Lake Constance Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ Kimberly Silva 1 day agoNot as Expected
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was the first trip I took with Bike Tours and I did not think the bike path matched what was described on the website. There were many more parts of the paths that were unpaved and a bit treacherous than described. There was also a lot more street riding in traffic than anticipated. I would not recommend this trip for any riders under the age of 16. The hotels and services were outstanding however.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Betty Ngan 2 days ago
Great support from local team, but room for improvement
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
The tour was unfortunately shortened for me by an illness, which lasted 5 days, so I only rode 2 days. I can say that the trails were very well marked and the scenery stunning. I was able to see how well the local coordinators worked to help me move my bicycle around to accommodate my recovery. The emergency contact Benjamin was very understanding and patient as he rearranged hotel accommodations and bicycle locations. I relied on public transportation to move from hotel to hotel, since Bike Tours said it was was not insured to transport me.
Most of the hotel staff were helpful, especially the front desk manager at Hotel Rheingold, who went out of her way to give me directions to get to the next hotel. Even the front desk at Hotel Wilder Mann in Deemsburg called a taxi for me even though I was not a guest. Unfortunately, a staff member of the Hotel Alta Poste refused to call a taxi for me because I had checked out a day earlier, even though my tour group was due back at the hotel in 5 days. The young German staffer said she recognized me, but I had checked out, so she could only give me numbers which didn’t work on my phone. The staff at Alta Poste need more training in showing hospitality to bike tour group members.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug. 31, 2024
- 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Sterling Speirn 7 days ago
Outstanding Bike Path & Landscape
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
In most location there were separate bike paths and no possible danger from automobiles. Only challenge were the directions. Just not clear for a first timer on this trip. Scenery was magnificent: bucolic countryside dotted with charming old villages. Hotels varied. Delivery of forwarded luggage excellent and timely. Most hotel breakfasts were fresh and first class.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Ingrid Mahoney 3 weeks ago
Solo and Sublime
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
My first longer bike trip and I was a solo 59 year old woman in Europe. I loved it. The scenery, physical activity and options for exploring all the wonderful cultural aspects Europe has to offer was a perfect balance for me. The hotels were all nice and more than 1/2 were really excellent. The bike was well equipped and in top shape. I had only one day of rain but the public transportation is so amazing and bringing your bike is not a problem I had no worries. I would recommend this trip to all my friends. If they are not very active I would recommend the electric bike it is a perfect option.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- Excellent
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Donna Ehlers 1 month ago
Fantastic journey!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We did a self guided tour. We had so much fun in the villages with great food and accommodations, most were in the center of the towns. Great breakfasts and service in general. Felt fantastic to ride on the safe bike trails about 3/4 hours daily. We took time off to swim in the lake and get ice cream and relax in the many parks. Great history and a way to immerse more authentically in the vulture. I give this type of holiday my highest recommendation.
Staff was always available for our concerns and questions.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Jim and Linda LoBue 2 months agoA rewarding challenge
· Lake Constance to Lake Maggiore
We knew that the ride would be a challenge for us, especially the climbs, but with the efficiently working e-bike assistance, we were able to make it work and that was a reward in itself. We have done multiple Europe tours through BikeTours and this was the first time that we followed an online map app. It worked very well. We were disappointed when we first arrived and realized that there would not be an orientation meeting with a live person. But, with the printed instructions and the app, it worked smoothly. A number of times during the tour we saw on our phone screen that we had made a wrong turn and were able to quickly correct the mistake and stay on track. The hotels were all first rate, with the exception of Buchs, where the hotel was undergoing extensive rehab work and we had to walk through construction zones to get to our room. Our only real complaint about the hotels was, with the exception of the Lugano hotel, they had no air conditioning. At least a fan would have helped us sleep better. But overall they were very nice and we were treated with fine hospitality. The scenery and the sites were amazing. It was a wonderful break from the sweltering California summer heat.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Switzerland
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★★★★★ joe eberly 2 months ago
Nice Ride
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This is a very easy ride with mostly flat land around a beautiful lake. We had e-bikes which made it very easy. Hotels all very nice, but no AC for hot weather. June can be risky with the weather. We had two days of five with steady rain. This is our 3rd trip with Bikes.com and was my lest favorite. We never met our local tour operator, even when we picked up our bikes. There was substantial flooding due to heavy rains and some road construction that we didn't know about until we came to it. It was at that time we had to figure an alternate route. A little heads up would have save a lot confusion, especially during our rainy days. On previous trips, the tour operator spent time going over the route with areas we needed to pay attention to. The fact that none of us spoke German didn't help in trying to understand road signs. The route is well marked but makings change from country to country, so pay attention.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Mid-June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Joanne Hamilton 4 months ago
An Amazing Experience
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We did the self-guided tour around Lake Konstanz. It was a wonderful trip. Right from the moment we got to Constance, we were impressed the attention to the details that made our trip very enjoyable. Tour operator was such a great bike rental company. They also had a very impressive book with maps and hotels that was detailed just for us. So it had all the updated info on our trip. We loved our bikes. They ran very smoothly. They were quite heavy..... and the only time that was a challenge was a couple of times when we stopped to walk our bikes up a hill. We rode through two days of rain and the paniers and map pouches stayed dry. The hotels were so, so nice. We stayed in 5 different hotels and 4 out of the 5 were, for us.... 5 star! The breakfast at each hotel was complimentary and all very tasty, extensive buffets, so we could fuel up for the day ahead. We found so many cute places to stop along the way for snacks and drinks and little breaks.
The one thing I would encourage bikers to do, is to figure out your GPS/data service for the road. There were a few times we lost the trail and our GPS's failed us because our data wasn't working. Gratefully people like to help out and we found some people who spoke English. By the third day we really had the GPS thing figured out. I will say that the company did give us EXCELLENT maps! So that too helped us find our way.
We had three days of sun, two days of rain, and one day of threatening rain (but did not rain). It was all great! We really felt like it was all part of the adventure. We cycled 30-60 km a day. Gratefully, the one day we were SOAKED and all our clothes and shoes were soaked, our hotel had radiators that worked and a towel warmer so we were able to dry out clothes. Another hotel had a towel dryer and radiator that did not work, so we would have really been challenged to dry out. All in all it was a great trip and we totally plan on using BikeTours.com again!- What was the date of your tour?
- May 19-24, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ LINDA LYNCH 4 months ago
Stunning Lake, country and villages
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Our first bike tour introduced many picturesque villages, as well as kind hotel staff. The hotels were nicely spaced along Lake Constanze with great breakfasts each morning. First moment, I recognized the absolute quiet of our peaceful settings. The villages and country were not just charming, they were calming and quiet. Day 4 we switched to Ebikes, as they allowed us to visit more of the Historic and UNESCO sites along the route and facilitating the hills. Suggest better cell phone research, as our "just change to new sim card" did not go to plan. It is 3 different countries, so 3 sim cards by the number of phones... Alte Post in Constanze front desk manager was amazing in her ability to answer our many questions, as well as Nadia at the bike company.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ LINDA LYNCH 4 months ago
Surpassed all expectations
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Though we "trained" for this trip, (this trip is rolling hills and a relatively level course), there are several long ride days. And in truth, we are more tourists than competitive bikers, so wanted to sightsee the villages, which are rich in history and architecture. So, we connected with Caroline and Natasha at the BikeTours bike partner and were very fortunate to switch to ebikes midway. Truly suggest this option to begin with, as it made the journey more pleasant and our time well spent learning about UNESCO sites, ancient Churches and the area surrounding Lake Constanze. Simply, all the hotels were superior, they provided peaceful settings, clean accommodations and tremendous breakfasts, though Alte Post front desk and breakfast staff and St. Leonard Park Hotel were true overachievers. The Hotel front desk staff in all were great and answered our many questions. At present, we are reading about and studying countries for our next trip with Bike Tours!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Sarah D 4 months ago
Such a gorgeous and fun trip!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
I just completed a bike tour around Lake Constance in May 2024. I took my mom for her 70th birthday. We rode e-bikes which made for an easy and fun trip. We lucked out with weather and we so impressed with the beauty that you ride through. The people that book this do an amazing job of setting you up for success. I will say that you need to pay attention to the signs because it can get confusing at certain locations and we once went a few miles out of the way, which fortunately was no big deal since we were on e-bikes. You cannot rely on gps, you have to read the bike signs and use the map provided and don’t be afraid to ask for directions/help. The hotels they booked were great, except one, avoid the Hotel Mozart in Rorschach if you can. Overall, I’m super happy with this trip and will likely book more trips with BikeTours.com in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Amanda M 5 months ago
Biking with a View!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We had a range of weather--from sun to hail to rain to snow--and still every day was great on this trip! The path around the lake was well marked and easy enough to navigate. The hotels were lovely with a great breakfast spread every morning. Our luggage was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Overall, we really enjoyed our little adventure!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Thomas Schulte 9 months ago
A Family Aventure
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This is our 9th European Ride and was truly a pleasure. Accommodations were 1st class in great hotels. Tour operator couldn't have been nicer or hospitable
in setting us up with our bikes and getting us on our way. They were an easy walk from our first night accommodation.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Anita Bhinge 11 months ago
Best Cycling paths
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was our fourth cycling tour with biketours and each experience has been only better !
The cycle paths are excellent, mostly dedicated , along the lake and at places through towns with marginal traffic. The views were breathtaking. The hotels were fantastic, and were right in the main town at most places (Stein am Rheine, Lindau and Konstanz) All the hotels had good garages and charging points.
The ground handlers and the biketours company people were extremely helpful when we made a special request to them on a day that I was unwell and couldn't bike.
This time, we rented e-bikes, which made cycling a breeze . The bikes were sturdy and did not give us any problem.
The road signs were good except at a couple of places in Austria. Downloading the Bikers App should be a good idea and would ease navigation.
The stage 3 was a bit long and should be broken up into two segments. It would be a good idea to complete the 260 kms tour in 6 or 7 days instead of the 5 days as per the itinerary. That way, one would get more time to explore each place at leisure. We missed seeing the Rhine falls and some castles because we were short of time.
I would highly recommend extending your stay at Konstanz ( as we did on our return) to explore the beautiful city. We enjoyed this trip so much that we plan to repeat it again next year, with more friends joining in.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- Four
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Jordann Dooley 11 months ago
Feel Adventurous at Ease
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Exploring the German, Swiss and Austrian country side and small towns and cities was such a unique experience. From the moment I arrived to my first hotel to the moment I arrived at my last it was an incredibly easy trip. You are given a map of the area and a guide book to tell you which towns you should go to and what interesting things are in each town and you are free to do as little or as much as you like.
You are also free to make your way from town to town as directly or indirectly as you like.
The bike trail is pretty easy to follow, minus the occasional area that isn’t amazingly well marked, but that has nothing to do with the tour company.
The hotels were all really nice and the breakfasts provided ranged from good to absolutely amazing.- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ MENGCHEN LEE 11 months ago
Stunning Lake views & great cycling path!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
The perfect way to explore the beauty of Boydensee! Easy bike rides and lots of fun along the lake, we enjoyed this bike tour so much. One must do and excellent experiences^^
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Timothy Ricks 12 months ago
Exquisite Visual Treats
· Lake Constance to Lake Maggiore
A few easy days, then some more challenging climbs. Finally a long descent and a ride to Locarno on Lake Maggiore. Some rain and wind added to the adventure.
Pros: Beautiful scenery. A few nice hotels. Reliable rental bikes. Memorable rides. Excellent luggage transfers.
Cons: Too much gravel and trail riding. While some hotels were very nice, many were sub-par, in our opinion. Bikes were heavy, slow and unresponsive—making the cycling harder and slower. Tour provider never met nor communicated with us directly—they just delivered written instructions and rental bikes to the first hotel. It seemed that they really were not so interested in our business.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Countries included in this tour?
- Switzerland
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★★★★★ Julane Anderson 12 months agoOne of our favorite bike tours!
· Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Lisa Schmitz 12 months ago
Wonderful trip!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This is not a terribly challenging ride, especially on e-bikes. The scenery is beautiful and all of the hotels were great. The breakfasts were enormous and plentiful, and luggage transfer was seamless. We did request to stay in Stein am Rhein instead of Gailingen, and we’re glad we did. The hotel in Arbon (Hotel Römerhof) was very nice, but if it’s possible to stay closer to the water, I’d recommend that. The e-bikes were excellent. One important note: bike pick up is open until 7pm, even though the shop is listed as closed after 5:00. They don’t answer the phone or return a message, but you can expect them to be ready for you up until 7pm. Enjoy his ride!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Rusty Page 12 months ago
Wonderful Bike Trip
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was our 4th trip with Bike Tours, and arguably the best. The e-bikes were great! The lake and the small towns surrounding it were gorgeous. 3 countries. One day we ate breakfast in Germany, lunch in Austria, and dinner in Switzerland. We’ll worth the money. Hotels were all beautiful and quaint in their own right. Do it! You’ll love it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
