Romanshorn, Switzerland – Queen’s “Bicycle Race” anthem charged in my head as I cycled along the shores of Lake Constance. The upbeat energy of the song matched my sheer joy at riding in this gorgeous setting. “Bicycle, bicycle…”
Located at the heart of Europe, Lake Constance shares its shoreline with Switzerland, Germany and Austria. This is prime cycling ground that lets you visit three countries at once. Cycling paths around the lake are flat and easy to navigate, or for a more challenging ride, head into the Alps that provide a stunning backdrop to the area. My group of nine cyclists ranged in age and ability, and nobody found the routes too stressful, although the hills had us huffing and puffing a bit. All the better to convince ourselves we deserved to sample the terrific local wine and food. Even with all the eating I did, I came home two pounds lighter – a bonus.
While we didn’t travel the entire 270-km circumference of the lake (many people do), we had a heck of a lot of fun exploring various routes in each country.
We cycled from town to charming town, through vineyards and farms, stopping often to explore a castle, hike in the foothills, do a little shopping or sip a cappuccino. The Rhine River flows to Lake Constance.
At the Swiss end, where the river exits the lake, is the medieval town of Stein am Rhein with colourful frescoes that adorn most of the buildings in the town square.
It’s definitely the centre of town with its busy shops and cafes. They were setting up for the evening’s outdoor concert when we arrived.
“The paintings tell stories of the town’s history,” says guide Lore Vetterli. On the Town Hall, built around 1540, are numerous images including one that depicts an attack on the town.
“That man with a lamp,” she points, “was the town baker, who rang an alarm bell to warn the townspeople in time for them to
defend themselves.
He’s a hero for saving the town.
”Many people board cruise boats at Stein am Rhein to continue downriver to the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen, the largest waterfall in Europe. The boat route highlights one of the most beautiful sections of the river.
Those with a romantic nature will adore the nearby town of Schaffhausen. Its Old Town makes you believe you’ve just stepped back into the Middle Ages with its pedestrian-only streets and squares, its decorated townhouses and its famous oriel windows – all 171 of the attractive bay windows that are a specialty of the town. Be sure to climb up the hill to the 16th-century Munot fortress and enjoy the great views.
Heading back up the river to the lake near Ermatingen is Castle Arenenburg, the boyhood home of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, known as Napoléon III and first president of the French Republic. He was the son of Louis Bonaparte, the brother of Napoléon I, and Hortense de Beauharnais, the daughter of Napoléon I’s wife Josephine de Beauharnais. Set within an idyllic parkland of gardens, tinkling fountains and overlooking Lake Constance, Arenenburg Castle is enchanting. A visit feels like stepping back to the 19th century.
“Ninety-eight per cent of the furnishings, sculptures and paintings are original,” says guide Nadja Schwitter. “It was very much a home the family lived in and enjoyed.”
Nearby is the main city on the lake, Constance, and we’ve now officially crossed into Germany.
We found that when we crossed a border in a car, the border guard gave us a quick check, but for the many times we crossed a border by bicycle, there were no signs on the bike paths and we often didn’t realize exactly when we had crossed a border. It was all very relaxed.
Constance is a university town with a youthful vibe. There’s plenty of history here, but the energy is modern. There are terrific shops, restaurants and clubs. Watching over it all is Imperia, the massive statue of a favourite 15th-century courtesan that guards the entrance to the harbour.
Just off Constance is Mainau Island, reached by regular cruise ferry service as well as linked by a causeway. It’s not called the Flower Island for nothing. It has 10,000 species of plants and trees; 20,000 rose plants (more than 1,200 varieties); 150,000 spring flowers such as daffodils, hyacinths and primulas; nearly 500,000 Dutch tulips; plus camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas. The 45-hectare island, complete with castle, is a popular place to stroll, have lunch and enjoy the lakeside views.
As we travelled around the lake, we moved in and out of the three countries. Back in Switzerland we headed up into the foothills of the Alps (admittedly by train, not by bike) to the sophisticated city of St. Gallen. A university town with a rich tradition of learning, the Abbey Precincts with its baroque cathedral and collegiate library are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The interior of the library is a beautiful example of rococo art with frescoed ceilings and inlaid wood floors. The charm is the ornate woodwork of the bookshelves that hold 150,000 books and 200,000 original manuscripts from the Middle Ages. Not just for tourists, it’s a working library and open to all.
Smart and fashionable, a walk around town reveals its stunning architecture of baroque, rococo and art nouveau styles, as well as trendy boutiques and cafes. Its history as a textile town, particularly embroidery, continues today. Fashion label Akris is based here, a favourite with celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Brooke Shields and Susan Sarandon.
The Lake Constance area is a four-season playground with plenty of alpine hills for skiers in winter, but it really shines in the summer. There are lazy days for swimming and sunning, and on weekends the lake is filled with sailboats. In addition to cycling, there are lots of hiking trails. One of the most popular is Pfaender Mountain. The trail starts in Bregenz, the Austrian town famous for its open-air summer music festival. Verdi’s opera Aida was performed on the festival’s signature floating stage this summer and it will be on stage again next summer, too.
From the top of Pfaender Mountain (at 1,064 metres) it was easy to look down and see the festival stage jutting over the water.
The climb ranged from mild to steep in places and provided a good cardio workout. (Okay, we huffed and puffed!) It took the better part of two hours and I was impressed at the Austrians’ fitness level. One guy climbed barefoot, and another man, who must have been in his mid 70s, blew past me. At the top, we enjoyed the fabulous view over a hearty lunch, and then took the cable car back down again.
Various ferries make it easy to crisscross the lake. Sightseeing boats, many with restaurants, make for an ideal lunch or dinner cruise. Out on the lake one afternoon I looked up to see the most incredible sight – a Zeppelin airship moving in the clear, blue sky. It’s based at the Zeppelin Museum at Friedrichshafen on the German side. The exhibits are fascinating and the main attraction is the walk-in reconstruction of a 33-metre-long part of the ill-fated Hindenburg. Enormous! Check out the recreated lounge and cabins. Designed in the Bauhaus style, the interiors look modern and chic nearly a century later.
From Friedrichshafen we cycled a winding route to Meersburg along the lake, through orchards and vineyards, with the hills getting steeper. By the time we approached Meersburg, set up on the hillside overlooking the lake, I was looking for a cold beer and quick visit to the Meersburg Spa with its sauna and steam baths plus indoor/outdoor pool facing the lake.
Meersburg Castle is the oldest inhabited castle in Germany. About 30 of its 100 rooms are open to visitors and span the castle’s history from medieval times, through the Renaissance to the 19th century. Be sure you don’t get locked in the dungeon.
“The atmosphere is authentic as we’ve renovated carefully,” says Julia Naessl-Dom, the lady of the castle. With two children, “it’s great to live here, the big rooms, the views, but it’s not really built for families. However, the children love to inline skate down the long back corridors – away from visitors,”
It must be weird and wonderful to live in a 1,000- year-old home. That blend of old and new, historic and modern is very much a part of what makes Lake Constance so inviting – even if cobblestones are particularly treacherous things to cycle on.
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