Cycling the Lively & Cultural South - Germany
The main attraction of this tour is the contrast between the metropolis of Ulm, the lively activity of the “Lake Constance Riviera” and the quiet peacefulness of the Upper Swabian and Allgäu landscape. Much culture is offered, opulent Baroque, numerous museums and spa amenities await your visit. You can also begin this tour in Friedrichshafen.
Trip Highlights:
- Enjoy the magnificent view from the Grabener Höhe
- Catamaran trip across Lake Constance
- Take a thermal bad in Saulgau
- Visit Ulm with the highest church tower in the world
- Total distance: 400 or 430 km, 249 or 267 mi.
The indicated routes on Google Maps are approximate.
Day 1 Individual arrival in Ulm
Your trip begins in the Swabian-Bavarian city. Stroll through the well-restored inner city, climb the highest church tower in the world and visit the picturesque fishing and tanning quarter.
Day 2 Ulm - Ochsenhausen
Distance: 50 km, 31 mi. Your tour along the Danube-Lake Constance Cycle Path leads you through Laupheim and Reinstetten to Ochsenhausen. Visit the impressive former Benedictine Monastery from the 11th century which towers above the town and which was inhabited by monks for over 700 years.
Day 3 Ochsenhausen - Bad Waldsee
Distance: 35 km, 22 mi. Cycling through the Wurzacher Ried region, one of the largest raised-boglands in Europe you will ascend the loaf-like summit of the Grabener Höhe with its impressive view. Visit the Chapel of Sebastian, before coming to Bad Waldsee. Stroll though the historic town centre which is idyllically surrounded by two lakes or relax in the hot thermal waters of the Waldsee-Thermal Baths.
Day 4 Bad Waldsee - Wangen im Allgäu
Distance: 45 km, 28 mi. Today leads you though the wonderful landscape of the Allgäu region to Wolfegg. Why not take a visit back in time in the expansive farmhouse museum to the era of farming families, servants and labourers. Cycling though the climatic spa town of Kißlegg, you will come to Wangen, the former imperial town.
Day 5 Wangen im Allgäu - Friedrichshafen
Distance: 50 km, 31 mi. To start off you will cycle through one of the most important hop-growing regions in Germany, before orchards begin to take over the landscape. In Kressbronn you will come to Lake Constance, the banks of which you will follow along until you reach the zeppelin town of Friedrichshafen.
Day 6 Friedrichshafen - Constance - Friedrichshafen
Distance: 50 km, 31 mi. The day begins with a trip across Lake Constance in a catamaran to Constance. Cycling past the island of Mainau, you will continue towards Wallhausen, from where you will take a boat trip to Überlingen. Vineyards, the well-known lake-dwelling museum of Uhldingen and the ancient castle of Meersburg are all located along the return route.
Day 7 Friedrichshafen - Wilhelmsdorf/Ebenweiler
Distance: short route 45 km, 28 mi; long route 60 km, 37 mi. Today you will leave Lake Constance behind you once more and cycle towards Markdorf with its former Bishop’s castle. The remainder of the route is very rural and you will come across more than one stork. Wilhelmsdorf is a Pietist town which was founded in 1824 and was situated in the the Pfunger Ried which was a marshland at that time.
Day 8 Wilhelmsdorf/Ebenweiler - Bad Saulgau
Distance: short route 35 km, 22 mi; long route 50 km, 31 mi. The towns and villages along today Ìs route are Baroque in style and many of them are also moor or climatic spa-towns. You will have the chance to relax in the thermal baths at your destination for the day in Bad Saulgau or you can view the many works of arts in one of the town’s galleries.
Day 9 Bad Saulgau - Ehingen
Distance: 50 km, 31 mi. To start off today, you will cycle through forests, before coming to Lake Federsee. The Lake is situated in the middle of a marshland area and is a treasure trove for archaeologists who have made great finds dating from the Old Stone Age up to the lake-dwellings from the Bronze Age. The local museum provides visitors with a good insight into these finds. You will reach the Danube in the former Austrian town of Ehingen.
Day 10 Ehingen - Ulm
Distance: 40 km, 25 mi. Behind the monastery of Blaubeuren you will find the famous Blautopf, an amazing limestone spring which is the start of a large system of caves, where according to legend a beautiful nymph lived. Medieval castles and ruins accompany you along the Blau until you reach the Swabian-Bavarian double city of Ulm with the highest church tower in the world.
Day 11 Individual journey home or extension of your stay
Your cycling tour comes to an end after breakfast.
Included:
- 10 nights with breakfast in family run guesthouses and middle class hotels (for an image selection, please see Flickr)
- Entrance museum Ochsenhausen
- Boat trip Friedrichshafen - Constance incl. bicycle
- Boat trip Wallhausen - Überlingen incl. bicycle
- Entrance to Rosgarten museum Constance, 1 coffee included
- Transport of luggage from hotel to hotel, no limit on pieces of luggage, but luggage may only weigh a maximum of 20 kg
- Telephone assistance
- Detailed route description and map in English
Not included:
- Flight and public transportation
- Travel insurance
- Drinks, lunches and personal expenses
- Bike rental
- Any items not mentioned in the program
Optional services (to be booked in advance):
- Additional night(s) at any of the accommodations (please use booking remarks field)
- Airport or station arrival and/or departure transfers
- Bike rental: 7 or 21 speed bike $Cdn 115.- or E-bike $Cdn 182.-
- Single supplement
Additional information:
Mainly hilly along tarred cycle paths, quiet back-roads and sometimes along dirt tracks.
How to get there:
Best arrival and/or departure airports are Stuttgart or Munich.
From these airports you can take the ICE or IC train to get to Ulm. Munich is 150 km from Ulm, about 2 1/2 hours by train. The airport has an S-Bahn station, which connects to other Munich train stations. Stuttgart is 90 km from Ulm.
Tip: For online rail connections and reservations visit Rail Europe.
