Germany, Austria & Switzerland: Bavarian Alps & Lake Constance

All you have to do is get to the airport. On our Air Packages, we’ll take care of the rest, handling all the logistics, so you can travel with peace of mind. Spend your first night aloft and arrive refreshed for an unforgettable trip.

Start off your first day in Munich right by having a VBT representative greet you at the airport. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your hotel.

After an included breakfast, meet your VBT representative and the rest of the group in the lobby of your Munich hotel at 11:30 a.m. for a prompt 12:00 p.m. departure by motorcoach. Your VBT representative will be holding a VBT sign and will be easy to recognize. From Munich, travel to Füssen (two hours, depending on traffic). Please plan to eat lunch before this journey. Please bring your cycling clothes (including your pedals or saddle if you use your own) in your day pack so you can change before beginning the warm-up ride.

Meet your VBT trip leaders at 2:00 p.m. at your hotel in Füssen for a bike fitting and safety review followed by your warm-up ride. Please note that check-in time is 4:00 p.m., and your room will not be ready. You will be able to leave your bags with the reception desk.

Your first ride in this magical realm leads you into a lovely countryside and to a pristine lake. Breathtaking alpine vistas and charming narrow farm roads provide an ideal preview of the stunning cycling ahead!

Later, gather with the group for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner at the hotel.

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Warm-up — 21 km (13 miles)

What to Expect: Today’s ride is a pleasant countryside loop from our hotel, mostly (90%) along bike paths. Cycle past meadows and forest, along some packed gravel to a picturesque lake with stunning alpine views. You cross a few wooden bridges and railroad tracks before a gradual climb. Your ride ends along small farming roads and a lightly trafficked secondary road.

Cumulative Distance Range: 21 km (13 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, enjoy an invigorating spin through the scenic district of Eastern Allgäu. Marvel at views of the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle, cycle around the shores of pristine Lake Forggensee, the largest in the Allgäu, and savor postcard-perfect views of the Bavarian Alps. Lunch is on your own today.

Our longer option follows the 2,000-year-old Via Claudia, or “Emperor’s Road” from the days of trade between Venetian and alpine emissaries. It is pure pleasure to cycle between the many mountain villages of Bavaria, each more charming than the last, punctuated by onion-domed steeples rising against a backdrop of emerald-green mountain slopes. This is truly a working farm region that carries on traditions from generations past. Each September, a procession of 30,000 cattle return to the valley’s farm stables from the high mountain pastures of the Allgäu Alps, where they have been feeding all summer on high-nutrition grass and herbs that grow at higher altitudes. Still, you will no doubt coast past dairy cows with their tell-tale bells around their necks. After so many miles of enchantment, you may wish to swim in the lake before returning to the hotel.

This afternoon, enjoy an optional bike ride to the nearby village of Hohenschwangau. From here, walk up to the hilltop Schloss Neuschwanstein for a 30-minute audio-tour (fee applies). Your trip leaders will facilitate with purchase of tickets this morning, subject to availability. This renowned fairytale castle was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria, inspired by the sweeping operas of Richard Wagner. It was to be the king’s retreat, but he died before its completion.

Dinner is on your own tonight.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Füssen to Lake Forggensee — 34 km (21 miles) | Füssen to Lake Forggensee Plus — 58 km (36 miles)

Afternoon Füssen to Hohenschwangau to Füssen — 8 km (5 miles)

What to Expect: You ride on bike paths throughout the day, circumnavigating Lake Forggensee and taking in fabulous views of Neuschwanstein Castle. The morning route is slightly undulating, passing meadows, smaller swan-dotted lakes, and tiny villages with onion-domed churches. After lunch, cross a hydro-electric dam and follow the Via Claudia. The short option follows the lakeside bike path back to Füssen. The long option offers some challenging climbing and rewarding panoramic alpine views and well-deserved descents.Later this afternoon, you may do an optional ride from Füssen to Hohenschwangau to visit Neuschwanstein Castle on your own and then ride back to your hotel in Füssen.

Cumulative Distance Range: 34 – 66 km (21 – 41 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

After another delicious breakfast, you travel about an hour to Röthenbach, Germany. Upon arrival, enjoy a spin along the Bodensee-Königssee Bike Route, a mostly downhill ride to Lindau brimming with lush green pastures surrounded by mountain streams and breathtaking views of the Alps. You pause along the way for lunch at an inn in the Bavarian countryside.

Later, you follow the shores of Lake Constance, Europe’s third largest freshwater lake. Its waters reflect heat, creating a Mediterranean-style climate conducive to growing Pinot Noir and white Müller-Thurgau grapes. Its shores are also renowned for the gardens that grace residential areas, lakeside parks, and the botanical island of Mainau. Upon arrival at this remarkable lake, you cycle to your 5-star Hotel Bayerischer Hof and its sister property, the 4-star Reutemann Seegarten, sit right on the waterfront in the heart of Lindau Island, a charming medieval town with a picturesque harbor and Bavaria’s only lighthouse. These hotels have been operated by the Stolze-Spaeth family for more than 150 years. Join your group for dinner at a local restaurant.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Röthenbach to Lindau — 42 km (26 miles)

What to Expect: Follow mostly bike paths today, traversing some softly undulating hills through pretty farm country, orchards, forests and typical Bavarian villages, as stunning views of the German, Swiss, and Austrian Alps unfold. After a home-hosted lunch, you have a short challenging climb before a flat and mostly downhill spin to Lindau.

Cumulative Distance Range: 42 km (26 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a hearty breakfast, shuttle 50 minutes to the start of a bike path in the alpine village of Schoppernau, located on the upper reaches of the Bregenzerach River. It’s a different world here at 2,500 feet (762 meters) in the Austrian Alps. A sophisticated country lifestyle is prevalent here in the mountains high above Lake Constance. During a day of mostly downhill spinning on a well-marked paved path, admire high mountain scenery, passing small family farms, meadows of wildflowers, forests, villages, waterfalls, wooden bridges, and a unique architectural blend of customary chalet styles and über-modern design. This region is known for its traditional crafts, including fine lace, woolen textiles, and especially finely wrought woodwork such as toys, shoes, carvings, and carpentry. Cows, sheep, and goats are also important to the local economy—which explains why today’s inspirational route is called the “Cheese Road.”

After lunch on your own, our longer option leaves Bregenzerwald and continues to Lindau, crossing into Bavarian Germany. Tonight’s dinner is on your own in Lindau.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Bregenz Forest to Egg — 31 km (19 miles) | Alberschwende to Lindau — 28 km (17 miles)

What to Expect: Our morning ride follows a flat and slightly downhill paved bike path along a glacial river. After lunch on your own, the longer option begins with a 7-km (4.5-mile) shuttle ride to Alberschwende. Cycle a quiet paved mountain road with two short ascents and a breathtaking descent. Once you reach the valley, enjoy a flat and easy ride back to Lindau via Bergenz and the eastern shore of Lake Constance.

Cumulative Distance Range: 28 – 59 km (17 – 36 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

Begin today’s ride along the lakeshore, passing the many impressive villas of Wasserburg and Nonnenhorn. Your route on this small peninsula affords lovely views of picturesque houses and a small castle before you continue on to Kressbronn and Langenargen.

Coast into Friedrichshafen, a city whose history is tightly linked to World War II. Its aviation industry and strategic location made it an important center for Nazi Germany. The city was heavily bombed and largely destroyed in April 1944 by 1,086 tons of bombs. Today’s “modern” city, therefore, exudes a 1950s air in its architecture. A loftier side of Friedrichshafen’s history can be found in its modern Zeppelin Museum, housing the world’s largest aviation collection. The zeppelin airship was born here on July 2, 1900, the creation of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. Zeppelins took to the air once again in 1993. On a clear and quiet day, you’re sure to see them drifting quietly through the sky. Perhaps you will pause here for a refreshment in one of its many cafés.

(If you’d like, you can book a Zeppelin flight by visiting www.zeppelinflug.de months in advance. Should you choose to organize a Zeppelin flight, you will be responsible for getting yourself from our Lindau hotel to the airport and then to our Constance hotel at the end of the day. This is best done by taxi, which can be organized through our Lindau hotel. You will miss today’s bike ride.)

Cycle to Meersburg, a baroque fortress town on the lake and home to the longest inhabited castle in Germany. The fortress ruins are perched high on the cliffs above, a reminder of ancient ties with the Carolingian Empire. After lunch on your own in this charming town where flowers spill from window boxes, you ferry across the lake and continue cycling to your final destination in Constance. The hotel is on our biking route along the Rhine River just outside the city center, ideally located for a perfect stroll into town later this evening. Explore the city and enjoy dinner on your own at one of the great local restaurants nearby.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Lindau to Freidrichshafen — 25 km (16 miles) | Freidrichshafen to Meersburg — 29 km (18 miles)

Afternoon Meersburg to Konstanz ferry and ride — 6 km (3 miles)

What to Expect: An early morning spin along a well-marked bike path leads you along the lakeshore through quiet villages, fruit orchards, and lovely harbors. Pause in Friedrichshafen, then ride another easy route to Meersburg. After a ferry across Lake Constance, ride a flat stretch to your hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 6 – 60 km (3 – 37 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

This morning, resume your bike tour of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria with a short train ride to St. Gallen, Switzerland, located near the point where Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein meet. The city has been a major religious center since the seventh century. A guided tour of the Abbey of St. Gallen, a celebrated UNESCO World Heritage site, reveals the treasures of the baroque cathedral with its fantastic ceiling frescoes. For centuries, this was an Imperial Benedictine Abbey and a center of Western science, art, and high culture. The rococo Abbey Library, equally ornate, is the oldest in the country and one of the world’s most significant monastic libraries. Later, stroll the traffic-free Old Town replete with brightly painted oriel windows, pretty boutiques and world-famous embroideries.

Back on your bicycle, enjoy a scenic spin to the charming Swiss village of Steinebrunn, where you stop for a traditional Swiss lunch at a local organic apple farm. Afterwards, continue your ride back to Constance, where you have more time to explore this beautiful city on your own. You might find this to be the prettiest, most cozy corner of Lake Constance, the perfect place to end your journey.

Tonight, we raise a glass and say “prost!” to a magnificent week during a festive farewell dinner.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning St. Gallen to Constance — 41 km (25 miles)

What to Expect: After a 45-minute morning train ride on the famed Swiss Railway, enjoy time to explore St. Gallen and its abbey complex. Then our route follows gently rolling terrain through the heart of Switzerland’s brown cow country.

Cumulative Distance Range: 41 km (25 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Remain another day in Constance to explore on your own. We highly recommend a visit to Mainau Island, nicknamed locally “Blumeninsel,” or the flower island. This 111-acre, pedestrian-only private island – crisscrossed by inviting trails – is a lavish display of plants and manicured gardens, blossoming in tune with the seasons. A baroque castle with a church featuring notable artworks marks one end of the island. Tulips, orchids, and rhododendron burst in a riot of color in May, followed by 350,000 other late spring and summertime blooms, including potted plants and fuchsias. Dahlias and roses arrive in September. It’s a feast for the eyes that will enchant even the most seasoned gardener.

You may also visit the falls of the Rhine River in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, accessible by boat or train from Constance. Embark a ferry from the harbor in Constance to Schaffhausen, then return later in the day by train. These are the largest falls by water volume in Europe. Thermal bath lovers might want to take the waters at the Bodensee Thermalbad in Constance. The infinity pool overlooks the lake and the hi-tech water features and jets work wonders for biking muscles. It’s the perfect place to relax for an afternoon.

The alleys and squares of Constance’s Old Town are lively and bustling. For a bird’s-eye view, ascend to the top of the Münster church. For a few euros, you can walk up the stairs and look through the telescope across the lake to many of the destinations where you cycled this week. You’re also sure to find myriad keepsakes in charming shops. If you’d like to take in some local culture and history, Constance boasts museums, galleries, and historic buildings. If you have not had enough cycling, you may rent cruiser bikes from a small bike shop across the street from your hotel. The shop owner can suggest routes to suit your desire.

Included Meals: Breakfast

After an included breakfast this morning, complimentary transportation to the Zurich airport will be provided (an approximately 50 to 60 minute drive, depending on traffic) for your departing flight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Meet your VBT representative and the rest of the group in the lobby of the VBT Munich hotel (Moma 1890, Orleansplatz 6a, 81667 Munich, Germany. Tel.+49 89448 2424) at 11:30 a.m. for a prompt 12:00 p.m. departure by motorcoach. Your VBT representative will be holding a VBT sign and will be easy to recognize. From Munich, travel to Füssen (two hours, depending on traffic). Please plan to eat lunch before this journey. Please bring your cycling clothes (including your pedals or saddle if you use your own) in your day pack so you can change before beginning the warm-up ride.

Should you miss the transportation from Munich, please arrange to meet your trip leaders and the rest of the group in the lobby of our hotel in Füssen at 2:00 p.m. (Hotel Hirsch Füssen, Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz 7, 87629 Füssen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0) 8362 9398 0). A direct train from Munich to Füssen takes a little over 2 hours and costs about $33-$75 USD per person. If your arrival at the hotel is scheduled later than 2:00 p.m. or if you are delayed, please contact the Hotel Hirsch to advise of any travel delays or changes, and the staff will pass your message on to your VBT trip leaders. Please note that check-in time is 4:00 p.m., and your room will not be ready. You will be able to leave your bags with the reception desk.

Before you begin your bike tour in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, behold the breathtaking beauty of Füssen. This enchanting Old-World town, located in the foothills of the Alps and at the southern end of the Romantic Road, is nestled in one of the most breathtaking natural settings in the world. At 2,651 feet in elevation, Füssen is the highest town in Bavaria. Looking south, you will glimpse the peaks of Austria.

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Warm-up — 21 km (13 miles)

What to Expect: Today’s ride is a pleasant countryside loop from our hotel, mostly (90%) along bike paths. Cycle past meadows and forest, along some packed gravel to a picturesque lake with stunning alpine views. You cross a few wooden bridges and railroad tracks before a gradual climb. Your ride ends along small farming roads and a lightly trafficked secondary road.

Cumulative Distance Range: 21 km (13 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, enjoy an invigorating spin through the scenic district of Eastern Allgäu. Marvel at views of the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle, cycle around the shores of pristine Lake Forggensee, the largest in the Allgäu, and savor postcard-perfect views of the Bavarian Alps. Lunch is on your own today.

Our longer option follows the 2,000-year-old Via Claudia, or “Emperor’s Road” from the days of trade between Venetian and alpine emissaries. It is pure pleasure to cycle between the many mountain villages of Bavaria, each more charming than the last, punctuated by onion-domed steeples rising against a backdrop of emerald-green mountain slopes. This is truly a working farm region that carries on traditions from generations past. Each September, a procession of 30,000 cattle return to the valley’s farm stables from the high mountain pastures of the Allgäu Alps, where they have been feeding all summer on high-nutrition grass and herbs that grow at higher altitudes. Still, you will no doubt coast past dairy cows with their tell-tale bells around their necks. After so many miles of enchantment, you may wish to swim in the lake before returning to the hotel.

This afternoon, enjoy an optional bike ride to the nearby village of Hohenschwangau. From here, walk up to the hilltop Schloss Neuschwanstein for a 30-minute audio-tour (fee applies). Your trip leaders will facilitate with purchase of tickets this morning, subject to availability. This renowned fairytale castle was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria, inspired by the sweeping operas of Richard Wagner. It was to be the king’s retreat, but he died before its completion.

Dinner is on your own tonight.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Füssen to Lake Forggensee — 34 km (21 miles) | Füssen to Lake Forggensee Plus — 58 km (36 miles)

Afternoon Füssen to Hohenschwangau to Füssen — 8 km (5 miles)

What to Expect: You ride on bike paths throughout the day, circumnavigating Lake Forggensee and taking in fabulous views of Neuschwanstein Castle. The morning route is slightly undulating, passing meadows, smaller swan-dotted lakes, and tiny villages with onion-domed churches. After lunch, cross a hydro-electric dam and follow the Via Claudia. The short option follows the lakeside bike path back to Füssen. The long option offers some challenging climbing and rewarding panoramic alpine views and well-deserved descents.Later this afternoon, you may do an optional ride from Füssen to Hohenschwangau to visit Neuschwanstein Castle on your own and then ride back to your hotel in Füssen.

Cumulative Distance Range: 34 – 66 km (21 – 41 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

After another delicious breakfast, you travel about an hour to Röthenbach, Germany. Upon arrival, enjoy a spin along the Bodensee-Königssee Bike Route, a mostly downhill ride to Lindau brimming with lush green pastures surrounded by mountain streams and breathtaking views of the Alps. You pause along the way for lunch at an inn in the Bavarian countryside.

Later, you follow the shores of Lake Constance, Europe’s third largest freshwater lake. Its waters reflect heat, creating a Mediterranean-style climate conducive to growing Pinot Noir and white Müller-Thurgau grapes. Its shores are also renowned for the gardens that grace residential areas, lakeside parks, and the botanical island of Mainau. Upon arrival at this remarkable lake, you cycle to your 5-star Hotel Bayerischer Hof and its sister property, the 4-star Reutemann Seegarten, sit right on the waterfront in the heart of Lindau Island, a charming medieval town with a picturesque harbor and Bavaria’s only lighthouse. These hotels have been operated by the Stolze-Spaeth family for more than 150 years. Join your group for dinner at a local restaurant.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Röthenbach to Lindau — 42 km (26 miles)

What to Expect: Follow mostly bike paths today, traversing some softly undulating hills through pretty farm country, orchards, forests and typical Bavarian villages, as stunning views of the German, Swiss, and Austrian Alps unfold. After a home-hosted lunch, you have a short challenging climb before a flat and mostly downhill spin to Lindau.

Cumulative Distance Range: 42 km (26 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a hearty breakfast, shuttle 50 minutes to the start of a bike path in the alpine village of Schoppernau, located on the upper reaches of the Bregenzerach River. It’s a different world here at 2,500 feet (762 meters) in the Austrian Alps. A sophisticated country lifestyle is prevalent here in the mountains high above Lake Constance. During a day of mostly downhill spinning on a well-marked paved path, admire high mountain scenery, passing small family farms, meadows of wildflowers, forests, villages, waterfalls, wooden bridges, and a unique architectural blend of customary chalet styles and über-modern design. This region is known for its traditional crafts, including fine lace, woolen textiles, and especially finely wrought woodwork such as toys, shoes, carvings, and carpentry. Cows, sheep, and goats are also important to the local economy—which explains why today’s inspirational route is called the “Cheese Road.”

After lunch on your own, our longer option leaves Bregenzerwald and continues to Lindau, crossing into Bavarian Germany. Tonight’s dinner is on your own in Lindau.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Bregenz Forest to Egg — 31 km (19 miles) | Alberschwende to Lindau — 28 km (17 miles)

What to Expect: Our morning ride follows a flat and slightly downhill paved bike path along a glacial river. After lunch on your own, the longer option begins with a 7-km (4.5-mile) shuttle ride to Alberschwende. Cycle a quiet paved mountain road with two short ascents and a breathtaking descent. Once you reach the valley, enjoy a flat and easy ride back to Lindau via Bergenz and the eastern shore of Lake Constance.

Cumulative Distance Range: 28 – 59 km (17 – 36 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

Begin today’s ride along the lakeshore, passing the many impressive villas of Wasserburg and Nonnenhorn. Your route on this small peninsula affords lovely views of picturesque houses and a small castle before you continue on to Kressbronn and Langenargen.

Coast into Friedrichshafen, a city whose history is tightly linked to World War II. Its aviation industry and strategic location made it an important center for Nazi Germany. The city was heavily bombed and largely destroyed in April 1944 by 1,086 tons of bombs. Today’s “modern” city, therefore, exudes a 1950s air in its architecture. A loftier side of Friedrichshafen’s history can be found in its modern Zeppelin Museum, housing the world’s largest aviation collection. The zeppelin airship was born here on July 2, 1900, the creation of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. Zeppelins took to the air once again in 1993. On a clear and quiet day, you’re sure to see them drifting quietly through the sky. Perhaps you will pause here for a refreshment in one of its many cafés.

(If you’d like, you can book a Zeppelin flight by visiting www.zeppelinflug.de months in advance. Should you choose to organize a Zeppelin flight, you will be responsible for getting yourself from our Lindau hotel to the airport and then to our Constance hotel at the end of the day. This is best done by taxi, which can be organized through our Lindau hotel. You will miss today’s bike ride.)

Cycle to Meersburg, a baroque fortress town on the lake and home to the longest inhabited castle in Germany. The fortress ruins are perched high on the cliffs above, a reminder of ancient ties with the Carolingian Empire. After lunch on your own in this charming town where flowers spill from window boxes, you ferry across the lake and continue cycling to your final destination in Constance. The hotel is on our biking route along the Rhine River just outside the city center, ideally located for a perfect stroll into town later this evening. Explore the city and enjoy dinner on your own at one of the great local restaurants nearby.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Lindau to Freidrichshafen — 25 km (16 miles) | Freidrichshafen to Meersburg — 29 km (18 miles)

Afternoon Meersburg to Konstanz ferry and ride — 6 km (3 miles)

What to Expect: An early morning spin along a well-marked bike path leads you along the lakeshore through quiet villages, fruit orchards, and lovely harbors. Pause in Friedrichshafen, then ride another easy route to Meersburg. After a ferry across Lake Constance, ride a flat stretch to your hotel.

Cumulative Distance Range: 6 – 60 km (3 – 37 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast

This morning, resume your bike tour of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria with a short train ride to St. Gallen, Switzerland, located near the point where Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein meet. The city has been a major religious center since the seventh century. A guided tour of the Abbey of St. Gallen, a celebrated UNESCO World Heritage site, reveals the treasures of the baroque cathedral with its fantastic ceiling frescoes. For centuries, this was an Imperial Benedictine Abbey and a center of Western science, art, and high culture. The rococo Abbey Library, equally ornate, is the oldest in the country and one of the world’s most significant monastic libraries. Later, stroll the traffic-free Old Town replete with brightly painted oriel windows, pretty boutiques and world-famous embroideries.

Back on your bicycle, enjoy a scenic spin to the charming Swiss village of Steinebrunn, where you stop for a traditional Swiss lunch at a local organic apple farm. Afterwards, continue your ride back to Constance, where you have more time to explore this beautiful city on your own. You might find this to be the prettiest, most cozy corner of Lake Constance, the perfect place to end your journey.

Tonight, we raise a glass and say “prost!” to a magnificent week during a festive farewell dinner.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning St. Gallen to Constance — 41 km (25 miles)

What to Expect: After a 45-minute morning train ride on the famed Swiss Railway, enjoy time to explore St. Gallen and its abbey complex. Then our route follows gently rolling terrain through the heart of Switzerland’s brown cow country.

Cumulative Distance Range: 41 km (25 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, you are free to explore Constance on your own as your tour concludes.

From Constance, there are many train connections to other cities in Germany and Switzerland. Or you might embark the catamaran that whisks you across the lake to Friedrichshafen from where you may continue by plane or train to your final destination.

Included Meals: Breakfast