A loop from Copenhagen that links the islands and the Jutland peninsula by the great bridges: the castles of Zealand, the chalk cliffs of Møn, Andersen's Funen, Aarhus, the dunes of Skagen and the North Sea coast. Distances stay short, roads are toll-free, and only the Great Belt Bridge and, optionally, the Øresund Bridge charge a toll.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Copenhagen | Start |
| Day 3 | Helsingør | 46 km · 1h10 |
| Day 4 | Roskilde | 65 km · 1h15 |
| Day 5 | Stege (Møn) | 139 km · 2h25 |
| Day 6 | Odense | 199 km · 3h15 |
| Days 7 to 8 | Aarhus | 167 km · 2h15 |
| Day 9 | Skagen | 239 km · 3h |
| Day 10 | Klitmøller | 209 km · 3h40 |
| Day 11 | Ribe | 242 km · 4h10 |
| Day 12 | Back to Copenhagen | 283 km · 3h20 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
May to September, when the days are long and everything is open (Egeskov until 25 October 2026, the Møns Klint GeoCenter from Easter to the end of October). In winter, short days, grey and windy weather, and several sites closed.
🚗 46 km · 1h10 of driving from Copenhagen
Route 152 (Strandvejen) along the Øresund via Klampenborg and Vedbæk, rather than the E47 motorway. Pick up the car as you leave the city.
🚗 65 km · 1h15 of driving from Helsingør
Route 6 towards Hillerød and Frederiksborg, then route 6 to Roskilde. Easy country roads.
🚗 139 km · 2h25 of driving from Roskilde
Via Køge, coastal route 261 to Stevns Klint, the E47/E55 motorway, then route 59 and the Queen Alexandrine Bridge to Møn.
🚗 199 km · 3h15 of driving from Stege
Route 59, the E47/E55 motorway, route 22 via Slagelse, the Great Belt Bridge (E20, toll), then route 8 towards Egeskov.
🚗 167 km · 2h15 of driving from Odense
E20 over the new Little Belt Bridge, route 28 towards Jelling, then the E45 motorway to Aarhus.
🚗 239 km · 3h of driving from Aarhus
E45 motorway via Aalborg to Frederikshavn, then route 40. Stop at Lindholm Høje on the northern edge of Aalborg.
🚗 209 km · 3h40 of driving from Skagen
Route 597 and the E39 towards Hjørring, minor roads via Lønstrup, route 55 via Løkken, then route 11 with a detour to Bulbjerg.
🚗 242 km · 4h10 of driving from Klitmøller
Route 11 via Thisted and the Oddesund Bridge, then route 181 along the Holmsland Klit dune barrier, via Hvide Sande.
🚗 283 km · 3h20 of driving from Ribe
Skip Møn, Skagen and the west coast: Copenhagen (2 nights), Helsingør (1), Odense (1) via Roskilde and the Great Belt, Aarhus (2). Back to Copenhagen on the E45 motorway, then the E20 and the Great Belt Bridge.
| Car hire only, July | ≈ €54 a day |
|---|---|
| Car hire only, November | ≈ €34 a day |
| Car hire only, annual average | ≈ €38 a day (Kayak, Sept. 2026) |
| Small car, average | ≈ €30 a day |
| Vehicle | A city car or compact: good, flat roads, no need for a 4x4 or a big engine. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | At Copenhagen airport or in the city, on the day you set off: there is no point keeping it in the city. |
| Age and licence | 19 minimum and one year's driving experience with some rental companies (20 with Sixt). Young driver surcharge. |
| Card | A credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit; debit cards are often refused. |
| Insurance | Collision damage (CDW) and theft cover generally included, with an excess that can reach several thousand euros. |
| Sweden | Crossing to Malmö is allowed or not depending on the rental company; have it stated in the contract. |
⚠️ The Great Belt Bridge is charged on every crossing (DKK 235 at the toll booth): two crossings on this loop, there and back.
Any EU licence is enough, with no International Driving Permit. Rental companies generally require one year's driving experience. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Very many cyclists, often with priority: check the cycle lane before turning right.
110 on some motorways, follow the signs. On the Great Belt Bridge, respect the limits displayed in strong wind.
The same limit for everyone, young drivers included. Police carry out random checks, with no prior suspicion needed.
Dipped headlights or daytime running lights compulsory all year round, on all roads.
A disc (P-skive) is required in time-limited zones. Copenhagen: up to DKK 45 an hour, 7 days a week.
Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Aarhus, Odense, Aalborg. Petrol cars not affected. Older foreign diesels: online registration. Fine DKK 1,500.
Seat belts for all passengers, warning triangle compulsory in the car.
Studded tyres allowed from 1 November to 15 April.
≈ €2.62 per litre of petrol, €2.56 for diesel
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,589 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €290 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
European Commission Weekly Oil Bulletin, 21 September 2026. Among the highest prices in Europe, up sharply over a year.
| Motorways | Free |
|---|---|
| Great Belt Bridge (Zealand-Funen) | DKK 235 (≈ €31) per crossing at the toll booth, DKK 205 with a tag or registered number plate |
| Øresund Bridge (to Malmö, optional) | DKK 470 (≈ €63) at the toll booth, DKK 420 online (rate from 14 Sept. 2026) |
| Parking in Copenhagen | DKK 45 an hour (red and green zones, 08:00 to 18:00), charged 7 days a week |
| Møns Klint car park | DKK 45, number plate read on entry |
| Kronborg Castle | DKK 150 per adult, DKK 135 online |
| Egeskov Castle | DKK 265 per adult online (2026 season) |
| Great Belt and Øresund bridges | Open 24 hours a day; closed only in extreme storms |
|---|---|
| Egeskov Castle | 2026 season from 28 March to 25 October |
| Møns Klint GeoCenter | From Easter to the end of October; car park and toilets all year round |
| Maglevand staircase (Møns Klint) | Northern section closed, beach access via the right-hand branch |
| Grenen | Swimming forbidden all year round because of the currents |
Allow 10 to 12 days for this loop of 9 stages and 11 nights: Copenhagen, the castles of Zealand, Møn, Funen, Aarhus, Skagen and the west coast. In 7 days, stick to Copenhagen, Helsingør, Odense and Aarhus. The stages take from 1 to just over 4 hours of driving.
Car only, in July: about €600 of car hire over 11 days (€54 a day, Kayak average), DKK 470 (≈ €63) for two crossings of the Great Belt Bridge, about €270 of petrol at September 2026 prices for roughly 1,700 km at €2.62 a litre, plus parking, which is expensive in Copenhagen. In November, car hire drops to around €34 a day.
DKK 235 (about €31) per crossing at the toll booth, by card or in cash (kroner or euros), for a car 3 to 6 m long. With a BroBizz tag or registered number plate payment, the price drops to DKK 205 and you use the green express lanes. The loop crosses it twice.
Not with an EU licence: any valid European Union licence is enough. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required. Rental companies generally require one year's driving experience, a minimum age of 19 or 20 depending on the branch, and a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit.
Yes, over the Øresund Bridge: DKK 470 (about €63) per crossing at the toll booth, DKK 420 online, the rate in force since 14 September 2026. Check before setting off that your contract allows Sweden: some rental companies permit it at no charge, others do not.
The centre is paid parking every day: DKK 45 an hour from 08:00 to 18:00 in the red and green zones, 26 in the blue, 17 in the yellow, much less in the evening and at night. The simplest option: explore the city on foot or by bike, and only pick up the car when the road trip begins.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/denmark · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
