The route is a cycle loop of more than 800 kilometers across the southern part of the country. An odyssey through maritime Denmark with eight bridges and five ferries – or more, because there are plenty of 'extra' small islands along the way. The East Coast Route is great if you like the sea, beaches and water sports, but culturally interested cyclists will like it as well. One example: a town in Southern Jutland is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Highlights on the route
Flensburg Fjord Southern Jutland
© Sønderborg Turistbureau
Sønderborg Castle
The castle was founded before 1200 and was from 1550-70 rebuilt into a four wing Renaissance castle. The museum tells about the history o…
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Frederiksdal Manor on Lolland
Liselund Garden
Points of interest
Stage 1 / 20
Padborg-Sønderborg
39.0km
2-4hours
↗ 312m
↘ 354m
A stage with two castles: Gråsten Castle with the English-inspired landscape garden and the museum Sønderborg Castle, which conveys several hundred years of Danish history in a Southern Jutland perspective. The red castle was built in the 13th century, and Christian II was a prisoner here for 17 years. At Padborg you’ll find tje national museum Frøslevlejren, a prison camp from the Second World War.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Aabenraa and Sønderborg.
Highlights
Gråsten Castle
The Frøslev Camp Museum
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© Sønderborg Turistbureau
Sønderborg Castle
Show on map ↗67.2km
4-7hours
↗ 335m
↘ 343m
The ferry that connects the islands Als and Ærø sails between Fynshav and Ærøskøbing – a town more than 750 years old and very well preserved. Set aside time to walk the topped cobblestones. The Marstal Maritime Museum illustrates Danish maritime history from the 17th century to the present day, and close to the town is Vesterstrand where you will find beautiful historic bathhouses.
This stage passes through Sønderborg and Ærø Municipality
Highlights
Ærøskøbing
Show on map ↗55.4km
3-6hours
↗ 171m
↘ 170m
A stage with two bridges and a beautiful sailing trip between Ærøskøbing and Svendborg, the regional capita and a very pleasant trading town. If you fancy a little more sailing in the South Funen Archipelago, there are ferries from Svendborg to Skarø, Drejø and Hjortø. At Tåsinge, the church is worth visiting and the view from the tower is magnificent. On a good day you can see as far as Kiel in Northern Germany.
This stage passes through Langeland and Svendborg Municipality.
Highlights
Svendborg Harbour
79.6km
5-8hours
↗ 239m
↘ 238m
There is a ferry between Spodsbjerg and Tårs, and Nakskov Fjord Nature Park is beautiful nature and exciting culture. A suggestion: hop on a fjord boat to Albuen, a 7.5 km long sandbar. The medieval town of Nakskov is Lolland's largest, and several of the houses in the town center date from the 17th century. Between Nakskov and Rødbyhavn you bike on the dike towards the Fehmarn Belt.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Langeland and Lolland.
Highlights
Nakskov Fjord Nature Park
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Frederiksdal Manor on Lolland
23.6km
1-3hours
↗ 64m
↘ 52m
The cycle path between Maribo and Rødbyhavn is a green and flat nature trail along a closed railway. Nature Park Maribosøerne is a protected area with lots of birds, and you may be lucky to see white tailed eagles and ospreys if you come in the summer. Six times a day, the bells ring from the city's impressive cathedral, built in the 15th century.
This stage passes through the municipality of Lolland.
Highlights
Aquadome in Lalandia Rødby
Maribo Nature Park
Maribo Cathedral
Show on map ↗30.9km
2-3hours
↗ 67m
↘ 81m
North of Maribo it gets wild! Over 1,000 tigers, giraffes, zebras and other free-ranging animals live here in Northern Europe's biggest safari park, and you can bike around large parts of the park. At the open-air museum The Medieval Centre, you will meet the citizens of Sundkøbing around the year 1400 – go visit the blacksmith, who likes to show off his tools.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Guldborgsund and Lolland.
Highlights
Fuglsang Art Museum
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Knuthenborg Safaripark
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The Medieval Cenre in Nykøbing Falster
48.3km
3-5hours
↗ 215m
↘ 214m
The frescos in Aastrup Church, painted in the period 1265-1510, tell stories from the New Testament. Halskov Vænge is more than 70 ancient monuments with stone mounds from the Stone Age and burial mounds from the Bronze Age. Marielyst is a 100 year old seaside resort by a 20 kilometer long beach that has been voted Denmark's best several times.
This stage passes through Guldborgsund Municipality
Highlights
Halskov Vænge
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Marielyst Beach
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© Haderslev Domprovsti
Aastrup Church
Show on map ↗54.6km
3-5hours
↗ 383m
↘ 275m
Between Stubbekøbing and Bogø the ferry Ida makes a 12 minute crossing, and between Bogø and Møn you bike on the dam. Møns Klint (cliff) is 128 meters high, and there are 497 steps from the top to the beach. GeoCenter Møns Klint is a science center where you can play and at the same time learn about Denmark's geology and nature, 70 million years back in time.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Guldborgsund and Vordingborg.
Highlights
Fanefjord church
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GeoCenter Møns Klint
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Camp Møns Klint - Land Roveren
Show on map ↗21.3km
1-2hours
↗ 104m
↘ 208m
Liselund is a miniature castle, and the romantic garden is open to visitors all year round. In Stege, which is a nice, smalltown for a stroll, you’ll find the museum Thorsvang. It is filled with things from the good old days – toys, shaving equipment, porcelain, cars, schoolbooks and much, much more. There is also a grocery store with sweets and local beer.
Denne etape går gennem Vordingborg Kommune.
Highlights
Liselund Garden
Keldby church
Show on map ↗34.4km
2-4hours
↗ 190m
↘ 189m
Queen Alexandrine's Bridge connects Møn and Zealand, and many people find that the classic bridge is Denmark's most beautiful. In the middle of Vordingborg you find the Danish Castle Centre: an experience centre that tells exciting stories about medieval power struggles. In the area you can also see the remains of an 8-meter-high ring wall from the 14th century.
This stage passes through the municipality of Vordingborg.
Highlights
Kalvehave Harbor
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The Danish Castle Centre
Show on map ↗40.5km
2-4hours
↗ 140m
↘ 145m
At Svinø, you can turn towards Avnø and enjoy the natural area from the air station's old control tower. Næstved is a city of art: international graffiti artists have decorated 22 of the city's gables, and you can bike around and enjoy the works. You can also cycle all the way around the city on the 32 km long Green Ring.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Næstved and Vordingborg.
Highlights
Holmegaard Glass Works
Avnø Nature Center
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Graffiti art in Næstved
91.2km
6-9hours
↗ 367m
↘ 368m
South Zealand's coast is nice and peaceful with many good swimming opportunities, and fish are still brought ashore in the old fishing villages of Karrebæksminde, Bisserup and Skælskør. From Stigsnæs you can take the ferry to Agersø and Omø. Between Korsør on Zealand and Nyborg on Funen, you must bring the bikes on the train over the Great Belt.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Nyborg, Næstved and Slagelse.
Highlights
Harbour life in Karrebæksminde
© VisitSydsjælland-Møn
Ørslev church
Show on map ↗57.0km
3-6hours
↗ 336m
↘ 336m
Nyborg Castle is Denmark's oldest preserved royal castle, currently (2022) under renovation. We recommend the city's cultural history museum, Museumsgården, which is close to the town square. Lundeborg is a popular fishing and holiday town, and if you have time for a short detour from the route, you must visit Gudme, Scandinavia's largest city in the Iron Age.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Nyborg and Svendborg.
Highlights
Lundeborg
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© VisitNyborg
The Castle in Nyborg
Show on map ↗35.4km
2-4hours
↗ 258m
↘ 256m
If you reach the regional capital, Svendborg, at dinner time, it is a great idea to go to the harbour and find a nice place to take a break. Do you appreciate live music? Then check out visitsvendborg.dk: the city organizes more than 700 musical experiences each year.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Faaborg-Midtfyn and Svenborg.
Highlights
Svendborg
Show on map ↗44.3km
2-5hours
↗ 292m
↘ 290m
Faaborg is one of Denmark's oldest market towns with well-preserved shops and cobbled streets. The city's museum is an architectural gem, which exhibits paintings, sculptures and furniture design with a focus on local artists such as Johannes Larsen, Fritz Syberg and Anna Syberg. You must see the Faaborg Chair, designed for the museum by Kaare Klint.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Assens and Faaborg-Midtfyn.
Highlights
Faaborg Museum
Show on map ↗41.4km
2-4hours
↗ 192m
↘ 189m
Fancy another short, scenic sailing trip? Then board the ferry from Assens to the small island Bågø which has a very rich bird life. Fond of water sports and special nature experiences? Then you won't be disappointed in Middelfart, where you can dive, snorkel, go on a whale watching trip and walk on the old bridge very high above the Lillebælt. Funen's oldest village church was consecrated before the year 1200, and it is in Føns.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Assens and Middelfart.
Highlights
© VisitFredericia
The Old Bridge over the Little Belt
Show on map ↗37.1km
2-4hours
↗ 213m
↘ 222m
A cultural highlight in Middelfart is the CLAY Ceramics Museum Denmark, which is also a great architectural experience. In addition to ceramic art, the Royal Copenhagen Museum exhibits over 55,000 objects from the major Danish porcelain factories. The very exciting exhibition 'Middelfart Sindssygehospital 1888-1999' can be seen at the town's closed mental hospital.
This stage passes through the municipalities of Fredericia, Kolding and Middelfart.
Highlights
37.4km
2-4hours
↗ 261m
↘ 254m
Skamlingsbanken is Southern Jutland's highest point - at the top you are 113 meters above sea level, and the view is magnificent. In the middle of Haderslev you’ll find the city's impressive cathedral with altar textiles designed by Queen Margrethe. The Brethren town of Christiansfeld is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: it was founded in 1773, and the buildings stand as they did then.
This stage goes through Haderslev and Kolding Municipality.
Highlights
© Brødremenigheds kirken
The Moravian Church in Christiansfeld (Brødremenighedens Kirke)
Show on map ↗32.9km
2-3hours
↗ 268m
↘ 279m
Queen Margrethe has designed altar textiles for the cathedral in Haderslev, which has towered over the city since the mid-13th century. Stop along the stage and enjoy the view from Knivsbjerg hill at Genner, which in the late 1800s was set up as a meeting place for Danes with German sympathies in Southern Jutland. A detour along the dam to Kalvø is recommended
This stage passes through the municipalities of Aabenraa and Haderslev.
Highlights
Haderslev Cathedral
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40.7km
2-4hours
↗ 282m
↘ 239m
The pedestrian street in Aabenraa is more than a kilometer long, so set aside some time for it. A few minutes from the pedestrian street, you will find the country's smallest castle, which exhibits several thousand works of art from the 18th century to the present day, primarily by Southern Jutland artists such as C.W. Eckersberg and Jes Jacobsen. You should set aside some time for that as well.
This stage passes through the municipality of Aabenraa.