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Cycle around beautiful Lake Constance on idyllic lake-shore cycle paths. Stay in charming medieval towns each evening and enjoy daily rides through sublime alpine scenery. Cool off with a dip in the lake at one of the many bathing beaches. If a ride gets too much just hop on a lake steamer and cruise to your overnight stop.
Lake Constance is actually a large bulge in the Rhine River and comprises of the Obersee (Upper Lake) and Untersee (Lower Lake). Your cycling holiday will start and finish in Constance, a pretty German town with a small harbour lined with half-timbered buildings. The route will lead you first around the Lower Lake, taking in the gorgeous medieval town of Stein am Rhein, and then the remaining 4 days are spent circumnavigating the larger upper lake.
Stein am Rhein
The daily rides unveil the lake’s many highlights including the the medieval lakeside towns of Überlingen and Lindau, the Zeppelin Museum at Friedrichshafen and the famous theatre on the lake at Bregenz.
Throughout the holiday you’ll enjoy the stunning natural beauty of the lake and surrounding countryside with the Alps providing a dramatic backdrop in the distance.
The route follows dedicated cycle paths along the lake-shore. The terrain is mostly level with very few climbs and will therefore suit anyone with a basic level of fitness. E-bikes are also available and regular ferries link the main towns, providing cyclists with a means of shortening the rides if desired.
The route follows dedicated cycle paths along the lake-shore. The terrain is mostly level with very few climbs and will therefore will suit anyone with a basic level of fitness. E-bike are also available and regular ferries link the main towns, providing cyclists with a means of curtailing the day’s ride if necessary.
Arrive in Constance and check-in at your first night’s hotel. After settling in we highly recommend a walk around this beautiful, lakeside town to soak up the atmosphere. The pedestrianised old town with it’s wonderful muralled buildings is gorgeous as is the promenade along the lake shore. Alternatively you could visit nearby Mainau island to see the wonderful butterfly house.
You will spend the night in Constance or a nearby village depending on availability and the accommodation category booked.
Your first ride leads you along the southern Swiss shore of the lower lake. The pleasant lakeside path lads you through a succession of charming villages so typical of this region. Eventually you arrive in the picturesque old town of Stein am Rhein, an enchanting place, especially the main square lined with muralled, half-timbered buildings. You will spend the night in Stein am Rhein or a nearby village depending on availability and the accommodation category booked.
Today’s ride leads you around the shoreline of the peaceful Hörl peninsula. Pleasant lake views accompany your ride through this serene area. Take a break in the imperial town Randolfzell before crossing the Bodanrück, an elevated stretch of land separating the upper and lower lakes. This is the only climb you will encounter on this route and don’t worry it is not that long. You then begin to follow the shoreline of the upper lake towards Überlingen. This spa town is famous for its gothic cathedral and health treatments. It also offers a charming lakeside promenade and a bustling, pedestrianised centre with many bars, cafes and shops. You will spend the night in Überlingen or a nearby village depending on availability and the accommodation category booked.
Today you continue following the northern shoreline of the lake, first through the charming villages of Birnau, Uhldingen and Unteruhldingen where you can stop to admire the reconstructed lakeside dwellings at the open air museum. Further along you cycle through Meersburg, a lovely medieval lakeside town with distinct upper and lower levels joined by stairs and a rather steep street. Cycling on through vineyards you reach the university town of Friedrichshafen where we highly recommend a visit to the fascinating Zeppelin Museum that honours local inventor, Ferdinand von Zeppelin and his groundbreaking airships. A few more kilometers of relaxed cycling through fruit orchards delivers you to the island town of Lindau. You will spend the night in Lindau or a nearby village depending on availability and the accommodation category booked.
Today the route leads you down to the southern corner of the lake where you cross into Austria for a few kilometers. Bregenz, the capital of the Vorarlberg region is the largest city on the lake and famous for it’s impressive annual drama productions on a stage that is set on the lake itself. Ride on through a nature reserve and into Switzerland to your overnight stop. You will spend the night in Arbon or a nearby village depending on availability and the accommodation category booked.
Your final day completes the circle back to Constance/Kreuzlingen with an enjoyable ride along the lake’s Swiss, southern shore. Pass through Arbon and Romanshorn each with it’s little harbour, and then a succession of small, sleepy lakeside villages surrounded by apple orchards. Finally you arrive back in Constance to complete the circle. Surely a celebratory meal in one of the town’s many restaurants is in order?You will spend the night in Constance or a nearby village depending on availability and the accommodation category booked.
After breakfast it is time to check-out and head for home or your next adventure.
On this tour you can choose between a regular bike, a regular plus bike or an E-bike.
Regular bike: Is an alloy framed unisex model with 27 speeds and a comfortable, relaxed riding position, perfect for a leisure cycling holiday. Minimum height is 145cm. Male specific frames with a crossbar are available from a height of 175cm. Bikes come equipped with a pannier, lock and handlebar bag plus a repair kit per booking.
Regular plus bikes: Offers a sportier riding position and a step up in terms of components (hydraulic disk brakes, 30 speed Shimano XT gears). They also come with a suspension seat post. Male specific frames with a crossbar are available from a height of 180cm. Bikes come equipped with a pannier, lock and handlebar bag plus a repair kit per booking.
Electric bikes: These unisex/step through electric bikes are a popular option on this route and ensure riders can enjoy the scenery along the way, whilst not working too hard at the climbs. Bikes come equipped with a pannier, lock and handlebar bag plus a repair kit per booking.
Helmets are not supplied, so you will need to bring your own.
Below you will find examples of the accommodations typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard.
Comfort: A mix of 2 and 3 star hotels
Constance: Ko Ono Hotel
Gailingen: Hirchen Gailingen
Ludwigshafen/Uberlingen: Romer Uberlingen
Kressbronn/Nonnenhoren: Kapelle Nonnenhorn
Hochst/Rorschach: Smartes Hotel Hochst
Superior: Good quality 3 and 4 star hotels
Constance: Hotel Halm
Gailingen: Hotel Rheingold
Überlingen: Parkhotel St. Leonhard
Lindau: Hotel Lindauerhof
Arbon: Hotel Römerhof
Superior Plus: 4 star hotels
Constance: Alte Post Constance
Wangen/Hemmenhofen: Residenz Seeterrasse Wangen
Überlingen: Bad Hotel
Lindau: Reutemann Lindau
Horn: Bad Horn
Local taxes
Some hotels have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. This fee varies and is ever changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night.
Fly to Zurich airport – Innsbruck, Munich and Stuttgart airports are also viable alternatives but slightly further away.
Research flights from the UK here.
From Zurich airport there are regular direct trains to Constance and the journey time is around 1 and a half hours.
Research train times here.
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