Highlights of Lake Constance by Bike – Self-Launched

Arrive into Bregenz, the elegant Austrian lakeside capital set against the backdrop of the Pfänder mountain. Check into your guesthouse or budget hotel near the old town and spend the afternoon exploring the ancient cobbled streets of the Oberstadt (upper town), its medieval towers and the Roman ruins. Bregenz is easily reached by train from Zürich (1.5 hrs, ~£20), Munich (2 hrs, ~£25) or Innsbruck (2 hrs, ~£20). Head to the waterfront promenade for your first views of the turquoise lake and grab dinner at one of the many lakeside restaurants — try the local Bodensee perch (Kretzer).

🚌Arrive by train: Zürich HB to Bregenz ~£20, Munich Hbf to Bregenz ~£25. Bus or short walk from Bregenz station to accommodation.

🛏Hotel Weisses Kreuz or similar budget hotel/guesthouse in central Bregenz (~£50-70/night). Alternatively, Jugendherberge Bregenz (youth hostel) from ~£30/night.

• →Explore Bregenz Oberstadt (old town) — free
• →Walk the lakeside promenade and harbour — free
• →Visit the Vorarlberg Museum for regional history — ~£10
• →Dinner at a lakeside restaurant — budget ~£15-20

Collect your hire bike first thing — rent from Intersport Bregenz or similar local shop (~£20-25/day for a quality touring bike; book in advance online). Follow the well-signed Bodensee-Radweg (Route 2) westward along the southern shore of the lake. The route is almost entirely flat and traffic-free. Cross the mighty Rhine Delta into Switzerland — a UNESCO-protected wetland and haven for kingfishers, herons and waterfowl. Keep your eyes peeled in the reeds! Continue along the Swiss shore to the charming historic town of Arbon with its pretty half-timbered houses, Roman tower, and 16th-century Arbon Castle overlooking the lake. Swim from the public lido before dinner.

🚌Self-cycle 41 km along Bodensee-Radweg — flat, well-signed lakeside path. No additional transport needed.

🛏Hotel Frohsinn or Gasthof Rössli, Arbon (~£55-75/night). Budget option: search booking.com for guesthouses from ~£45.

• →Hire touring bike from Intersport Bregenz or local rental shop — ~£22/day
• →Cycle Bodensee-Radweg: Bregenz → Rhine Delta → Arbon (41 km, ~2.5 hrs riding)
• →Wildlife watching in the Rhine Delta wetlands — free
• →Visit Arbon Castle (free exterior; small museum entry ~£5)
• →Swim at Arbon public lido — free or ~£3

A longer day with two options. For the full 57 km route, pedal clockwise along the Swiss shore passing the waterfront villages of Kreuzlingen and the Untersee, enjoying panoramic lake views and plenty of café terrace stops. Alternatively, take the regional train from Arbon to Güttingen (~£6, bikes allowed) and then cycle the remaining 35 km to Stein am Rhein — a fantastic option if you want to arrive fresh. Either way, your destination is the jewel of the route: medieval Stein am Rhein, whose main square is lined with jaw-dropping painted and frescoed half-timbered façades. Browse the chocolate shops, visit the 11th-century Benedictine monastery of St Georgen (~£5 entry), and reward yourself with a lakeside dinner.

🚌Self-cycle 57 km (or train Arbon→Güttingen ~£6 + 35 km cycle). Bodensee-Radweg is clearly signed throughout.

🛏Hotel Rheinfels or Gasthof Adler, Stein am Rhein (~£60-80/night). Book early as this small town fills up in summer.

• →Cycle Bodensee-Radweg along Swiss lakeside villages (57 km full route or 35 km from Güttingen)
• →Optional train Arbon → Güttingen to shorten the day — ~£6 (bikes travel free or ~£5 extra)
• →Explore Stein am Rhein's medieval Rathausplatz and frescoed buildings — free
• →Visit Kloster St Georgen monastery museum — ~£5
• →Chocolate shop hopping — budget ~£5-10
• →Swim or dip in the Rhine — free

Head east along the southern shore of the Untersee, crossing back into Germany. Detour through the Hornstaad Nature Reserve — a superb birdwatching spot for cormorants, red-crested pochard and great crested grebes. The route then follows the Gnadensee and leads to Klosterinsel Reichenau — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest continuously inhabited place on Lake Constance. The 8th-century Carolingian Benedictine Abbey is a must-see (free entry to grounds, small charge for church museum). Cross the causeway back to the mainland and roll into Konstanz, the unofficial regional capital straddling the German-Swiss border. Check in and explore the vibrant Altstadt.

🚌Self-cycle 45 km. Route crosses into Germany — no passport control but carry ID. Bodensee-Radweg continues to be well-signed.

🛏Hotel Barbarossa Konstanz or DJH Jugendherberge Konstanz (hostel, ~£30-35/night). Mid-range guesthouses from ~£55/night via booking.com.

• →Cycle Bodensee-Radweg: Stein am Rhein → Hornstaad → Reichenau → Konstanz (45 km)
• →Birdwatching in Hornstaad Nature Reserve — free
• →Visit UNESCO Klosterinsel Reichenau and the Benedictine Abbey (~£4 museum entry)
• →Explore Konstanz Altstadt and Münster cathedral — free
• →Sunset drinks on the Konstanz waterfront — budget ~£8

A free day to explore Konstanz at your own pace. Wander the narrow streets of the Altstadt, visit the Konstanz Münster (cathedral), and browse the eclectic boutiques and museums of the lively centre. Don't miss the Council of Konstanz Historical Museum in the old Konzilgebäude building (~£5). For a memorable half-day excursion, take the public ferry to Mainau Island — the so-called 'Flower Island' with its baroque palace, butterfly house and spectacular rose gardens (~£15 return ferry + entry). Take your bike on the ferry and cycle back via traffic-free lakeside paths. Treat yourself to a Bodensee fish dinner in the evening.

🚌Public ferry Konstanz → Mainau Island — ~£5-8 each way (bikes often free or small extra). Check BSB ferry timetables at bsb.de.

🛏Same as Day 4 — second night in Konstanz (~£35-60/night).

• →Explore Konstanz Altstadt, Münster and harbour — free
• →Konzilgebäude Historical Museum — ~£5
• →Ferry to Mainau Island (palace, rose gardens, butterfly house) — ~£15 return ferry + £12 island entry
• →Cycle back from Mainau along lakeside path — free
• →Optional: Bodensee perch (Kretzer) lunch or dinner at waterfront restaurant — ~£18-25

A shorter cycling day with a memorable highlight. Pedal through oak forest to the Staad ferry terminal (signposted from Konstanz) and catch the 15-minute car ferry across to fairytale Meersburg (~£4-6 each way with bike). Meersburg is one of the most photogenic towns on the lake — built on a steep vineyard with two castles (Old Castle, Germany's oldest inhabited castle, and the New Palace), cobbled lanes and stunning lake views. Explore the twin castles (~£10-12 combined entry), grab lunch in one of the vineyard terraces, and taste the local Müller-Thurgau white wine. Then cycle south via the gentle lakeside path to Friedrichshafen, home of the Zeppelin Museum (~£12 entry) — well worth a visit.

🚌Self-cycle 28 km total. Ferry Staad→Meersburg: BSB car ferry, runs frequently, ~15 mins, ~£4-6 per person with bike. Pay at quayside.

🛏Hotel City Krone or Ibis Styles Friedrichshafen (~£55-80/night). Budget guesthouses from ~£45 via booking.com.

• →Cycle to Staad ferry terminal (5 km from Konstanz centre)
• →Car ferry Staad → Meersburg (~£4-6 with bike) — book at the quay
• →Visit Meersburg Old Castle (Altes Schloss) — ~£8 entry
• →Explore Meersburg village and vineyard terraces — free
• →Wine tasting at a local Weingut — ~£8-12
• →Cycle Meersburg → Friedrichshafen (28 km total from Konstanz)
• →Optional: Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen — ~£12

The final cycling stage and arguably the most beautiful. Head east along the German northern shore through the peaceful village of Langenargen, past orchards and vineyards, to the stunning island town of Lindau — connected to the mainland by a bridge and causeway, with a picturesque old town, lighthouse and long-distance views of the snow-capped Alps across the lake. Have lunch here in an idyllic lakeside setting — this is a moment to savour. Continue east along the lakeside path, re-entering Austria, for the final push back into Bregenz. If time and energy allow, take the Pfänder cable car (~£14 return) up to 1,064m for a magnificent panoramic view over the entire lake and your whole week's route. Return your hire bike this evening.

🚌Self-cycle 38 km on Bodensee-Radweg. Flat, well-signed route back into Austria. Cable car: Pfänderbahn Bregenz, runs daily, ~£14 return (check pfaenderbahn.at).

🛏Back to Bregenz — Hotel Weisses Kreuz or similar (~£50-70/night). Or treat yourself to a final night upgrade!

• →Cycle Friedrichshafen → Langenargen → Lindau → Bregenz (38 km)
• →Explore Lindau island old town and harbour — free
• →Lunch in Lindau with Alpine lake views — ~£15-20
• →Optional: Pfänder cable car from Bregenz (~£14 return) for panoramic finale
• →Return hire bike to rental shop
• →Celebration dinner in Bregenz — ~£20-25

Enjoy a final breakfast at your hotel before departing. Bregenz has excellent train connections: Zürich (~1.5 hrs), Munich (~2 hrs), Innsbruck (~2 hrs) and beyond. If you have time before your train, take a final stroll along the Bregenz harbour promenade for one last look at the lake. Congratulations — you've completed a full self-launched loop of Lake Constance across three countries entirely under your own steam!

🚌Train from Bregenz: to Zürich ~£20, Munich ~£25, Innsbruck ~£20. Book via ÖBB (oebb.at) or Deutsche Bahn (bahn.de) in advance for best fares.

🛏Check out — no accommodation needed.

• →Final breakfast at hotel — included
• →Last stroll along Bregenz harbour promenade — free
• →Depart by train to onward destination