The University of Konstanz pushes the city's age profile young, and the result is a bar scene that is unpretentious and lively. The Niederburg quarter is the centre of it — the same narrow lanes that hold the restaurants fill up later in the evening with students and locals moving between small bars. The atmosphere is easy-going rather than clubby.
In summer, waterfront terraces are the other draw: cafes along the harbour promenade with lake views, outdoor seating, and the slow traffic of ferries passing. It's a good place to sit through an afternoon.