Bregenz, Austria

Anton Schneider Strasse, Bregenz, Austria (cc)

Bregenz Travel Guide

Introduction

Bregenz is a gutsy little town with artsy aspirations and a small-city vibe. It is adored by visitors for its fabulous setting on the eastern shore of Lake Constance, Bodensee in German, and its lakeside summer music festival, Bregenzer Festspiele, where the Seebühne, or floating stage, fairly brings down the house with its large-scale musical and opera performances – the likes of Aida by Verdi, La bohème by Puccini and West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein – right over the water!

Location

Bregenz is situated amid hilly terrain in the Alps at the northwestern tip of Austria, on the eastern shore of Lake Constance. To the south and west of Bregenz stretch the Bregenzerwald forest and the Vorarlberg Alps. The city is all but a stone's throw from the borders of Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, and close to Italy and France as well. In distance, it is 120 km east of Zürich, 190 km southwest of Munich, and 200 km west of Innsbruck. Its position at the junction of Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany makes it an easily accessible day-tripping base for those wishing to explore the lake region.

How to Get There

Sightseeing

Neighborhoods

How to Get Around

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Where to Party

Essential Information

Nearby Destinations

How to Get There

Sightseeing

Main Neighborhoods

Upper Town - The Upper Town of Bregenz is made up of primarily Oberstadt, or the walled Old Town, which has in it most of the historical buildings, including Bregenz's signature landmark, the onion-domed Martinsturm, and the adjacent Martinskappelle.

Lower Town - Relatively newer part of town, with more contemporary experimental architecture, including the celebrated Kunsthaus Bregenz and Landesmuseum. The Festspiel, or festival stage, is part of the Lower Town as well.

How to Get Around

Where to Party

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Know Before You Go