It is the capital of the county (Landkreis) of Lindau, Bavaria and is near the borders of the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, and the Swiss cantons of St. Gallen and Thurgau.

Lindau is located near the meeting point of the Austrian, German, and Swiss borders and is nestled on the lake in front of Austria's Pfänder mountain.

Lindau is popular with sightseers and vacationers for its medieval town centre and picturesque location on Lake Constance.

The first use of the name Lindau was documented in 882 by a monk from St. Gallen, stating that Adalbert (count of Raetia) had founded a nunnery on the island.

The city went to Karl August von Bretzenheim, a son of the Elector of Bavaria Charles Theodore, who gave Lindau and the monastery to the Austrian Empire in 1804.

After World War II, Lindau fell under French military administration and went first to Württemberg-Hohenzollern and then to the State of Baden-Württemberg.

Lindau has a very low unemployment rate, likely the result of a diverse economy and proximity to the Alpine Rhine Valley.

Lindau is home to several large corporations: There are also numerous farms, producing apples, pears, strawberries, and related products e.g. Schnapps, wine and fruit juices.

Lindau-Insel station has trains to and from Friedrichshafen, Munich, Ulm, Augsburg, Bregenz (by Vorarlbergbahn der ÖBB) and Zurich (SBB).

Recently long-distance coaches have started running to distant German cities, an alternative to Deutsche Bahn trains.

The local utility provider Stadtwerke TK-Lindau started deploying fibre-optic internet to major businesses and new housing development areas.

Lindau recently completed construction of a new Kindergarten, which also included a Kita Kindertagestätte, which is a baby nursery for children aged 2–3.

However, the Island has many different shops that sell clothing, cosmetics, gifts, toys, antiques, and local products such as cheese and wine.

Thanks to its location on Lake Constance, Lindau hosts a number of festivals and events, usually in summer (between May and August).

Lindau is believed to be the origin of the Lindauer surname of Germany, Switzerland, Alsace-Lorraine, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Lindau is located in a temperate climatic zone (experiencing four distinct seasons) with mountain surroundings and the freshwater lake.