dossier

Lake Constance Cycling

LAKE CONSTANCE CYCLING | WHERE YOU STAY

Hotel Weisses Kreuz  ****
Bregenz  Days 1+10

The hotel’s central location makes it perfect for exploring Bregenz, and it is only a couple of blocks from the lakefront park. Bregenz is on the eastern shore of Lake Constance, close to the ‘four-border corner’ with Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The Weisses Kreuz Hotel is an old coaching inn about a 5-minute walk from Bregenz station. When you arrive here your bags will be collected and taken to the hotel for you by the local Donau Touristik representative, while you will stroll the 5 minute walk to the hotel door. The building has been impressively modernised in the last two years – bedrooms are spacious and light with dark carpets, light wooden furniture and big windows onto the street at the front or onto courtyard and the old town at the back. All rooms have satellite television, telephones, hairdryers and minibar. The hotel’s central location makes it perfect for exploring Bregenz, and it is only a couple of blocks from the lakefront park.

Further details on the hotel website.

Day 1  Arrive in Bregenz

You arrive at your hotel – a historic coaching inn – in the centre of Bregenz. Explore the ancient cobbled streets of the old town before dinner on the courtyard terrace.

Day 2  Bregenz to Arbon 37km/23mi or 41km/25mi

Stunning views of the snow-capped Alpine peaks this morning as you cycle west along Lake Constance’s southern shore before crossing the mighty Rhine delta that straddles the border between Austria and Switzerland. It’s an area of great natural beauty and a refuge for wildlife - keep your eyes peeled for kingfishers in the reeds. Your final stretch takes you around the lake to Arbon - pretty half-timbered houses and C16 castle - where you’ll spend the next two nights.

Hotel Seegarten  ***
Arbon  Days 2+3

Idyllically located in the heart of the countryside, Hotel Seegarten is surround by inspiring woods and blooming meadows. The hotel has 42 comfortable and spacious rooms decorated with a personal touch. 

Further details on the hotel website.

Day 3  In Arbon

It's easy to spend the morning exploring Arbon's historic old town with its well preserved buildings.  After lunch at one of the many lakeside restaurants, hop on the train (option to take your bike too), for the 20 minute ride (10km) to historic St Gallen - a bustling market town packed with C18 merchants’ houses and open air restaurants. Explore the C8 Benedictine Abbey’s fabulous UNESCO library, then blow the cobwebs away by freewheeling back down to the lakeside. There are lots of swimming possibilities, and it’s easy waterfront cycling back to the hotel.

Day 4  Arbon to Stein am Rhein 41km/27mi or 58km/38mi 

Option to take the train to Guettingen this morning and shorten your route. Otherwise, pedalling clockwise around the lake, you’ll pass numerous postcard-pretty, waterfront villages affording lots of panoramic sun terraces for lunch. In the afternoon, you coast effortlessly between sleepy harbours, the white sails from the boats reflecting brightly on the clear blue waters.

Hotel Rheinfels  ***
Stein am Rhein  Days 4+5

The Hotel Rheinfels is set in a converted gredhaus (a waterside warehouse), and in olden days was used for storing salt among other goods. The entire hotel is filled with history and charm – oil paintings and suits of armour adorn the corridors and the rooms are spacious with minibars, TVs and views out onto the Rhein which flows by right next to the hotel. The dining terrace over the river is particularly attractive and the whole ‘old world’ atmosphere of the hotel is perfectly in keeping with the village of Stein Am Rhein. The village square is just 20m away, and is one of the most beautifully frescoed and half timbered sights around the entire Lake Constance Circuit.

Further details on the hotel website.

Day 5  In Stein am Rhein

It’s easy to spend the day in medieval Stein am Rhein with its C11 monastery, beautiful frescoed square and lovely chocolate shops! Alternatively, Schaffhausen, a lively German town full of street theatre in the summer , is ideal for a day trip. It is great for shopping, and has riverside cycle paths to Schloss Laufen – a tiny castle perched precariously above the tumbling Rheinfalls waterfall – the biggest in Europe!

Day 6  Stein am Rhein to Konstanz 45km/28mi or 59km/39mi

Freewheeling east this morning, you’ll soon cross the border to enter Germany - look out for cormorant and red crested pochard in the Hornstaad Nature Reserve. Cycling along the "Gnadensee" you'll soon reach the UNESCO Heritage Site of Klosterinsel Reichenau, the first populated area on Lake Constance and home to an impressive 8C AD Benedictine Abbey.  It’s then onto Konstanz, unofficial regional capital.

Arcadia Hotel Holm ****
Konstanz  Days 6+7

The Arcadia Hotel Halm in Konstanz is a grand central hotel separated from the waterfront by the railway station, so you cut shorten the cycling on this day, as the train will drop you at the front door! It is an impressive historic building with views from many of the rooms out over the lake, and it is located right in the heart of the town, which is why dinner has been left up to you in Konstanz – the town is full of restaurants and cafes squirreled away down cobbled streets as well as along the waterfront by the harbour, so it is a pleasant place to stroll around before and after a meal out. The interior is impressive – there is a grand reception area and bar, and a rather incongruous Moroccan style dining room with very high ceilings which is rather unusual, but very lovely nonetheless. Rooms upstairs are light and modern with satellite television, minibar, hairdryers and telephones.

Further details on the hotel website.

Day 7  In Konstanz

You could easily spend the day exploring the narrow streets of Konstanz: visit the Altstadt, Munster and lively centre crammed with quirky shops and museums. Alternatively hop on a boat to visit Mainau Island’s palace and landscaped rose gardens. If you take your bike, you can pedal back at leisure long traffic-free lakeside cycle paths.

Day 8  Konstanz to Friedrichshafen 25km/16mi

It is a short ride through oak forest to catch the 20 minute ferry ride (included) to fairytale Meersburg with its twin castles, steep streets and hillsides of vines. Then, pedalling south, it’s a gentle coast into Friedrichshafen.

Hotel Buchhornerhof  ****
Friedrichshafen  Days 8+9

The bedrooms here are light and modern with phone, hairdryer, minibar and satellite TV.

Further details on the hotel website.

Day 9  In Friedrichshafen

You have some superb wine tasting opportunities on your doorstep today - local Müller-Thurgau wines come from Riesling and Silvaner grapes for which Lake Constance is famous. Or visit Friedrichschafen’s amazing Zeppelin Museum - full of fascinating knick-knacks, including an original menu and wine list from the Hindenburg!

Day 10  Friedrichshafen to Bregenz 33km/21mi

Past the pretty village of Langenargn and through peaceful vineyards and cherry orchards en route to lovely Lindau, a gorgeous island village surrounded by cobalt blue waters with long distance views of razor-edged peaks across the lake. Lots of idyllic choices for lunch then, keeping the lake at your side, a final swoosh takes you back down to Bregenz. If time, perhaps, take the cable car up Pfander mountain, (1,050m), for a fantastic vista of your entire route – a real achievement!

Day 11  Depart

For extra nights we recommend Bregenz or Konstanz.