Denmark’s South Funen Archipelago

The most remarkable part of the trip was the beautiful countryside we saw on Funen, and getting a brief picture of the Danish 'personality'. I loved having an e-bike as it made the hills a breeze, although I found the bike very heavy when trying to maneuver it crossing streets etc in the cites.

The biggest downfall of the trip was the bike directions. It should be emphasized to be prepared to use digital routes and give them upon arriving. Unless able to provide them, people should be told to bring a mount for the phone on the handle bars, rain protection for the phone and earbuds. The detailed directions are not usable. We'd still be trying to get of Odense!?
The lodgings were personable and great except not crazy about Hotel Faaborg Strand. It was too far out to go on a rainy, windy night to town for dinner and they had only one selection on the dinner menu. They cater to conventions. A place in town would be much better. The ebikes were of very good quality. Giving people the rules of biking in Denmark would be useful. We had rain, cold and wind but still loved the beautiful scenery and especially loved the islands.

What I did like about this trip was that it was not solid biking for 5-6 days. I liked that we had a few off-days during the week to recoup and explore the villages, with optional rather than required biking on those days. I really enjoyed the towns where we stopped! All were charming and gave us enough to do but were not overwhelming in things to see. The option to have an e-bike made it more doable for some in our party, so overall it made it an enjoyable experience for all.

I would advise others to make sure you pack ample snacks and water, particularly on the first day. There were no obvious places to stop and regroup so unlike on some of the other days and we definitely felt that at the end of the day.

Finally, I want to shout out to Michael from - our arrival in Odense was delayed by a day due to unforeseen circumstances, and he was in constant communication with us to ensure we go sorted on our bikes and were on our way, even though we were behind schedule. He was also readily available to help when other minor issues arose. Excellent customer service - he certainly made us feel like we had someone watching out for us.

The weather went North: 14C feeling like 12, very windy gusts of plus 45 km/h and rain for 10 days now. So wonderful train service replaced the bicycles. We prepared for 17 to 22 C weather so our clothing was inappropriate.

My wife and I toured southern Denmark in late August using e-bikes. And we must agree that Denmark is beautiful country. It also has world-class bike lanes, trails and signage. Whether we were cycling along the coast, through farm fields, among giant hardwood trees, visiting open-air museums or taking in historic town centers, we appreciated the country’s investment and commitment to safety and two-wheeled transportation.

The accommodations were comfortable and spacious. Breakfast was hearty, healthy and generous — we feasted on rye bread, croissants, hard and soft cheeses, eggs, ham, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables. sausage, yogurt, juice, coffee…every day began with an amazing buffet.

Riding the ferries between islands was fun and an effective way to appreciate the archipelago that makes up Funen. We saw some magnificent sailing ships hailing from Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and of course Denmark. People were warm and friendly.

Our luggage was transported as promised and delivered promptly to our hotel. That’s a big bonus when you’re wanting to shower before dinner. The routes were an appropriate length — leisurely completed in 4-6 hours with time to spare for a picnic lunch or visiting a local attraction.

This was our sixth self-guided tour with TripSite. As with previous tours, we like to use our mobile phones for real-time GPS guidance. We downloaded the BikeGPX tracks provided by the vendor. In several cases, we discovered that the tracks did not correspond to reality. The preprogrammed routes are extremely useful. But only if they are accurate. One time we were directed across a soft, sandy beach that was not appropriate for cycling; another time we were directed to ride across a golf course fairway where clearly no bike path existed. And another day we just disregarded the suggested route because we weren’t provided with enough time and information to catch the ferry.

And that brings to mind another item that might benefit from attention: the e-bikes we were assigned had slick tires and a heavy frame. They were great for cycling on asphalt or packed gravel. They carried our loaded panniers easily. But some portions of the route took us out on sandy spits. Or on single track through overgrown pastures. We thought it would have been better to plan the route keeping in mind the bike’s capabilities.

We give this trip a four-star rating because of the bike-track issues. If the bike tracks are fixed we would enthusiastically rate this trip a five-star experience.

Denmark is spectacularly beautiful. Cities and rural areas are clean and well-cared for. The citizens have a commitment to green and sustainable energy. We are looking forward to returning someday.