Three lakes and four countries

The largest town on the Lake Constance is still quiet Medieval in character to this day and in 1414 hosted the only church council ever to take place north of the Alps.

Today you will cycle along the romantic Lower Lake through small fishing villages and the well-known town of Stein am Rhein. The Canton capital of Schaffhausen is towered over by the Munot Fortress. There are over 170 oriels in the town which testify to the former wealth of the citizens.

Today you will cycle along the banks of Lake Zurich, which is also known locally as the Gold Coast, until you come to Rapperswil with its old castle and cross over the lake using the dam. You will come to the small little town of Lachen on the opposite shore.

Today you will cycle along the Linth Canal, th man-made canal between Lake Zurich and Lake Walen, and come to Weesen. Here you will board a boat which will take you to the other end of the lake and Walenstadt. The Lake is 150m deep and is towered over by the 1800m high Churfirsten Mountains.

After a few kilometres you will come to the valley of the Alpenrhein. From here you will reach quickly the principality of Liechtenstein, where numerous and impressive castles are over the valley. The Medieval town of Feldkirch is on Austrian ground.

You will continue to follow along the Rhine for a little longer, then a cogwheel railway will bring you up to Appenzell countryside, to Gais. Alpen meadows and sows, like those from children’s books will accompany you on your way to St. Gallen which is home to one of the formerly most important monasteries in the region. The library is a UNESCO – world heritage site.

You will cycle downhill towards Lake Constance today, which you will reach at the town of Arbon. From here you will cycle along the shoreline through Swiss villages and apple orchards on towards Constance.