Travel report: Lake Constance Cycle Tour

She was traveling alone and had a great time at Lake Constance despite the often not-so-great weather.

Day of arrival 20.5.2024

As is so often the case, the journey with Deutsche Bahn was once again marked by delays and rail replacement services. The only lucky thing was that a nice couple sat opposite me on the train from Singen to Constance, also cyclists, who got off in Petershausen and showed me the way to the hotel. I was well accommodated there. At reception, I was given a map of Lake Constance, which I could use to take the bus to the Radweg-Reisen branch free of charge. My rental bike was already in the courtyard and a friendly member of staff fitted it. He gave me a few tips for dinner. In beautiful sunny weather, I took my bike for a stroll through the old town. A very pretty town with lots of individual stores. A good chance to get used to the new bike. There are numerous cycle paths, protective lanes and wide cycle lanes in Constance. As a stranger, I sometimes had to stop and consult the city map, but I found the Konzilgebäude and the harbor without any problems. I also stopped by the cathedral. Unfortunately, it was already too late to climb the tower. A zeppelin was just passing over the harbor.
 

1st tour on 21.5.2024

I woke up early in the morning to the sound of rain. Breakfast in the cozy little breakfast room was good, but considering it was a rainy day, my mood wasn't the best. I finally decided not to take the planned route via Stein am Rhein, but to cycle along the lakeshore to the island of Mainau. I arrived there just as the gardens were opening. I walked through the rain for an hour and was delighted by the many magnificent peonies that were in full bloom. The great advantage was that I had the garden almost to myself. Apart from the hard-working gardeners, who also had to work in this weather, there were no people to be seen at first, but later a handful. I was able to dry off a little in the butterfly house, which opened at 10 am. My supposedly rainproof new jacket was completely soaked by now. The rain overtrousers, on the other hand, did what they promised. The butterfly house is definitely worth a visit. You are surrounded by huge, brightly colored butterflies. Impressive! The enchanting insects also let you get so close that you can take good photos of them. Even after leaving the warm butterfly house, the rain had not let up. I cycled to Reichenau via Wollmatingen. There was hot tea and delicious cake in a small café in Oberzell. Afterwards, I was lucky enough to take part in a guided tour of the Romanesque church of St. George. The ancient frescoes are fascinating. There is a small museum opposite the church where you can get free information if there is no guided tour. I finally arrived in Radolfzell, wet and tired. The Hotel am Stadtgarten was comfortable and the bike was dry and safe in the underground garage. The bathroom in my room was brand new and wonderful and a hot shower revived my spirits. I bought a new rainproof jacket in a sports store near the hotel. The rain stopped towards the evening. So I was still able to go for a walk through the old town and the beautiful little city garden. The hotel is very centrally located and yet very quiet.

2nd tour on 22.5.2024

The weather was relatively good on the second day of cycling. The rain overtrousers stayed in the saddlebag all day. In the morning there were thick clouds in the sky, at lunchtime it drizzled a little, but later the sun came out. The tour to Friedrichshafen started after a delicious breakfast with the crossing of the Bodanrück. This was the first time I was really grateful for the support of the electric motor. It was quite a steep climb up to Stahringen and then back down to Bodman. Unfortunately, the path ran parallel to a major road for quite a while. But it is mostly separated. I made my first stopover in Überlingen. The former horticultural show grounds invite you to take a break, and the greenhouse with the cacti and succulents is right on the cycle path. A visit to St. Nicholas Church is well worthwhile. A magnificent Gothic hall church. The turn-off to the baroque pilgrimage church of Birnau is not to be missed. I had quite a bit of trouble getting to Birnau that day, as there was unfortunately a bad accident in the morning. A car had not seen the red light at the level crossing and had been hit by the train. As a result, both level crossings were closed and I had to take a detour. Nevertheless, it was a worthwhile detour. I cycled on via Seefelden to Uhldingen. From the riverside park, you have a great view of the pile dwellings with the Birnau in the background.

I was in Meersburg until lunchtime. I enjoyed a delicious lunch of cheese spaetzle with salad in the pedestrian zone. In the old town, I pushed my bike up the steep hill towards the vineyard. It's worth the effort for this gigantic view! Cycling is not allowed in the pedestrian zone. But there is also a winding road outside the town. And there is also a little house that you should see at least once! Annette von Droste-Hülshoff's little princely house above the town is well worth the effort. On the one hand, you have a great view over the town and the lake, and on the other, the little museum is very nicely done. You can sit down comfortably in a wing chair and listen to stories about the poetess.

The following section of the route to Hagnau and Immenstaad was the most beautiful part of the second day. After that, as mentioned in the travel documents, the route unfortunately continues along the road. Friedrichshafen as a town is not very worthwhile after places like Überlingen or Meersburg, but the waterfront promenade is very beautiful and invites you to sit, look and enjoy in good weather. After checking into the hotel, I visited the Zeppelin Museum. The walk-in replica of a zeppelin was impressive. I hadn't realized beforehand how much space the passengers had in the airship. In St. Nicholas Church next to the town hall, there was an exciting art exhibition by a wood sculptor. I also found the many modern fountains that Friedrichshafen has in all its beautiful squares interesting. Some of them invite you to linger and discover the details. Fun for children in warm weather. At the Hotel City Krone I was again in the middle of the city and yet very quietly accommodated. The bike was also well stowed away in a locked and rainproof bike shed.

3rd tour on 23.5.2024

I woke up very early in the morning. I slept well in the hotel, but the sleep-wake rhythm from working hours was stronger. My first walk of the day took me to the harbor, where I climbed the observation tower and could admire the sunrise. The open tower is only for those with a head for heights. I then walked back to the hotel to have breakfast. I had delicious grain rolls, boiled eggs and fresh strawberries. In view of the weather forecast for the coming day and the looming dark clouds, I was back on my bike before eight o'clock. The cycle path towards Lindau/Bregenz was easy to find behind the Zeppelin Museum. However, at the beginning you cycle parallel to a busy road for a while. First we went to Wasserburg. The church with the copper-green onion dome is very famous and, despite the construction sites all around, a very pretty place. On the way, however, you first cross the Langenargen suspension bridge. It is actually on the opposite carriageway, but it is definitely worth crossing the road. As far as Lindau, you cycle largely on well-signposted cycle paths away from the road. Only one detour due to roadworks was a little awkward to avoid. Unfortunately, I had to wear rain gear again, as the first shower of the day came up before I reached Lindau. I soon had my first glimpse of the island of Lindau. This early in the morning, it was still pleasantly quiet in the popular island town. Unfortunately, there was building work going on in Wasserburg. Lindau was still quiet and empty in the early morning. At the harbor, guarded by the Bavarian Lion, the sun came out from between the clouds. I strolled through the picturesque alleyways of the island on my bike. Countless small stores tempt you to go shopping. It's also worth taking a look up, as Lindau is famous for its rooftop balconies. After a good hour, I got back on my bike and followed the Lake Constance cycle path towards Bregenz. I also had to puzzle my way through a detour to Lindau.

4th tour on 24.5.2024

The clocks tick differently in Austria. When I arrived for breakfast shortly before seven o'clock, there were already a lot of people there. I set off around half past seven. The sky was very cloudy, but there was no rain in sight. At the beginning, the cycle path led very pleasantly along the forest. Here too, the border crossing into Switzerland was open and uncomplicated. The cycle path signage changes to red and white. At times you cycle between gardens, fields and campsites, then again close to the single-track railroad line, on which a train rarely comes. Sometimes, unfortunately, you have to cycle parallel to the road for a while and in one or two places there is no cycle path and you have to take the road. You can't miss the barn redesigned by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. You cycle straight towards it and immediately see the golden onion domes. In Rorschach, it's worth stopping at the sculpture park, which is right on the cycle path. Unfortunately, I otherwise found the town to be very busy and noisy, with lots of roadworks adding to the congestion.

Arbon, on the other hand, is a cute little town that you should cycle through. The church impresses with its beautiful modern windows. The riverside park in Romanshorn is also well worth a visit. It's a great place to take a short break. In a small village directly on the cycle route, just over the railroad, there was a charming medicinal plant garden. It was a shame that so many people cycled past it. It was very lovingly laid out and freely accessible. In Münsterlingen, I took a look at the old monastery church. There you can see the statue of St. John, which is carried across the lake to Hagnau during lake fires. However, the last Seegfrörne was in 1963 and it has been in Münsterlingen ever since. In view of climate change, it will probably stay there...

I arrived in Constance in glorious sunshine. My accommodation was already ready and I was able to leave my luggage there. In the city, I did what I hadn't been able to do when I arrived on Monday: go to the harbor, climb the tower of the cathedral, take a stroll, eat ice cream. It was wonderful. A wonderful feeling of being on vacation!