Cycling Holiday in the Allgäu

Q: "Where can I rent a bike or e-bike?"

"Rentals in Memmingen at iSi Bike-Serviceshop on Martin-Luther-Platz, in Ottobeuren at INTERSPORT Rent, and in Leutkirch at Allgäu Bike Sports (e-bike from €29 per day). Reservation recommended, especially in summer.\n"

Q: "Can I take the bike on regional trains?"

"Yes. In Bavaria the BaSTi-R ticket costs €1 per journey per bike; the Bavaria Bike Day Pass covers a full day for €7.50. Memmingen station is 10 km from Tannheim and connects to Kempten, Ulm and Munich. Note: the Memmingen–Hergatz line is excluded from BaSTi-R.\n"

Q: "What's the surface like on the Iller cycle route?"

"Mixed: mostly compacted gravel on the Iller embankment, with asphalt alternatives on parallel routes away from the embankment. Comfortable for trekking bikes and e-bikes; not ideal for narrow road-bike tyres."

Q: "Is it suitable for families?"

"Yes — the section near Tannheim is flat, traffic-free and continuously signposted. The gravel surface on the long straight embankment can feel monotonous to young children; shorter loops like the Illerbeuren run work better than full stages."

Q: "Is there a bike workshop nearby?"

"Radcenter Heiss in Memmingen (Rudolf-Diesel-Straße 18) is a certified Shimano service point with a full workshop. Memmingen also has a free self-service repair station at Platz der Deutschen Einheit."

Iller cycle route · Bike garage · Train return possible

Ferienwohnung Andrea sits in Tannheim in the Allgäu — directly on the Iller cycle route, an ADFC four-star quality route. The trail runs 146 kilometres from Oberstdorf to the confluence with the Danube at Ulm. The stretch through the Iller valley is flat, largely traffic-free and continuously signposted. Tannheim sits at kilometre 54, measured northbound from Kempten. Memmingen sits on a short signposted spur off the route; Kempten is about four hours south by bike, with a regional train back.

Iller cycle route km 54 146 km Oberstdorf → Ulm ADFC 4 stars Memmingen station 10 km

At the property

What cyclists find here

Lockable bike garage

Bike garage attached to the house — pedelecs stay dry and secure. Power socket inside for charging.

Wash and dry

Washing machine and dryer in the basement, free to use. Wet clothes dry overnight after a rainy stage.

Memmingen station close by

Memmingen station is 10 km away. Use the BaSTi-R ticket (€1 per journey) or the Bavaria Bike Day Pass (€7.50) to return from Kempten or Ulm.

The Iller cycle route at Tannheim

The Iller cycle route follows the river from its source in Oberstdorf to its mouth at the Danube near Ulm. The full length is 146 kilometres, ADFC-certified as a four-star quality route and part of the Bavarian cycling network.

Tannheim sits between Aitrach and Buxheim at kilometre 54. The surface in the Iller valley is mixed: long sections are compacted gravel running along the river embankment, with asphalt alternatives on parallel routes. Ideal for trekking bikes and e-bikes; less suited to narrow road-bike tyres.

Two practical notes: Memmingen lies around 5 kilometres off the main trail, reached via a signposted spur. And after heavy rain in early summer, sections occasionally close short-term — local ADFC offices publish current closure updates.

Landscape in the Iller valley around Tannheim

Practical picks

Three day trips from Tannheim

Family loop to Illerbeuren

~25 km · flat · about 2 hrs

South along the Iller embankment to the Schwäbisches Bauernhofmuseum Illerbeuren — an open-air museum with more than 30 historic buildings. Lunch stop at Gasthaus Gromerhof right next to the museum. Return on the same route or via the eastern bank.

Memmingen and Basilika Ottobeuren

~50 km · moderate · 3–4 hrs

Through Memmingen’s old town, then via the Günztal cycle route and rural lanes to Basilika Ottobeuren — a Benedictine abbey founded in 764. Return on the paved Günztal cycle route, a former railway line, almost entirely level.

South to Kempten — train back

54 km · flat · about 4 hrs

South on the Iller cycle route, past the pilgrimage church of Maria Steinbach and Altusried (known for its open-air theatre), to Kempten. From there back to Memmingen by regional train (Bavaria Bike Day Pass €7.50).

Further afield: the Wurzacher Ried

For a change from the Iller valley’s character: the “Rund ums Wurzacher Ried” loop runs through Central Europe’s largest intact raised bog. 22 kilometres, easy, with a stop at the peat museum and wide views into the moor.

One caveat: the start is in Bad Wurzach, roughly 30 minutes by car or by train via Memmingen — there’s no direct cycle connection from Tannheim. Still worth the transfer for a quiet day away from the Iller.

Moor and meadow landscape in Upper Swabia

Frequently asked questions

Where can I rent a bike or e-bike?

Rentals in Memmingen at iSi Bike-Serviceshop on Martin-Luther-Platz, in Ottobeuren at INTERSPORT Rent, and in Leutkirch at Allgäu Bike Sports (e-bike from €29 per day). Reservation recommended, especially in summer.

Can I take the bike on regional trains?

Yes. In Bavaria the BaSTi-R ticket costs €1 per journey per bike; the Bavaria Bike Day Pass covers a full day for €7.50. Memmingen station is 10 km from Tannheim and connects to Kempten, Ulm and Munich. Note: the Memmingen–Hergatz line is excluded from BaSTi-R.

What's the surface like on the Iller cycle route?

Mixed: mostly compacted gravel on the Iller embankment, with asphalt alternatives on parallel routes away from the embankment. Comfortable for trekking bikes and e-bikes; not ideal for narrow road-bike tyres.

Is it suitable for families?

Yes — the section near Tannheim is flat, traffic-free and continuously signposted. The gravel surface on the long straight embankment can feel monotonous to young children; shorter loops like the Illerbeuren run work better than full stages.

Is there a bike workshop nearby?

Radcenter Heiss in Memmingen (Rudolf-Diesel-Straße 18) is a certified Shimano service point with a full workshop. Memmingen also has a free self-service repair station at Platz der Deutschen Einheit.