10 reasons to cycle in Denmark
You might know Denmark as the homeland of the Vikings. You might also know it as one of the happiest nations on earth. We know it as a bike-lovers paradise, and here are a few reasons why.
1. Everybody’s doing it.
Cycling is a way of life in Denmark – and if you cycle every day, you’ll find like-minded people everywhere. We even have our own cycling embassy, designed to promote and inspire cycling.
2. Cycling is a great way to see the country.
It also pairs well with lots of pursuits: you can explore breweries, smoke houses and outstanding Nordic restaurants, take in beaches and castles or follow the path of the Vikings as you go.
3. The terrain is on your side.
Denmark’s highest point is only 170.89 ft above sea level.
Foto:Thomas Høyrup Christensen - Copenhagen Media Center
4. But if you want to push yourself, head to Vejle in southeast Jutland.
The town is home to the professional cyclist stage race PostNord Danmark, and is known for its short explosive hill climbs. There are also mountain bike trails in Danish forests and a growing number of gravel tracks are springing up around the country.
Foto:Kenneth Stjernegaard, VisitVejle
5. Urban cycling rules in Copenhagen.
There are more bikes than people in Denmark’s capital city, and half the population gets to school and work on two wheels. But cycling isn’t just a feature of Copenhagen – Danes cycle all across the country, and Odense is another city tipped as a cycling city of the future.
6. Bike rental is easy – not just in Copenhagen, but all across the country.
Cities also offer on-street bike rental options as well as bike shops who can rent you touring bikes, cargo bikes and just about everything else. In Denmark, cycling is just part of the culture.
7. Week or two-week long trips are easy to plan.
We have over 12,000 km of cycle lanes in national, regional and local routes plus accommodation specially designed for cyclists. If you’re looking for a cycling holiday in Denmark, our routes make it easy to plan. There are also some particularly special architecturally-designed shelters you can stay in – for a handful of coins each night – that you can only access if you arrive by bike, kayak or on foot.
8. You can do it your way.
That means lycra-clad and going for distance and speed if you like, or keeping the curious Danish feeling of hygge in mind, which, while cycling, really means going at a more relaxed pace.
9. It’s good for you and the planet.
Biking in and around Denmark offers an easy way to stay fit and healthy with a low-to-nonexistent carbon footprint.
10. Le Grand Départ – the start of the Tour de France – will be in Denmark in 2022.
The world’s best cyclists will be converging on Copenhagen and exploring routes out from the city. And if it’s good enough for them…
Foto:Robin Skjoldborg
Practical information about cycling in Denmark
What is it like cycling in Denmark?
Denmark is a mostly flat country with over 400 islands, fantastic bread, beer and pastries, a cycling-mad capital city and more than 12,000km of bike routes that make cycling in Denmark a delight. We don’t have much in the way of hills here, but we’re a little more undulating than the Netherlands, and you might well have a bit of wind to content with too (it’s character building!).
FAQs about cycling in Denmark
What are the rules when cycling in Denmark? How do I navigate and find my way around Denmark on two wheels? And which cycle route should I explore? These are some of our frequently asked questions, and if you were wondering the same, you might find some useful information below.
Regler for cyklister
Du kan læse mere om specifikke færdselsregler for cyklister og din trafiksikkerhed på cyklen på cyklistforbundet.dk.
Cykelguider og -kort
En god cykel og en god cykelguide er de første to skridt imod en succesrig cykelferie. På cyklistforbundet.dk kan du finde både kort og guider.
Cykelkort
Cyklistforbundet og Dansk Cykelturisme har i samarbejde med forlaget Legind udgivet en serie af cykelkort, som kan købes her.
Digitale cykelkort
Du kan se de nationale cykelruter og downloade ruterne til GPS her.
Skiltede cykelruter
Der er omkring 11.000 km skiltede cykelruter i Danmark, som gør det nemt at finde rundt. Du skal bare kende din rutes navn, nummer eller logo og så følge det. Ruterne krydser flere steder hinanden, så du kan sagtens komponere din egen tur, sammensat af flere forskellige ruter. Det er sikkert at cykle på de danske cykelruter, for ruterne følger for det meste små veje med ringe trafik, uforstyrrede skovveje, specielt anlagte cykelveje, cykelstier og nedlagte jernbanespor.
De nationale cykelruter
I Danmark er der 11 nationale cykelruter med et samlet ruteforløb på over 4.000 km. De nationale cykelruter er skiltede med små, kvadratiske skilte med cykelsymbol og hvidt rutenummer i rødt felt på blå baggrund (rute 10 på Bornholm dog på grøn baggrund). De ulige rutenumre 1-9 går nord-syd, mens de lige numre 2-8 går øst-vest. Dertil kommer to rundstrækninger, Bornholm Rundt (rute 10) og Limfjordsruten (rute 12).
Margueritruten
Denne rute er egentlig en bilrute, men idet den køre igennem nogle af de flotteste egne af Danmark på små veje, kan ruten fint bruges til en cykeltur også. Ruten er over 3.600 km lang, så der er nok af flotte steder at cykle hen.
Regionale og lokale ruter
Udover de nationale cykelruter er der også et net af regionale og lokale cykelruter i Danmark, der hver især har deres egen skiltning. De regionale ruteskilte er opbygget på samme måde som de nationale - dog med hvide rutenumre fra 16-99 på blå bund. De lokale ruteskilte er opbygget på samme måde som de regionale - men med rutenumre fra 100-999. Du kan kontakte det lokale turistbureau for en oversigt over regionale og lokale ruter. - Til de lokale ruter hører også "Panoramaruterne", 26 sløjfer på de nationale cykelruter "Vestkystruten" og "Berlin-København ruten", som er skræddersyet til dig, der foretrækker at bo et fast sted og tage på kortede dagture ud derfra. Panorama cykelruterne er rundture, så du kan starte hvor som helst på ruten.