Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
Self guided from EUR € 1399
Bike tour in Austria, Germany and Switzerland
Tap above to jump to different sections of this tour
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An unforgettable cycling tour exploring historic towns with Alpine views.
The Lake Constance cycle route is one of the most popular bike routes in Europe. On this tour you will cycle around the entire lake and discover three countries - Austria, Germany, and Switzerland - and four islands - Reichenau, Mainau, Lindau and Werd.
The main highlights are the medieval towns of Konstanz, Stein, Meersburg, and Lindau.
The daily routes are relatively short, as there are a variety of places and attractions waiting to be discovered. You will be able to enjoy the amazing landscape of the lake against the backdrop of the Alps.
The Alps, romantic villages, and sleepy towns around the glistening lake will leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.
Highlights
- Reichenau Island
- Rhine Falls- the largest waterfall in Central Europe
- Arenenberg Castle (former residence of the French Emperor Napoleon III)
- Mainau- "flower island"
- Monasteries
- Baroque churches
- Castles
- Zeppelin Museum
- Lindau- Bavarian Metropolis
Learn More
Learn more about self-guided tours.
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Traveler photos
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Daily program
Day 1: Constance
Take the opportunity to visit the island of Mainau, wander through Constance’s old town or visit the aquariums in the Sea Life Center and go to the Archaeological Museum.
Overnight in ConstanceDay 2: Constance – Isle of Reichenau – Gailingen/Stein am Rhein (16-22 mi/25-35 km + boat trip)
The first highlight is the island of Reichenau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and 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
Overnight in Gailingen/Stein am RheinDay 3: Day trip to Rhine Falls (19-31 mi/30-50 km + boat trip)
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 kilometres you get to the Rhine Falls, one of Europe‘s biggest water falls. Going upstream along the Rhine, you return to Gailingen or Stein am Rhein
Overnight in Gailingen/Stein am RheinDay 4: Gailingen/Stein am Rhein – Constance (19-25 mi/30-40 km)
Along the southern bank of the lake, you cycle through picturesque Swiss fishing villages back to Constance. If you still have some pedal power in your legs, we can recommend a detour to Arenenberg Castle, the former residence of the French Emperor Napoleon III.
Overnight in ConstanceDay 5: Constance – Mainau Island – Radolfzell (19 mi/30 km)
Today you have the option to explore the "flower island" of Mainau. Tickets can be purchased at your own expense. Bikes are not allowed on the island: simply park at the entrance and access the island via the bridge. Make sure you take enough time to enjoy this paradise-like island on the Überlingen Lake with its luxurious, colorful flowerbeds, towering mature trees, shady forests and sweet-scented roses. After your visit, you will have a short cycle through Allensbach, which is well known due to its public opinion research institute, to the former imperial town and modern Kneipp health resort of Radolfzell.
Overnight in RadolfzellDay 6: Radolfzell – Bodman – Ludwigshafen – Uhldingen/Meersburg (22-25 mi/35-40 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.
Overnight in Uhldingen/MeersburgDay 7: Uhldingen/Meersburg – Friedrichshafen (12-16 mi/20-25 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 air ships.
Overnight in FriedrichshafenDay 8: Friedrichshafen – Bregenz (25 mi/40 km)
You will cycle through expansive orchards and reach the Bavarian metropolis of Lindau, whose protected old town is on an island. Now it's just a few kilometers to Bregenz, the capital town of the Vorarlberg region of Austria, famous for its annual festival on the world's largest lake stage.
Overnight in BregenzDay 9: Bregenz– Pfänder – St. Gallan (31mi/50km + train ride)
In the morning you visit the Pfänder, Bregenz "own" mountain. After that, it's time to get back on your bike: to 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.
Overnight in St. GallenDay 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, including the oldest German book. We can also recommend a hike in the local area.
Overnight in St. GallenDay 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. You will frequently pass places where you can go swimming and refresh yourself in the lovely cool waters of the lake.
Overnight in ConstanceDay 12: Constance
After breakfast, you may return home or extend your stay. -
Accommodation
Hotels
These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.
Hotel Halm, Konstanz
Hotel Rheingold, Gailingen
Hotel am Stadtgarten, Radolfzell
Hotel Knaus, Uhldingen
Seehotel Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen
Hotel Messmer, Bregenz
Einstein Hotel, St. Gallen
Please note any city or visitor's taxes are not included in the tour costs.
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
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Bikes
Standard touring bike
Specifications for Standard touring bikes
- 27-gear derailleur gears with free-wheel
- Unisex bikes with low step-through: suitable for heights between 57-75 in/1.45-1.90 m
- Men's bikes: from a height of 69 in/1.75 m
Electrically assisted bike
Specifications on electrically-assisted bike*
- Unisex bike 8-speed (Height approx. 150–200 cm)
- Bosch Active Line motor
- Battery 500 Wh removable with mobile charger
- Hydraulic breaks
- Range up to 90 kilometres
- Max. Weight: 125kg
- Manufacturer: Velo de Villle
Minimum age for e-bike rental: 16 years
*More about electrically-assisted bikes
Tandem bike
Manufactured by Drössiger, these special touring tandems are primarily designed for longer distances. Designed for increased stability in order to be suitable for inexperienced tandem cyclists. A wonderful way to level our the differences in fitness levels as you learn to cycle together and enjoy the tour even more!
Specifications for Tandem
- Lightweight frame
- Sturdy 26-inch wheels
- Disc brakes
- High-quality 30-speed rear derailleur
- Tubus luggage rack front and rear
- Hub dynamo
Children's equipment
Please note due to some more demanding stages, the tour operator only recommends this tour for younger people that have good stamina. Bikes listed below are suitable for teenagers, other equipment may be available if interested.
- Teenager's bikes from 20" to 26" frame height
Tour package pricing includes a standard touring bike (2025 season). If you would like to book one of the children's bikes, trailers, or family style bikes. Please contact us for pricing.
Standard bikes come equipped with the following at no extra cost:
- Air pump
- Bike lock
- Repair kit (1 per booking)
- Comfortable saddle
- Luggage rack
- Odometer
- Unflat Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres or comparable
- Waterproof handlebar bag with map holder
- Waterproof pannier
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.Helmets:
Helmets are not available to be rented. We recommend, for safety and hygiene reasons, that you bring your own helmet.Bike Protection:
Bike protection is included in the cost of your bike rental.Dates & Prices
Questions about pricing or options? Call +1-215-613-0874 to talk to a Tour Advisor now.
Apr 9Apr 9 € 1598 Book Apr 9Apr 9 € 2097 Book Apr 10–11 (Daily)Apr 10–11 (Daily) € 1848 Book Apr 10–11 (Daily)Apr 10–11 (Daily) € 2347 Book Apr 16–18 (Daily)Apr 16–18 (Daily) € 2098 Book Apr 16–18 (Daily)Apr 16–18 (Daily) € 2597 Book Apr 23–25 (Daily)Apr 23–25 (Daily) € 1848 Book Apr 23–25 (Daily)Apr 23–25 (Daily) € 2347 Book Apr 26–30 (Daily)Apr 26–30 (Daily) € 2098 Book Apr 26–30 (Daily)Apr 26–30 (Daily) € 2597 Book May 1–3 (Daily)May 1–3 (Daily) € 2098 Book May 1–3 (Daily)May 1–3 (Daily) € 2597 Book May 4–9 (Daily)May 4–9 (Daily) € 1848 Book May 4–9 (Daily)May 4–9 (Daily) € 2347 Book May 10–23 (Daily)May 10–23 (Daily) € 2098 Book May 10–23 (Daily)May 10–23 (Daily) € 2597 Book May 24–31 (Daily)May 24–31 (Daily) € 2098 Book May 24–31 (Daily)May 24–31 (Daily) € 2597 Book May 24–31 (Daily)May 24–31 (Daily) € 2248 Book May 24–31 (Daily)May 24–31 (Daily) € 2747 Book Jun 1–21 (Daily)Jun 1–21 (Daily) € 2098 Book Jun 1–21 (Daily)Jun 1–21 (Daily) € 2597 Book Jun 1–21 (Daily)Jun 1–21 (Daily) € 2248 Book Jun 1–21 (Daily)Jun 1–21 (Daily) € 2747 Book Jun 22–30 (Daily)Jun 22–30 (Daily) € 2098 Book Jun 22–30 (Daily)Jun 22–30 (Daily) € 2597 Book Jul 1–4 (Daily)Jul 1–4 (Daily) € 2098 Book Jul 1–4 (Daily)Jul 1–4 (Daily) € 2597 Book Jul 5–31 (Daily)Jul 5–31 (Daily) € 2098 Book Jul 5–31 (Daily)Jul 5–31 (Daily) € 2597 Book Jul 5–31 (Daily)Jul 5–31 (Daily) € 2248 Book Jul 5–31 (Daily)Jul 5–31 (Daily) € 2747 Book Aug 1–23 (Daily)Aug 1–23 (Daily) € 2098 Book Aug 1–23 (Daily)Aug 1–23 (Daily) € 2597 Book Aug 1–23 (Daily)Aug 1–23 (Daily) € 2248 Book Aug 1–23 (Daily)Aug 1–23 (Daily) € 2747 Book Aug 24–31 (Daily)Aug 24–31 (Daily) € 2098 Book Aug 24–31 (Daily)Aug 24–31 (Daily) € 2597 Book Sep 1–20 (Daily)Sep 1–20 (Daily) € 2098 Book Sep 1–20 (Daily)Sep 1–20 (Daily) € 2597 Book Sep 21–30 (Daily)Sep 21–30 (Daily) € 1848 Book Sep 21–30 (Daily)Sep 21–30 (Daily) € 2347 Book Sep 21–30 (Daily)Sep 21–30 (Daily) € 2098 Book Sep 21–30 (Daily)Sep 21–30 (Daily) € 2597 Book Oct 1–2 (Daily)Oct 1–2 (Daily) € 1848 Book Oct 1–2 (Daily)Oct 1–2 (Daily) € 2347 Book Oct 1–2 (Daily)Oct 1–2 (Daily) € 2098 Book Oct 1–2 (Daily)Oct 1–2 (Daily) € 2597 Book Oct 3Oct 3 € 1598 Book Oct 3Oct 3 € 2097 Book Oct 3Oct 3 € 2098 Book Oct 3Oct 3 € 2597 Book Oct 4–23 (Daily)Oct 4–23 (Daily) € 2098 Book Oct 4–23 (Daily)Oct 4–23 (Daily) € 2597 Book Show pricing details and extra options →
Pricing details and extra options
Season A: April 9 | October 3, 2025
Season B: April 10 | April 11 | April 23 - April 25 | May 4 - May 9 | September 21 - October 2, 2025
Season C: April 16 - April 18 | April 26 - May 3 | May 10 - May 23 | June 22 - July 4 | August 24 - September 20, 2025
Season D: May 24 - June 21 | July 5 - August 23, 2025- Season A 2025 Apr 9, Oct 3 from € 15982025 departures: Apr 9, Oct 3
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 October Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Tour Package Double occupancy € 1598 Single occupancy € 2097 Bike Rental Options Price Standard bike (27 gears) Included Electric bike € 170 Sporty bike (30 gears) € 70 Youth bike Discount € -50 - Season B 2025 Apr 10, 11; Daily Apr 23–25, May 4–9 & Sep 21–Oct 2 from € 18482025 departures: Apr 10, 11; Daily Apr 23–25, May 4–9 and Sep 21–Oct 2
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 May Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 October Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Tour Package Double occupancy € 1848 Single occupancy € 2347 Bike Rental Options Price Standard bike (27 gears) Included Electric bike € 170 Sporty bike (30 gears) € 70 Youth bike Discount € -50 - Season C 2025 Daily Apr 16–18, Apr 26–May 3, May 10–Oct 23, Jun 22–Jul 4 & Aug 24–Sep 20 from € 20982025 departures: Daily Apr 16–18, Apr 26–May 3, May 10–Oct 23, Jun 22–Jul 4 and Aug 24–Sep 20
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 May Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 June Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 July Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 August Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 October Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Tour Package Double occupancy € 2098 Single occupancy € 2597 Bike Rental Options Price Standard bike (27 gears) Included Electric bike € 170 Sporty bike (30 gears) € 70 Youth bike Discount € -50 - Season D 2025 Daily May 24–Jun 21 & Jul 5–Aug 23 from € 22482025 departures: Daily May 24–Jun 21 and Jul 5–Aug 23
2025 May Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 June Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 July Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 August Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Tour Package Double occupancy € 2248 Single occupancy € 2747 Bike Rental Options Price Standard bike (27 gears) Included Electric bike € 170 Sporty bike (30 gears) € 70 Youth bike Discount € -50 - Extra Options
Extra nights Bregenz/Radolfzell Double€ 85 Bregenz/Radolfzell Single€ 125 Friedrichshafen Double€ 95 Friedrichshafen Single€ 135 Constance Double€ 99 Constance Single€ 139 St. Gallen Double€ 129 St. Gallen Single€ 179 Stein/Gailingen Double€ 69 Stein/Gailingen Single€ 109
Children's discount available (12 - 17 yrs): 25%Included services
- 11 nights accommodation in 3- and 4-star hotels
- Daily breakfasts
- Standard touring bike
- Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel (unlimited number of pieces of luggage, each piece must weigh under 44 lbs/20 kg)
- Comprehensive tour information and maps (1 set per room)
- 7-day service hotline available in case of emergencies
- Boat trip to Reichenau - Gaienhofen, including bicycle
- Boat trip to the Rhine Falls rock
- Entrance to the Rosgartenmuseum, the Lake Dwelling Museum, and the Zeppelin museum
- Cable car return ride to the Pfänder (bike transport cost not included)
- Train ride from Atlstatten to Gais, including bike
- GPS Tracks
Please note any city or visitor's taxes are not included in the tour costs. You will need to pay at hotel reception.
Map
Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.
Surface and terrain
The stages are designed so that there is enough time to experience everything. Some stages are moderately hilly, otherwise, the route is mainly level along paved cycle paths close to the lake. The path runs partially along the lakeshore and partially along lakeshore roads. On occasion, there are short, unfortified sections, around Friedrichshafen the cycle path runs parallel to the highway. The lakeshore is mostly open to the public.
Because of the more challenging sections, we recommend this tour for young people only in good physical condition.
How to get there
Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Zurich (ZRH)
Nearest train station: Constance (Konstanz)Trains run frequently between Konstanz and Zurich (airport and city). It's about 65 minutes between the airport and Konstanz and 80 minutes between downtown Zurich and Konstanz.
Tips for getting to and from your tour
Reviews
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★★★★★ Christine Ritson 3 months ago
Fabulous trip!
It was a great way to travel to see the beautiful country side and small towns with friends. The accommodations and breakfasts were always good. The only issue we had being a self guided tour was the information given in the guide book was sometimes not clear and found ourselves lost a few times. We did not receive the gps track. Luckily we had some data on our phones and good navigators. Overall a fabulous trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Pierre C. 3 months ago
nice trip but some advance planning is required
Hotels and views were excellent for the most part. A couple of things to note: 1. Bikes are heavy duty and therefore very heavy, we upgraded to e-bikes 3 days into the trip, that was a big help. 2. Trails are not well marked, we met a few different groups during our tour of the lake and everyone was complaining about the written directions and even the gps tracking. Be prepared to have to stop, take an assessment and even back track a few times a day.
Crucial items if you want to use GPS tracking; buy a phone holder that can attach your phone to the bike before leaving on the trip, otherwise you will have major issues setting up your phone so you can see it properly (I tucked mine into the front basket which had a protective transparent cover, however with the glare, it was hard to read). Also, make sure that you bring a backup battery pack as 2 -3 hours of tracking and your phone will be dead.
Be prepared to bike some busy roads and gravel roads. One hotel (Bergenz) was located in a residential neighbourhood, there was ooe other restaurants within 600 meters, the rest were in town, 1.5 km away. Although the hotel restaurant was very nice, we spent more on dinner than we anticipated. Note that in St. Gallen almost all businesses and restaurants are closed on Sunday and many are also closed on Monday. Choices for meals and things to do become scarce if you are there during that time.
Finally, be prepared to spend lots of money in Switzerland $50CAD hamburgers in a sit down restaurant seems to be the norm, not for the faint of heart. If you want to save some money I suggest flying into Germany before and after, accommodations and meals will be a lot cheaper (we spent 3 days inSwitzerland before and three days after, we figure that those 6 days cost us at least an extra $1K compared to what Germany prices would have been).
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Ann Abeles 3 months ago
A beautiful and mind expanding tour around Lake constance
This tour brought one through beautiful scenery and past interesting sites around Lake Constance. The distances for each day's travel were short enough to allow one to visits sites along the way as well as churches and museums in the destination towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 12-24, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- More than 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Barbara Dickson 4 months ago
Girls on Bikes
The 6 of us really enjoyed our trip. We downloaded the KoMoot App for navigation and so glad we did. The paper instructions were much more difficult to follow and the digital instructions worked perfectly. The hotels were quite nice and the luggage went like clockwork. It was a great trip.
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★★★★★ Martha Scott 4 months ago
Perfect trip!!!
My husband and I have been wanting to do this cycle tour for 10 years, and finally were able to do it. We chose e-bikes, and it was super enjoyable. There are so many things to see and do along the way. We were constantly exploring and learning new things. And the scenery, beauty, and fresh food if the area is unparalleled!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Susan Ferrante-Collier 4 months ago
Girls on Bikes
It was an amazing trip, we are very appreciative for the assistance of bike tours in making the trip as lovely as it was. My only complaint is that one of the hotels was in the middle of a huge construction situation and there were unpleasant septic issues. Choosing another hotel would have been preferable
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 4-16
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Jo Ribordy-Christofferson 4 months ago
Not for the inexperienced traveler
The trip itinerary was very good, the bikes were good, the motels were good, the luggage transport was good. The biking instructions were terrible. We only received a very small undetailed map for each day. We needed to use Google maps to navigate for most days of the trip and we were definitely lost on many occasions. International phone service is a must for this trip! Cycling along the lake was easy but getting in and out of towns was very challenging.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
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★★★★★ Julane Anderson September 29, 2023
One of our favorite bike tours!
We've been on many bike tours in Europe and this tour has it all: excellent, centrally located hotels; beautiful scenic routes; variety of activities and experiences included in the price (gondola cable car ride, three museums, cog railway trip, boat trip, bus tickets provided by the hotels); and reliable bikes--we used "acoustic" rather than electric bikes and only had to walk two short hills. The tour company has gone above and beyond to make this tour a memorable and interesting one.
A cyclist doing a self guided tour for the first time should be confident about riding with (rare) city traffic and navigation; we were glad that we had downloaded the GPX tracks before we left the States.- What was the date of your tour?
- mid-September, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Dave Carlstrom June 10, 2023
On the road again... our third Biketours.com adventure
Thankfully I’m not unduly worse for wear after almost three weeks and hundreds of kilometers of European cycling… though I did take four tumbles. The most serious (and ignominious) was in an Austrian grocery store parking lot when my pants cuff caught on the pedal and over I went – hard, attracting the immediate attention of several shoppers (“Carnage on lane one”) who with some difficulty got me back on my feet. At first I was pretty sure I’d broken something important, but all limbs are yet attached and seemingly intact… albeit a bit looser.
I pedaled the balance of the day’s distance but at my compatriots’ urging skipped the following day’s segment in favor of bus/train passage to St. Gallen, Switzerland. The next day was a scheduled no biking day so I had two days to recover, sorta. The next day – our last of actual cycling – with some anxiety I got back on my trusty velocipede and, sure enough, one click later fell again… though this time comparatively softly albeit in front of a bus. I made it the remaining 45K to destination without further incident.
Our merry band included Seattleites Curt and Brenda Burnett, Gerry Champagne, and friends until recently from Fairbanks Ron and Jeanine Woolf. Fine folks all, we really did have a good time together.
Our odyssey began with six days at a rental house in Eguisheim, France, followed by an eleven day clockwise circumnavigation of Lake Constance that touched Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Here are a few day-by-day snippets of my adventure:
Sunday, April 30th. Aloft en route to Paris Delta served the worst dinner I’ve ever ingested on an international flight: the “beef” entre was the consistency of spam, reminiscent of the mystery meat of junior high cafeteria days, and dished out in a biodegradable cardboard clamshell.
Monday, May 1st. Having hobbled off the plane I was semi-involuntarily consigned to a wheelchair for the lengthy transfer to the airport train station. Manly hombre that I am, I dared not disclose to the friendly pusher that I had come to Europe for three weeks of cycling. Arrived Colmar, in Alsace, just before midnight via a 180 MPH TGV with a transfer in Strasbourg and, coincidentally, six minutes prior to the Woolfs’ arrival. Settled into our very nice rental house.
Tuesday, May 2nd - Thursday, May 4th. Daily e-bike excursions to nearby picture-perfect towns with eat-in dinners crafted by chefs Burnett and Woolf. Imbibed copious amouints of wine, certainly did our part for the local viticulture industry.
I developed a serious case of ABC – Asymmetrical Butt Chafing – which was ameliorated by liberal bi-daily nether regions applications of Bag Balm – my personal favorite posterior palliative, see https://bagbalm.com/. SHOW MORE
Friday, May 5th. Hung out at the house, pas mal.
Saturday, May 6th. Day trip with Burnetts to the tourist mecca of Colmar where, alas and alack, Curt was pickpocketed! Charge and debit card cancellations ensued, not good.
Sunday, May 7th. Auto trip to a German mountain hiking lodge, an intermediate stop on our way to Konstantz, the starting and ending point of our main event circumnavigation of the eponymous lake.
Monday, May 8th. Had to beat feet to get Burnetts’ rental car back by a 10:30 am deadline… made it with a full five minutes to spare. Checked in at the stunning four star Hotel Halm where the breakfast buffet includes champagne and cheesecake. Woolfs arrived by train, Gerry direct from Seattle via Zurich. Got our e-bikes.
Tuesday, May 9th. Pedaled forty some K to Gailingen, a bit of a shakedown cruise. Great scenery and picture postcard-worthy medieval villages. Adequate lodging, but not a Hotel Halm.
Wednesday, May 10th. Roundtrip to Rhine Falls, Europe’s largest. Second night in Gailingen, first of nearly nightly self-catered hotel room team happy hours.
On previous European bike tours we’ve grumbled about route instructions encrypted by by non-native English speakers. This time the tour operator-provided guidebook was completely devoid of route guidance… we were on our own, taking turns as Google Maps-assisted trail breaking pathfinders with plenty of navigational errors. But we always (eventually) got to where we were going.
Thursday, May 11th. Return to Konstanz for a Hotel Halm reprise. Got soaked during the last couple clicks of the day’s ride.
Friday, May 12th. To Radolfzell via Mainau Island, the latter a facsimile of sorts of Butchart Gardens.
Saturday, May 13th. A mere sixteen K to Ludwigshafen.
Sunday, May 14th. Forty K to Friedrichshafen, home of the Zeppelin Museum to which I made a solo afternoon excursion via city buses. Turns out the Hindenberg was 245 meters from stem to stern, almost three football fields.
Monday, May 15th. Day of my aforementioned parking lot tumble. Overnight in Bregnz, Austria. I was very sore, somewhat bruised, had marginal repose.
Tuesday, May 16th. Having shipped my bike with the luggage I patronized buses and trains to our next destination, St. Gallen, Switzerland. As it happened today was Jeanine’s turn to tumble, hard, while passing a path-blocking truck.
Wednesday, May 17th. Today was a scheduled non-cycling day so while others toured about (monastery, waterfalls chocolate factory, shopping) I rested my bruised corpus in the hope that I might be sufficiently healed for the morrow’s last lap back to Konstanz.
Thursday, May 18th. 14K of almost continuous downhill on the 46 K journey back to our starting point. Celebratory dinner, a bit melancholy to be soon parting ways.
Friday, May 19th. Train to Zurich for a twelve hour Swissair flight to San Francisco and a connection home to Seattle.
Great trip, a good time had by all (despite bumps and bruises).
D. Carlstrom. May, 2023
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★★★★★ Jeanine JeffersWoolf May 23, 2023
Great
Love the route planned and the suggested sites to see. Beautiful area. Responsive organization. Some of the directions were tricky
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Robert Hardies November 7, 2022
Fantastic service and a great tour
Radweg Reisen is by far the most organized and efficient tour company we have used. The ride was fun and interesting. The path is fairly simple to find and the grade is level and easy. Each hotel and transportation ticket worked perfectly. I just want to rave about a job well done.
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five or more
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Robert Hardies August 25, 2022
This isnabgreat and fun trip!
Radweg Reisen did a fantastic job. The bikes were in excellent condition and were great bikes. Luggage transfer was seamless. The hotels and meals were great. The guide books were comprehensive. I feel like I cannot rave enough about how well organized this tour was. Thanks!
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five or more
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Dorothy Richards August 24, 2022
Great Trip!
We really enjoyed our trip around the Bodensee! Our bikes were in good working condition, the hotels were nice and typically had great breakfasts. The route took us by many highlights and even some places off the beaten path. I would absolutely recommend this trip and I would use this tour company again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Mark Ivkovich August 23, 2022
Wonderful bike tour experience
The hotels were very nice and morning meals excellent. The cities on the bike tour were all very interesting and offered many historical points of interest. I would highly recommend the bike tour to friends and family.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 6, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Merry Beckel August 2, 2022
Nice trip!
The hotel stays were great! We felt the maps could have been much better. Thank goodness for the friendly local people who were willing to help us! Getting in and out of St. Gallen was scarey and difficult. A couple people in our party said they will never do another bike tour!
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★★★★★ Wes G October 2, 2019
Lake Konstanz Bike Tour
My first bike tour in Europe. The area is beautiful to ride through and each city had its own uniqueness. We really enjoyed sampling local beers and wines along with our favorite snacks and dinners. Generally, our accommodations were satisfactory with some better than others. Thankfully, mid-September is not too warm because many small hotels do not have airconditioning. The bikes from Radweg Reisen were in excellent condition and never once gave any of us any concern.
Just a few suggestions that would have made the trip more memorable. First of all, our tour was self-guided and we used the maps provided by Radweg. Because of some areas that had poor signage, we could have used a GPS with the routes loaded into it. There was a lot of road construction and repairs going on. We got lost several times and ended up way off course and walking our bikes up steep hills to get to our destination.
Second, although all four of us are in excellent condition, two of us are not regular cyclists. So, we trained with spin classes. Even then, we were wishing on many occasions that we had opted for the e-bikes,especially on the St Gallen to Konstanz segment (absolutely crushing)!
Third, the hotel in Manzell was too far away from Friedrichshafen and absolutely nothing to do in that area. The only saving grace was the restaurant.
Overall, a lovely ride, although I would caution against novice cyclists doing the eleven night tour without e-bikes.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 13-25
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
-
★★★★★ lenzylamb September 27, 2019
Wonderful!
We had a wonderful time! We got lost a few times due to lack of understanding the road signs(our fault) but once we got the hang of everything we were good to go! Wouldn’t hesitate booking through BikeTours again!!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2019
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Waterdog September 24, 2019
Wonderful tour
The bike, accommodations, and breakfast where all very good. I rented an eBike and am so glad I did. Some parts of the route were
harder than I had anticipated. The eBike made those times considerably easier to endure. My only negative about this trip was that the maps and directions were extremely poor at times...numerous times. The worst was when we were trying to find the hotels in the afternoon or leaving town in the mornings. The good news is we were usually able to find pedestrians or other cyclists to ask, but we could ask three people and get the different directions. That being said, it was still a wonderful adventure. I'll definitely book another trip through biketours.com.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 6-15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Tom on a Bike August 26, 2019
A beautiful ride!
Cycling around Lake Constance (Bodensee) was a lovely experience. Every day brought more beautiful views and villages. I chose this 11-day self-guided tour with lower kilometers to allow me to experience the villages and people more intimately. The tour did just that. You could very well choose another tour with more daily distance and get nice experience. This area presents many opportunities for the cycling tourist. I was never bored on my cycling days.
The tour was relatively flat. The only challenge was on the day cycling to St. Gallen. There was a considerable climb. It was walkable when needed. The tours mostly followed the Lake Constance cycle path. When roads where used, they ware almost always quiet roads with low traffic.
Some things that could be improved: Radweg Reisen did not give an orientation at the start of the ride. I was fitted for a bike that was nicely outfitted although it was heavy as a tank. On this vacation, I did some Swiss touring on a self-guided tour from another provider. That tour provider gave me a nice orientation on signage, routes, the bike, and Swiss cycling. I was also given a tour support person’s mobile phone number to use when I needed help. Radweg could improve on their orientation process.
The Radweg Reisen books were very nicely done in a size that fit in the handlebar bag map holder. What was lacking were detailed instructions on navigating to ticketed attractions and hotels. I would suggest a small insert map on these pages. I was able to use Google Maps and the map the Radweg Resiaen gave me to get to my destination.
In conclusion, I was very satisfied with the tour. I felt the hotels were nice. The tickets to the attractions were very nice. The only suggestion is for Radweg Resien to work on their customer focus and interaction.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Nellyyy91 July 18, 2019
Amazing experience
Such an incredible way to explore parts of Germany and Switzerland I feel I would’ve never visited had it not been for this bike tour. Amazing views and a different experience (I am not an avid biker). Some trails were more intense than others, but it added to the fun. Anytime something came up the staff at Radweg were super helpful, friendly and readily available. Would absolutely recommend this trip to friends and family, and also participate in another one somewhere else.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 02/07/2019-12/07/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ LindaF September 5, 2018
Great biking trip sound Lake Konstanz!
This self-guided trip was perfect for our group of 13 riders. Quality equipment made for a hassle-free week. Most hotels were very accommodating. I recommend you only use hotels that are willing to supply fans for those hot summer nights.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 24 - August 4, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Freddy July 8, 2018
Beautiful Lake Constance and Switzerland
Riding through three countries self guided was a wonderful experience. My highlight was Gais to St Gallen as I had always wanted to wander along narrow lanes through the Swiss countryside on a beautiful afternoon. But close second was the ride to Rhine Falls. But every day was great, even the torrential rain into Gailingen did not deter us. We got lost many times because the signage is weak in some places but had the overall plan including hotels in Sygic Travel and most problems were resolved with a quick check of the maps on the tablet.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ DWSt June 22, 2018
Great way to experience the local culture
We just finished the trip around Lake Constance and all in all, I can say that it was a wonderful experience. We felt like we much better understood the German and Swiss culture as a result of riding bikes. Most people we met spoke English "a little", some better than others. Their English was certainly better in most cases than my "a little" German.
A couple of suggestions. First, pack light as I had packed too much, especially too many warm clothes. Secondly, download Google Maps for the whole area before you begin the trip. Location on Google Maps works on an iPhone even if you don't have a functional sim. At times you will get lost, but Google Maps saved us more than once.
We enjoyed some hotels more than others, but there was always Wi-Fi and breakfast. The ride to St. Gallen through the mountains was the most difficult, but had great scenery. My wife appreciated her electric bike on that day.
Documentation was pretty good. Since none of us read German very well, we missed using some of the supplied coupons and ended up paying twice. The explanation on the first day may have been missed because there was just too much to process.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 06/2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- This is the first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Bulldozer October 8, 2017
A cultural deep dive
Our second Bike Tours trip and this one was as enjoyable as the first. Of the four of us two are experienced bikers and two are entry level. To balance things our two entry level people had e-bikes (and they did better than us!)
This trip has a good balance of riding and events and if you add to that the dinner package the pressure of finding the right restaurant after a long day in the saddle goes away (especially one of your party is a Coeliac)
The inclusion of vouchers was a great addition to the package and were well thought through by the team as were the hotel selections (1st & last day the hotel provided a lounge area for early / late arrival which was unavoidable due to long haul flight schedules)
If you are prepared to explore a little on the journey then getting a little lost is all a part of the day. There are always friendly locals who will help you to get to the next town, that was our experience.- What was the date of your tour?
- 26 Sept - 05 Oct 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2 with Bike Tours
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 9, 2017
We're glad to hear you all had a great time on tour. I love eBikes for the same reason- everyone can cycle together! I agree that exploring and being comfortable with getting a little lost adds to the journey!
-
★★★★★ Geoff m October 6, 2017
Must do ride for most reasonable cyclists
Having ridden Salzburg to Vienna, this was the second bike tour ride for 2 couples in their late 50's. The guys regularly do low distance triathlons, so they rode normal bikes and their wives rode electric. We chose the 3 star hotel deal that was quite ample but many hotels did not have air conditioners so ok in shoulders and winter seasons but possible too hot in summer. Maps in and out of cities are confusing in places and you can easily miss a sign so you have to be careful.we did the while circuit and average speeds only 13 km hr with many stops. Overall worth doing. Would recommend asking for lower floor rooms in hotels that do not have elevators.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ BenO October 3, 2017
Nice Hotels and great bikes.
Nice trip but a better cycle guide would help a lot. Spent about 40% of out time lost. Trail signs were difficult to find in places.Not recommended for families with small children.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 12 to September 27
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 4, 2017
Thank you very much for your review. It's valuable information for us to understand that the directions didn't meet your expectations on this self-guided tour. We'll work with the tour operator evaluating the directions for our future clients.
-
★★★★★ go pro September 22, 2017
team frogs
- What was the date of your tour?
- september 15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Wally September 22, 2017
Slow way to see the life of Southern German, Austria and Switzerland
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- First
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ POOM September 22, 2017
Great relaxing bike tour around Lake Constance
The trip was well organized and hotels we were in were very good and clean and easily reachable from the bike route. We were there in mid-September which is very nice because the weather was cool and tour groups were rare at every stop.
The only suggestion is that there is really not much to do in Sank Gallen and the trip could have easily be cut one day shorter and not lose anything.
One hint in Konstanz : Go have Tapas at a small restaurant called Sabores. Best Choriso. We ended up going there 2 of the 3 nights we spent iin Konstanz.- What was the date of your tour?
- 11-22 September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Claudia June 25, 2017
We enjoyed the route and the cities on our 11 day Constance tour
We rode the unguided 11 day Lake Constance tour in May. Our weather turned in our favor and we had lots of fun riding the bike paths as well as locating the paths and hotels.
The scenery is varied and the towns photogenic. It was wonderful that each day of our trip was somewhat short so we could stop and enjoy everything around us.
People along the way were helpful, even if they didn't speak our language and we knew little German. Routes were sometimes unclear to us, but usually it was not a big deal. We weren't on a tight schedule. I would recommend a smartphone app such as Maps.me be used in conjunction with the provided maps. It helped us not go to far astray. I have described our trip as "a scavenger hunt on 2 wheels". It made it an adventure.
Our bags were usually waiting for us when we arrived at our hotel. Hotels provided were comfortable and convenient.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 20, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Pierre June 23, 2017
Best trip ever
Best way to see as much as possible in a day is on a bicycle. We choose the A grade hotels which was not necessary as the standard of hotels in general is very good, The A grade hotels were top class but we spent so little time at each hotel that the facilities offered could not always be full utilized. Half pension (diner included) was very good and relaxing after a day cycling. We found the 6 night tour ample time to complete the 300km round lake Constance. Tour operations went without a hitch and cycle worked perfectly. We have travelled alot and can confirm that this holiday was the best
- What was the date of your tour?
- 20 May to 26 May 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Bughollow July 26, 2016
Exceeded All Expectations!
This was our first tour and definitely not our last. We were nervous about the distance and how our 13 year old would handle the daily routine. My worst fear was that we would be counting down the days or taking the train to avoid meltdowns, by mother and/or daughter. This was never the case, even in the rain. We were so sad when it was over, we would have happily continued for another week. Cycling, swimming, and picnicking our way around the route made for a stress free and amazing holiday.
We cycle frequently, but didn't purchase any special clothing. My secret weapon for fhe saddle was a custom knit seat cover by a close friend.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 11 - 22
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first of many.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Tush June 22, 2016
Excellent!
Overall an excellent tour. One thing which would have improved it would have been a little more precise directions - possibly in the form of a printed addendum - giving the INITIAL directions from each hotel to the start point e.g. bike path for each day's ride. Sometimes this was tricky and the scale of the map wasn't helpful. A classic example was the hike day at Rorschach. Most of us missed the hike trail because it was unclear where it started in relation to the Heiden train station.
Having said all that, I would highly recommend this tour to anyone!- What was the date of your tour?
- 677/2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ MarcieB May 19, 2016
Alles Gute zum Bodensee! Fabulous trip around Lake Constance!
One of our best self-guided bike tours, ever! Signage was prominently displayed, directions and highlights "worth a stop," equipment top notch and best of all, the regional food, friendly people and amazing sights made this trip highly memorable. I might add we are 70-somethings and found the designated bike paths a wonderful way to experience the many faces (German, Swiss and Austrian) of the Bodensee. The museum pass was truly a wonderful "bonus" experience . . . so many beautiful gardens (Reichenau, Mainau), museums (Hermann Hesse, Otto Dix, Zeppelin, Prehistoric stilt houses, etc), monasteries, churches and castles! We would do this trip again, just to experience more adventures through vineyards, apple orchards and varied cultures.
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was Biketours.com tour #6!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, Families with young kids, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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