Highlights of the Swiss Rhine

Travel west along the Swiss Rhine from Lake Constance to Basel. Cycling along riverside paths, you will visit the beautiful shoreline of Lake Constance and view the magnificent Rhine falls before continuing toward the west, passing asparagus fields, cute timbered houses, stoic fishermen, sunburnt salt towers, and Roman ruins. Finally, reaching your last destination in the Swiss-German "bridge city" of Basel.

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Highlights

• Lake Constance, the "soul of Europe"
• Rhine Falls
• Stein am Rhein
• Small villages and historical sites along the Rhine river
• Augusta Raurica

Learn More

Learn more about self-guided tours.

Daily program

Day 1: Arrival in Rorschach/surroundings
Your starting point in eastern Switzerland near the tripoint with Austria and Germany. Spend the afternoon exploring the shores of Lake Constance.

Day 2: Rorschach and surroundings–Tägerwilen(40 miles/65 km)
Lake Constance(Bodensee) is considered "the soul of Europe". The area around the shimmering silver-green "Swabian sea" is an ancient cultural landscape. Despite its lively lakeside scene, Thurgau remains a serene slice of the countryside with castles and extensive orchards.

Day 3: Tägerwilen–Schaffhausen (28-31 miles/45-50 km)
Cycle the lovely landscape along the long ribbon of the Untersee (lower lake of Constance) which appealed to Napoleon. Visit the richly-decorated town of Stein am Rhein attracts thousands of visitors every year, as does Europe’s mightiest waterfall, the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen.

Day 4: Schaffhausen–Bad Zurzach (34 miles/55 km)
The Hochrhein has made its home between Schwarzwald and the Jura, at times wide and unhurried, at others narrow and wild. Beautiful floodplains and historic little villages add cultural enjoyment to the cycling route today.

Day 5: Bad Zurzach–Rheinfelden (34 miles/55 km)
Starting in the Bad Zurzach wellness oasis, the stage leads to Koblenz, the historic old town with 4 bridges close to the Klingnau reservoir. Rheinfelden, your destination for today, is Switzerland's oldest "Zähringer" town, follows soon after the picturesque little town of Laufenburg.

Day 6: Rheinfelden–Basel (16 miles/25 km)
Cycle where the ancient Romans lived and enjoyed their games: Augusta Raurica with its silver treasure. Continue cycling into Basel beckoning with the hustle and bustle of city life and cultural attractions.

Day 7: Departure or extension

Surface and terrain

The route mainly follows the shores of the Rhine and Lake Constance. Between Schaffhausen and Basel the route is mainly flat and there are no noteworthy climbs.

Hotels

The following hotels are provided only as samples and may vary based on availability.

You will be accommodated in select 3- and 4-star hotels

Bad Horn: Private Selection

Tägerwilen: Jucker's Boutique Hotel

Schaffhausen: Hotel Rüden

Bad Zurzach: Zurzacherhof Hotel

Rheinfelden: Ambrosio Guesthouse

Basel: Hotel Steinenschanze Basel

How to get there

Tour start
Nearest Airport: Zurich (ZRH)
Nearest train station: Horn

Trains run frequently between Bad Horn and Zurich (airport and city). It's about 90 minutes between the airport and Bad Horn.

Tour end
Nearest airport and train station: Basel, Switzerland

Tips on getting to and from your tour

Dates

Prices

Included services

• 6 nights accommodation
• Breakfast
• Luggage transport from hotel to hotel (maximum 2 pieces/person of luggage, each piece must weigh under 44 lbs/20 kg)
• One set of detailed travel documents (maps, route descriptions, places of interest, telephone numbers) per room; well-documented route and personal tour information
• Service hotline throughout the duration of the tour
• Pickup at Zurich airport, briefing and transfer to the starting point of the tour resp. the first hotel (depending on the arrival time)
• Tour briefing and bike delivery with tour representative
• Navigational App
• GPS tracks available upon request (must request in advance)

Please note any city or visitor's taxes are not included in the tour costs. You will pay these at hotel reception.

Bike rentals

Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include:

• Standard touring bike, 27-speed, unisex
• Electric bike*

*More about electrically-assisted bikes >

All above bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:

• Saddle bag (water-repellent), rear
• Water-repellent smartphone holder, with clear cover for easy viewing
• Tools
• Repair kit (with extra bicycle tube)
• Pump
• Lock

Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.

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 available on this tour but must be reserved in advance. We recommend that you bring your own helmet or plan to purchase one upon arrival for safety and hygiene purposes.

Tour Company