Itinerary
- Day 1
Copenhagen
After landing at Copenhagen Airport, you'll pick up your rental car and have the rest of the day to explore at your own pace. The canal district is worth a walk through, with its picturesque waterways and old buildings. Stop by Town Hall Square in the afternoon, then head to Christiansborg Castle if you're interested in seeing the royal residence. Kongens Nytorv Square and the Royal Theatre are nearby and make for good stops. Before evening, catch Nyhavn with its colorful merchant houses, and if you have time, see Amalienborg Palace, the Gefion Fountain, and the Little Mermaid statue. The statue itself is small but iconic, so manage expectations there.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore the scenic canal district
- Visit Town Hall Square
- Visit Christiansborg Castle
- Visit Kongens Nytorv Square
- Visit the Royal Theatre
- Stroll through Nyhavn and view Hans Christian Andersen's former home at No. 67
- Visit Amalienborg Palace
- Admire the Gefion Fountain
- Visit the Little Mermaid statue
Landmarks/POIs Town Hall Square Christiansborg Castle Kongens Nytorv Square Royal Theatre Nyhavn Amalienborg Palace Gefion Fountain Little Mermaid 
- Day 2
Hillerod - Fredensborg - Helsingor
Start with an optional classic canal tour through Copenhagen's harbour if your schedule allows. After that, drive north to Hillerod to visit Frederiksborg Castle and check out its chapel. From there, head to Fredensborg to see the royal family's summer residence and walk around the park. The drive along Strandvejen coastal road takes you toward Helsingor, where Kronborg Castle sits as a 16th-century Renaissance fortress. It's the castle from Hamlet, so the history is layered here. Plan to spend a couple hours at the castle before heading to your evening accommodation.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Frederiksborg Castle and chapel
Optional Activities
- Classic Canal Tour through Copenhagen's harbour and canals
- Visit Fredensborg Castle and park
- Visit Kronborg Castle
Landmarks/POIs Frederiksborg Castle Fredensborg Castle Kronborg Castle 
- Day 3
Roskilde - Korsor - Faaborg
Make your way to Roskilde and spend time at its UNESCO-listed cathedral, which holds burials of Danish monarchs going back centuries. The Viking Ship Museum is on the fjord's edge with a 31-metre warship on display, the longest one ever found, so that's worth a good hour or two. After exploring Roskilde, drive across the Storebælt Bridge connecting Sjaelland to Funen. Your accommodation tonight is in a restored castle, so you'll arrive there by evening. The bridge drive itself is pleasant and marks a transition into a new region.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Roskilde Cathedral
- Visit Viking Ship Museum
Landmarks/POIs Roskilde Cathedral Viking Ship Museum Storebælt Bridge 
- Day 4
Odense - Ribe
This morning starts at Egeskov Castle, a Renaissance fortress sitting on thousands of oak stilts in the middle of a lake. Spend time wandering the gardens and trying the bamboo labyrinth if you're up for it. Later, head to Odense, Hans Christian Andersen's hometown, and visit the HC Andersen Museum. From there, continue driving to Ribe, which holds the title of Denmark's oldest town. The transitions between these three stops take a couple hours total, so plan your timing accordingly for lunch somewhere along the way.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Egeskov Castle with gardens and bamboo labyrinth
Optional Activities
- Visit HC Andersen Museum in Odense
Landmarks/POIs Egeskov Castle HC Andersen Museum 
- Day 5
Jelling - Viborg - Aalborg
Travel to Jelling, just west of Vejle, to see the Jelling Runestones, significant monuments from the Viking era, positioned near Jelling Church. Next, drive to Viborg to see Northern Europe's largest granite church, which is quite a sight given its size and interior detail. Then continue north to Aalborg, where Lindholm Hoje sits as a Viking necropolis with around 700 stone formations scattered across the landscape. This day covers a lot of driving, so grab lunch in one of the towns along the route and settle into your Aalborg accommodation by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Jelling Runestones and Jelling Church
- Visit Viborg Church
- Visit Lindholm Hoje Viking necropolis
Landmarks/POIs Jelling Runestones Jelling Church Viborg Church Lindholm Hoje - Day 6
Skagen - Aalborg
Head north toward Jammer Bay in North Jutland, and stop by Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse, which perches on a 90-metre cliff with views out across the coast. After that, drive to Skagen, a town that drew 19th-century Danish painters and still has that artistic character. At Grenen, Denmark's northernmost point, you'll stand where the North Sea and Baltic Sea meet, which is a notable geographic spot. This is a long driving day moving up the country, so expect about 4 to 5 hours on the road between stops.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse
- Explore Skagen
- Visit Grenen at Denmark's northernmost point
Landmarks/POIs Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse Grenen 
- Day 7
Hobro - Aarhus
Start by heading to Hobro and checking out the Viking Centre of Fyrkat, one of four key Viking fortresses in Denmark. Then drive south to Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city, which has a different energy from Copenhagen with over 40,000 students and active art and cultural scenes. The ARoS Art Museum is worth seeing for its architecture alone. Aarhus Cathedral has Denmark's longest interior and an impressive organ with frescoes. Wander the Latin Quarter near the cathedral for antique shops and galleries. Den Gamle By, an open-air museum with over sixty reconstructed houses, gives a solid sense of how people lived historically. You could easily spend several hours here.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Viking Centre of Fyrkat
- Visit ARoS Art Museum
- Visit Aarhus Cathedral
- Explore Latin Quarter shops, galleries, and boutiques
- Visit Den Gamle By open-air museum
Landmarks/POIs Viking Centre of Fyrkat ARoS Art Museum Aarhus Cathedral Den Gamle By - Day 8
Aarhus to Copenhagen
Board the ferry from Aarhus heading to Sjaelland Island, arriving at Odden. After disembarking, drive toward Copenhagen for the remainder of the day. You'll have time to settle into your accommodation and maybe grab dinner in the city, but it's mostly a travel and rest day given the ferry crossing and drive time.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing to Sjaelland Island
- Day 9
Copenhagen
Have breakfast at your hotel before heading out for last-minute souvenir shopping, particularly Viking-themed items if that interests you. After shopping, drive to the airport to return your rental car and prepare for departure. Budget about 45 minutes to an hour for the drive to the airport from central Copenhagen depending on traffic.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Viking souvenir shopping
