A World Heritage Site because of its monastery, the **Abbey of Reichenau. Comprising three churches of long heritage, including St Georg at Oberzell which holds a cycle of Christ’s miracles painted around 1000, the most important Ottonian wall painting to survive. The island was also home to a scriptorium producing some of the greatest of all medieval manuscripts. 

The abbey’s bailiff was housed in a two-storey stone building that was raised by two more storeys of timber framing in the 14th century, one of the oldest timber-frame buildings in south Germany.

This was a pleasant diversion, more for the vegetable gardens than the monastery (which is well preserved, but not worth going way out of your way for). I’d spend the night at an agro-tourismo style place if you’re into gardens, otherwise skip.

We did have an excellent lunch at **Restaurant Mohren – outdoor seating on the main square, part of a fancy hotel. Everything was sourced locally (on the island). Wonderful trout.

Across the water just south (in Switzerland), **Napoleonmuseum Arenenberg is just excellent. Set in a beautiful park – now largely part of an elaborate hotel – it overlooks the “lower lake” of Constance, and lovely Reichenau Island. 

Arenenberg was sold to Hortense de Beauharnais, the adopted daughter and sister-in-law of Napoleon I. She had it rebuilt in the French Empire style and summered there from 1817 with her son Louis Napoleon, later Emperor Napoleon III. It’s in beautiful condition – for architecture and interior design fans, this is a must. You’ll also learn about the sad and complicated family history, as well as local politics about hosting “complicated” foreigners.