Overview
The Allgäu Alps are known for their distinctive peaks, lush meadows with grazing cattle and spectacular castles, a perfect backdrop for an exciting and diverse cycling holiday. This highlight tour in the German-Austrian border area takes you through the beautiful Alpine countryside to fantastic castles and authentic towns and villages. You start your cycling adventure from Lindau where you get to know the countryside between Forggen and Lake Constance, continuing all the way to the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, enjoying sceneries of deep blue lake water and high mountain peaks all the time. During the tour, you will peddle on well-paved cycle paths through the alpine upland and keep up your strength with the regional delicacies along the way, such as Allgäu Kässpätzle (cheese pasta) or some of the many sweet-tasting pastries, typical for the region.
The route runs mainly along quiet country roads and partly along with non-asphalted cycling paths and dirt roads. As you will be cycling through the hilly landscape of the Alps’ foothills, there are both flat and some steep sections, so we recommend this trip for experienced cyclists in good physical condition.
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Lindau
Welcome to Lake Constance, the Swabian Sea. Depending on your arrival time, you have the rest of the day to explore the Old Town of Lindau, home to beautiful shops and the Cathedral of Our Lady, dating back to the year 810, it impresses with its ceiling murals as well as its Rococo-style interior. Stroll along the town fortifications from the 12th century or through the narrow laneways past the old town hall. Rental bicycles, if booked, will be available for collection at your hotel.
- Accommodation: Hotel Pension Nagel or similar
Day 2: Lindau – Oberstaufen | 55km
You cycle briefly along the lakeside but soon leave Lake Constance to cycle along the Bodensee-Königssee cycle path up to the Allgäu hills. You pass luscious meadows with happily munching cows to Oberstaufen, just as one imagines the Allgäu should be. En route, you can visit some dairy farms, where you can find out how they make their delicious cheese and even try some.
- Accommodation: Hotel zum Adler or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 55km, ↑904m ↓510m
Day 3: Free day in Oberstaufen | 16km
Have a rest and enjoy a great day in the Allgäu region. The Oberstaufen-card offers you numerous advantages. You can go for a short hike, take a cable car to one of the mountain tops or relax in the outdoor pool. Staying in the Allgäu region means pure holiday feeling.
- Accommodation: Hotel zum Adler or similar
- Cycling for the day (optional): approx. 16km, ↑616m ↓616m
Day 4: Oberstaufen – Nesselwang | 50km
The section begins on flat ground and takes you through the valley of the Konstanzer Ach river to the Großer Alpsee Lake. From there you head to Immenstadt passing the foothills of the Grünten, also known as the Allgäu’s watchman. You cycle a while along Rottachsee Lake and at Oy-Mittelberg, reaching the highest point of the tour. From here it’s not long to the day’s destination, Nesselwang.
- Accommodation: Brauerei-Gasthof Hotel Post or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 50km, ↑826m ↓758m
Day 5: Nesselwang – Füssen | 25 – 60km
The distance today is quite short because at the Forggensee you will get to the highlight sights of the tour: Neuschwanstein Castle and its “little sister”, Hohenschwangau Castle. You should not miss those impressive fairy tale castles, and we would highly recommend you to book your tickets in advance. If you would rather cycle a longer distance, you can circle the Forggensee.
- Accommodation: Hotel Hirsch or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 25 – 60km, ↑364m ↓437m
Day 6: Füssen – Kempten | 70km
Along Forggensee, Germany’s biggest reservoir and the steam train circular, you cycle to Marktoberdorf, from where you get through Kempten Forest, encountering a number of inclines before you arrive in Kempten. Today’s destination, Kempten, was founded by the Romans as the town of Cambodunum, and is one of the oldest towns in Germany. A guided tour of the staterooms of the residence including profane and sacred elements is highly recommended.
- Accommodation: Hotel der Fürstenhof or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 70km, ↑673 – 827m ↓792 – 868m
Day 7: Kempten – Isny – Wangen im Allgäu | 65km
You cycle along an abandoned railway track in the Württemberg part of the Allgäu, up to the European watershed of the Rhine and the Danube. Take a break in Isny, a town on the Upper Swabian Baroque route – always worth a visit, before cycling along the Danube-Lake Constance cycle path to Wangen.
- Accommodation: Romantik Hotel Alte Post or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 65km, ↑782m ↓890m
Day 8: Wangen im Allgäu – Lindau | 65km
You continue cycling along the Danube – Lake Constance cycle path today through the Tettnang hops area, the most southern hop-growing area in Germany. Through orchard fields, you cycle to Kressbronn where you are back at Lake Constance and follow the Lake Constance cycle path the last few kilometres back to Lindau.
- Accommodation: Hotel Pension Nagel or similar
- Cycling for the day: approx. 65km, ↑526m ↓684m
Day 9: Departure
After breakfast, you start your individual return journey home or extend your stay.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in en-suite double rooms in typical Inns and family hotels, which are normally of a 3-star standard. All places have been carefully hand-picked by us, and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Pension Nagel
- Hotel zum Adler
- Brauerei-Gasthof Hotel Post
- Hotel Hirsch
- Hotel der Fürstenhof
- Romantik Hotel Alte Post
Note that hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel from the ones listed above is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Accommodation is on a bed & breakfast basis. When no restaurant location is available on route lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or you can pre-order a packed lunch at your hotel. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or the ones in the town.
Difficulty and terrain
The route runs mainly along quiet countryside roads and occasionally on dirt tracks. The holiday is appropriate for experienced cyclists in good physical shape. Average cycling distance per day is approximately 50 – 70km and involves some steeper climbs (read more about difficulty grades). If you are having doubts about the difficulty, it is possible to rent an E-bike as well. The cycling trail is very well marked. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available from late April until October. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this holiday are Munich (MUC), Memmingen, or Friedrichshafen
By train or bus
By Train
- The best arrival train station is Lindau Hauptbahnhof (main station).
- Up-to-date train schedules are available here: www.bahn.de or use the Omio planner above
By Car
- Public car park “Karl-Bever-Platz” (P3, 311 spaces) or “Seeparkplatz” (P5, 660 spaces), costs approx. 7 EUR per day. Payable on the spot.
Inclusions
Included
- 8 overnights with breakfast as detailed in the itinerary
- Luggage transfer on all cycling days (no limit on the number of pieces per person, max 20kg)
- Oberstaufen-card
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- Single room supplement
- Solo traveller supplement (upon request)
- Bike rental (standard hybrid bike or e-bike)
- Extra nights
Bike Rental
For this tour, we offer the rental of an e-bike or a 30-gear bike with a sporty seating position. All bikes are equipped with:
- Unflat Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres
- Hub dynamo
- Luggage carrier
- Comfortable saddle
- Panniers
- Saddle bag with card compartment
- Odometer, Bike lock, pump
- One repair kit per booking
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