Øresund Coast Sail & Bike Tour

Day 1: Copenhagen – embarkation (0 km)
From 5:30 pm the crew will welcome you aboard the tall ship, moored close to the centre of Copenhagen opposite the Opera House. You will stow your luggage in your cabin, then meet the skipper, the crew and your two tour leaders over a welcome drink, followed by dinner on board. At the first briefing after dinner you will hear what to expect during the week, how life on board works and what the safety measures are. The bicycles will be handed out that evening or the next morning.

Day 2: Copenhagen – Humlebæk – Helsingør (48 km)
Your first ride will take you out of the mooring past the Kastellet and the Little Mermaid, then mostly along the water and through small villages on your way north. You will finish in Helsingør, the town at the narrowest point of the Øresund, founded as early as 1420 and dominated by Kronborg Castle, the setting Shakespeare chose for Hamlet. It is an easy day in the saddle to find your rhythm and get used to your bike.

Day 3: Helsingør – Helsingborg – Landskrona (28 km)
Today you will ride the coast of the so-called Danish Riviera, with its long sandy beaches, before turning inland through the gently hilly landscape of Nordsjælland. During dinner the ship will cross the strait to Helsingborg on the Swedish side, so you will fall asleep in Denmark and wake up in Sweden. A longer 45 km variant is available if you feel like putting in more kilometres.

Day 4: Landskrona – Ven (28 km)
From Helsingborg you will cycle down the coast of Skåne to the fortified town of Landskrona, then take the ferry across to the island of Ven, which rises from the sea like a plateau. Only 7.5 square kilometres and home to fewer than 400 people, Ven will surprise you with steep limestone cliffs, handsome farmhouses, the observatory of the 17th-century astronomer Tycho Brahe and a community of artists and craftspeople. In the evening the crew will collect you by dinghy and you will sleep at anchor off the island. The long option adds up to 38 km.

Day 5: Ven – Køge or Rødvig – sailing day (0 km)
This will be a full day under sail. Depending on wind, swell and weather, the ship will head for the port of Køge or drop anchor near Rødvig. You can lend a hand with the navigation and with hoisting the sails, with instruction from the crew and no experience needed, or simply settle on deck and watch the Øresund go by. Both anchorages sit in sparsely populated country, so on a clear night the stars can be remarkable.

Day 6: Rødvig – Stevns Klint – Køge (30 km)
Depending on where the ship has moored, today will either be a round trip out of Køge or a ride from Rødvig to Køge. Either way you will reach Stevns Klint, the majestic white limestone cliffs that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the highlight of the Danish half of this trip. In the late afternoon the ship will leave the medieval town of Køge and sail on to Malmö. A 58 km version is on offer for stronger riders.

Day 7: Malmö – Lund – Malmö (26 km)
The ship will be moored near the historic centre of Malmö, Sweden's third largest city, where modern architecture sits beside the old town, Malmöhus Castle and the 14th-century St Peter's Church. On your last cycling day you can take a half-day tour in and around Malmö, or ride the full 49 km inland to the university city of Lund to see its medieval centre and magnificent cathedral before returning along the coast. The captain's farewell dinner will be waiting on board.

Day 8: Malmö – disembarkation (0 km)
After a last breakfast on board you will say goodbye to the crew and step ashore in Malmö, one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in Europe and an easy place to linger for a few hours before you travel on.