Mainau Island: How to Visit the Flower Island on Lake Constance
Mainau Island, also known as the Flower Island, is one of the most colourful places to visit on Lake Constance in southern Germany. It is particularly special if you enjoy nature, photography and gardens, but there is much more to see here than just flowers.
We visited Mainau at the beginning of April, when the island was covered in spring flowers and tulips and an orchid exhibition was taking place inside the Palm House. In this guide, we share everything you need to know to visit Mainau Island, including when to go, current ticket prices, how to get there and the places we enjoyed most.
When is the best time to visit Mainau Island?
Mainau changes enormously throughout the year. Different flowers bloom with each season and there are also temporary exhibitions and events, so two visits at different times of year can feel surprisingly different.
Spring is one of the most spectacular times to visit, particularly if you want to see tulips and other spring flowers. We visited in early April and found large areas filled with tulips as well as a beautiful indoor orchid exhibition.
Summer brings roses and lush gardens, while later in the season dahlias become one of the main attractions. The island remains open throughout the year, although the gardens and some attractions naturally change considerably during winter.
Mainau Island ticket prices
Mainau is a paid attraction and prices change according to the season. For the main 2026 season, from 21 March to 18 October, adult tickets cost €26.90 online or €29.50 at the ticket office. Children up to and including the age of 12 enter free of charge.
During the winter period, from 19 October 2026 to 19 March 2027, adult admission is reduced to €13 online or €14 at the ticket office.
Prices and conditions can change every year, so we recommend checking the official Mainau website before your visit.
How to get to Mainau Island
One of the easiest places to visit Mainau from is Konstanz. We recommend combining both places if you have enough time, and you can find more ideas in our guide to the best things to do in Konstanz.
🚗 By car: there is a large car park near the entrance to the island. The 2026 daily parking fee is €6. From the car park, you simply walk across the pedestrian bridge onto Mainau.
🚌 By bus: Konstanz city bus routes 4/13 and 13/4 stop close to the Mainau entrance, making public transport a very convenient option if you are staying in the city.
🚢 By boat: you can also arrive by boat across Lake Constance, which is probably the most scenic way to approach the island during the navigation season.
Things to see on Mainau Island
Seasonal flower exhibitions
The flowers are obviously one of the main reasons to visit Mainau. The displays change throughout the year, so what you see will depend heavily on the season.
There are also temporary indoor exhibitions. During our spring visit, for example, we were able to see a beautiful orchid exhibition.
While walking around, take time to look beyond the flower beds. Mainau also has a remarkable collection of old trees. Its arboretum contains around 250 different species, including some enormous specimens planted during the 19th century.
The Butterfly House
One of our favourite attractions is the Mainau Butterfly House. Inside the greenhouse, high humidity and warm temperatures recreate a tropical environment filled with exotic plants and butterflies flying freely around you.
We also spotted colourful birds among the vegetation, which made the experience even more interesting.
📸 Photography tip: there is enough light inside to take good photographs, but butterflies move very quickly. Be patient and wait until one lands rather than trying to follow them constantly with the camera.
Views over Lake Constance
Mainau sits directly in Lake Constance, or Bodensee in German, one of the great lakes of Central Europe. Its shores stretch across Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
As you walk around the island, you will find plenty of viewpoints over the water. On clear days, the combination of gardens, lake and distant mountains is particularly beautiful.
Mainau Castle
Mainau Castle is the architectural centrepiece of the island. Unlike the medieval fortifications that once stood here, the current Baroque palace was built between 1739 and 1746 for the Teutonic Order.
The grounds surrounding the castle are beautiful, and when we visited there was even a wedding taking place here.
The lower part of the castle normally contains exhibitions and a café, while some of the historic rooms upstairs are only accessible during selected events or guided experiences.
The Swedish Tower
Another historic building worth looking out for is the Swedish Tower. The watchtower dates back to the 16th century and was originally part of the island’s defensive system.
Despite its name, it actually predates the Swedish occupation of Mainau during the Thirty Years’ War. The name commemorates that later period of the island’s history. The tower cannot currently be entered, but its fairy tale appearance makes it a lovely stop while walking around the park.
Mainau and the Bernadotte family
One of the most interesting aspects of Mainau is its connection with Sweden and the Bernadotte family.
Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden acquired Mainau in 1853 and began transforming the island into the landscaped park we know today. In 1928, Mainau passed to his daughter Victoria, Queen of Sweden, bringing the island into the Swedish royal family.
Her grandson Lennart Bernadotte took over the management of Mainau in 1932 and devoted much of his life to transforming the neglected park into the Flower Island that visitors know today.
The island is now operated by Mainau GmbH, whose sole shareholder is the nonprofit Lennart Bernadotte Foundation. The Bernadotte family’s connection to Mainau therefore continues today.
The flower gardens
Different areas of Mainau are dedicated to seasonal flower gardens. What you see will depend on when you visit.
We visited in spring and particularly loved the enormous displays of tulips. In summer, roses become one of the highlights, while later in the year the dahlia gardens add another burst of colour.
Is Mainau Island worth visiting?
For us, yes. Mainau is much more than a collection of flower beds. Between the gardens, old trees, Butterfly House, Baroque castle and views over Lake Constance, there is enough to easily spend several hours exploring the island.
We particularly recommend combining your visit with Konstanz. Exploring the city first and then spending a few slower hours surrounded by nature on Mainau makes a great combination.
We hope this guide helps you plan your visit to the Flower Island. For us, spring was an incredible explosion of colour, but the changing gardens give us a very good excuse to return at another time of year.
See you on the road!
