Recreation In and Around Konstanz

There is a lot of chance for recreation in and around Konstanz. It does not have the hiking or mountain biking opportunities that NAU does, but it has a lot to offer. Plus, you can still do those things by going a few hours south to the Alps. It is not hard to stay active and get outside here in Konstanz. With the beautiful weather you probably will not want to stay inside anyways, especially with the biggest lake in Germany literally surrounding the town on three sides.

First of all, and probably most obviously, there are innumerable opportunities to engage in water sports. Did I mention the enormous lake yet? The university offers a couple different class, such as sailing and kayaking, that get you out on the water. These fill up fast though, so if you plan to get into them be prepared on the day sports classes open up and register fast. You can also rent paddle boards, kayaks and the like from either the university or from various places around town. The university is probably the cheapest way to go though. The city also has a lot of good places to swim, so of which I have talked about in the past. The water is pretty cold, since it does come down off the mountains, but it is still quite nice. Especially on the days that the humidity makes me feels like someone is holding a wet towel over my face and I can not stop sweating. The lake really is one of the best parts of living in Konstanz, and it truly defines the identity of the city.

The university has sports facilities and a gym as well. Unlike at NAU, you do not automatically pay a fee and have unlimited access to these facilities, so that is something to keep in mind. The tennis courts, soccer fields and whatnot have to be checked out ahead of time. They tend to fill up way in advance, due to various clubs, sports and other events. So it is usually easier to find space in on of the parks around the city, which are free as well. My friends and I, for example, have been playing quite a bit of badminton out at hörnle. There are also basketball courts in various places around the town, where you can usually find some people to play a game of pick up basketball. The campus gym is a lot smaller than NAU’s, and also not automatically covered by a fee. So a lot of students, such as myself, get memberships at one of the cheaper and/or closer gyms around the city. The one I chose is only a few minute walk from my apartment, versus a 30-40 minute trip to the once owned by the university.

One of the best things to do her is biking. Konstanz is the most bike friendly place I have ever seen. Bike lanes are everywhere. My friends and I just last weekend biked around the entire Lake, which can actually be done in one day if you are really determined. ‘The route we took was about 70 miles total, so we spent the night in Bregenz, Austria. It is beautiful ride, and one of the coolest things i have done abroad. There is a route that goes all the way around the lake and takes you through some cool little towns in three different countries. It is actually quite a popular thing for tourists to do. I rented a bike from the university, which only cost 2 Euros a day. The bikes are actually quite good, unlike NAU’s yellow bikes. A lot of international students bike bikes at the beginning of the semester and sell them at the end, so that is also an option.

Me biking through Switzerland

We stoped in Lindau, Bavaria on our trip. A medeavil town on a island in the lake.