The varied Untersee - cultural history & nature experiences
The Untersee, the southern of Lake Constance’s two “fingers,” is a real insider’s tip for cycling, nature and culture lovers. Sometimes calm like a river, then wide and open – nowhere else does Lake Constance reveal such variety. On your cycling holiday around the Untersee you’ll discover idyllic lakeside paths, gentle hills, historic towns and fascinating sights.
Your journey starts in Konstanz, the lively city on Lake Constance with its unique mix of history, culture and a relaxed lakeside promenade. From here, the Lake Constance Cycle Path leads you into a region full of surprises: UNESCO World Heritage, charming peninsulas and small villages inviting you to linger.
Highlights of the Untersee include:
- Reichenau Island – UNESCO World Heritage with Romanesque churches, monastic gardens and panoramic views.
- Höri Peninsula – artists’ landscape with picturesque villages and varied cycle routes.
- Stein am Rhein – medieval old town with magnificent facades and nearby monastery island of Werd.
- Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen – an impressive natural spectacle, especially powerful in early summer.
Perfectly signposted cycle paths connect nature, culture and culinary delights. Whether it’s a leisurely ride along the shore, a coffee stop in a timber-framed town or a sporty detour into the hills – the Untersee is the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure.
Cycling tours on the Lower Lake
Excursion to Schaffhausen and the Rhine Falls from Stein am Rhein (approx. 50 kilometers)
The slightly hilly route offers wonderful views of the water and the island of Reichenau, the Höri peninsula, and the Schiener Berg. Lake Constance ends in Stein am Rhein and the (High) Rhine begins again. The medieval town with its painted houses, the town hall square, and the Werd monastery island off the shore is rightly a tourist magnet.
Excursion to Schaffhausen and the Rhine Falls from Stein am Rhein (approx. 50 kilometers)
If you are already in Stein am Rhein, you should definitely make a detour to Schaffhausen and the Rhine Falls. A boat trip to the Rhine Falls is absolutely stunning, especially in May and June when the river has the most water after the snow has melted. If you want to cycle the whole way there and back, prepare yourself for almost 50 hilly kilometers!
From Stein am Rhein via the Höri peninsula to Radolfzell (approx. 25 kilometers)
The climbs in Kattenhorn (short but steep) and between Wangen and Hemmenhofen (longer but moderate) should not deter anyone from cycling along the Höri peninsula. This section of the Lake Constance cycle path is fantastic!
From Radolfzell to Constance (approx. 20 kilometers)
This section of the Lake Constance cycle path is practically free of climbs, but not particularly interesting either. So you won't miss much if you shorten the route here by train.