Lake Constance laid-back

Lake Constance is a real holiday paradise and will tempt you to take an especially pleasurable bike trip. Follow the beautiful bike trail on short one-day stages around the lake and enjoy the time on the saddle as well as a number of relaxing breaks. You will discover the gorgeousness of the flowers on the island of Mainau, Unteruhldingen, a 2200 year-old village dating from the Stone Age, the worthwhile town centre of Meersburg and Lindau Island, Germanys only town situated on an island (under monument protection since 1976). Make your trop even more unforgettable with a gondola trip up the Pfänder mountain and with an impressive walk through the picturesque foreland of Appenzell. This trip leaves enough time for everything you might want to visit or do!

1. day  Arriving in Constance

We recommend arriving early, you will not be disappointed! Take the occasion to walk around the Old Town of Constance. This is the place where the Council, fundamentally reorganized by the Catholic Church, met between 1414 and 1418 in the cathedrale and in the council building. Its most well-known victim was the Czech reformer Jan Hus, executed here in 1415. The aquariums of the Sea Life Center and the archaeological museum are also worth visiting.

2. day  Constance-Diessenhofen 30 km

The first highight of todays stage is the isand of Reichenau, world cultural heritage since 2001. You should absolutely visit St Georg church with its Ottonian wall frescos. You will then reach the peninsula of Höri, where the artists Hermann Hesse and Otto Dix lived for a while. Along the High-Rhine you will arrive in Diessenhofen, a medieval small town with a beautiful wooden bridge across the Rhine.

3. day  Rheinfall 20 km

Through a beautiful fluvial landscape you will reach Schaffhausen. Its intact, medieval townscape is characterized by the Munot fortress, realized in the 16th century according to the basic principles of Albrecht Dürers idea of fortress construction. You can be looking forward to the spectacle awaiting you next. You will visit the Rheinfall, Europes mightiest waterfall! A boat brings you close up to the rocks of the Rheinfall where you will have the chance to marvel at the thunderous masses of water from as close as possible. On your way back on the boat, just enjoy the beautiful landscape passing by.

4. day  Diessenhofen-Constance 36 km

Following the Rhine river you will arrive in Stein upon Rhine today. What a lovely town! Due to its houses decorated with numerous frescos and bays, its town gates and the narrow lanes of medieval flair it has been surnamed "Rothenburg of the High-Rhine". But also the rest of the route has a lot to offer. You will pass a great number of picturesque Swiss fishing villages. The perfect chance to enjoy the rural and peaceful landscape by the Untersee! Napoleons stepdaughter, Hortense de Beauharnais, found her new home in Salenstein. Visit the Napoleon museum before reaching Constance.

5. day  Constance-Mainau island-Radolfzell 26 km

Today stands in the name of the flower as you will discover Mainau, the flower island. Make sure to take enough time to visit this paradise-like island situated in the lake of Überlingen and let the exuberant and colourful ocean of flowers delight you, accompanied by the mammoth trees, small forests spending shadow and fragrant rose bushes. Afterwards, a small bike trip brings you to the former free city and todays Kneipp-Spa Radolfzell via Allensbach, known for its demoscopic institute.

6. day  Radolfzell-Uhldingen/ Meersburg 40 km

The route today will allow you to discover the western end of the lake from a closer perspective. Nearby Stahringen, you will first cross the Bodanrück and reach the ancient imperial palace Bodman, protected by steep precipices and the lake of Überlingen. You have now reached the western edge. The northern shore of Lake Constance with its numerous historical traces is a special highlight: Monasteries, imperial cities, baroque churches and ancient castles. Visit the reconstructed pile dwelling village of Uhldingen, here you can become a witness of how people lived in primitive times. Pile dwelling villages can be dated back to 4000 before Christ in this region.

7. day  uhldingen/ Meersburg-Friedrichshafen 22 km

Meersburg has a lot of attractions to offer. Visit the Old Castle, the oldest inhabited castle in Germany and at the same time the last domicile of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. Also take time to marvel at the New castle with its grand staircase constructed by Balthasar Neumann and the market place seamed by picturesque half-timbered houses. Accompanied by the most beautiful alpine panorama, you will now bike into the lively town of Friedrichshafen. Here, you should absolutely visit the famous zeppelin museum before the day comes to an end.

8. day  Friedrichshafen-Lindau-Bregenz 38 km

Your first station on the Lake Constance bike trail is Langenargen. You will for sure be amazed by the suspension bridge, who served as a model for the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Then, you will ride through wide orchards and reach the Bavarian town-island Lindau, whose Old Town is completely situated on an island. Here, a tour around town is an absolute must-see! The beautiful seaside promenade with its lighthouse and the lion at the harbour entrance will surely impress you. With a perfect view over the local Alps, you will bike around the bay of Bregenz and reach the festival town Bregenz with its unique sea-stage.

9. day  Bregenz-Rorschach 20/30 km

Todays stage takes you up on high grounds! Get on the cable railway with your bike, it will take you on top of the Pfänder, a mountain of 1064m of height often associated with Bregenz. What an experience! Enjoy the overwhelming view over the Alps and Lake Constance. You will then bike back to Bregenz on well-paved streets (about 30 minutes on a descending route, if you are not comfortable with descents, you can alternatively take the cable railway again.) Once you will have rejoined the bank of the lake, you will cross the Rhine delta. Close to Altenrhein a short stop at another market hall is particularly worthwhile, as it is the last building realized by the artist Friedrich Hundertwasser. Later, you will follow the bike trail on the Swiss side to Rorschach.

10. day  Appenzell forelands/walking tour 8 km

Make sure you won't forget sturdy shoes today! The rack railway brings you to the picturesque village of Heiden, constructed in the biedermeier style and situated in the Appenzell forelands. You will overcome 400 metres difference in altitude riding through the idyllic and hilly landscape with no hurry. A walking tour on the well-signposted Witzwanderweg to Walzenhausen awaits you next. This trip will take about 2,5 hours and guarantees a magnificent view over the lake. If you wish to do so, it is also possible to accomplish this distance by bus (about 6 SFR transport fees). Once you have reached Walzenhausen, a cable railway brings you back down to the lake, where a ship is already waiting to take you back to Rorschach via the romantic backwater of the Rhine.

11. day  Rorschach-Constance 36 km

The last day on the Lake Constance bike trail is dedicated to the canton of Thurgau; due to its cultivation with apples and its isolated location, it is affectionately called "Must-India". You can be looking forward o visiting the towns of Arbon and Romanshorn with their castles and half-timbered houses. You should definitely not miss trying a "Schümli" (a Swiss coffee prepared on the basis of espresso) on one of the numerous patios. In combination with the amazing view, the coffee tastes even better here!

12. day  Departure from Constance

Your roundtrip ends after breakfast in your hotel in Constance.