Bicycle vacation in Denmark

Denmark has more than 11,000 km of signposted cycle routes and the long straights put the country on the list of perfect destinations for a different experience.

Island hopping in South Funen

Five islands, two ferries and three bridges are what await you on your cycling holiday in charming South Funen, with a diverse archipelago, a lovely countryside and relaxed island life at the center. With short distances between the hotels, there is ample opportunities to plan your route.

Svendborg is a nice city to start. Here, you can take a walk in the old streets or visit Svendborg’s oldest house, which is also the city’s museum. Here you can visit the Museum of Natural History, where you can see the Northern Europe’s wildlife up close.

After Svendborg, you head towards the smaller city Faaborg, and on the 32 km long stretch, you will experience the South Funen from its most beautiful side overlooking the archipelago. The gently sloped terrain you go past lavish homes and many beautiful half-timbered houses.

Next destination requires that you jump on the ferry to Søby on Ærø. Take a tour of the island, where you really experience island life and outstanding countryside accompanied by a peace and quiet that really will make your holiday worthwhile. Take a quick visit to the fairytale city of Ærøskøbing with its cobblestones and picturesque houses. before heading to Marstal and Rudkøbing on Langeland.

The three bridges is a stretch, also used for an impressive marathon, with impressive views of the archipelago and the surrounding strait. Here is a trip to Valdemar’s Castle on Tåsinge worth a visit. The castle was built by Christian IV, and is freely available for tourists, where you can take on an exciting tour of the 21 beautiful rooms and halls or take a walk in the park.

Then head through the town Troense with many well-preserved captain’s houses in Grønnegade and then back to start – Svendborg. The final trip is a total of 23 km long.

Practical information

It is possible to sign up for a guided tour over several days, that includes breakfast, bicycle maps, baggage transport, ferry tickets and entrance to Valdemar’s Castle and Naturama in Svendborg. It is also possible to rent bicycles in Svendborg.

Sunshine Island

Bornholm is proud of their island. Not without reason. Sunshine Island has a very well-developed trail system, including the old railway-lines, now long closed, that acts as bike paths. The island is full of cliffs, so you get some variation and is perfect for offroad fun.

You can pick up your bike at any of the rentals in Bornholm. Only half an hour out along the coast and towards Hasle, where a stop at the smokehouse or at the cafe on the harbor is obvious, before going on along the cycle path towards Helligpeder and the famous ‘Slipway’ Gines Minde Jons Kapel. So it is a varied journey of 25 km via Vang, of Hammershus, and possibly Sandvig or Allinge.

Then you can explore  Hammerhavn, Vang and such. Also try  Olsker Church while you are in the area. Continue along the coast towards Gudhjem and from there via Melsted and Listed to Svaneke or perhaps instead a detour inland to the Baltic Rundkirke and Brændesgårdshaven Joboland.

The landscape becomes more flat and the sand on the trip south. Therefore Balka Strand and Dueodde are very popular places in the hot summer months. It’s both tourists and natives who are looking for the beaches and on the really hot summer nights there is life and beach parties till dawn.

The last stretch of about 33 km back to Ronne is a relatively flat terrain, and here you may want to ride past one of the small fishing villages Baltic Mark or Arnager, where you can enjoy a smoked herring or one of the island’s famous Curl bully-ice.

To avoid stress it is wise with one final night in Ronne. So you have plenty of time to drop off the bike before 10 o’clock and trundle luggage to the ferry terminal.

Practical information

It is possible to get the full package, including guide, maps and guide over the area, at Bornholm tourist office. Denmark is very tourist-friendly, so if you need any helo, you can always ask somebody.

Oysters and Vikings in Ribe

Southwest Jutland is rich in nature, history and culture. The southwest Jutland sights, which includes some of the country’s greatest attractions are many and lie like pearls on a string all the way down through the region. The prepackaged cycle route follows part of the so-called West Coast Route and connects the cities of Esbjerg, Ribe, Skærbæk and for the real experience you should consider an overnight stay at each of the four locations.

The ride starts in Esbjerg, where culture lovers can experience contemporary art at Esbjerg Art Museum.

Take a trip out to sea, where Svend Wiig Hansen’s sculpture ‘People at Sea’ welcomes the artistic traveller or take a harbor cruise and seal -afari at Esbjerg’s coast.

Ribe, offer paved pedestrian streets and a visit to the historic cathedral. In the year 700 the Vikings founded a marketplace, which through its 1,300 years long history has evolved into today’s Ribe. Visit for example. Ribe Viking Centre, where the city of the Viking Age has been reconstructed and can give you more than one surprise!

For nature lovers, both the coastal and land-ride give you ample opportunities to see the Wadden Sea National Park. Nature-lovers will love this. Oyster-hunting and hiking on the seabed. The difference between low and high tide is amazingly two meters, and it takes about six hours and 12 minutes from low tide to high tide.

Want to change the bicycle with foot and take on a tidal migration? You can easily go to the bottom of the sea, while it is a low tide, it’s a good idea to check tide forecasts at dmi.dk because the changing weather and wind conditions can shift the tides. After an unforgettable walk on the ocean floor you can check out the happiness in Skolegade, the street where everything happens. Last stop on is a visit to the old merchant city Tonder with its beautiful gabled houses, Wegner Tower and the famous lace.

Practical information

For a family of up to five people you can rent cheap packages for the whole family, Including family room with private bath, breakfast, lunch, bike maps and discounts for your further travels.

You can find well planned cycling-holidays at the local tourist offices webpages. The tourist offices can also help you with the planning if you want to organize a cycling-holiday around Denmark.