Switzerland: The Swiss Lakes Route

3 lakes and 1 cosmopolitan city

There is a lot to discover on this tour. Lake Constance lures with its Mediterranean flair before you visit the impressive Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen and make a stop in Zurich. In the cosmopolitan city at the northern end of Lake Zurich, a walk to the well-preserved old town is worthwhile. You cross Lake Walen by boat and continue cycling into the Appenzeller Land. Gentle hills and a tranquil landscape await you here, which will accompany you back to Lake Constance.

1. day Constance Arrival

Arrive early because it's worth it. Constance awaits you with its old town worth seeing, the direct location on Lake Constance and the Sea Life Center. Stroll through the streets and enjoy the Mediterranean flair.

2. day Constance - Schaffhausen 50 km

Today you cycle from Constance to Stein am Rhein, where it is worth taking a break because there are still many frescoed medieval houses here, waiting for your visit. Finally you reach the town of Schaffhausen, today's stage location, where the beautiful Munot Fortress is worth a visit.

3. day Schaffhausen - Rhine Falls - Zurich 70 km

After a short bike tour to the Rhine Falls, you change the means of transport, because you go by boat to the Rhine Falls rock. The imposing Rhine Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. Then you cycle through the valley of the Glatt to Zurich. This Swiss cosmopolitan city combines tradition with modernity and offers a lot of cafés and restaurants in the well-preserved old town where you can end the evening.

4. day Zurich - Lachen 45 km

In the morning you always cycle along the north coast of Lake Zurich to Rapperswil. A visit to the castle is worthwhile because from here you have a wonderful view over the lake and the region. The bike tour then takes you further over a dam to the other side of the lake to the town of Lachen.

5. day Lachen - Walenstadt 25 km + ride by ship

Today's stage is short and you will quickly reach Weesen. Here you change to a ship that takes you to Walenstadt on the eastern shore of Lake Walen. Enjoy the mesmerizing mountain panorama and views of the quaint lakeside villages. In Walenstadt you can visit the lido in the afternoon and marvel at the Churfirsten from there.

6. day Walenstadt - Feldkirch 50 km

Today's stage is a three-country stage, because you first cycle from Switzerland to the Principality of Liechtenstein. After 25 km you have cycled almost completely through the small principality and you have reached the border with Austria. In Feldkirch, where you will stay overnight today, stroll through the old town with a few churches, monasteries and the Katzenturm.

7. day Feldkirch - Altstätten - Gais - St. Gallen 45 km + ride by train

After a short ride along the Rhine, a cog railway takes you up to Gais in the Appenzell region. A landscape straight out of a picture book with lush meadows and the ringing of cowbells accompanies you to St. Gallen. In St. Gallen it is worth visiting the library in the collegiate church. It is one of the most important historical libraries in the world.

8. day St. Gallen - Arbon - Constance 45 km

Today you roll mostly downhill back to Lake Constance. From Arbon you usually cycle along the lake via Romanshorn back to Constance. Since the route today is not too long and mostly flat, there is enough time to refresh yourself at the bathing spots - don't forget your bathing suit!

9. day Departure from Constance

Your varied round trip through Switzerland ends today after breakfast. We would be happy to book additional nights for you. Or maybe you would like to continue along the Rhine to Freiburg im Breisgau?

Worth knowing about the Swiss Lakes Route cycle tour

Below you will find specific information about the Swiss Lakes Route cycle tour. If you have any further questions about the tour, simply give us a call: Tel.: +49 (0)6421 - 886890.

Arrival by train

Constance can be reached by train from all major cities in Germany. The best way to get to our partner hotels in Konstanz from the train station is by taking a short taxi ride.

Current timetable information and price information can be found very conveniently at:

Railway information

Parking facilities

Depending on the hotel, there are a few parking spaces available at the start hotel (for a fee, details in the travel documents).

It is also possible to use free parking spaces on public roads or public parking lots/car parks. Multi-storey car parks (Fischmarkt, Dammgasse, Altstadt, Benediktinerplatz), costs approx. EUR 10-20 per day/car.

There is also the option of parking your car in a fenced parking lot for the duration of the bike tour (costs: EUR 45 per trip/per car). Reservation and pre-payment via Velociped is required. The capacities in the parking lot are limited, so please let us know when booking.

condition of the bike lanes

You cycle on largely flat and paved cycle paths, as well as on side roads with little traffic. The paths are a bit hilly on several stages. Due to the sometimes demanding stages, we only recommend this trip for young people with good stamina.

Available rental bikes

27-speed bikes (unisex) with derailleur gears and freewheel are available. 27-speed men's bikes with derailleur gears and freewheel can be booked from a height of 1.75 m. Furthermore, electric bikes with freewheel are available. Simply indicate your wish when booking.

All bikes are equipped with speedometers and handlebar bags.

Means of payment in Switzerland

For Switzerland, we recommend exchanging in francs, although you can pay in euros. Swiss francs can be conveniently withdrawn from ATMs using an EC or credit card. Alternatively, you can pay directly with a debit or credit card in most restaurants and establishments

Extra costs that are not included in the tour price

Any city tax that may be incurred is not part of the tour price and is therefore payable locally at the hotel.

Passport and visa requirements

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Constance

With more than 82,000 inhabitants, Konstanz is the largest city on Lake Constance and has preserved its long tradition as a city of trade and culture to this day. The cultural city is characterized by many historical buildings, such as B. the "Minster of Our Lady", which was the cathedral of the bishops of Constance for twelve centuries and served as the meeting hall of the Council of Constance (1414-1418). Another highlight is the Stadttheater, which at 400 years is the oldest continuously used stage in Germany.

Constance

Archaeological State Museum of Constance

The Archaeological State Museum of Baden-Württemberg oversees the state archeology of Baden-Württemberg by archiving archaeological finds from the state and presenting them in special exhibitions and in several museums. The branch office in Constance houses the most important permanent exhibition of the Archaeological State Museum of Baden-Württemberg.

Archaeological State Museum

Old town of Schaffhausen

Enjoy the old town of Schaffhausen on a tour. You will be amazed by the romantic and car-free streets and squares, the 171 bay windows and the decorated town houses.

Old town of Schaffhausen

The Rhine Falls

Alongside Dettifoss, which is twice as high but has half as much water, the Rhine Falls in Iceland are the largest waterfalls in Europe and are 23 meters high and 150 meters wide.

Rhine Falls

Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich is the heart of the city of Zurich. Young and old meet here in all weathers and all seasons, but of course they prefer to eat ice cream, cycle, swim, go for a walk in one of the numerous restaurants and cafés or take a boat tour on the lake in the summer months.

Lake Zurich

The old town of Zurich

Zurich's old town describes the framework of the former city of Zurich, which existed until 1893 and is still the center for visitors and tourists today. Today the area is officially called District 1, but of course every die-hard Zurich resident knows what you mean when you talk about the old town. The highlight is the Niederdorf district, a part of the old town that impresses with colorful facades, pretty bay windows and small alleys. Here people sit on small wooden chairs in front of the cafés and restaurants, Swiss flags wave in the wind and pretty shops line up next to each other. During the day you can stroll through the alleys and enjoy the unrecognizable charm of the pretty old town, in the evening Niederdorf transforms into a nightlife district with well-stocked restaurants and bars.

The old town of Zurich

Rapperswil Castle

Rapperswil Castle is the landmark of the picturesque rose town of Rapperswil on Lake Zurich. The castle, which was built towards the end of the 12th century and later repeatedly remodeled, can be seen from afar. It is enthroned above the town on the Lindenhof, a range of hills that runs through Rapperswil. From the castle hill you have a captivating view over the city and the lake.

Rapperswil Castle

The Walensee and Walenstadt

The Walensee connects the two cantons of St. Gallen and Glarus and forms the western end of the "Heidiland" holiday region, which is named after Johanna Spyri's world-famous Heidi story. The mountain range of the Churfirsten rises almost vertically on the north bank.
The urban area is at an altitude of 425 meters or more. Several sacred buildings such as the Catholic Church of St. Luzius and Florinus from the 1700s or the two chapels of St. Wolfgang and St. John Evangelist from past centuries are recognized cultural assets in the canton.

The Walensee

Walenstadt

Castle Vaduz

Vaduz Castle, formerly also known as Hohenliechtenstein, is the town's landmark and seat of the Princely House of Liechtenstein. It is located on a rock terrace around 120 meters above the municipality of Vaduz. The time when the castle complex was built has not been proven with certainty, it is assumed that the first parts of the building were built in the 12th century.

Castle Vaduz

Old Rhine Bridge

The Old Rhine Bridge Vaduz-Sevelen is a wooden bridge over the Rhine that connects the Liechtenstein capital of Vaduz with the municipality of Sevelen in the canton of St. Gallen. The bridge is 135 meters long and is the last surviving wooden bridge that crosses the Alpine Rhine.

Old Rhine Bridge

St. Gallen

The historic abbey district with the magnificent baroque cathedral and the famous abbey library is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the heart of the city. In the oriel-decorated, winding old town you can shop well and stop off comfortably. The traditional, wood-panelled St.Gallen "Erststockbeizen" also offer a wide range of haute cuisine and regional specialties.

St. Gallen

Mainau Island

With an area of ​​around 45 hectares, Mainau is the third largest of the islands in Lake Constance. Because of its extremely rich subtropical, partly tropical vegetation, Mainau is also known as the flower island in Lake Constance.

Mainau Island