Lake Constance to Lake Maggiore

On this bicycle tour from southern Lake Constance to the northern point of Lake Maggiore, you’ll enjoy astounding scenery, fantastic cycling, and Swiss culture.

Swiss precision and quietness await you on the shores of Lake constance as you head towards the Austrian border. From here, you will cycle on the Rhine route through vineyards and past the impressive Rhine Gorge.

After a short break at the monastery of Disentis, you will continue traveling south into the rocky landscape of the Lukmanier pass. A gateway to the southern part of Switzerland, the Lukmanier is an old, almost forgotten trade route. Continue south to your final destination of Lake Maggiore along the Italian border.

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Highlights

• Beautiful shores of Lake Constance
• Bündner Herrschaft garden and winery
• Rhine Gorge
• Monastery of Disentis
• Castles and the city wall of Bellinzona
• Alpine shores of Lake Maggiore

Learn More

Learn more about self-guided tours.

Daily program

Day 1: Arrival to Tägerwilen
Stroll over the German border and take a walk through the lively roads in the old town of Constance.

Day 2: Tägerwilen–Rorschach/Surroundings (22 miles/35 km)
Cycle along the railway and past the beautiful villages Romanshorn and Arbon until you reach the Rhine delta with a wealth of birdlife.

Day 3: Rorschach/Surroundings– Buchs SG (44 miles/70 km)
St.Galler Rheintal is an area often cosseted by the warm wind called “Föhn”. Much land has been won by the correction of the Alpenrhein waters in the Rhine-Valley. You spend the night in Buchs–an important border station and the gate to the principality of Liechtenstein.

Day 4: Buchs SG–Chur (31 miles/50 km)
The "Bündner Herrschaft", Grisons fertile garden and winery, lies on a mound of slate detritus. This is also the home of Heidi, Peter, and Alpöhi from the world-famous children's tale. Chur is the oldest town north of the alp and entices with numerous restaurants.

Day 5: Chur–Disentis (40 miles/65 km)
The Rhine Gorge– Switzerland's Grand Canyon– is an impressive part of this tour. Afterward, you reach “Surselva”, Grison's largest Romansch-speaking region. Today’s tour leads you to the monastery of Disentis.

Day 6: Disentis–Lukmanierpass–Biasca (36 miles/60 km)
Cycle through the gorge "Höllenschlucht" and Val Medel, up to the rugged pass head of Lukmanier, the boundary between the cantons Ticino, and Grisons. In the sunny Valle di Blenio, the route descends through the centuries-old cultivated landscape, scented flower-filled meadows and terraced walls towards Biasca.

Day 7: Biasca–Locarno/Minusio (31 miles/50 km)
The castles and the city wall of Bellinzona lure from afar while you head towards the plain of Magadino with its small villages. You pass the Delta of Ticino and roll along a nice promenade towards Lago Maggiore.

Day 8: Departure or extra night
Departure after breakfast.

Surface and terrain

The route is flat and easy-going near Lake Constance and in the Rhine valley. From Chur, begin a steady ascent. There are some rough roads in the Rhine Gorge. The most challenging part is the stage over the Lukmanier pass– which can be shortened by public transport.

There will be some traffic around Bellinzona, apart from this you will be cycling on paths and the calm side roads in Ticino.

Hotels

The following hotels are provided only as samples and may vary based on availability.

You will be accommodated in select 3- and 4-star hotels

Tägerwilen: Jucker Boutique

Bad Horn: Private Selection

Buchs: Buchserhof

Chur: Hotel Chur

Disentis: Hotel Alpsu

Biasca: al Giardinetto

Locarno: Home Hotel

How to get there

Tour start
Nearest Airport: Zurich (ZRH)
Nearest train station: Kreuzlingen

Trains run frequently between Kreuzlingen and Zurich (airport and city). It's about 75 minutes between the airport and Kreuzlingen.

Tour end
Nearest airport and train station: Locarno, Switzerland

There are regular train connections from Zurich via Bellinzona to Locarno. From the train station you can reach the hotel by bus in only 15 minutes.
There is parking at the railway station of Kreuzlingen- approcimately CHF 7 per day.

Return travel by train via Bellinzona and Zurich to Kreuzlingen- approximately 4-4.5 hours duration.
Return travel by train via Bellinzona to Zurich airport, Approximately 3 hours duration.

Tips on getting to and from your tour

Dates

Prices

Included services

• 7 nights accommodation
• Breakfast
• Luggage transport (maximum 2 pieces/person of luggage, each piece must weigh under 44 lbs/20 kg)
• Pickup at Zurich airport, briefing and arrival transfer (depending on the arrival time)
• One set of detailed travel documents (maps, route descriptions, places of interest, telephone numbers) per room; well-documented route and personal tour information
• Service hotline throughout the duration of the tour
• Navigational app
• GPS tracks available upon request (must request in advance)

Please note any city or visitor's taxes are not included in the tour costs. You will pay these at hotel reception. The public bus from Disentis - Lukmanier Pass, including bicycle, is approximately CHF 25 per person.

Bike rentals

Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include:

• Standard touring bike, 27-speed, unisex
• Electric bike*

*More about electrically-assisted bikes >

All above bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:

• Saddle bag (water-repellent), rear
• Water-repellent smartphone holder, with clear cover for easy viewing
• Tools
• Repair kit (with extra bicycle tube)
• Pump
• Lock

Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.

Helmets:
Helmets are available on this tour. We recommend that you bring your own helmet or plan to purchase one upon arrival for safety and hygiene purposes.

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