Website cookies Besides essential cookies, if you agree, we’d like to set optional ones that remember your wishlist for your next visit and that provide analytics for us to improve the site and our advertising. A cookie will remember your choice. If you change your mind, click on the ‘cookies’ link at the foot of the page. Learn more

0     
+44 (0)1653 617001
back
back
back
back
back
back
Inspirations 2022
Our latest holiday brochure
  • Walking
  • Cycling
  • Journeys by rail, boat & car
  • Plus... Why you can book and travel with confidence
Download brochure
back
back
back
 

The Danish Riviera

Captivating coastline & castles of North Zealand
 
By day, cycle self-guided via thatched villages, white-sand beaches and grand castles, enjoying the extremely cycle-friendly culture and having your luggage transported, and in the evenings stay in seaside hotels and savour delicious fish and seafood.
The Danish Riviera. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
The Danish Riviera. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A cycling holiday on the Danish Riviera

If Denmark is the world’s best country for bikes (as many people believe), then this enticing corner of Zealand, its largest island, is paradise on earth for a holiday on two wheels. Expect to find gorgeous villages of thatched-roof cottages, castles of fairy-tale wonder, and expanses of white sand backed by dunes dotted with brightly coloured beach huts, all under huge, wide-open skies.
If all this weren’t enough, you stay in cosy, hospitable hotels located on, or very near the coast, and are treated to excellent regional cuisine featuring, as you would expect, the freshest of fish and seafood.
The well-signed routes are largely on the flat, and not overly long, so take your time – call in at artisan producers of chocolate and schnapps, linger over a picnic of open crab sandwiches in the manicured grounds of one of the royal castles, enjoy a dip in the sea, and drink in the sweeping views along the coast and out to sea.
 

2022

We are currently unable to take new bookings for this holiday.
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.

Pay locally for all visits and train journeys mentioned in the itinerary.

We have not provided elevation profiles for any of the routes on this holiday because it is largely on the flat.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 2 3 5 10 16 20 21 21 17 13 8 4
    mm 51 31 41 41 43 54 70 62 62 57 63 59
  • Arrival in Snekkersten
    Night 1: at Villa Brinkly (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of cycling.
  • Choice of routes from Snekkersten: 20km or 42km

    Circular route from Snekkersten: 42km
    Our recommended route winds through forest and villages of thatched cottages to picturesque Gurre and its ruined castle. Here, it is well worth a short detour to the home and small factory of passionate chocolatier Peter Beier, before continuing past a lake to the magnificent Royal Palace of Fredensborg on the edge of the Royal North Sealand National Park. Known as the ‘Danish Versailles’, it still serves as the royal summer residence. The palace is only open in July, though you can still admire its elaborate façade as you stroll through the grounds at other times. From here, you return through woodland and along largely traffic-free farmland tracks to the coast at Niva, before passing impressive villas and small villages on your way back to sea-facing Snekkersten.

    Linear route from Snekkersten: 20km
    For a very different day, another option is to catch the train to Vedbæk. Cycle through Rungsted – home to a museum devoted to Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa  – and then head up the coast, perhaps stopping at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art to break your journey.
    Fredensborg Palace on the circular route from Snekkersten
  • Snekkersten to Gilleleje: 32km
    Pedal north to the walled coastal town of Helsingør, where imposing Kronborg Castle was the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet (performances of the play are held here during a three-week festival every August). You then continue parallel to the north coast, often close to the dunes, to Hornbæk, which boasts the finest of many white-sand beaches in the area and is ideal for a swim on a hot day. Whitewashed cottages with thatched roofs and colourful rose beds make for an attractive approach to your destination, the Gilleleje Badehotel in Gilleleje, a traditional fishing village where you can witness the day’s catch being landed on the harbour or watch the world go by from the pretty green.
    Helsingor on the route from Snekkersten to Gilleleje
  • Choice of routes from Gilleleje: both 30km

    Linear route from Gilleleje: 30km
    Our recommended route follows a woodland cycle path through the Royal North Sealand National Park to reach Frederiksborg Castle and its impressive grounds. The largest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia is located in the pretty town of Hillerød, which has a good selection of shops and cafés to explore before you return to Gilleleje by train.

    Circular route from Gilleleje: 30km
    Alternatively, head south via the idyllic village of Esbønderup, to the 10th-century abbey of Esrum. Here, you can visit the cloister and sample some of the abbey’s produce – the monks not only brew beer, but also produce schnapps, honey, salami and mustard, among other things. You return across farmland, with the option of detouring via the Tegners sculpture park, where the wild heathland of Rusland serves as an impressive backdrop for a collection of intriguing works of art.
    ;

    Royal North Sealand National Park

    This, Denmark’s fifth national park, encompassing forests of ancient oaks and the country’s second-largest lake, Esrum, opened in May 2018.

    ;
    Frederiksborg Castle
  • Gilleleje to Tisvildeleje: 18km
    The route to Helenekilde Badehotel in Tisvildeleje is largely along the coast, with occasional incursions inland. It is the shortest of the holiday, giving you plenty of time to relax on (or swim from) the many beaches that you pass, the most beautiful of which is Rådeleje, backed by colourfully striped beach huts.
    Coastal route from Gilleleje to Tisvildeleje
  • Circular route from Tisvildeleje: 47km
    If you can tear yourselves away from Tisvildeleje’s long sweep of sand, it is worth setting out on one final circuit. Cycle trails lead past more beaches, through a forest and onwards to the handsome seaside villages of Liseleje and Kikhavn, complete with mustard-coloured, thatched-roof cottages. Before returning to Tisvildeleje through meadows, pause at the tip of the peninsula to drink in the sweeping coastal views one last time.
 

Accommodation

You stay in intimate, beautifully decorated seaside accommodation, conveniently located right by the cycle trail.
 

Options to extend or shorten your stay

What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 4 dinners
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • high-quality bicycle
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 8 reviews
  • Mrs V Kirsch
    London
    06 July 2019

    A fantastic way to see the North Zealand. This was the best cycle tour we have done in spite of unsettled weather on the first couple of days. Regional food excellent - especially the bread! Everything is very clean, the Danes super friendly, lovely woods, castles and coastal scenery. However, if you do not like cycling on gravel paths, some of which are narrow and overgrown, this may not be the tour for you.

  • Anon
    03 July 2019

    Delightful introduction to this part of Denmark. We were unlucky with the weather for our first two days, which made them pretty unenjoyable cycling days! Lovely landscape when the sun shone. Particulary enjoyed the Helenekilde Badehotel with delightful views from the room and terrace. Easy to put bikes on the train if tired or adverse weather, and we found the train system easy to use and understand. We would like to return again in future

  • Ann M
    01 July 2019

    Overall we had a lovely time and our best Inntravel holiday yet. We did have some rain and wind and full waterproofs were appreciated on two days. We enjoyed the mix of seaside, countryside and culture. The bicycles were of good quality with excellent associated kit ie panniers etc.

  • Anon
    28 June 2019

    The overwhelming impressions of this holiday were wind (it was blowing a gale a lot of the time) and expense. Alcoholic drinks in particular are eyewateringly expensive. However, we had a great time. The hotels were all fine, the food was excellent in the hotels and usually very good elsewhere, people were friendly and spoke very good English, the scenery was lovely, Copenhagen was great (especially as we overlapped by one day with the jazz festival). The bikes were great; I had a flat tyre before we started and the local man came very quickly to sort it out. The routes were detailed and very easy to follow. The choice of routes was excellent. Overall a very good holiday.

  • Anon
    07 June 2019

    All round excellent holiday - we had a fabulous time.

  • Mrs M Anderson
    Darlington
    05 June 2019

    What a beautiful time of year to do this holiday. Day 2 ride was very special with the forest path running  right alongside the coast then  up onto the cliffs.  My lasting memory will be of cycling along in the sunshine on cliff top cycle paths between banks of roses, smelling the heady perfume and watching the sparkling sea. The wild flowers were gorgeous everywhere and the forest paths were so quiet we saw and heard  all sorts of wildlife including deer and a cacaphony of toads!

    The cycling is so pleasant in Denmark because all road users are so sympathetic towards cyclists and you always feel safe.  Lovely holiday.

  • Lyn and Alan
    29 May 2019

    Bikes were perfectly suited and well sized, excellent cycle routes and route guides. Travel arrangements were very good train services excellent. Hotels were in very good locations very clean and comfortable.

  • Anon
    16 May 2019

    A superb holiday. Our first cycling holiday and we loved everything about it. Inntravel's choices of accommodation, routes, etc all feel thoroughly researched and you have the feeling throughout that they truly care that you have a wonderful holiday with all possible niggles or logistical headaches removed. We are fully signed up Scandiphiles, but we loved the Danish Riviera and would expect that most people would feel the same. The cycling routes are varied and constantly interesting. The Danish people are a joy and the food was consistently delicious. Highly recommended and we will certainly love another Inntravel holiday. 
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • If your holiday plans go awry because of Coronavirus, rest assured that we’ll do right by you. Since the start of the pandemic, our flexible booking policy and prompt issuing of refunds to customers who prefer not to defer their holiday have earned us high praise in the national press.
  • We sincerely hope that your holiday experience will be as enjoyable as it would have been before the pandemic – cycling holidays are ideal in these times of social distancing, and we’re not operating holidays if the key highlights can no longer be delivered – but, naturally, there will be some changes to ensure your and other people’s safety, not least taking tests before and after your holiday for many destinations.
    Your holiday experience: what to expect >
    Safety measures being taken by hoteliers & others >
    Entry requirements for non-UK destinations & for re-entering the UK >
  • Our chosen bike rental shop will provide you with a hybrid bike with 21 gears; a waterproof map case on handlebars; panniers/saddlebags; pump; puncture repair kit; and a lock.
  • No. We recommend that you bring your own.
  • Yes, we will provide GPX tracks for this holiday prior to departure so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. (We also provide maps and our tried-and-tested route notes, which remain the principal means of navigation).
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. On mornings when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation so that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.
  • You are responsible for damage to or loss of the rental bike while it is hired to you. Always be careful to lock it up, ideally to an immovable object, and remove all easy-to-steal accessories whenever you leave it unattended.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines (but not, currently, with Ryanair). As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Absolutely! We are experts in tailored rail travel. Making use of sleeper trains or stopovers in cities along the route, we can get you from London to virtually anywhere in mainland Europe. We can even make arrangements to Mallorca, Sicily and Norway with a combination of ferries and rail. Please contact Abi and Lizzie to discuss your plans.
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to take out our recommended travel insurance policy (if you live outside the UK you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    We'll ask you for the details of your policy (insurer, policy number and medical emergency phone number) so that we can help out if the worst happens while you are on holiday. It's up to you, though, to check that your policy covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs; we don't check alternative policies.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Denmark, but not a visa. If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is Danish. The currency is the Danish Kroner. Danish time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.

    At Inntravel we work in close partnership with our hoteliers, taxi drivers and other local suppliers to provide our self-guided holidays directly to you. We are entirely confident that you will continue to receive the usual warm welcome from them, regardless of what is happening in the European political sphere.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 1/29/2022 4:28:22 AM