Bordered by three countries, Lake Constance occupies an extremely beautiful corner of Central Europe. Overshadowed by the snow-capped peaks of Austria, Germany and Switzerland, the lake is essentially a bulge in the Rhine - mirroring Lake Geneva, an expansion of the Rhone, at the other end of Switzerland.
There are three distinct areas around the lake: the German stretch on the north shore, between Bregenz in Austria and the town of Konstanz and the Swiss border, is known as Obersee, Uberlingen is the north-western arm, and Untersee is the 'lower lake' in the south-west.
The views from the German shore across to the Swiss Alps are stunning and a 300km pancake-flat cycling path leads from country to country taking in daisy-strewn meadows, billowing wheat fields, Bavarian vineyards and picturesque marinas.
This is a region brimming with history and cultural highlights including fairytale castles in Meersburg, flower-decked palaces in Konstanz and books dating back over 1,000 years in the Abbey of St Gall's UNESCO library.
There are many great places you'll visit during your bike tour of Lake Constance and some of our favourites include:
Bregenz sits on the eastern side of Lake Constance and offers stunning views as you ride around the bay. Navigating the historic cobbled streets is one of the highlights of your stay in this Austrian city. You can check out the iconic Bregenz Festival if you visit in July and August, which sees popular artists take to a stage that floats on the lake.
The small, pretty town of Stein am Rhein in Switzerland is a lovely place to explore during your cycling breaks. Here you'll find medieval architecture, including Hohenklingen Castle which looms over the town, and colourfully painted houses, which provide a picturesque backdrop to your cycling.
If you're a wine connoisseur, then Friedrichshafen is one of the best places on your bike tour of Lake Constance to enjoy a glass or two. You can sample the local grape on wine tours in the area. Plus, there are museums to explore if you want to learn more about the area.
Self-guided cycling
10 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1
Leisurely
Headwater
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Where appropriate, we grade our holidays based on distance, terrain, elevation gain, remoteness, etc and categorise them into 4 relative groups. This is ultimately subjective and may vary slightly day to day; for more advice, please see the specific trip page or call one of our friendly team.
Absolutely! Lake Constance is the third largest freshwater lake in Europe and cycling here offers beautiful views of Alpine peaks and trails through meadows and vineyards. A cycling tour of Lake Constance offers easy cycling along level lakeside paths, so you can make good progress if you wish and see as much of the area as possible during your holiday. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to savour local wine and chocolate, and visit museums to experience the history that made the lake the popular tourist destination it is today.
You'll want to explore the cities and towns to get the full Lake Constance experience, which requires around seven days. We have a seven-day and a 10-day tour available with the latter offering more free time to explore different places around the lake.
This depends on what's important to you. The beauty of Lake Constance is that each place along the route offers something special. History buffs will enjoy exploring the medieval buildings in Stein am Rhein, wine lovers will be in heaven in Friedrichshafen, and music fans can sing their hearts out in Bregenz at the floating festival.
Lake Constance sits in between Germany, Austria and Switzerland, connecting idyllic towns around the edge of the water. The region is famous for its delicious wines which you're best off trying in Friedrichshafen. Overall, the area is known by most as an invigorating holiday paradise where you can enjoy outdoor activities like cycling, hiking or swimming.
Lake Constance is 63km long and 14km at its widest point. It can be navigated in many ways including walking, kayaking or, our preference, cycling. The latter will let you explore the scenic trails that take you from town to town at a pace that gives you enough time to enjoy the attractions around Lake Constance.
If you don't want to cycle for a stretch of the lake, then buses or trains can take you to most of the popular towns. So, whether you want a rest or need to make up time, trains are a great solution, and you should be able to take your bike onboard too.
Lake Constance biking holidays will require the right gear to ensure your trip goes to plan. Bike hire is included in your package price but some of the other essentials you'll need include:
And don't forget your currency. Austria and Germany both use the euro while Switzerland uses the Swiss franc.
Naturally, you can mainly expect to wear cycling attire during your bike tour of Lake Constance. However, you'll want to pack casual clothes for any downtime you have during non-cycling days or evening exploration. We recommend wearing loose-fitting clothing during the summer months to protect yourself from the sun and, during winter, warm fleeces, coats, trousers and a thick pair of socks are necessary.
We plan our Lake Constance cycling holidays between April and October. Whichever month you decide is best for you comes down to your personal preference. The early summer months of May and June offer warm weather and avoid the peak months of July and August when the lake is most popular. But the summer months in general experience the highest annual rainfall.
Alternatively, you can choose to go in September or October for beautiful autumn views while temperatures sit in the low teens, which is comfortable for riding.
We've been building incredible holiday packages for nearly 40 years, which means you can depend on us for Lake Constance bike tours that will live long in your memory. Here are some of the main reasons you can rely on us:
