If you want to experience the beauties of Switzerland with the enchanting details along the way, it's best to choose a bike for your discovery tours. Although you may progress more slowly on two wheels, you won't miss any of the beautiful scenery.
The tours presented below are an experience! You can look forward to an overnight stay in a charming Swiss Historic Hotel along the route every day. Each of the houses has its exciting history and special ambiance, making the stay unforgettable. – Those who pedal hard during the day will also get very hungry. The warm hosts in the historic houses have prepared for culinary and regional delights.
The tours are designed for leisurely cyclists as well as ambitious two-wheel enthusiasts. The pace, duration of the tour, and the number of overnight stays can be freely chosen. Thanks to the e-bike, longer distances can be covered effortlessly without worrying about fatigue or physical challenges. The e-bike allows for a comfortable and relaxed riding experience, so the wonderful nature can be enjoyed on the tour.
No own e-bike? No problem. Most bike tours of the Swiss Historic Hotels can be booked with or without rental.
This three- or four-day discovery tour around Lake Lucerne leads right into the heart of Switzerland. On the first stage, it goes from Lucerne to Küssnacht and along the foot of Rigi to Weggis, where palm trees grow thanks to the Mediterranean climate. The first overnight stay is at the Hotel Terrasse am See in Vitznau (LU). Not only is the hotel historic; here in Vitznau, guests experience the steam train of the Rigi Railways and the steamships on Lake Lucerne right at their doorstep. And with a bit of luck, you can experience a magnificent sunset over Lake Lucerne on the terrace under the chestnut trees.
From Vitznau, the tour leads via the historic Axenstrasse into the Uri mountain world, where the fjord-like landscape is reminiscent of scenes in Norway. From Flüelen, it goes along the Reuss towards Amsteg to the Hotel Stern & Post. In this small, charming hotel, guests strengthen themselves in nostalgic parlors. The inn from 1788 is reminiscent of the great era of stagecoaches. It was one of the first post offices in Switzerland and hosted famous guests such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Hans Christian Andersen.
The next day, the tour continues through the Reuss delta towards Bauen. Since there is no path along the Seelisberg, the bike is loaded onto the steamboat to Beckerried. A ride on the paddle steamer is a welcome and also historical change. Past the Stanserhorn, the tour leads to the power place Flüeli Ranft (OW), known for Saint Nicholas of Flüe. Here, tired cyclists sleep grandly in the Jugendstil-Hotel Paxmontana, surrounded by the charm of the Belle Epoque. The view of Lake Sarnen and the Central Swiss mountains is magnificent.
Through the hilly landscape of Obwalden, it goes back to Lake Lucerne to Lucerne, where cyclists check in at the Romantik Hotel Wilden Mann. The historic house was first mentioned as a pint in old Lucerne in 1517 and has emerged from seven houses of the picturesque Lucerne old town. In the urban hustle and bustle in the City of Lights, on discovery tours along the Reuss and in the old town, you can review the eventful journey in Central Switzerland once again.
Inquiries and bookings via Hotel Wilden Mann Lucerne, e-bike rental possible.
These e-bike round tours offer two different variants to choose from.
Tour 1: Oberaargau - Emmental - Solothurn - Oberaargau
Tour 2: Oberaargau - Solothurn - St. Peter's Island - Oberaargau
The Hotel Kreuz in Herzogenbuchsee with its central location between Bern, Basel, and Zurich is the ideal starting point and destination for this 4-day tour. The Hotel Kreuz, a magnificent building with banquet halls and an impressive, almost nine-meter-high attic, was built in 1787. In this traditional inn, there are 12 individual bijou rooms to choose from.
Tour 1 leads from Herzogenbuchsee in Oberaargau, a diverse region that ranges from the Napfbergland to the Jura heights, into the lovely Emmental with its green, gentle hills and stately, history-rich houses. One such is the Hotel Bären in Dürrenroth, built in 1752 as a replacement for a tavern dating back to the 16th century. The country inn Bären, the restaurant with rustic, cozy rooms, includes the guest house Kreuz with charmingly furnished rooms.
Further through the hilly Emmental, it goes northwest to Koppigen and towards Utzenstorf. From there, you ride along the Emme until it flows into the Aare. Now it's only a few pedal strokes along the Aare to Solothurn. In the most beautiful baroque city in Switzerland, you stay at the four-star Hotel La Couronne, an impressive house in the heart of the old town. The newly renovated boutique hotel is located right next to the impressive St. Ursen Cathedral. Now it's time to stroll in the beautiful old town or have an aperitif in the many bars along the Aare. And after this bike tour, a fine dinner in the French restaurant La Couronne is very welcome.
On the last stage, it goes from Solothurn through the lively Oberaargau back to the Hotel Kreuz in Herzogenbuchsee.
On Tour 2, you ride in the opposite direction through the gentle hilly landscape of Oberaargau directly to Solothurn. The further route leads exclusively along the water, from Solothurn along the Aare into the wide plain of Seeland, along the southern Lake Biel to Erlach and onto the idyllic St. Peter's Island. An overnight stay in the historic Klosterhotel St. Petersinsel on the car-free island, surrounded by nature and water, is a special experience. The food served in the elegant guest rooms could not be more regional and sustainable: the fish come from Lake Biel, the Natura-Beef from the island farmer, and the vines for the wine grow right next to the house. The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived on the island for six weeks in 1765. – From Lake Biel, the journey goes back to the Hotel Kreuz in Herzogenbuchsee.
Inquiries and bookings via Hotel Kreuz Herzogenbuchsee, e-bike rental possible.
The Gasthof Hirschen in Oberstammheim in the Zurich wine region is the starting point of the three-day bike tour with a varied total distance of about 150 km. The Hirschen, built in 1684 as a stately country residence, has been a guest operation since 1786. The Hirschen ensemble with its magnificent half-timbered buildings includes various parlors, banquet and seminar rooms, twelve partly historic rooms, horse boxes, beautiful gardens, and its own theater stage. For those arriving in Oberstammheim by bike, the small beach at Lake Hüttwiler is recommended for a cool down.
On to the next Hirschen, the bike tour goes through idyllic landscapes along the Rhine.
The Romantik Hotel Gasthof Hirschen in Eglisau is located on the Rhine, with a boat dock right in front of the hotel. The history of the listed inn goes back to the 16th century. In the seven historic rooms, junior suites, and suites, the charm and beauty of past eras are still palpable. In the picturesque town of Eglisau and on the banks of the Rhine, you can really stroll beautifully. And for those who need a cool down after the bike tour, Eglisau offers another piece of history with its historic wooden box bath on the banks of the Rhine.
The last stage of the bike tour leads into the Tösstal. In the middle of the protected recreational area in the Zurich Oberland lies the Gasthof Gyrenbad in Turbental, where a room is reserved for the third evening. From up here, you have a fantastic view of the Glarus Alps. The terrace and the view into the dreamy garden put the crown on the tour through beautiful landscapes. For guests who want to experience more historical things on their tour: The local museums in Stammertal and Eglisau provide interesting insights into local history and culture.
Inquiries and bookings via Hotel Hirschen Stammheim, bike rental possible.
