seeburgpark, we pass by ifolor’s headquarters, where all its photo products are made. And still 100% Swiss-made, which is something we really value.
We quickly find a parking space, and we’re soon enjoying a leisurely stroll through Kreuzlingen’s extensive Seeburgpark, right by Lake Constance. This is the perfect spot to take a wonderful breath of fresh air If you want to enjoy something truly special, you should book a table at the fairytale-like Restaurant Seeburg. It’s no wonder that it’s often used as a wedding venue. This is a truly wonderful place.
But for us, our journey continues on to Bottighofen. We had already eaten at Restaurant Silo 5 once before some years ago and enjoyed it so much that we had always intended to come back for another visit. We definitely did not leave disappointed! If you’re looking for a great insider’s tip for a restaurant by Lake Constance, we only have good things to say about Silo 5.
We have to confess, it simply draws us to the water. Near the beach in Altnau is a jetty, built in 2010, which at 270 metres in length is the longest jetty on Lake Constance. This isn’t something we want to miss out on! So we drive just a few kilometres more to Altnau, where we can take a leisurely walk along the impressive jetty. If you take a look at Lake Constance from here, you’ll feel as though you could be right by the sea! It’s true, the canton of Thurgau knows how to put you in a holiday mood!
Finally, we’re drawn back into the heart of the canton again. The little town of Bischofszell has also been recommended to us several times. In any case, it’s always going to be worth visiting somewhere that’s listed in the Swiss Federal Inventory of Heritage Sites. The old town in particular is very picturesque, and you can meander through the houses here and take in the original charm of the wonderful old buildings. This is the perfect finale to a wonderful journey through the canton of Thurgau!
We hope you enjoyed hearing all about our journey through the canton of Thurgau. And who knows, maybe you even found one or two tips you can use for your next Swiss excursion? We’d be delighted if you did!
We hope you have lots of fun exploring!
Valeria & Adi