Cycle to the beautiful town of Feldkirch, Austria. Photo via Wikimedia Commons:Welleschik

Augustinergasse in the old town in Zurich, Switzerland. Photo via Wikimedia:Roland zh
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Four Country Tour

Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland Bike Tours

Bike Four countries, 3 lakes, and 1 Cosmopolitan city!

This cycle tour in Constance (Konstanz), which lies on the ever-so-beautiful Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Germany. It is the largest city on the lake and remains one of the best-preserved major medieval cities in Germany. It is known for its resorts, shops, and beaches. From Constance, the tour will cross the Swiss border and cycle through small romantic villages to Stein am Rhein, a beautiful, small medieval town, before reaching Schaffhausen. Stein am Rhein sits idyllically on the Rhine and has immaculately restored burgher houses as well as the inviting Rathausplatz, town hall square. The picture gallery in the monastery of St. George has been very highly regarded by art historians.

Located in northern Switzerland, Schaffhausen is a beautiful town with many narrow streets decorated with Renaissance houses showcasing outdoor sculptures and frescos in addition to its impressive oriel windows and Munot fortifications. Be sure to enjoy a glass of local wine in the medieval Old Town. Schaffhausen became world-famous for the nearby Rheinfall or Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe that is said to be approx. 17,000 years old. Further along the romantic river valleys of the Rhine and Glatt Rivers, this tour will bring you to Zurich, the largest of all the Swiss cities. Its Bahnhofstrasse is one of the world’s most elegant shopping streets.

The small town of Rapperswil (on the eastside of Lake Zurich) is frequently called Rosenstadt, the Town of Roses, and it won’t take you long to figure out why! Also of note are the 13th century castle of Rapperswil, a wooden footbridge and the Capuchin monastery from 1606, all mostly located within the medieval centre. From the banks of Lake Zurich, you will ride on to Lake Walen and into Weesen. You will board a boat and sail to the other end of the lake to Walenstad surrounded by mountains with peaks over 1800 m high.

From Walenstadt, the route runs north through Liechtenstein. Then it is over the Austrian border to Feldkirch with a nice, medieval town center. Through more small villages and protected waterways, the route will lead you back to Lake Constance via the enchanting St. Gallen. The Abby of St. Gall is a UNESCO world heritage site, well worth a visit! Come cycle these countries, rich in culture and history!

Be sure to check out our full list of bike tours in Germany.

Where You’ll Stay

Accommodations in 3 star hotels

What’s Included

  • 8 nights’ hotel accommodations
  • Breakfasts
  • 7-24-speed hybrid bicycle
  • Luggage transportation (each piece must weigh under 44 lbs / 20 kg)
  • Route descriptions & maps
  • Service hotline
  • Entrance to the Rosgarten museum in Constance, incl. 1 coffee
  • Boat trip to the Rhinefall rocks
  • Train journey from Altstatten - Gais incl. bicycle
  • Boat transfer Weesen - Walenstadt incl. bicycle

What’s Not Included

Four Country Tour Map

TourBike
TypeSelf Guided
SkillEasy
Length9 days
From€989 Rates
Client Reviews

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Tour Dates

Daily from April 30 to October 23, 2016

Skill Level

This is an easy self-guided hotel tour with variable daily distances from approximately 19 to 41 miles, mainly along bike paths and separate cycle routes. The route is mainly flat but you will encounter hills in Appenzeller Land.

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Four Country Tour Map

Day 1: Individual arrival in Constance/Kreuzlingen
Day 2: Constance - Stein am Rhein - Schaffhausen, 32 mi. (50 km)
Day 3: Schaffhausen - Rhine Falls - Zurich, 41 mi. (65 km)
Day 4: Zurich - Lachen, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 5: Lachen - Walenstadt, 19 mi. (30 km) + boat trip
Day 6: Walenstadt - Feldkirch, 35 mi. (55 km)
Day 7: Feldkirch - Alstätten - Gais - St. Gallen, 28 mi. (45 km) + train ride
Day 8: St. Gallen - Arbon - Constance/Kreuzlingen, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 9: Departure or extended stay in Constance.

*All distances are approximate.

DAY 1: Arrival in Constance
Individual arrival into Constance (Konstanz) with the afternoon free for sightseeing in this intriguing city. The city is the largest on the Lake and is still Medieval in character to this day. Overnight in Konstanz.

DAY 2: Constance - Stein am Rhein - Schaffhausen, 32 mi. (50 km)
Today is the first official day of cycling, and you will cross over the Swiss border and ride through small romantic villages to Stein am Rhein, one of the most beautiful remaining medieval towns in the German-speaking countries. Riding into Schauffhausen you'll see the Munot Fortress towering over the town. There are over 170 oriels in the town which testify to the former wealth of its citizens. The day will end in Schaffhausen.

DAY 3: Schaffhausen - Rhine Falls - Zurich, 41 mi. (65 km)
The first highlight of today's route is the world famous Rheinfall waterfall, which you will approach by boat. The Glatt River valley will lead you on to Zurich, a fascinating and bustling Swiss city.  

DAY 4: Zurich - Lachen, 25 mi. (40 km)
Today you can bike Zurich or you have sufficient time for a leisurely stroll through this great metropolitan city. Walk along the promenade, visit the beautiful old part of town and also one of its many museums or art galleries. Subsequently, you will bike following the banks of Lake Zurich which is locally known as the Gold Coast.  You come to Rapperswil with its old castle and cross over the lake over the dam to the small town of Lachen, located on the opposite shore of Rapperswil. Here you will spend the night.

DAY 5: Lachen - Walenstadt, 19 mi. (30 km) + boat trip
Cycling out of Lachen you will pedal along the man-made Linth Canal located between Lake Zurich and Lake Walenn, finally reaching Weesen.  Here you will board a ferry which will take you to the other end of the Lake Walen to Walenstadt.  The lake is 150 m deep and is towered by the Churfirsten Mountains, the highest peak being 1800 m high. 

DAY 6: Walenstadt – Feldkirch, 35 mi. (55 km)
After a few kilometers of cycling you will approach the valley of the Alpenrhein. From here, you will quickly reach the principality of Liechtenstein, where numerous, impressive castles decorate the valley. Moving on, you reach the the medieval Austrian town of Feldkirch.

DAY 7: Feldkirch - Alstätten - Gais - St. Gallen, 28 mi. (45 km) + train ride​
Today's route, following the banks of the Rhine and then a cog railway will bring you through Appenzell countryside to Gais. Alpen meadows and cows, like those found in children’s books, will accompany you on your way to St. Gallen which is home to one of the former, most important monasteries in the region. The library here is a UNESCO world heritage site.

DAY 8: St. Gallen - Arbon - Constance/Kreuzling, 29 mi. (45 km)
You will cycle downhill towards Lake Constance today, which you will reach at the town of Arbon. From here you will bike along the shoreline through Swiss villages and apple orchards on towards Constance.

DAY 9:  Individual return home or extension of your trip.
After breakfast your cycling tour through four countries comes to an end. 

Email or Call 800-951-4384 +1 570-965-2064

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Customer Feedback

  • K. McKay 3 months ago

    Ok so.... all the hotels were perfect and suited to the atmosphere of our biking trip except for the Einstein Hotel in St. Gallen which was not in keeping with the "atmosphere" of the trip...a little too fancy if you get my drift. Also some of the breakfasts left a little to be desired but this could also have been from us just getting tired of eating the same type of food every day. The people in the hotels were all so friendly and accommodating! The bikes were perfect especially for my 6'2" husband. I had trouble with my gears one day, the next day a new bike arrived. Best service! The first ride (I think 65 kms from Lake Constanz to Zurich) was long and boring! Bike path most of the way. Not sure what could be done about that. The rest of the rides were awesome through little towns, gorgeous scenery. We will be booking our next bike tour with you next year!

     Reply

  • Pilar Parra 6 months ago

    Hice este viaje en septiembre de 2015 junto a mi marido. Fue un viaje inolvidable. Era el primer tour en bicicleta y nos encantó. El servicio de traslado de equipaje y los hoteles estupendos. Queremos repetir este año por otros paises.
    Recomendaciones para futuros viajeros:
    - La entrada a Zurich es un poco complicada, sí sería necesario un mayor detalle en las rutas.
    - El trayecto en tren desde la estación de Gais se hace desde una estación que no está detallada en la ruta, sería necesario explicarlo mejor en las indicaciones.
    - También sería necesario detallar la localización de salida del ferry desde Wessen.

     Reply

  • Jeanie Lundell 10 months ago

    The first day out, my e-bike had a low tire and faulty valve - not a great start, but the rest was very good. Sometimes, the route was to as clearly marked as we would have preferred. Nevertheless, I've told several friends about this trip and one is considering booking reservations! Thanks for everything.

     Reply

  • John Lonsway 10 months ago

    The four country tour is one of the best trips you offer. Thanks

     Reply

  • Thomas Brandt 10 months ago

    Some hotels were too far from the center of the city. Directions need more detail, such as recommendations for lunch or rest stops, and places where you might want to bike on the road rather than a gravel or hilly bike route. Detailed maps of town and cities would be good.

     Reply

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