Hamburg to Copenhagen by Bike: Our 10-Day Ride Through Wind, Islands and Cities

Written by Bikemap’s Customer Support Lead, Robert Batcock

My girlfriend and I had only done one bike tour before. A relatively chilled one from Northern Italy down to Venice. But we had caught the bug. We simply had to do another.

We decided on Hamburg to Copenhagen. Two countries, nearly 700 kilometers, and a mix of city streets, rural backroads, coastal paths and bridges. A big adventure awaited us.

Before setting off, we spent quite a bit of time planning the trip on Bikemap. Mapping out each day’s stage helped us figure out how far we wanted to ride and where we could reasonably stop for the night. Since we decided against camping, we packed slightly lighter: just the essentials like cycling gear, evening clothes, a repair kit, chargers, emergency snacks and of course rain jackets. We also saved the whole route offline, just in case the signal dropped or to save battery.

Our plan was simple: split the route into manageable days, follow bike-friendly paths as much as possible, and enjoy ourselves. We took the night train from Vienna to Hamburg and, after a surprisingly good night’s sleep on the famously comfy night train beds, set off on our journey.

Leaving Hamburg was easier than expected. Dedicated cycle lanes guided us out of the city and into open countryside within the first hour. We followed the beautiful D1 cycling path up to our first stop: Glückstadt. With no camping gear, we checked in to our first Airbnb of the trip.

From Glückstadt, we continued up the coast to Büsum, where the North Sea opened up before us. The wind quickly became our daily challenge. It always seemed to be a headwind. With fully packed bikes, we weren’t exactly aerodynamic, but the scenery made up for it. Vegan food, however, was much harder to come by. Northern Germany turned out to be the toughest part of the trip for my girlfriend, with menus offering little beyond fries and bread. Supermarkets and the occasional bakery saved us more than once.

From Büsum, we headed further north to a small port, where a ferry took us out to Nordmarsch-Langeneß, one of the remote Halligen islands. This was one of the highlights of the trip. A peaceful hotel in the middle of an island in the North Sea. The remoteness was both scary and beautiful.

Back on the mainland, we cycled through Sylt. Stunning, but a little strange. A remote island with Viking burial grounds and a bunch of high-end designer stores made for an odd mix, but it was aesthetically beautiful nonetheless. From there we rode on to Rømø in Denmark. The shift was immediate. From a curated, luxury island to a wild one with untouched landscapes. We stayed with an older Danish gentleman who shared beers and stories with us into the night.

From Rømø, we turned inland. Kolding was our first bigger stop in Denmark, followed by Odense, where we finally found more reliable vegan options and a lively city atmosphere. By then we had settled into a rhythm: ride in the morning, break for a lunch that was always a little too big, push through the afternoon kilometers with a few extra kilos on board, and rest in the evenings.

Slagelse gave us a quieter pause before the final stretch, and Roskilde, with its cathedral and Viking history, felt like the last big marker before the finish line.

Finally, we rolled into Copenhagen. The bike lanes were packed. It seemed like everyone there owned a bike. But we had made it. Ten days, two countries, a handful of ferries and bridges, and countless small challenges along the way. Hamburg to Copenhagen was done.

Have you got inspired by Rob’s trip? You can also share your story with us and have the chance to be featured in our Bike Stories. We can’t wait to read about your cycling adventures and share them with our incredible community!