Around Lake Constance - 12 Day Bike Tour
Austria, Germany, Switzerland Bike Tours
Bike around one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe!
Bordered by three countries, Lake Constance occupies an extremely beautiful corner of Central Europe and provides the perfect backdrop for this scenic bike tour. This bike tour around Lake Constance includes the most important areas of interest. You will have an active and enjoyable holiday between the Pfänder mountain and the Rhine Falls, the flower island of Mainau and the Appenzeller countryside.
Boat trips and ferry rides will allow you to experience the lake and numerous towns and villages are waiting to be discovered. This extended bike tour along Lake Constance is also suitable for those not accustomed to cycling long distances.
Highlights in addition to those mentioned:
- Island of Reichenau, Unesco World Heritage Site
- Arenenberg Castle, former residence of Napoleon III
- Spa town of Radolfzell
- Swabian Sea
- Old town of Meersburg
- Zeppelin Museum
- Bavarian town of Lindau
- Stunning Swiss countryside
- Hiking in in Appenzell
- Lake Constance Cycle path
Looking for more? Check out our full list of bike tours in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.
2020
Season A: April 19 through April 24 + October 1 through October 4, 2020
Season B: April 25 through May 15 + June 14 through June 26 + September 13 through September 30, 2020
Season C: May 16 through May 28 + June 1 through June 5 + June 27 through July 3 + August 23 through September 12, 2020
Season D: May 29 through May 31 + June 6 through June 13 + July 4 through August 22, 2020Season A: $ 2185 £ 1070 $ 1,873 € 1198 $ 2241 kr 13396 $ 1,325
Season B: $ 2459 £ 1203 $ 2,107 € 1348 $ 2521 kr 15073 $ 1,491
Season C: $ 2641 £ 1293 $ 2,264 € 1448 $ 2708 kr 16191 $ 1,602
Season D: $ 2824 £ 1382 $ 2,420 € 1548 $ 2895 kr 17310 $ 1,713
Single supplement: $ 637 £ 312 $ 546 € 349 $ 653 kr 3902 $ 386
extra options
Bikes:
Electric touring bike with high handlebar and upright seating with deep step-through frame: $ 212 £ 104 $ 181 € 116 $ 217 kr 1297 $ 128
Tandem bike rental: On request
Child's bike or youth bike from 20 to 26 in. frame height: on request
Child trailer, up to 2 children with a combined weight of 45 kg: on request
Trail-Gator bicycle tow bar (converts child bike into a towable trailer bike) with capacity of 28 kg: on request
Wehoo (a type of tagalong) with capacity up to approx. 30 kg, 2 - 7 yrs. of age: on requestChild's seat, capacity 22 kg: Free
Extra nights:
Constance, Stein/Gailingen/Radolfzell:
Double: $ 119 £ 58 $ 102 € 65 $ 122 kr 727 $ 72 Single: $ 173 £ 85 $ 149 € 95 $ 178 kr 1062 $ 105 Uhldingen/Meersburg:
Double: $ 126 £ 62 $ 108 € 69 $ 129 kr 772 $ 76 Single: $ 192 £ 94 $ 164 € 105 $ 196 kr 1174 $ 116 Friedrichshafen:
Double: $ 137 £ 67 $ 117 € 75 $ 140 kr 839 $ 83 Single: $ 199 £ 97 $ 170 € 109 $ 204 kr 1219 $ 121 Bregenz:
Double: $ 155 £ 76 $ 133 € 85 $ 159 kr 950 $ 94 Single: $ 217 £ 106 $ 186 € 119 $ 223 kr 1331 $ 132 St. Gallen:
Double: $ 181 £ 88 $ 155 € 99 $ 185 kr 1107 $ 110 Single: $ 246 £ 121 $ 211 € 135 $ 253 kr 1510 $ 149please note
*Children Discount
0 - 5 years are Free
6 - 13 years 50 %
14 - 17 years 25 %*If booked in triple or quad room.
Rates are per person based on double occupancy.
A non-refundable admin fee of 20 Euros per person is included in the deposit amount.
Information to read before you book.
Travel
Fly to Zurich International Airport (ZRH) located approximately 8 mi. (13 km) north of Zurich City center.
Local Travel
Zurich Airport railway station (German: Bahnhof Zürich Flughafen) is a railway station serving Zurich Airport in Switzerland. The station is located underneath the Airport Center, the main ground-side passenger terminal of the airport. Train from Zurich airport to Constance (Konstanz), 1-2 hr. with zero to one transfers. Cost is approximately €25 per person
Climate
Please check local conditions before your arrival. The warm season in Constance is from the end of May until mid-September with an average daily high temperature above 69°F. The hottest day of the year generally occurs in August with an average high of 77° F and low of 59°F. A good website to use to research average high/low temperatures, average rainfall, and more weather-related facts is weatherbase.com.
Recommended
You should bring your personal helmet as helmets are not available to rent or borrow on this tour.
Remarks
Tandem, child bike, Intermediate bike (for teenagers), child’s trailer, E-cargo-bike with seats for 2 children are available. Children’s discounts available (apply for accommodation in rooms with two full-paying guests.) Ask us for pricing.
DOCUMENTS
Before you travel, please check your country's passport and visa requirements and the passport and visa requirements of the country/countries you plan to visit. For US citizens, the US Department of State website is a good source of information. The Country Information tab in the International Travel section provides details about passport validity, blank passport pages required, etc. For our other international clients, please be sure that you research your own country's travel requirements. It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure proper documentation.
*Important note: Beginning July 1, 2021, additional documentation from the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.
Tour Dates
2020
Daily arrivals from April 19 to October 4, 2020
Due to local festivals July 29, August 5, August 8, and August 27 - August 30 are not available
Season A: April 19 through April 24 + October 1 through October 4, 2020
Season B: April 25 through May 15 + June 14 through June 26 + September 13 through September 30, 2020
Season C: May 16 through May 28 + June 1 through June 5 + June 27 through July 3 + August 23 through September 12, 2020
Season D: May 29 through May 31 + June 6 through June 13 + July 4 through August 22, 2020
Where You’ll Stay
Overnight stays in good quality 3 and 4 star guesthouses and hotels with upgraded accommodations possible. We can provide a sample hotel list for you upon request. Please note: it is not always possible to confirm twin bed rooms.
What’s Included
- Hotel accommodations for 11 nights in 3 and 4* hotels
- Breakfast
- Luggage transfer
- 24-speed city touring bicycle (high handlebars and very upright riding position). Available in men's and deep step-through frames.
- Accessories: Luggage rack, rear pannier, handlebar bag, odometer, bike lock, and one repair kit with pump per booking
- Boat trip Reichenau-Gaienhofen incl. bike
- Boat trip to the Rhine Falls rock
- Entrances to Rosgartenmuseum, Mainau Island, the Lake Dwelling Museum, and the Zeppelin museum.
- Journey by cable car to Pfänder excluding bike (bike transport is free between 8-10 am)
- Train ride Altstätten-Gais incl. bike
- Comprehensive cycling route description with maps (1 set per room)
- GPS tracks available. Please ask!
- 7-day Service-Hotline
What’s Not Included
- Individual arrive to hotel in Constance (train from Zurich airport, approx €21)
- Remaining meals
- City tax, if applicable (to be paid at each hotel) approximately €2 per night
- Bicycle Protection
- Travel Insurance
Extra Stay
This tour is very flexible. The cycling days can be shortened or lengthened, and you can usually book an extra night in any of the towns. You can also begin in any of the towns listed in the itinerary.
| Tour | Bike |
|---|---|
| Type | Self Guided |
| Skill | Easy–Moderate |
| Length | 12 days |
| From | €1198 Rates |
| Tour Reviews |
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Skill Level
Easy to moderate self-guided bike tour on mainly flat, paved cycle paths along the shore of the lake or on paved rurual roads. Total distance covered is approximately 181 miles with the opportunity for a 5-mile hike. Average daily distance is approximately 22 miles.
Day-To-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Constance
Day 2: Constance - Isle of Reichenau - Gailingen/Stein am Rhein, 25/19 mi. (40/30 km) + boat trip
Day 3: Overnight stay in Gailingen or Stein am Rhein, day trip to Rhine Falls, 19/31 mi. (30 - 50 km) + boat trip
Day 4: Stein am Rhein or Gailingen - Constance, 25/19 mi. (40/30 km)
Day 5: Constance - Isle of Mainau - Radolfzell, 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 6: Radolfzell - Bodman - Ludwigshafen - Uhldingen/Meersburg, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 7: Uhldingen/Meersburg - Friedrichshafen, 15 mi. (25 km)
Day 8: Friedrichshafen - Bregenz, (25 mi. ) 40 km
Day 9: Bregenz - Pfänder - St. Gallen, 34 mi. (55 km) + train ride
Day 10: Leisure day in St. Gallen or hiking in the Appenzell region
Day 11: St. Gallen - Constance, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 12: Individual departure or extension of stay
*Due to organizational reasons, weather conditions, or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the way you may find temporary deviations caused by construction or road repairs that cannot be foreseen.
Day 1: Individual arrival in Constance
After arrival in Constance, the largest city around the lake, there is free time to explore! The aquariums in the Sea Life Center and the Archaeological Museum are recommended.
Day 2: Constance - Isle of Reichenau - Gaienhofen - Gailingen, 25/19 mi. (40/30 km) + boat trip
The first highlight is Reichenau Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, well-known for the vegetables produced here. You cross over the Höri peninsula by boat. Along the High Rhine you cycle into the medieval town of Stein am Rhein with its many frescoed houses. Depending on where you are staying the night, you cross the border again for Gailingen either during the afternoon or the next morning.
Day 3: Visit to Rhine Falls - Gailingen, 19 to 31 mi. (30 to 50 km)
Switching several times between Germany and Switzerland you reach the canton's capital, Schaffhausen. The town, whose citizens competed with each other in building gables on their houses, is overlooked by Munot fort. After just a few kilometers, you get to the Rhine Falls, one of Europe's biggest waterfalls. Going upstream along the Rhine, you return to Gailingen or Stein am Rhein.
Day 4: Stein am Rhein or Gailingen - Constance, 25/19 mi. (40/30 km)
You will cycle up along the Rhein today back to Constance. Numerous picturesque Swiss fishing villages lie along your return path through the peaceful countryside of the Lower Lake. Napoleon‘s stepdaughter, Hortense de Beauharnais, made this area her adopted home. We recommend a visit to her former home in Arenenberg, which is now a Napoleon museum.
Day 5: Constance - Mainau Island – Radolfzell, 19 mi. (30 km)
First you explore the "flower island" of Mainau. Bikes are not allowed on the island: simply park at the entrance and access the island via the bridge. Next a short ride takes you via Allensbach to the former Imperial and now spa town of Radolfzell.
Day 6: Radolfzell - Bodman - Ludwigshafen - Uhldingen/Meersburg, 25 mi. (40 km)
From here, you cross the Bodanrück range of hills and encounter a very short incline. Arriving at the so-called Überlinger See, part of Lake Constance, you are rewarded for your efforts with beautiful views of the lake, known here as the Swabian Sea. Enjoy a break in Überlingen and an ice cream on the pretty promenade. In Uhldingen, you visit a reconstructed pile dwelling and learn how settlers lived on Lake Constance in the Stone and Bronze Ages.
Day 7: Uhldingen/Meersburg - Friedrichshafen, 15 mi. (25 km)
In Meersburg, make sure you take some time to stroll through the lovely old town. A guided tour of the castle is also a fascinating experience. Today's destination, Friedrichshafen, has a great Zeppelin Museum we can recommend visiting. It tells you everything there is to know about the history of these airships.
Day 8: Friedrichshafen - Bregenz/Lindau, 25 mi. (40 km)
Today, the tour takes you through extensive orchards to the Bavarian town of Lindau, where you should not miss visiting the old town - situated on an island. Now it's just a few kilometers to Bregenz, the capital town of the Vorarlberg region of Austria and famous for its annual festival on the world's largest lake-stage.
Day 9: Bregenz/Lindau - Pfänder - St. Gallen, 34 mi. (55 km) + train ride
In the morning you visit the Pfänder, Bregenz' "own" mountain. After that it's time to get back on your bike and cycle along the Alpenrhein to Altstätten. A train takes you up into Appenzeller Land and then you pedal through absolutely stunning Swiss countryside to St. Gallen.
Day 10: Leisure day in St. Gallen or hiking tour in the Appenzell region
Today, you leave your bike at your accommodation and explore St. Gallen. The Abbey Church library is considered one of the most important historic libraries in the world. It is home to about 160,000 books - one of which is the oldest German book. You may prefer to hike in the Appenzell region.
Day 11: St. Gallen - Constance, 28 mi. (45 km)
Enjoy the downhill stretch to Lake Constance and your arrival near Arbon. Following the banks of the lake almost all the way, you cycle through apple orchards and the small towns of Arbon and Romanshorn back to Constance. This stretch is flat and easy to cycle, unless in a stronger westerly wind. You will frequently pass places where you can go swimming and refresh yourself in the lovely cool waters of the lake.
Day 12: Individual departure or extension of stay
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Email or Call 800-951-4384 +1 570-965-2064
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Pricing Information
Travel Details
This tour is run by Radweg - Reisen GmbH.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.
Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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Around Lake Constance Austria, Germany, Switzerland 2020 7-day tour Daily departures from March 28 to … Your bike tour around Lake Constance will lead through the countries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland on the Lake Constance Cycle Route, one of Europe's …
| Tour | Bike |
|---|---|
| Type | Self Guided |
| Skill | Easy |
| Length | 5–8 days |
| From | €368 |
Tour Reviews
Michael F. 4 months ago Verified Reviewer
We started in Thun on the Aare Trail which ends in the city of Konstanz, where the Around Lake Konstanz tour begins. The memories I have of this trip are of how beautiful the scenery was. Also, for attractions along the way, vouchers were provided so we could visit them at no extra cost.
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Nancy M. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer
Loved going around Lake Constance. We experienced three different countries and loved the food in each one.
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John and Janet B. 3 years ago Verified Reviewer
The most memorable part was clearly the scenic routes, food, friendly people and cities selected for lodging. Great hotels! Tripsite delivered on services as promised.
We were disappointed/frustrated with the lack of route details and direction into and out of the cities. Despite the network of paved bike trails/paths, we spent too much time confused asking locals for direction to our destination. Perhaps for persons accustomed to biking in Europe, the vague directions presented no difficulty, but for persons from America not familiar with the signage and more accustomed to turn by turn cue sheets, we were frequently challenged to find our path. Asking directions from local residents did give us an interesting opportunity to communicate across languages. We would recommend you add more detailed directions into and out of cities.
Thanks for your arrangements to make our trip possible. We really did enjoy our bike tour around Lake Constance.
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Sally S. 3 years ago Verified Reviewer
This was the BEST bike trip! Lake Constance is a beautiful setting, lodging was terrific, loved my e bike and food was good. Thanks to you and Radweg-Reisin for making the arrangements.
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