Culinary & Sustainability Journey Through Denmark

because it’s intentional. This is the birthplace of New Nordic cuisine, where chefs, farmers, bakers, and producers helped redefine what modern food could be: seasonal, local, deeply rooted in place, and built on respect for the land and sea. In Denmark, sustainability isn’t a marketing term—it’s a way of life, and it shows up in everything from the farms people support to the kitchens they celebrate.

This tour is designed for travelers who want more than great meals (though you’ll have plenty of those). It’s for anyone curious about how food can connect culture, community, and the future. Over ten days, we’ll move from Copenhagen to the countryside, the west coast, and Aarhus—meeting the people shaping Denmark’s food movement from the ground up. You’ll experience organic farming firsthand, bake sourdough with one of the country’s most renowned bakeries, forage and cook outdoors with local experts, explore the coastline through seaweed and sustainable seafood, and dine in some of Denmark’s most thoughtful kitchens.

Along the way, you’ll see sustainability in action: regenerative agriculture, low-waste production, local supply chains, and the quiet but powerful belief that the most delicious food is the kind that leaves the lightest footprint. This is a journey full of hands-on experiences, unforgettable landscapes, and deeply memorable meals—created for people who love food, care where it comes from, and want to experience Denmark in the most meaningful way possible.

Who?

The trip is designed for experienced travelers with a passion for great food made the traditional way. The activity level on this tour is Med/High. Including: biking, walking distances between 10-20K steps a day — potentially over uneven ground (farms/beaches) and cobblestoned streets. Also, climbing stairs in and out of buildings and public transportation. There may be long periods of standing for classes and demonstrations.

• Food Curiosity Level: High

• Patience

• A good appetite

• A sense of humor

• Curiosity

• Flexibility 

Accommodations

We’ve carefully curated a selection of four- and five-star hotels around the country in an effort to balance our active days with comfort and relaxation. All of our hotels include bars or restaurants and a few also offer spa facilities.

What’s Included?

• Amazing food – all breakfasts, most lunches, and nearly all your dinners. We will enjoy traditional regional specialties made with local, fresh ingredients.

• Behind-the-scenes visits with artisanal producers, local farmers, and hands-on cooking experiences.

• A Zingerman’s tour host and our guides will be at your disposal at all times.

• Public/Private Transportation

• Hotel accommodations for 9 nights

What’s Not Included?

Airfare

Airport transfers

Alcoholic beverages (other than beverages with dinner or when they are specifically included in the itinerary)

Personal spending money

Additional Tips

August 24, Day 1 : copenhagen

This evening we’ll gather to kick things off with a dinner shaped by the season, and inspired by the shared table located on Copenhagen’s waterfront. It’s here that we’ll get acquainted and begin our time together with curiosity and wonder at all Denmark has to offer us.

Day 2 : Copenhagen

Today we’ll gather to see the city like true danes, with a bicycle tour! Strap on your helmets and get ready to taste and see the city on 2 wheels. 

Tonight we’ll dine atop the Copenhagen skyline at the city’s first urban rooftop farm. Here we’ll see and taste one of the many ways that sustainability and community drive Danish cuisine.

Day 3: Odsherred → Aarhus

This morning after breakfast we’ll grab our bags and head outside of town and don our waders to explore the flora of the sea. 

After our mid-morning adventure we will have a traditional lunch of smørrebrød, an elaborate open-faced sandwich on dense rye bread (rugbrød) with butter and a wide variety of toppings like meats, fish, cheeses, and garnishes.

From here we’ll jump on a ferry to Aarhus to check into our hotel and have some dinner.

Day 4: aarhus & Environs

Today we’ll get to “see how the sausage is made” and roll up our sleeves to aid in the process at an organic pig outside of town. 

This afternoon you’ll have a moment to relax or explore this city on your own before we gather to have a private dinner at a Michelin Green Star with a Danish wine pairing dinner.

Day 5: aarhus

This morning we’ll head out - on foot this time - to explore Aarhus and eat our way through the hidden treasures of the city. Our tour will conclude at lunch where we’ll enjoy an upscale “wild” smørrebrød with panoramic city views.

Late this afternoon we will stop into Aarhus’ most famous bakery for a Sourdough baking class where we’ll also enjoy dinner.

Day 6: Silkeborg Area

Enjoy a lie in or venture out to explore Aarhus on your own this morning. 

We’ll convene this afternoon with our bags and head outside the city to explore a new region where we will forage, prepare and enjoy our dinner together with our expert local guide.

Day 7: Thy

After breakfast we will pack up and head northwest until we reach the coast. Before checking into our new accommodations we’ll stop by and visit a lovely farmer and see their organic farm that supplies fruits and vegetables to the restaurants in the region. 

Tonight we’ll be able to taste the produce from our visit at a Michelin starred restaurant that the farm supplies.

Day 8: Agger / West Coast

This morning we’ll enjoy a traditional Danish breakfast and have time to enjoy our accommodations. Whether you want to hit the sauna, have a swim, walk the beach - or all three!

We can’t be on the coast without getting on the water so today we’ll set sail to collect mussels for our lunch that we will prepare and enjoy together.

For dinner we will settle into a cozy little gem at the harbor in Agger where, to no one’s surprise, sustainability and local ingredients reign supreme.

Day 9: Aarhus

This morning we will make our way back to Aarhus for our final day of the tour.  Along the way we’ll stop in to visit the team that is making a delicious Danish apple cider with apples otherwise being wasted in local gardens.

Once back firmly in the city we’ll set off on a coastal bike ride and enjoy a seafood lunch along Aarhus’ historic and iconic shoreline.

Tonight our dinner will be provided by pioneers of sustainability in Jutland.

Day 10: Departing day

This morning we will have breakfast and take the ferry back to Copenhagen together where, once we arrive back in the city, we will say our goodbyes and head our separate ways.

*Please note: this itinerary is based on our previous tours to the region. We will make every effort to provide the tours and experiences that are described above. The nature of the places we’ll be visiting — not typical tourist destinations — means that plans may change at the last minute. Also, you always have the option of skipping a particular excursion, but please note that we will be unable to make refunds for any missed meals or other events.