Trip code: C10LC 4.7 (88 reviews)
Self-guided cycling
10 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1
Leisurely
Flights
available
9.0Kg CO2e
Headwater
Navigation App
Optional
e-bike hire
Dreaming of a holiday where cycling seamlessly blends with nature, culture, culinary delights, and refreshing swims? Look no further. We've curated a spectacular journey around Lake Constance, where the enchanting waters of this turquoise gem roam through Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
Your adventure begins along the 270km lakeside path, a smooth and scenic route through cherry orchards, wildflower fields, and daisy-strewn meadows. Picture yourself pedalling effortlessly, exploring picturesque half-timbered towns, and pausing to swim in the lake's refreshing waters. Along the way, cross the mighty Rhine Delta, a natural wonder teeming with wildlife, from kingfishers in the reeds to serene moments at the water's edge.
Indulge your senses in the cultural tapestry of the region. Visit Meersburg, a fairytale town with twin castles. Cycle through Bavarian vineyards, where the aroma of Muller-Thurgau wines fills the air. In medieval Stein am Rhein, let the scent of chocolate lure you into quaint shops, or explore the 11th-century monastery nearby.
Immerse yourself in the local events that paint the lake with vibrant colours. Witness the International Lake Constance Week, a regatta and rowing spectacle. Experience the magic of Open Opera 'OpernSommer' and the grandeur of the Lake Night Festival with mesmerising fireworks.
Culinary adventures await as you taste Lake Constance's specialties. Try the famous Maultaschen, pasta filled with sausage meat, onions, and soaked bread rolls. Indulge in Dunnele, a local thin crust flatbread topped with cream, ham, or smoked salmon, or zwetschgenkuchen with plums. Seafood lovers can savor Konstanz specialties like kretzer (perch) and zander (pike-perch).
Your accommodation, a blend of three and four-star gems, includes stays in a historic coaching inn, a riverside hotel once a 15th-century customs warehouse, and a luxurious lakeside mansion. Each night promises comfort and charm, making this tour a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and cultural discovery for everyone.
Enjoy easy, level one cycling on lakeside paths with our detailed route notes. Customise your journey effortlessly - whether shortening or lengthening your route - by hopping on local trains or boats, bike in tow, for a tailored adventure. An unforgettable cycling holiday around the mesmerising Lake Constance is waiting for you!
The terrain on this trip is mostly flat and gentle, following well-maintained lakeside cycle paths and quiet roads. It’s ideal for leisure cyclists, with only occasional gentle inclines and minimal traffic throughout the route.
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.
You stay at Hotel Weisses Kreuz.
Hotel Weisses Kreuz, Bregenz
Bank
Mastercard
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV
Minibar
Safe
The Hotel Weisses Kreuz is an old coaching inn, and it's central location makes it perfect for exploring Bregenz; it is only a couple of blocks from the lakeside and about a 5-minute walk from Bregenz station. Bregenz is on the eastern shore of Lake Constance, close to the 'four-border corner' with Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
The building has been impressively modernised in the last few 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.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
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 - be sure to keep your eyes peeled for kingfishers in the reeds. Your final stretch takes you around the lake to Arbon where you'll find pretty half-timbered houses and a 16th century castle.
You stay at Hotel Seegarten.
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The 42 room Hotel Seegarten is on the outskirts of Arbon set amid large gardens and fields. It is a short 5 minute cycle to the marina and the centre of the village, and very close to the Arbon Strandbad - the waterfront swimming area that serves the village.
The rooms have been furnished in a simple but modern style, with neutral colours and each of the modern rooms are equipped with direct dial telephones and televisions.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
It's easy to spend a morning exploring Arbon's historic old town with its well-preserved buildings. After lunch at one of the many lakeside restaurants, hop on the bus for the 35-minute ride (10km) to historic St Gallen, a bustling market town packed with 18th century merchants' houses and open-air cafes. Visit the 8th century Benedictine abbey's fabulous UNESCO-listed library, then blow the cobwebs away by freewheeling back down to the lakeside. There's lots of swimming possibilities before an easy waterfront cycle back to the hotel.
You stay at Hotel Seegarten.
MastercardAmExHairdryerWiFiTVSafe
The 42 room Hotel Seegarten is on the outskirts of Arbon set amid large gardens and fields. It is a short 5 minute cycle to the marina and the centre of the village, and very close to the Arbon Strandbad - the waterfront swimming area that serves the village.
The rooms have been furnished in a simple but modern style, with neutral colours and each of the modern rooms are equipped with direct dial telephones and televisions.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
There's an option to take the train to Guettingen this morning and shorten your route. Otherwise, pedal clockwise around the lake and pass numerous waterfront villages affording lots of panoramic sun terraces for coffee stops and lunch. In the afternoon, you coast effortlessly between sleepy harbours before arriving at the riverside Hotel Rheinfels where you spend the next two nights.
You stay at Hotel Rheinfels.
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Historically, this family-run hotel dates back to the 15th century and was originally a customs warehouse for goods such as salt being transported up and down the Rhine River. It was also a guild house. The hotel is located right on the River Rhine at the north end of the bridge in Stein am Rhein.
There are 16 spacious and light rooms with ensuite bathrooms with bathtub and/or shower, WC, hairdryer, minibar, TV, radio alarm clock, free Wi-Fi within the hotel, direct dial telephone, safe and a unique view of the Rhine. The restaurant offers traditional cuisine using fresh seasonal ingredients. There is a terrace with fabulous views over the river. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays (excluding during July & August). The hotel also has a boat for trips up the river and onto the lake - the MS St Georg, that seats up to 60 passengers.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
It's easy to spend the day in medieval Stein am Rhein with its 11th century 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's great for shopping and has riverside cycle paths to Schloss Laufen, a tiny castle perched precariously above the tumbling Rheinfall waterfall, the biggest in Europe!
You stay at Hotel Rheinfels.
MastercardHairdryerWiFiTVMinibarSafe
Historically, this family-run hotel dates back to the 15th century and was originally a customs warehouse for goods such as salt being transported up and down the Rhine River. It was also a guild house. The hotel is located right on the River Rhine at the north end of the bridge in Stein am Rhein.
There are 16 spacious and light rooms with ensuite bathrooms with bathtub and/or shower, WC, hairdryer, minibar, TV, radio alarm clock, free Wi-Fi within the hotel, direct dial telephone, safe and a unique view of the Rhine. The restaurant offers traditional cuisine using fresh seasonal ingredients. There is a terrace with fabulous views over the river. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays (excluding during July & August). The hotel also has a boat for trips up the river and onto the lake - the MS St Georg, that seats up to 60 passengers.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
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 World Heritage Site of Klosterinsel Reichenau; the first populated area on Lake Constance, and home to an impressive 8th century Benedictine abbey. It's then on to Konstanz, the unofficial regional capital.
You stay at Hotel Halm.
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The Hotel Halm in Konstanz is a grand central hotel separated from the waterfront by the railway station, so you can 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.
Bedrooms upstairs are light and modern, and the breakfast here is a feast fit for a king!
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
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 (payable locally) to visit Mainau Island's palace and landscaped rose gardens. If you take your bike, you can pedal back at leisure along traffic-free lakeside cycle paths.
You stay at Hotel Halm.
BankMastercardHairdryerWiFiTVMinibarSafe
The Hotel Halm in Konstanz is a grand central hotel separated from the waterfront by the railway station, so you can 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.
Bedrooms upstairs are light and modern, and the breakfast here is a feast fit for a king!
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
It's a short ride through oak forest to catch the 15-minute ferry ride (included) to fairytale Meersburg with its twin castles, steep streets and hillsides of vines. It's a perfect place for a lunch stop! Then, pedalling south, it's a gentle cycle into Friedrichshafen.
You stay at Hotel Buchhorner Hof.
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The Hotel Buchhornerhof is located overlooking the waterfront, on the road leading into the town centre - ideally situated for a stroll. It is a traditional building with a turret on the corner, and lots of attractive window boxes filled with flowers. Inside it retains a traditional charm, with wood panelled walls, stuffed animals on the walls, stained glass windows and snug corners with leather sofas where you can relax with a drink from the attractive horseshoe shaped bar.
The bedrooms here are light and modern and equipped with all the mod cons you would expect in a 4 star hotel.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
There are superb wine tasting opportunities on your doorstep today - local Muller-Thurgau wines come from Riesling and Silvaner grapes, for which Lake Constance is famous. Or visit Friedrichshafen's amazing Zeppelin Museum, full of fascinating knick-knacks, including an original menu and wine list from the Hindenburg.
You stay at Hotel Buchhorner Hof.
BankMastercardAmExHairdryerWiFiTVMinibarSafe
The Hotel Buchhornerhof is located overlooking the waterfront, on the road leading into the town centre - ideally situated for a stroll. It is a traditional building with a turret on the corner, and lots of attractive window boxes filled with flowers. Inside it retains a traditional charm, with wood panelled walls, stuffed animals on the walls, stained glass windows and snug corners with leather sofas where you can relax with a drink from the attractive horseshoe shaped bar.
The bedrooms here are light and modern and equipped with all the mod cons you would expect in a 4 star hotel.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
Cycle past the pretty village of Langenargen 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 (there are lots of idyllic choices for lunch). Then, keeping the lake at your side, a final push takes you back down to Bregenz. Time permitting, perhaps take the cable car up Pfander mountain (1064m), for a fantastic vista of your entire route and a real sense of achievement!
You stay at Hotel Weisses Kreuz.
Hotel Weisses Kreuz, Bregenz
BankMastercardHairdryerWiFiTVMinibarSafe
The Hotel Weisses Kreuz is an old coaching inn, and it's central location makes it perfect for exploring Bregenz; it is only a couple of blocks from the lakeside and about a 5-minute walk from Bregenz station. Bregenz is on the eastern shore of Lake Constance, close to the 'four-border corner' with Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
The building has been impressively modernised in the last few 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.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
Please note that cycling helmets are compulsory in Austria for all customers under 12yrs. As we are unable to provide these, we strongly recommend that you bring your own.
Please see our Planning your holiday page for full details.
These tour prices are based on two people sharing. Single supplement from £404.
We can book your flights, protected by ATOL and ABTA. Please ask at time of enquiry.
Twin-bedded rooms in Austrian resorts are normally one large base with two mattresses/duvets. These are also known as 'Austrian Twins' and are regarded as two beds. Separate twin beds are rare and availability cannot be guaranteed.
If you choose a flight inclusive package with us, you will fly into Zurich airport, with onward rail included. We can also provide transfers from the station to your hotel, please contact us for details and prices.
We hold an ATOL License and are fully ABTA bonded, so you can book your flights with us in confidence. We can book most airlines and will advise you of your most convenient airport and flight options.
Flight prices vary massively and change quickly. At Headwater we will sell you your flights at the same price you can buy them yourself. We simply add £35 per person to cover your flight protection, to learn more please click here.
Subject to availability and dependent on service provider, please ask at time of enquiry and book early to avoid disappointment.
Self-guided cycling
10 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1
Leisurely
Flights
available
9.0Kg CO2e
Headwater
Navigation App
Optional
e-bike hire
