Hovedstaden: Nature, Castles and Culture between Coast and City

Kongernes Nordsjælland National Park has designated hiking and cycling routes through varied landscapes; along the coast of the national park, there are opportunities for sea kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Lake Arresø is a protected bird area where white-tailed eagles or ospreys can be observed.

Nature

Those exploring North Zealand by bicycle will encounter the Castle Route, also known as Route 48. This is a cycling tour of approximately 75 kilometres with a moderate level of difficulty. The Par force hunting landscape in North Zealand provides a historic setting. It preserves gridded hunting avenues, numbered stone posts and hunting lodges. The landscape thus combines recognisable traces of courtly hunting culture with a network of routes that can be explored on two wheels.

History

In the gardens of Fredensborg Palace, the formal Baroque design of the 18th century, wooded areas and lakes come together in a more romantic landscape. Seven avenues radiate from the palace. The main garden is open to the public year-round. A boat trip takes you from the Fredensborg side of Lake Esrum to a forest café near Dronningens Bøge. Frederiksborg Castle stands on three islands surrounded by a lake and gardens, adding another distinctive feature to North Zealand’s cultural landscape.

The Tisvilde Trail also combines nature and distance. It is approximately 70 kilometres long and runs through Kongernes Nordsjælland National Park, with deep forests, open fields and lakes. The route begins at Esrum Abbey and ends in Tisvildeleje.

Cycling Routes

In Copenhagen, the Harbour Circle is an approximately 13-kilometre walking and cycling route around the harbour. The route can be walked or cycled in sections of 2, 4 or 7 kilometres. A special connection across the water is The Bicycle Snake, a winding cycle bridge over Copenhagen Harbour. Alongside longer landscape routes, there are therefore also shorter routes that can be used in sections, as well as a distinctive bridge structure in the urban area.

Culture

Amalienborg consists of four separate Rococo palaces surrounding a square; two of them are open to the public. The changing of the guard takes place at Amalienborg every day at 12 noon. Copenhagen also regularly hosts the non-profit food and culture market Grønt Marked at various locations.

Historic destinations also include Søborg Castle. Its ruins once belonged to some of Denmark’s strongest medieval fortresses. Hammershus is the largest castle ruin in Northern Europe. The Hammershus visitor centre offers panoramic views of the castle and an exhibition about its history. Hjorths Fabrik is a ceramics museum; traditional methods are still used in the old workshops.

Bornholm

Bornholm adds an extensive range of cycling and cultural activities to the regional destinations. The island has more than 230 kilometres of signposted cycling routes. There are two mountain biking routes in Almindingen. Sea kayaking tours are offered along the varied coastline and to the skerries on the east coast. Bornholm has also been recognised as a World Craft Region.

The island’s theatrical tradition is also closely connected with Rønne: Rønne Theatre has been in daily use since 1823. Its theatrical tradition includes dialect comedies and plays written and performed in Bornholm’s original language. Ferry connections to Rønne operate from Ystad and Køge, among other places.

For further regional information, see the subpages for Ishøj Municipality and Høje-Taastrup Municipality. Other regional destinations: Bornholm, Zealand.

For the main travel overview: Denmark.