Overview
What to expect
Tour between three glistening lakes as you ride through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Germany. Following meandering rivers, straight canals and quiet country lanes, the cycling is mostly undemanding but opt for an electric bike if you’d like an extra boost. The city of Zurich is a highlight halfway through and there are plenty of places to stop en route, whether it’s to explore a medieval town, cool off with a swim or enjoy a lakeside picnic.
Straddling four countries, you’ll start and finish at Europe’s third largest lake, pedalling past flower-filled meadows and grazing cows with a backdrop of iced Alpine mountains. Near each medieval village or lakeside resort you visit, expect striking natural features, from the deep waters of Lake Walensee, to the largest waterfall in Europe and the rocky peaks of the Churfirsten Mountains.
At a glance
- Ride through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Germany
- Deep blue lakes, green meadows and iced peaks
- Medieval villages, lakeside resorts and Zurich city
- Scenic cycling with plenty of pit-stops and the option of e-bikes
The Trip
Route
Itinerary
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Day 1:
Arrive in Constance/Kreuzlingen
Make your way to the city of Constance, on the shore of Lake Constance. Take a stroll around the old town centre, cross the bridge to the flower island of Mainau or visit the monastery island of Reichenau.
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Day 2:
Constance/Kreuzlingen - Schaffhausen
31 miles (50 km)
Cross the border into Switzerland and cycle through small romantic villages to Stein am Rhein, one of the lake's prettiest and best preserved medieval towns. Follow the Rhine to Schaffhausen, with its towering Munot Fortress.
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Day 3:
Schaffhausen - Zurich
41 miles (65 km)
Take a boat trip and enjoy the view of the famous Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe. Follow the meandering River Rhine towards Eglisau before continuing through the Glatt valley en route to cosmopolitan Zurich.
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Day 4:
Zurich - Lachen
25 miles (40 km)
Explore Zurich with a stroll along the promenade, visit to the old town or trip to the museums. Cycle along the banks of Lake Zurich to reach the castle at Rapperswil and cross the dam to reach the small town of Lachen on the opposite shore.
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Day 5:
Lachen - Walenstadt
19 miles (30 km)
Tour alongside the Linth Canal, which runs between Lake Zurich and Lake Walensee. Arrive at Weesen and take a boat across the lake to Walenstadt. Relax by the 150-metre deep Lake Walen, which is overlooked by the towering Churfirsten Mountains.
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Day 6:
Walenstadt - Feldkirch
34 miles (55 km)
Pedal towards the Alpenrhein valley past numerous, impressive castles to reach the principality of Liechtenstein. Cycle across the border to Austria and the medieval town of Feldkirch, overlooked by the 13th-century Schattenburg Castle.
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Day 7:
Feldkirch - St Gallen
28 miles (45 km)
Set off along the Rhine before taking a cogwheel railway through the green pastures of the Appenzell countryside to Gais. Cycle past Alpine meadows and grazing cows en route to St Gallen, home to an important monastery and UNESCO-listed library.
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Day 8:
St Gallen - Constance
28 miles (45 km)
Ride downhill towards Lake Constance, stopping for a break at the town of Arbon. Continue along the shore line through Swiss villages and apple orchards back to Constance.
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Day 9:
Depart from Constance
After a final breakfast in Constance, check out and make your way home or extend your holiday with additional nights.
Accommodation
3* Hotels
We use a pool of 3* hotels to maximise our availability for this tour, so regardless of the time of year we do our best to secure your dates of choice. The accommodation often has a lovely local flair, with a chance to experience local life with an authentic flavour of your destination.
- 8 nights in 3* hotels
- Breakfast included
- Secure bike storage
- Luggage transferred each day
Dates & Prices
Please click on a departure date for price options at a glance
Price includes
- 8 nights accommodation: 3 star hotels
- Board Basis: Bed and breakfast
- Luggage transportation
- Maps and route information (one set per room) - GPS tracks available
- Entrance Rosgartenmuseum in Constance including 1 coffee
- Boat Trip to the Rheinfalls rocks
- Boat Trip Weesen - Walenstadt (includes bike)
- Train journey from Altstätten - Gais (includes bike)
- Local contact number for assistance
Child reductions (3rd and 4th in room)
- Up to 5 years: 100%
- 6 to 13 years: 50%
- 14 to 17 years: 25%
Price excludes
- Flights and transfers
- Bike hire
- Cycle helmets
- Tourist tax (small charge, payable locally)
*Twin rooms in Germany (and also in Austria & Switzerland) usually consist of one double bed with separate mattresses and bedding. Some hotels do have separate twin beds but these are exceptions.
Bike Hire & Extras
Bike hire
Pannier, handlebar bag, repair kit, bike computer and lock all included at no extra cost when you hire a bike.
Child tag-alongs, trailers and bike seats available on request.
24 or 7 gear with pannier
8 gear with pannier
20, 24 or 26 inch wheels
Extras
You can add these when you price your trip
Extra nights
News, Reviews & FAQs
FAQs
Simply click on a question to reveal the answers
Why are the hotels not listed in the itinerary?
We use a pool of hotels to maximise availability for you.
Customer reviews
What other customers have said
Been on this tour? Add your review!
This is a great way to travel for a family holiday! Beautiful scenery! Would have given a rating of 5, but one of the bikes we were issued was not well maintained causing a number of problems. - I am glad you had a great holiday overall. I am sorry to hear about the issue with your bike and I am glad it was able to be resolved and you enjoyed the rest of your holiday. Saul (Freedom Treks).
Betsey Zackeo, USA, August 2018Our family embarked on the three lakes, four countries tour with Freedom Treks. We were travelling from NZ and were new to this type of travel (although we are very keen bikers ourselves). From the moment I emailed Freedom Treks, I had brilliant communication from Andy, who listened to what we were after and helped us to make some alterations to the tour to accommodate our family. We added three additional nights along the way so that we had extra days to explore in Schafferhausen, Feldkirch and Walenstadt. This worked perfectly and gave us extra time to look around.
Michelle Daniel, NZ, July 2018
