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Lindau dates from the end of the 9th century. It was a free imperial town of the Holy Roman Empire from the Middle Ages to 1804, when it became a part of Bavaria. For centuries, it was a center of trade between Bavaria and Switzerland.

Its unique setting on an island at the eastern end of Lake Constance made Lindau a prime tourist attraction. Today this garden city is under landmark protection and has outgrown its boundaries and spread to the shores of the mainland. It now caters to the tourist's every whim, from bathing to baccarat.

Lindau is a charming city. You can wander at will through the maze of winding narrow streets lined with houses that have stood the test of time. At the harbor stand two lighthouses: One, Mangturm, was built in the 1200s, the other in 1856. Each tower is some 37m (120 ft.) tall and can be climbed by the athletic via narrow spiral staircases. The reward is a panoramic vista of the Alps, both Swiss and Austrian. Another interesting building is the 15th-century Rathaus.

A tour of this Island must begin with the old harbor, seen from the lakeside promenade. The Mangturm, the old lighthouse, stands on the promenade as a reminder of the heavy fortifications that once surrounded the city. It also marks where Lindau was once divided into two islands. The harbour entrance is marked by the 33m (108-ft.) New Lighthouse and the Bavarian Lion, standing guard as yachts and commercial ships pass by below.

Hauptstrasse, in the centre of the town, is the main street of the Altstadt. The most easily recognizable building is the Altes Rathaus, erected in 1422. The stepped gables are typical of the period, but the building's facade also combines many later styles of architecture. The interior, once used as a council hall, is the town library. Frescoes represent scenes from a session of the 1496 Imperial Diet.

Just north of Hauptstrasse is the town's most familiar landmark, the round Diebsturm (Thieves' Tower), with its turreted roof. Next to it is the oldest building in Lindau, the 11th-century St. Peter's Church, which houses a war memorial chapel. In the church is a group of frescoes by Hans Holbein the Elder.

Returning to Hauptstrasse, which cuts through the exact centre of the island, follow the street eastward to the Haus zum Cavazzen, Am Marktplatz, the handsomest patrician house on Lake Constance. It holds the municipal art collection. Included are exhibits of sculpture and painting from the Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque periods. Some of the rooms are furnished with period pieces showing how wealthy citizens lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. Among the rarities is a collection of mechanical musical instruments.

Passing across Am Marktplatz and by the Collegiate Church and St. Stephen's Church, both baroque, you come to the strange pile of rocks known as Heathen's Wall, dating from Roman times. Beyond this is the Stadtgarten (Town Garden) which, although peaceful during the day, livens up at night when the wheels of the town's casino begin to spin.