Day Trips from Copenhagen: 11 Ideas, Including the Quiet South Coast
The classic trips north and west, and the cliffs, castles and vineyard south of the city that are easy to miss. From a winegrower who lives there.
- About 1 hour south by car
- A UNESCO cliff on the way
- Denmark’s largest organic vineyard
What are the best day trips from Copenhagen?
By Jesper Rye Jensen, winegrower and owner of Vesterhave VingaardUpdated 2026
The best day trips from Copenhagen are Helsingør and Kronborg Castle, Roskilde, Louisiana and Frederiksborg Castle to the north and west, and Køge, Stevns Klint, Møns Klint and Vesterhave Vingaard in Karrebæksminde to the south. The north is quick by train. The south takes a full day and is best by car, about one hour from the city.
I grow wine by the sea in South Zealand, about an hour south of Copenhagen. If you have already seen Kronborg and Roskilde, the south shows you a different side of Denmark: chalk cliffs, small harbour towns, forests and, yes, a Danish vineyard.
This guide lists the classic trips from VisitDenmark‘s own list first, and then the South Zealand trips I would send my own friends on. Every fact about the other places is linked to its source, so you can check opening hours before you go.
Which day trip from Copenhagen suits you?
The 11 day trips below cover castles, museums, cliffs and wine. Pick by direction: the north and west are quick by train, while the south rewards a car and a full day.
| Day trip | Direction | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Helsingør and Kronborg Castle | North | Castles and Hamlet |
| 2. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art | North | Art and the sea view |
| 3. Roskilde | West | Vikings and royal history |
| 4. Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød | North | A castle and gardens |
| 5. Køge old town | South | Old streets and a market square |
| 6. Stevns Klint | South | Geology and coastal walks |
| 7. Camp Adventure | South | A view over the forest |
| 8. Gavnø Castle near Næstved | South | Gardens and tulips (spring) |
| 9. Holmegaard Værk | South | Danish design and glassblowing |
| 10. Møns Klint | South | Dramatic white cliffs |
| 11. Karrebæksminde and Vesterhave Vingaard | South | Wine tasting and the beach |
Directions and “best for” are my own suggestions. Travel times and facts are in the descriptions below, with sources.
Which day trips north and west of Copenhagen are worth it?
The classic day trips from Copenhagen go north along the coast and west to Roskilde. They are the ones VisitDenmark recommends first, and they are easy without a car.
1. Helsingør and Kronborg Castle
Hamlet’s castle and a well preserved old town. VisitDenmark puts the train ride along the coast at about 45 minutes, which makes it the classic first day trip. The town also has the M/S Maritime Museum, designed by Bjarke Ingels.
2. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
A modern art museum in an old park on the coast at Humlebæk, with views across the Sound. According to VisitDenmark, it shows six to eight major exhibitions a year, so it is a good choice on a rainy day or in winter.
3. Roskilde
Only about 20 minutes from Copenhagen, according to VisitDenmark. Roskilde Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the burial place of nearly 40 Danish kings and queens, and the Viking Ship Museum shows ships recovered from Roskilde Fjord.
4. Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød
A short train ride from the city. The castle stands on three small islands in a lake and is often called the Nordic Versailles, with a Baroque garden that is worth the walk.
What is there to see south of Copenhagen?
South of Copenhagen you find two of Denmark’s great chalk cliffs, old market towns, a Rococo castle, a glass museum and the coast of Smålandshavet. It is also the part of Zealand I know best, because I live and work there.
5. Køge old town
Køge is the first real market town on the way south. According to Visit Køge, the square is the largest provincial square in Denmark at almost 10,000 m², the town hall from 1567 is the oldest in Denmark still in use, and one half-timbered house is dated 1527.
6. Stevns Klint
A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2014. VisitDenmark describes a cliff more than 40 metres high and about 20 km long, where you can see the layer left by the asteroid that ended the age of the dinosaurs. Start at Højerup Old Church and the Stevns Klint Experience visitor centre.
7. Camp Adventure
A 45 metre observation tower and a 900 metre treetop walkway in the Gisselfeld Kloster forests, about an hour’s drive south of Copenhagen, according to VisitDenmark. Good for families and anyone who likes a view.
8. Gavnø Castle near Næstved
One of Denmark’s most beautiful Rococo castles, according to VisitDenmark, with a castle park, a chapel and a private art collection. The tulip festival runs from mid April through May, and a lily festival from late July through August.
9. Holmegaard Værk
A living glass museum near Næstved with live glassblowing and more than 40,000 glass objects, from everyday glasses to icons of Danish design, according to VisitDenmark.
10. Møns Klint
The highest cliffs in Denmark. VisitDenmark says the white chalk rises 128 metres above the sea along 7 km of coast, and a 267 metre boardwalk at the top lets you enjoy the view without taking the steps down to the beach. GeoCenter Møns Klint tells the story of the fossils.
11. Karrebæksminde and Vesterhave Vingaard
Our own corner of South Zealand, so I am biased. Karrebæksminde is a small harbour village on Smålandshavet with the wide sandy beach at Enø close by, and our vineyard is in Karrebæksminde too. Come for a tasting among the vines and finish the day by the water.
How do you plan a South Zealand day trip by car?
A South Zealand day trip by car works best with three or four stops, not seven. This is the route I would suggest to a friend visiting from abroad, with a wine tasting as the last stop so nobody has to rush.
Leave Copenhagen early
Drive south towards Køge and have a coffee on the big market square before the day gets busy.
Walk at Stevns Klint
Start at Højerup Old Church, walk a stretch of the cliff path and look for the thin dark layer from the asteroid impact.
Choose forest or castle
Camp Adventure if you want a view and a walk, Gavnø if it is tulip season, Holmegaard Værk if it rains.
Book the tasting in advance
Our tastings run from spring to late autumn. Check the dates and book on the booking page before you leave the city.
Agree on a driver
A wine tasting and a drive back to Copenhagen do not mix. Decide who drives, or stay the night nearby.
End by the water
Finish with a walk on the beach at Enø or along the harbour in Karrebæksminde before the drive home.
Want Møns Klint as well? Then I would make it a separate day, or stay overnight. It is further south, and the cliffs deserve more than an hour.
Can you do a day trip from Copenhagen by train?
Yes, a day trip from Copenhagen by train is easy to the north and west. VisitDenmark lists Helsingør at about 45 minutes by train and Roskilde at about 20 minutes, and Frederiksborg in Hillerød is a short ride away.
Going south, a direct train between Copenhagen and Næstved opened in April 2023 and takes about an hour, according to The Copenhagen Post (2023). Næstved is the nearest larger town to Gavnø, Holmegaard Værk and our vineyard, which is about 15 minutes away by car.
Check current departures and local buses on Rejseplanen, the Danish journey planner. If you come to us by train, you are welcome to write to us and ask about the last part of the trip.
- North and west: easy by train
- South: train to Næstved, then bus, taxi or car
- Several stops in the south: hire a car
Why add a Danish vineyard to your day trip?
A Danish vineyard is something most visitors do not expect to find an hour from Copenhagen. Vesterhave Vingaard sits right by Smålandshavet in Karrebæksminde, where the sea protects the vines against night frost and gives the grapes a longer season to ripen. We have about 25,000 vines under organic control, and we are Denmark’s largest organic vineyard.
A tasting typically includes 4 to 6 glasses: white, light rosé, red and a sparkling apple wine. You sit in the tasting room or on the covered pergola, and the tour takes you through the organic fields, where we grow Solaris for white wine and Léon Millot and Regent for red, and into the winery, where you see fermentation and oak barrels. You can add a tapas plate with local specialities, cheese and homemade bread.
Danish wine is young but growing fast. According to Statistics Denmark (2024), the number of Danish businesses growing wine grapes rose from 71 in 2016 to 146 in 2022. Our Blå Lagune 2019 received 96 points from Falstaff. If you want the background first, read our guide to Danish wine or the list of vineyards in Denmark you can visit.
The last stop of the day
Frequently asked questions about day trips from Copenhagen
What is the best day trip from Copenhagen?
It depends on what you like. For a castle, Helsingør and Kronborg are about 45 minutes away by train, according to VisitDenmark. For Viking history, Roskilde is about 20 minutes away. For nature and wine, head south to Stevns Klint, Møns Klint and Vesterhave Vingaard in Karrebæksminde.
Can you do a day trip from Copenhagen by train?
Yes. Helsingør, Roskilde and Hillerød are easy by train, and VisitDenmark lists Helsingør at about 45 minutes and Roskilde at about 20 minutes. Going south, a direct train from Copenhagen to Næstved opened in 2023 and takes about an hour, according to The Copenhagen Post. Use Rejseplanen for current times.
What can you see south of Copenhagen?
South of Copenhagen you find the old market town of Køge, the UNESCO cliff Stevns Klint, the 45 metre Camp Adventure tower, Gavnø Castle, the glass museum Holmegaard Værk, the 128 metre chalk cliffs of Møns Klint, and the seaside village of Karrebæksminde with Vesterhave Vingaard.
Is there a vineyard near Copenhagen you can visit?
Yes. Vesterhave Vingaard in Karrebæksminde is about one hour by car from Copenhagen and about 15 minutes from Næstved. Tastings usually include 4 to 6 glasses and a walk through the organic vineyard, and run from spring to late autumn. Dates are on our booking page.
Are day trips from Copenhagen possible in winter?
Yes, but plan around opening hours. Towns like Køge and Roskilde and museums like Louisiana work in any season, while gardens and festivals such as the tulips at Gavnø are seasonal. Our wine tastings run from spring to late autumn, so check the booking page for dates.
Do I need a car for a day trip to South Zealand?
A car makes it easier to combine several stops, such as Stevns Klint, Camp Adventure and Møns Klint, in one day. Without a car, you can take the direct train to Næstved and continue by local bus or taxi. Agree on a driver if you plan a wine tasting.
What is Stevns Klint?
Stevns Klint is a chalk and limestone cliff on the Stevns peninsula south of Copenhagen. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 2014. According to VisitDenmark, it rises more than 40 metres, runs for about 20 km and shows traces of the asteroid impact that ended the age of the dinosaurs.
Jesper Rye Jensen
Jesper is the winegrower and owner of Vesterhave Vingaard, Vesterhavevej 204, 4736 Karrebæksminde. He grows organic wine by Smålandshavet in South Zealand, and his Blå Lagune 2019 received 96 points from Falstaff.
Sources
- VisitDenmark: Day trips from Copenhagen
- VisitDenmark: Stevns Klint, UNESCO World Heritage
- UNESCO World Heritage Committee: Stevns Klint inscribed 2014 (38th session)
- VisitDenmark: Møns Klint
- VisitDenmark: Camp Adventure
- VisitDenmark: Gavnø Castle
- VisitDenmark: Holmegaard Værk
- VisitDenmark: Karrebæksminde Outer Harbour
- Visit Køge: City walk
- The Copenhagen Post: New train connection between Copenhagen and Næstved (April 2023)
- Statistics Denmark: Danish wine production (5 July 2024, in Danish)
- Vesterhave Vingaard: Our wines and Falstaff points
End your day south of Copenhagen with a glass of Danish wine
Combine the cliffs and castles of South Zealand with a tasting at Vesterhave Vingaard in Karrebæksminde, about one hour from Copenhagen. Organic wine from vines by the sea, a walk through the fields and a view of Smålandshavet.
Questions? Write or call us in English.
[email protected]+45 40 55 77 04Vesterhavevej 204, 4736 Karrebæksminde, Denmark