The Grand Bike Tour in Switzerland

Your grand bike tour in Switzerland first begins on German soil. Constance, the largest city on Lake Constance, impresses with its historically interesting old town and a lakeside promenade with views of the Alps. The city's most memorable landmark is probably the Imperia. The nine-metre-high figure standing directly at the harbour is a reminder of the time of the Council in the 15th century.

The first stage of your grand bike tour in Switzerland is spent on the Lake Constance Cycle Path along the Swiss shores of the Lower Lake and the High Rhine. A stopover is worthwhile in Stein am Rhein. Take a walk through the old town, which is characterised by colourfully painted houses – an absolute eye-catcher. The landmark of your day's destination Schaffhausen is the Munot. The fortress towers above the town. The Munotglöggli, the tower bell of the fortress, rings every evening. It has been rung every evening punctually at 9 pm for several centuries.

Just a stone's throw from the centre of Schaffhausen are the Rhine Falls. It is one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. You can get very close to its thundering waters on a boat trip. You cycle through the Glatt valley to Zurich. The cultural and economic heart of Switzerland invites you to take a long walk on both sides of the Limmat river. You can enjoy an excellent view of the city, Lake Zurich and the Alps from the Uetliberg, the city's local mountain.

Along the Gold Coast, the northern shore of Lake Zurich, you cycle to Rapperswil. Stop off in the rose town, whose old town is dominated by the towers of Rapperswil Castle. Cross the lake via a lake dam and reach Pfäffikon. A train ride takes you to Einsiedeln. The monastery there is one of the most important baroque buildings in Switzerland and is a stop on the Way of St. James. The Black Madonna in particular is the destination of numerous pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.

After breakfast, your grand bike tour in Switzerland will take you to Lake Zug and on to Küssnacht. The town on the north-western tip of Lake Lucerne is famous for the Swiss national hero William Tell. Back on your bike, the cycle path takes you to Lucerne, surrounded by impressive mountain panoramas. The cityscape is dominated by the Chapel Bridge, the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe.

You leave Lucerne, pass Lake Sarnen and reach Giswil. You board the Brünig Railway, which takes you over the Brünig Pass, about 1000 metres high, to Brienz. You cycle along the beautiful Lake Brienz to Interlaken. The town in the middle of the Bernese Oberland is famous for its impressive mountains. Take a trip to the Harder Kulm. You can reach Interlaken's local mountain by funicular. Enjoy a wonderful view of the surrounding mountain peaks from the viewing platform.

Your cycling day begins with a boat trip across Lake Thun. Once in Thun, Thun Castle with its huge residential tower will catch your eye. Explore the picturesque old town before cycling leisurely along the Aare to Bern. The Swiss capital also impresses with its dreamy old town, which knows how to enchant with numerous fountains, historic towers and small alleys. A special eye-catcher is the astronomical clock of the Zytgloggeturm, a medieval clock tower.

Along the Aare and Lake Wohlen, you will reach the watchmaking world metropolis of Biel during your grand bike tour in Switzerland. The city is ideal for brushing up on your French. Bilingual street signs reflect the fact that it belongs to French-speaking Switzerland. The French-inspired cafés and restaurants invite you to enjoy moments of pleasure. Try the praline speciality Bieler Bsetzisteine and treat yourself to a glass of the sparkling white wines from the vineyards on Lake Biel.

The Aare Cycle Path takes you swiftly to Solothurn. Thanks to remarkable buildings such as St. Ursen Cathedral, the city is considered the most beautiful baroque city in Switzerland. In Solothurn, the number 11 has a special meaning, whose origins possibly date back to the Middle Ages. In addition to eleven churches and chapels, the city boasts eleven towers, eleven museums and a clock that only shows 11 hours. Even Solothurn's Öufi beer pays homage to the magic 11th hour.

Continuing along the Aare, you cycle through small picturesque villages and get to know Aarau. The city, characterised by buildings from different eras, was once the capital of Switzerland. In the old town, which is well worth seeing, you can marvel at numerous painted roof linings, which earned Aarau the nickname City of Beautiful Gables. It's worth looking up! One of the town's landmarks is the Upper Tower. It dates from the 13th century and is one of the best-preserved medieval towers in Switzerland.

From Aarau you will arrive at the moated castle of Switzerland. The rivers Aare, Reuss and Limmat, which come from the Alps, meet in the spacious river landscape. Via the spa town of Baden, which boasts 19 sulphur springs, you cycle back to Zurich. Learn more about the country's history and culture at the Swiss National Museum, stroll along the elegant Bahnhofstrasse and enjoy the view of the crystal-clear water and the nearby mountains at Lake Zurich. From Zurich, take the train to Lachen. The town lies on the upper part of Lake Zurich and offers one of the most beautiful sunsets on the lake from the shore. 

On today's stage of your bike tour in Switzerland, you will leisurely follow the Linth Canal for the most part. It leads you to the small town of Weesen on Lake Walen. Here you will cross over to the other side of the lake by boat. Lake Walen is 150 metres deep and is overlooked by the Churfirsten peaks on its northern shore. Once in Walenstadt, you cycle through the valley of the Alpine Rhine to Liechtenstein. You will spend the night in Vaduz, the capital of the small principality. 

Your bike tour in Switzerland today takes you north along the Alpine Rhine into the Appenzell region. Away from the river, you reach Altstätten. There you board the train and ride up into Appenzellerland to Gais. Cycle downhill to St. Gallen. The town was once famous for its canvas and embroidery trade. The collegiate church and the collegiate library are particularly worth seeing. Both in baroque style, they have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites for many decades. At the end of the day, take a stroll through the old town of St. Gallen with its many oriel windows and medieval-style houses.

Today you can relax on Lake Constance. In Arbon, take a little time out in the bathing area by jumping into the water of the lake or bathing in the sun. Along the shores of Lake Constance you cycle via Romanshorn to Constance. Explore the old town with its small cafés and shops, pay a visit to the Imperia at the harbour and get a bird's eye view of the city from the tower of the cathedral. At the end of your trip, visit the Rosgarten Museum, which will introduce you to the culture and history of the city and the Lake Constance region.

Your grand bike tour in Switzerland ends after breakfast. We are happy to extend your stay in Constance with an extra night.