What to See in Denmark: 12 Places I Visited Myself (+ Photos)

I can’t believe I didn’t discover the beauty of Denmark sooner. I first visited Copenhagen ages ago, and Copenhagen is brilliant, but having travelled around Denmark like this, I’m not sure how high it’ll rank among my favourite Danish places. Denmark is all about fishing villages, beaches with a completely different vibe to those in southern Europe, endless cycle paths and the ever-present hygge.

The best places in Denmark

Denmark is divided into three main parts : Jutland – the mainland region connected to Germany, the largest region comprising the cities of Aarhus, Aalborg and Ribe, and my absolute favourite part of Denmark; Zealand – the largest island, home to Copenhagen and Roskilde; and Funen – the island between them, with the city of Odense.

In addition, Denmark comprises hundreds of smaller islands, the best known of which are Bornholm (to the east in the Baltic Sea), Lolland, Falster, Langeland, Møn and the archipelagos of Ærø and Samsø. You can drive between most of the main islands thanks to the bridges, and often you won’t even realise that you’re actually on a different island.

Skagen

Skagen lies at the very northern tip of the Jutland Peninsula and has a unique atmosphere thanks to the light, which has been attracting painters here since the 19th century. The town has a small harbour, galleries (notably the Skagens Museum, which houses works by the ‘Skagen’ painters), fishermen’s cottages painted in ochre, and a peaceful, somewhat melancholic atmosphere.

A few kilometres from the town lies Grenen – Denmark’s northernmost point, where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet. The currents flow in opposite directions here, so you can literally see (in fairly good weather and light) the collision of the two seas. You can walk to the tip along the beach, or take the ‘Sandormen’ tractor. It’s quite windy there, so it really does feel like the very end, a headland. And not just symbolically – it marks the boundary of Denmark.

Odense and H. Ch. Andersen

Odense, on the island of Fyn, is Denmark’s third-largest city. It’s a lovely city with a brilliant park, and of all the major Danish cities, it struck me as the most peaceful – I’d even go so far as to say it has a rural feel. What makes it significant, however, is that it is the birthplace and home of Hans Christian Andersen, who is probably Denmark’s most famous writer. In fact, apart from Kierkegaard, I don’t know of any others.

Andersen is something of a role model for me as a travel blogger. As well as being a writer of fairy tales, he was also a keen traveller and wrote a great many travelogues. There’s a museum dedicated to him in Odense, which is quite well put together; his biography is summarised in brief points on the walls, and it features interactive elements as well as a few exhibits, such as a stack of mattresses ‘from the fairy tale’ The Princess and the Pea.

Incidentally, the entire museum building is an architectural masterpiece by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who is known for his organic forms and use of wood. It is partly underground and partly connected to the garden, and it also adjoins Andersen’s birthplace, which forms part of the exhibition.

With your museum ticket , you can also visit the house where Andersen spent his childhood. It’s about half a kilometre away, but I didn’t find anything particularly interesting there – the tour only took about two minutes.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is, of course, well worth a visit in its own right. Although it’s actually quite different from the rest of Denmark, with its big-city vibe, I’m very fond of it too. Above all, there are countless brilliant cafés and bakeries, and lovely walks through the city’s streets and parks – and it’s not all that overrun with tourists.

Places worth visiting in Copenhagen include Nyhavn, with its colourful houses and cafés by the canal; Amalienborg Palace, with the changing of the guard; the modern district of Christianshavn, home to the alternative community of Christiania; and the famous Little Mermaid statue.

The Møns Klint Cliffs

Møns Klint is Denmark’s most dramatic natural landscape – a stretch of white chalk cliffs on the island of Møn, some six kilometres long, rising to a height of up to 120 metres. From the top, there is a magnificent view of the Baltic Sea.

Nearby is the GeoCenter Møns Klint, an interactive museum dedicated to geology, dinosaur fossils and the formation of these cliffs. The area is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is ideal for a walk – you could easily spend the whole afternoon here. What’s more, there are deep beech forests and areas with minimal light pollution; it is one of the darkest regions in Europe, making it a wonderful place to observe the night sky.

The Stevns Klint Cliffs

A slightly smaller alternative to Møns Klint, a 15-kilometre-long stretch of limestone cliffs listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to a clearly visible layer dating from the time of the dinosaurs’ extinction – the thin black line in the rock is a remnant of an asteroid impact 66 million years ago. There’s a beautiful view of the cliffs from Højerup Church, but the area isn’t really suited to longer walks along the cliffs like Møns Klint.

Aarhus

Aarhus is Denmark’s second-largest city and is regarded as the cultural centre of Jutland. Its most striking landmark is the ARoS museum, with its iconic circular viewing platform, ‘Your Rainbow Panorama’ – a colourful walkway on the roof offering views across the whole city.

The biggest tourist attraction here is Den Gamle By – a living museum of the old town, where you can stroll amongst historic houses with actors in period costume. Aarhus also has a fantastic food scene, including Michelin-starred restaurants.

Billund and Legoland

Billund is a small town in central Jutland that has become world-famous as the birthplace of Lego. It is home to the company’s headquarters and Lego House – a modern, interactive museum where you can build big things out of little bricks. The town itself is small and perfectly organised, built entirely around Lego – even the airport was originally built to serve the company’s needs.

The main attraction is Legoland Billund Resort, which opened back in 1968. It is a huge park featuring models of world landmarks made from millions of bricks, rollercoasters and age-specific zones. Compared to other Legolands, it has a strong retro feel and that Danish ‘hygge’ – it’s not Disneyland. Right next door is the Lalandia water park and family hotels built in the Lego style. Of course, it’s not just for children here, but also for adult Lego fans.

Kronborg

Kronborg is a castle in the town of Helsingør in the north of the island of Sjælland, right on the Øresund Strait opposite the Swedish coast. You can literally see Sweden from here, and there are ferries that go there, but the crossing is expensive; it’s manageable for a trip there and back, but it’s a bit much for an afternoon excursion from Denmark.

It is one of the most significant Renaissance castles in Europe; it strategically guarded the entrance to the Baltic Sea, from where Denmark collected customs duties from ships for centuries. The castle features stone walls, wide (water) moats, towers and views of the sea. It takes 45 minutes to get here by train from Copenhagen.

The castle was also made famous by Shakespeare – he set the plot of Hamlet there, which is why it is nicknamed ‘Hamlet’s Castle’. Inside, there are richly decorated halls, royal chambers and dark casemates featuring a statue of the Danish hero Holger the Danish, who, according to legend, is to awaken only when the country is in danger. In the summer, performances of Hamlet are staged right here on the castle grounds.

Ribe

Ribe is Denmark’s oldest town, founded as far back as the 8th century, and its historic centre certainly looks the part. Narrow cobbled streets, timber-framed houses and the tranquil Ribe Å river all contribute to the atmosphere of this medieval port town. The centrepiece of the town is Ribe Domkirke, the cathedral, which offers a beautiful view of the whole town and the surrounding plains of Jutland.

Not far away is the Ribe VikingeCenter, an open-air museum village that brings Viking life to life. Not only are there authentic houses, but there are also plenty of ‘actors’ who re-enact life back then, including battles.

Egeskov Castle

Egeskov Castle is on the island of Fyn, about half an hour from Odense, and is one of the best-preserved moated castles in Europe. Built in the 16th century literally in the middle of a lake, it stands on wooden oak piles, which, according to legend, were taken ‘from an entire oak forest’. Inside is a museum featuring period furniture, toys and a collection of vintage cars, whilst outside there are extensive gardens, a maze and parks ideal for a stroll.

Roskilde

Roskilde is about half an hour from Copenhagen and is one of Denmark’s oldest towns. It used to be a royal seat and the capital, and its most prominent landmark is Roskilde Cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There is also the Viking Ship Museum (Vikingeskibsmuseet) and, in the summer, the legendary Roskilde Festival, one of the biggest music festivals in Europe, which completely transforms the city for a week.

It’s quite a nice place to sit in the square in front of the cathedral, or to have a coffee and a stroll down the high street.

The island of Bornholm

Bornholm lies in the Baltic Sea, far to the east of the rest of Denmark, and has a very different feel to the mainland. There are white sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs and round churches (rundkirker), which served not only for worship but also as fortresses against invaders.

The capital is Rønne, and buses run from there to all parts of the island. Bornholm is, of course, also ideal for cyclists.

Bornholm also has a thriving arts and gastronomy scene. There are glass and pottery workshops, small galleries and excellent restaurants that make use of local produce – fish, herbs, smoked meat and seafood. A typical dish is Bornholm smoked herring (røget sild), served with egg yolk and onion. In the north stand the ruins of Hammershus Castle, the largest medieval fortress in northern Europe, overlooking the sea. All in all, Bornholm is something of a Danish ‘slow travel’ island.

How to travel around Denmark

There are lots of beautiful places in Denmark, and the very best ones are the somewhat off-the-beaten-track spots, away from the main routes. For me, this is the ideal country for travelling by car; a road trip through Denmark is definitely one of my best travel experiences. Of course, there are trains here too, and I’m tempted to travel that way sometimes as well. If you don’t want to travel all over Denmark and your main destination is Copenhagen or Billund (Legoland), you’ll find the extensive public transport network very useful.

What is typical of Denmark

I have to say, Denmark strikes me as a bit of a work of art. Everything here just seems to work so naturally, and yet you get the feeling that there must be some kind of design code governing the whole of Denmark – otherwise it could never have turned out so perfectly consistent.

Hygge – the Danish art of cosiness

Hygge is the Danish word for a sense of comfort, security, cosiness and tranquillity. Before I’d really travelled around Denmark, I’d mainly associated it with interior design (which is, of course, part of it too), but it was only when I got here that I came to understand more about how the Danes create a welcoming atmosphere – not just through furniture, lighting and candles, but also because there really is an indescribable sense of calm here; people aren’t just friendly, they’re also tolerant, and that includes the drivers. There’s no tension anywhere.

Bikes and cyclists everywhere

Cyclists are an integral part of road traffic, not only in towns and cities but also between them. There is a dedicated cycle lane almost everywhere. The Margueritruten cycle route runs through the whole of Denmark (marked with the symbol of a daisy, Denmark’s national flower, on a brown background). The route is around 4,000 kilometres long and follows side roads to lots of interesting places throughout Denmark.

It’s just a short distance to the sea from anywhere

As Denmark is a small country and consists of a group of islands, wherever you live (or happen to be) there, you’re never more than 52 kilometres from the sea. The town furthest from the sea is Isenvad, in central Jutland.

Danish architecture

In Copenhagen, I was struck only by the clean-lined architecture, but in the rest of Denmark there are lovely little country houses, farms and country estates. Mostly unplastered dark red brick contrasting with white windows. When they are plastered, neighbouring houses often have different colours (yellow, blue, green – no shades of grey). In the countryside, particularly along the west coast, a large proportion of the houses have thatched roofs. The houses are often single-storey. The gardens are open, without high fences, so from the street you can always see all the cosy comforts the residents enjoy inside.

Modern architecture also fits in perfectly here; it’s clean and makes extensive use of wood and glass. As there is little sunshine in Denmark, particularly in winter, people try to let more natural light into their homes, so entire walls and roofs are often glazed, or at the very least there are large windows. Clean lines and open spaces are everywhere.

The Danish flag

The Danish flag, the Dannebrog (a white cross on a red field), is also absolutely everywhere. The Danes are incredibly proud of their national symbol, and it’s practically impossible not to come across the flag flying – or little flags displayed – at least several times a day, whether on houses, above the streets, at roundabouts, on a cupcake or anywhere else.

On official buildings, you will often see a split flag – an elongated version of the Danish flag with a notched end.

The weather in Denmark – when to go

Denmark is a great place for a summer holiday if you’re looking for somewhere that isn’t sweltering (temperatures are usually around 20–25). Even here, though, temperatures can still reach 30 degrees in summer, although most of the summer tends to be milder. If you really want to avoid hot weather, the best destination is the west coast of Jutland, where it’s quite windy and feels cooler as a result. I don’t think there’s any need to avoid the summer season because of the higher number of tourists; it strikes me that Denmark is quite a peaceful country in that respect, at least outside the major cities.

In spring, it’s a bit cooler (15–20) and Denmark is in full bloom with long days; in autumn, it’s a little cooler still (10–20).

Even in winter, Denmark isn’t covered in snow like Norway and Sweden; temperatures usually stay just above freezing (0–5). When the winter is colder, your best chance of enjoying the snow is on the Jutland Peninsula. In any case, the cosy Christmas atmosphere is something that’s probably worth considering.

What to try in Denmark

I mainly associate Denmark with bakeries and fish. Danish cuisine isn’t exactly light; it’s very meat- and sauce-based, and the portions aren’t small. Probably the most typical dish you simply must try is flæskesteg, roast pork belly with parsley sauce. Another typical Danish sauce is brun sovs, which is mainly served with meat. The most common treat in a bakery is spandauer, a cake filled with custard. And there are a thousand variations of smørrebrød, a sort of open sandwich that you can top with anything. You’ll find it everywhere – at markets, in bakeries, restaurants and cafés. My absolute favourite Danish dish, which I feel the need to make at home from time to time, is the dessert Æblekage: chilled apple compote layered with crumbled biscuits and whipped cream.

Practical information about Denmark

Off the top of my head, here are a few things I think are worth mentioning:

• Denmark is expensive – prices are high and often considerably higher than you might expect. Groceries in shops, bread in bakeries and petrol are quite reasonable, although still more expensive. For example, you’ll hardly ever get a drink with your lunch for less than around 100 DKK (though you’ll usually get water for free). Accommodation is expensive, lunches in restaurants cost a ridiculous amount, and admission fees are also pricey. I have to admit, though, that there’s plenty to see for free, and I also found that all the museums, open-air museums and places with an admission charge were a cut above the rest in terms of presentation, the range of attractions on offer and interactive features.
• Danish krone – Denmark has its own currency, the Danish krone (Kr. or DKK). However, you hardly need any cash at all; I’ve been to Denmark three times now, spending a total of over a month there, and I’ve always paid by card everywhere, even at the hot dog stall on the beach.
• Everyone speaks English – not just young people, but pensioners too; I can’t recall ever meeting anyone in Denmark who didn’t. Paradoxically, however, written information is often only in Danish, even in hotels. So I hope there wasn’t anything important written there.
• The sockets are the same as in most of Europe – except that they usually have a socket switch next to them (either directly above or beside them).

Where is Denmark?

Denmark lies to the north of Germany, and most of the country is situated on the Jutland Peninsula (which is the part connected to Germany). To the east of this lie the largest islands: Fyn, Sjælland (where Copenhagen is located) and Bornholm. However, Denmark as a whole comprises more than 400 islands, 70 of which are inhabited. Denmark borders only Germany; it is linked to Sweden by the Øresund Bridge.

The Faroe Islands are in the North Atlantic, between Scotland, Norway and Iceland. Greenland is situated far out in the North Atlantic and the Arctic; geographically, it is part of North America. Both are autonomous territories and are therefore not part of the EU.

How to get to Denmark

The main airport is Copenhagen, with plenty of direct flights from all over Europe. If you’re heading to the Jutland Peninsula or straight to Legoland, Billund is closer. From most places you’ll get there with a stopover, often via Amsterdam.

You can also drive. There are basically two ways in. Either overland to the Jutland Peninsula and on to the rest of Denmark. That’s the longer route, but usually cheaper. Or you take a ferry from Germany to the island of Zealand, where Copenhagen is. That’s shorter and saves you a few hours and some petrol, but the ferry itself is expensive.

More tours and experiences in Denmark