Meersburg, Germany

Meersburg sits on the northern shore of Lake Constance in the state of Baden-Württemberg, with a population of around 6,000 residents. Surrounded by vineyard-covered hillsides, the town has served as a center for winemaking and regional governance since the Middle Ages. The hilltop skyline features Meersburg Castle (Alte Burg), considered Germany's oldest continuously inhabited fortress, dating from the 7th century. Facing the castle is the 18th-century New Palace (Neues Schloss), displaying Baroque state rooms and terrace views over Lake Constance to the Swiss Alps. Travelers walk steep medieval alleyways, visit local winery taverns, and take passenger ferries across the lake to Konstanz.