Lakes Route — A Bike Trip Across Switzerland.
DAY 6: Rapperswil → Bendern, Liechtenstein.
Swiss Route 9
DAY 6: Starting from Rapperswil, with its castle and graceful cityscape a familiar backdrop, this should have been an easy day. I knew this stretch of Route 9 very well, had fresh clothes, lighter luggage, and a good night’s sleep at home. No major climbs today, just one short steep section.
What I hadn’t accounted for was the sudden heat wave that had arrived, after those cold, wet days in the mountains, 35°C has a way of humbling even familiar roads.
The route started a lovely flowy rhythm, flat cycleways skirting the upper Zurichsee, then crossing the Linth Plain through a nature preserve alive with herons, storks and river lilies. The Linth Canal brought back warm memories of last summer here in a rubber boat with the family. It was quieter, gravel path with some fun parts.
And then — Walensee. The enormous cliffs of the Churfirsten, stunning. That Mediterranean microclimate, making it feel almost unreal. A long lunch stop to cool off on the lake was not optional at that point. Then came the reward: the old railway tunnels repurposed as cycle paths, a natural air conditioning system carved through rock. The lakeside cycleways beyond were simply stunning.
After Walenstadt and Sargans, where the historic castle marks the gateway to the Rhine Valley — I joined the mighty Rhine and some kms later made a small but deliberate deviation from Route 9. Instead of heading to Buchs, I followed the river all the way to Bendern, Liechtenstein.
Finish line reached and a well deserved “Trophy” earned.
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About the Route
The route crosses Switzerland from Geneva to Rorschach, linking the country’s most iconic lakes. It’s one of the most scenic cycling routes in Europe, a mix of lakeside paths, quiet roads, and stunning landscapes that changes every few kilometres.
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Full series:
▶ DAY 1: Genève → Montreux
▶ DAY 2: Montreux → Gstaad
▶ DAY 3: Gstaad → Meiringen
▶ DAY 4: Meiringen → Cham
▶ DAY 5: Cham → Rapperswil
▶ DAY 6: Rapperswil → Bendern, LI (you’re here!)
▶ DAY 7: Bendern, LI → Rorschach (coming soon…)
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If this ride resonated with you, subscribe and ride along for the next stage.
#switzerland #schweiz #seen #cyclingvlog #biketouring #velo #bikepacking #cyclingadventure #rapperswil #zürichsee
#walensee #rhinevalley #liechtenstein
PricoTu.
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By: Elson Mendes Filho (PricoTu)
Production: Gradient Descent Media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsonmendesfilho/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PricoTu
Music licensed from Artlist.io
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