Travel report: Lake Constance cycle path with trip to the Rhine Falls

"The Last of the Mohicans" – Lake Constance round trip May 12 - 18, 2024

A tour around Lake Constance had been planned for some time. My aunt lived in Constance and the island of Mainau and the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen as well as the lake stage in Bregenz were tempting...

We are still in possession of "organic bikes" and were therefore well prepared for the week-long tour. Being from the Lower Rhine region, we are used to "flat land" and are therefore very familiar with flat routes, so our routes also took us to the neighboring country of the Netherlands to the Zeven Heuvels (Seven Hills) for practice purposes. Unfortunately, I reached the limits of my 7-speed Shimano hub gears there, so there were slight doubts in advance as to whether the route around Lake Constance was really manageable on normal bikes. However, distances of a good 50 kilometers should not be a problem...

But the trip was booked - true to the motto "Nothing ventured, nothing gained", off we went:

Day 2: Constance – Schaffhausen

We were up early, as our luggage had to be at reception on time to be transported to the next hotel. We fortified ourselves for the first stage at the extensive buffet. The logbook gave us a good overview of the upcoming stage and the sights along the way and at our destination.

Our route took us over the poplar-lined dam to the island of Reichenau.

Tip: There is a castle-like tower halfway up the dam with a great view.

We were surprised by the large number of greenhouses on the small island, which you should take time to visit before setting off for the jetty in Gaienhofen. The boat trip in fine weather was pleasant and the breeze was refreshing. We had already met other participants at the jetty.

On reaching the Höri peninsula, we cycled further along the lakeshore. The painter and realist Otto Dix was not our cup of tea, so we left the estate "on the left". We can't say whether we missed anything, but the view from the terrace is said to be very beautiful.

Tip: The Hermann Hesse Höri Museum is well worth a visit. 

The climbs were manageable and we were always rewarded with a wonderful view. Along the way, there is a beer garden on the shore in front of the wooden bridge where you can enjoy a good meal or quench your thirst - as we did.

In hindsight, I would rather cycle further to the Rhine Falls, as the footpath along the riverbank stretches all the way to the Rhine Falls. The ride was a bit tiring. The Rhine Falls and the view of the Rhine Falls rock made up for the effort and was impressive. 

But walking up and down the stairs to the castle along the railroad line is a workout and the view of the masses of water is simply unique! We couldn't bring ourselves to go on a boat tour, at some point I just wanted to get back to the hotel - after a good 55 kilometers of cycling and about 12 kilometers on foot.

Our favourite drink on this vacation was definitely a non-alcoholic wheat beer - "Zisch und weg...". Although much more expensive in Switzerland...

Conclusion: Everything went well, starting with the luggage transport, the boat tour, the tour is also doable with an organic bike, we have far too much luggage with us, but you want to be prepared for all eventualities...

Day 3: Schaffhausen – Überlingen

This morning we started with an excellent breakfast and made our way to the nearby ferry terminal. Schaffhausen is a wonderful town with a small weekly market and inviting stores. We then took the boat back to the Höri peninsula. Please note: the upper deck is folded down at the bridges, so it's time to "pull your head in"!

Depending on how much time you have, you can linger there for a while, explore Stein am Rhein or visit the house of the painter Otto Dix in Hemmenhofen. There are a few hills to conquer, but this can also be done on a normal bike. Along the way, you can once again see the monastery island of Reichenau.

There are several lidos along the route, which you can also visit to cool off, enjoy the view or enjoy a refreshment stop.

The route continues over the wooded Bodanrück, partly along the railroad tracks to Radolfzell with its winding alleyways and cathedral. 

At the end of Bodman in the direction of Ludwigshafen, you will come across some whimsical sculptures by Peter Lenk. In Bodman-Ludwigshafen, you can visit the Altbodman ruins, from where you have a fantastic view over Lake Überlingen. The Frauenberg monastery is on the way and can be visited.

Following the Lake Constance cycle path through Sipplingen along the impressive rock formation of the Seven Churfürsten made of sandstone rocks, we reached our destination for today: the Hotel Zum Römer in Überlingen, located directly in the pedestrian zone, right in the middle of the action.

The State Garden Show took place in Überlingen in 2021, which can be seen in the town garden with its exotic plants and the lakeside park, where beautiful plantings can still be found. The lakeside promenade has a Mediterranean feel and invites you to linger.

Our stage today was a good 55 kilometers long. We checked into our rooms in the somewhat rambling, country-style hotel and then explored the town. There is a small, well-stocked organic supermarket at the end of the village where you can find a lot of things. For hot days, we can recommend the tap water from Lake Constance to quench your thirst - we stocked up on syrup on site. 

If you want to visit the thermal baths in bad weather, you can check online to see how busy it is; we decided against it. We were recommended to visit in advance. Überlingen is a great place to stay, and we visited a typical brewery in the evening to fortify ourselves with typical local dishes.

Day 4: Überlingen – Friedrichshafen

The breakfast was very hearty, we slept well and set off refreshed. Today's stage was manageable at a good 30 kilometers and not so challenging.

The pink and white pilgrimage church of Birnau can be seen from afar, but the baroque style didn't appeal to us, so we drove past. There is a winery above, so you can take the detour with you.

This means you can plan more time for detours along the way - the pile dwellings with the replica huts in Uhldingen are great. You can join a guided tour or explore the buildings on your own. Beware, the number of visitors can be high.

Day 5: Friedrichshafen – Lindau

Our next Hotel Schönau is not in Bregenz, but above Lindau in Schönau, so we won't be visiting Bregenz until the next day.

The weather was fine again today, the room and breakfast at the Rebstock were very good and we can recommend it. If the weather is bad, we are not so happy that the rooms are in the adjoining building and there is no connection between them.

The stage is manageable, so you can take your time for an extended visit to Lindau. Thanks to the Lake Constance Card, you can use the buses free of charge.

We left Friedrichshafen behind us in the direction of Langenargen and Kressbronn. We drove through wide orchards in bright sunshine. It's worth stopping along the way at the small stalls selling locally grown fruit and vegetables, including from the island of Reichenau, and cakes. It couldn't be fresher! 

On the way there was an old wooden bridge, an impressive drawbridge and jetties, which offered a unique view of Lake Constance and the panorama, the mountains. 

As we had plenty of time, we first took a look at the island of Lindau and parked the bikes at the old seaport.

The landmark worth seeing, the 6-metre-high lion and the lighthouse stand on the quay walls, and the view from the lighthouse is worthwhile in good weather.

Day 6: Lindau/Schönau via Bregenz – Rorschach

We started the next day well rested and the breakfast buffet was once again very generous. In view of the forecast weather – it was going to rain all day – we set off with rain jackets and trousers and followed the Lake Constance cycle path along the lakeshore from Lindau.

We found the weather pleasant, the advantage being that the cycle path was not so busy and we could easily cycle alongside each other. I was really looking forward to Bregenz, but unfortunately the weather didn't play ball. Unfortunately, we didn't get close enough to the lake stage as the stage set was being renovated for the upcoming production of "Der Freischütz" and was well protected from prying eyes by wooden walls. Too bad, too bad...

But we did make a stopover at a footbridge with a pavilion. By now it was raining more, so we also tried out the overshoes that we had bought before our vacation, which proved their worth in the rain and didn't hinder our cycling.

We continued along the lakeshore, crossed a large bridge near Hard and had a wonderful view of nature. The estuary delta is a large nature reserve, it reminded us a little of the Lower Rhine, of home territory.

The cycle path is easy to cycle on here, you make good progress, it goes up and down a little.

We stopped off at a café in the middle of it and fortified ourselves with a "Kipferl", as it is called in the region (croissant) and milk café.

We crossed the border at Gaißau. We then deviated slightly from the route to get to the Hundertwasser market hall in the Swiss town of Altenrhein. Just a short detour, which is worthwhile if you like Hundertwasser. The building is worth seeing, a visit is free of charge and you can also stop for a bite to eat here. 

From there, we continued – back on the actual route – towards Rorschach.

Our destination was the Hotel Mozart, located in the middle of the city, which we found to be somewhat poorly signposted, as it is not immediately recognizable as a hotel. You enter the hotel through the entrance of the hotel's own café. The bikes are parked in the underground garage around the corner. Once again, the luggage arrived before us, much to our delight, as we wanted to change before exploring the town in more detail. We also had a change of clothes in our bags in case of an emergency.

Located directly on the small harbor, the Kornhaus houses the town museum, which is also suitable for children.

The main street runs parallel to the lake. A small funfair was set up on the promenade, which we followed until we reached the headquarters of the Würth company. There are a number of sculptures outside and a changing exhibition awaits visitors inside. We were very impressed and pleasantly surprised that Mr. Würth always shares his most beautiful works with the visitors, chapeau. The interior is also an eye-catcher in terms of the furnishings.

A bonus: You can visit the interesting exhibition free of charge. 

On the railroad line in the residential area, we found a lookout tower from which we had a fantastic view over the town and the lake. You can use the elevator or the stairs.

Inspired by the reviews of the hotel, we had reserved a table for the evening, but in retrospect would prefer coffee and cake. In the evening, we walked along the promenade past the old bathhouse, which is still in use. It used to be strictly separated into male and female

.

In the evening, we fell into bed tired and were looking forward to the next day's tour with mixed feelings. Everything had worked out wonderfully, getting up, having breakfast, taking our bags to reception, checking the logbook one last time before getting on the bike...

Day 7: Rorschach – Constance, a good 40 kilometers

So we continued on Saturday with a smile and a tear in our eye. The weather played along again and we set off on the last stage to our starting point, Constance, in bright sunshine.

Following the Lake Constance cycle path, we cycled from Rorschach through the two charming towns of Horn and Arbon. Numerous seaside resorts along the route invited us to cool off, and countless boats were anchored in the many nearby harbors.

We then reached Kreuzlingen via Bottighofen, crossed the border there and had already arrived in Constance. Time had flown by.

We didn't recognize the city, it was Saturday and many Swiss people were obviously using the weekend to go shopping and spend a nice day in Constance alongside the countless tourists.

Traffic was controlled by traffic cadets and police officers that day. Cycling within the city was out of the question. So we mainly pushed our bikes and went to Imperia at the harbor one last time. You can watch it turn on its own axis in peace and quiet.

Conclusion:

We really enjoyed the cycle tour and saw a lot. The organization was great, everything went smoothly. We could have cycled for a few more days, that's how much we enjoyed it. Despite the hub gears, the tour was manageable for me, although some of the hills were challenging. We are looking forward to new cycling experiences!
Last but not least - we would like to encourage you that with good preparation, you can also manage the tour well without an e-bike. If in doubt, follow the motto "If you love your bike, push it"...

One last tip: 
If you are planning a visit to the island of Mainau, we recommend taking the first ferry, otherwise you won't be able to take photos of the magnificent flowers and plants because of all the visitors.