Bodensee-Radweg

With a history stretching back almost 1200 years, Radolfzell is among the oldest settlements in the Lake Constance region. Buildings such as the City Museum in the old town pharmacy are worth seeing. This treasure dates back to the Biedermeier period and was built in 1689.

The Markelfinger Winkel forms part of both the Zellersee and Lake Constance. Looking across the water here, you can see the Mettnau peninsula, one of Germany’s oldest nature reserves. A pond that formed accidentally during earthworks gradually became a major breeding area for waterfowl.

The ride along the well-maintained cycle paths is fast paced. It can get a little crowded on fine weekends and during the summer holidays. Past the meadow orchards, you arrive at Allensbach. Reichenau Island is within reach. There’s a stunning view of the Gnadensee, Reichenau island, the Höri peninsula and the onion dome in Allensbach from the Gnadenkirche church on the Höhrenberg mountain. Down on the lakeside promenade, you get a similar view from a slightly different perspective.

Things are chaotic at Reichenau station. To the west, a dam stretching around two kilometres leads to the idyllic island of Reichenau. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000. The Church of St. George is one of three Roman churches and is known for its well-maintained frescoes. The atmosphere in the fields is calm; there has been farming here since the Middle Ages. It’s worth making a detour to the monastery island before heading back to the small station. A permanent exhibition at Reichenau’s NABU Nature Reserve Centre provides information on natural diversity on the western side of Lake Constance. For example, the 22 information boards along the information path at Wollmatinger Ried document the flora and fauna of the nature reserve.

At 22 kilometres, this final stage is the shortest one on the Bodensee-Radweg, which takes you around the lake and through Germany, Austria and Switzerland over a total of eight stages. The commuter stations of Wollmatingen, Fürstenberg and Petershausen indicate that you’ll soon be in Konstanz, where the tour ends. Across the wonderful cycle bridge, which spans the “Seerhein” (“Lake Rhine” – the lake becomes the Rhine again), you pass by interesting rows of houses in the historic old town. In the midst of them, the Roman Catholic cathedral holds its ground; like that in Radolfzell, it’s called the “Cathedral of Our Lady”. Conclusion: Cycling is enjoyable – particularly around beautiful Lake Constance.