Mainau — Local services in Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Konstanz

Until the Napoleonic mediatisations and secularisations of small German fiefs this island belonged to the Order of Teutonic Knights. It was later sold into private ownership. In 1853 Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden purchased the island as his personal property and built a summer palace there. At the end of World War I Baden became a republic with the abdication of Grand Duke Frederick II of Baden, son of Frederick I. The former Grand Duke retained his private property including Mainau (a controversial referendum to expropriate some of the remaining "private" property of the former ruling houses narrowly failed in 1926 for not meeting the 50% of eligible voters quorum). When he died childless in 1928 the island passed to his sister Victoria of Baden, wife of King Gustaf V of Sweden. Upon her death two years later she bequeathed the island to her second son Prince Vilhelm, Duke of Södermanland and his descendants. In 1932 Prince Wilhem gave Mainau to his only child Count Lennart Bernadotte of Wisborg who owned it until 1974 when he transferred the island to a foundation. Count Bernadotte formed Enterprise Mainau GmbH in 1991 as a private enterprise to manage the island for the benefit of the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung. The Count remained active in managing Mainau until his death in 2004 but appointed his second wife Sonja co-manager in 2001. Lennart's widow Sonja Countess Bernadotte af Wisborg and his children ran both the foundation and the management company until 2007. Since January 2007 Bettina Bernadotte, the eldest daughter of Lennart and Sonja Bernadotte, directs the Mainau GmbH as the...

OVER PRICED - TOO MUCH HYPE - NEVER A MUST SEE SPOT.

Just reached home after a disappointing visit to 'Insel Mainau'. €26 for a very average "botanical" garden. Simply looting the money hyping this spot as a must see in the locality.

A visit could be recommendable if entry costed €10 or €15. That is our "rating" for the spot. An additional €6 was needed for the parking. So we, as a group of 4 couples had to spent €110 for a very basic attraction. So NEVER a MUST SEE per our experience. (Keukenhof garden in Amsterdam visit cost €20 -OR- Munich Botanical garden just costs just €5)

Kids can enjoy a bit as there are some interesting options for them like 'Kinderland', Pony area, animal feeding area etc. The garden was really disappointing with the "quality" of flowers and maintenance. Some guest-house gardeners in and around the area had better knowledge on how to maintain gardens.

The attitude of the staff was very disappointing. Specially the person at that time who was standing at the ticket check area. I asked for a map which was next to him in hundred's - And he simply said "I CANNOT GET ONE". His face felt (for me) like I asked him to give me his salary for that month!

Mainau Island is recommendable only if you have no other plans to kill your time. Still, if you plan to visit - better take a ticket online which can be available at €23 and will help you skip the ticket counter queue (ticket counter only accepted cash on our day of visit - unbelievable in 2022). And better plan a complete day at the place to comfortably walk through...

We as a family have been to this island several times and we never get tired coming to this island. It is such a beautiful and serene place.

Every month of spring, summer and autumn has something to offer and a different shades of flowers bloom. March is the time for crocuses and daffodils, April the time of sakura magnolias and tulips, May & June the time of roses, August the time of lotuses & dahlias.

It is such a joy to visit the island. The boat ride from Konstanz to Mainau during sunny days is simply mesmerizing. Nowadays you can purchase the entrance ticket online and do a no touch check-in via the QR code.

In our latest visit there was this musical instruments along with orchids exhibition which was just wow!

There are plenty of restaurants to eat, a play area for the kids, some animals, a pappilonrama and a lot of benches with shades. If you want to bask in the sun, grab a chair in the chinese/japanese garden and be on that chair for 20 minutes. You will feel rejuvenated!

If you do come in late March, early April look for that sakura tree near the 100 year old redwood trees. That sakura tree is right from the story books. Sit below its falling petals and contemplate the ephemeral nature of this life. Live...