Mainau Germany's Secret Garden Island

Deep in the heart of southwestern Germany, in the land of car-makers and tech companies, lies one of the country’s best getaways from the everyday. While the most-visited tourist attraction on Lake Constance (or Bodensee) isn’t exactly a secret, the garden island of Mainau isn’t usually in the top 10 things first-timers want to visit during their time in Germany.

Which is too bad, because it really is a little bit of magic nestled against the Swiss and Austrian borders, just two hours south of Stuttgart. The island, with an area of 45 hectares (half a square kilometre), belongs to the Lennart Bernadotte Foundation, a family foundation created in 1974 by Bernadotte, the grandson of King Gustaf V of Sweden. In recent years, the island has been managed by Bernadotte’s children, Bettina and Björn.

The Gardens

The island’s arboretum has more than 500 species of deciduous and coniferous trees, including a giant sequoia from 1864 and a 65-year-old redwood. In the greenhouse, thousands of butterflies flit about amongst the tropical plants.

Back outside, there are more than 200 varieties of rhododendron and azalea dotted around the island, which explode into walls of colour in spring and early summer, but the clear highlight is the Italian rose garden. With more than 500 varieties of rose intermingled with the pergolas, sculptures and fountains, it is a must-see for anyone with even the slightest interest in plants and gardening.

20,0000 dahlias (which bloom at the end of August) and another 600 varieties of rose totalling 30,000 bushes, make the rest of the island a joy to behold. Mediterranean terraces have pots of palm, agave and bougainvillea that would make any gardener confined to a temperate climate green with envy.

The Buildings

The Bernadottes are determined to maintain their fantastic garden wonderland as a model of good environmental practice, and still live on the island. Some parts of the 18th-century baroque palace are open to the public. The palm house, home to Mediterranean plants, also houses 3,000 orchids. It will undergo renovations in the autumn of 2017, so check opening times before visiting.

The island is open every day of the year from sunrise to sunset, with fantastic news for photographers chasing the golden hour. Most of the flowers are in bloom between end of March and the end of October.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.