Things to see and do on your trip to Denmark?

When we talk about Denmark the first thing that comes to mind is its capital, Copenhagen, however, the country has much more to offer. Read this post and discover the stories of the most charming towns and cities, its Viking past, the most incredible landscapes and other must-see places in Denmark.

Denmark is a perfect destination for either a long vacation or a quick getaway for a couple of days. There are many interesting cities to visit, but its natural parks located on the coast are also really impressive for the variety of landscapes and species of fauna and flora. But if what you prefer is to rest, do not worry, there are also beaches and places that invite you to lie down and just enjoy.

Which are the most beautiful cities in Denmark?

The capital is the most touristic city in Denmark, however, there are many other charming towns and villages that also deserve our attention, such as Aarhus or Bornholm. And we will tell you more about it.

1. Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a must-see city in Denmark. The city is one of the most beautiful in Europe for its cobbled streets with colorful houses and mansions overlooking the canals and the coast. It is normal to dedicate at least 2 days to visit Copenhagen.

You can see the main points of interest walking. For example Nyhavn, the most famous port of the city for its colorful houses and wooden boats where you can take wonderful photos. You should also see the city center and Stroget Street. At Christmas it’s decorated and filled with Christmas stalls with flavored wine and other typical sweets.

Christiania is an alternative neighborhood that you might visit. The little mermaid is the most characteristic feature of the city, however, it is not worth it. It is quite far from the center and you have to make a long detour just to see it. If you want to know more about this amazing city, you may be interested in our post: Things to see and do on a trip to Copenhagen.

2. Aarhus

Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark after the capital and a must-see for the Viking history hidden in its streets. Today the city is famous for its youthful life and atmosphere, as it is a university town.

The most famous thing in Aarhus is Den Gamle By. It’s an open-air museum depicting the life of the city from the 18th century to the 1970s. There you can see accurate recreations of old stores, dwellings and houses of tradesmen of the time. Admission costs 170DKK.

Other must-sees in the city are Aros Kunstmuseum, the second most important museum in Denmark, the botanical garden, and other buildings that have gone down in history such as the town hall or St.Clement’s Cathedral.

For more information on what to see and do in this city we recommend reading our post. Things to see and do in Aarhus, Denmark?

3. Billund, the best destination for travelers with kids

Billund is a small and modest city that receives thousands of tourists a year because there is the first LEGO amusement park in the world. This brand emerged in the same city and around has carved a story to tell there. LEGOLAND is undoubtedly the main reason to visit Billund, however, in the city there are also other points of interest.

Kongernes Jelling is a 10th-century Viking monument that received World Heritage status for its historical value. There is also a zoo in town and nearby is Museumsgaarden Karensminde, a historic farm where children can do crafts and play with farm animals. Billund is definitely the ideal destination to go with children. In our post Things to see and do in Billund you will find more places to visit in and around the city.

4. Dragør, the most picturesque village in Denmark

This small fishing village is the perfect destination for a day trip when staying in Copenhagen, or to include it in your travel itinerary. It’s just 15 km from the capital, 20 minutes by car and 35 by direct train.

The village is really charming and very quiet. The streets have retained their essence and its famous colorful houses that make the old town a wonderful place to stroll. Most of the houses are yellow or orange, and many of them still have their thatched roofs. In addition to having a walk there, we recommend sitting on the terrace of a bar to enjoy the views and visit the craft stores. You can also stroll along the coast, from where you can see the Øresund Bridge, which connects Denmark with Sweden.

5. Odense, the city of Hans Christian Andersen

Odense, located on the island of Fiona, about 2 hours from Copenhagen, is the hometown of Hans Christian Andersen. He is the famous Danish writer and poet remembered for stories like the Little Mermaid or the Ugly Duckling. However, the city has much more to offer besides this curious fact.

The historic center has beautiful colorful low houses built on cobblestone streets where we recommend you get lost. On your stroll through the city you will come across points of interest such as the Gothic-style St. Knud’s Cathedral, the Hans C. Andersen Park and the open-air museum Funen Village. There is also a museum dedicated to the writer., the entrance fee there is 550DKK.

Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.

What are the best parks in Denmark

Denmark is a country where nature is very vivid, 10% of the territory is covered by forests. And even today we find corners of unspoiled nature and inaccessible, either on the mainland or on the islands. If you are thinking of traveling to Denmark you should know that there are 3 national parks that are worth visiting. Read about them below.

1. Mols Bjerge National Park

Mols Bjerge National Park with 180 square kilometers of extension and a wide variety of landscapes is the second largest national park in the country. The most spectacular and most famous area is the Mols Hills, which we can walk through while watching a wide variety of wild plants. It is said that in this park alone can be found more than half of all plant species in Denmark.

Ebeltoft is the closest town to the park, where you will find several castles and mansions to visit. It is a very nice town where we can stay a few days to visit the park. There are many activities to do in Mols Bjierge, either in the coastal area or inland. You can practise cycling, fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, swimming, hiking or bird watching there.

2. Thy National Park

On the coast of Jutland we come across the country’s largest and oldest national park, Thy National Park, which is famous for its abundant wildlife. It is not uncommon to encounter roe deer, deer and a variety of rare birds there. The park has more than 200km of walking, cycling and horse riding paths, either along the beach dunes or through its wet forests.

In the same park you can also do other activities such as fishing, picking berries and mushrooms, sleeping under the stars or kayaking and paddle-boarding on the coast. And if that’s not enough, you can also enjoy the sunsets on the dunes.

3. Wadden Sea National Park

This park is famous for its marshes that are home to a wide variety of birds and marine animals that migrate each year and have earned the park the title of the World Heritage Site. The park, which stretches across Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, is also famous for its wide variety of landscapes: beaches, wetlands, meadows and canals.

Which are the best islands to visit in Denmark?

There are more than 400 islands in the country, 100 of which are inhabited. Some of them are so large that they are home to numerous towns and villages, while others are barely a few square kilometers. It is worth visiting several of them on our trip to Denmark for the variety of landscapes. In addition, most of them are very accessible and are connected to the mainland by bridges. These are the most spectacular islands in Denmark.

1. Bornholm, the island of the sun

Bornholm is a small island located in the middle of the Baltic Sea with a very strong identity, so much so that they have their own flag and dialect. In addition, its known for being one of the points with more hours of daylight per year in the country. You can get there by plane from Copenhagen (40 minutes) or by cruise ship from Ystad, in Sweden (13h). Once there the ideal is to rent a car.

The capital of the island is Rønne, which is usually the center of operations and where tourists stay as it is the best connected city. There you can see colorful houses from the 19th century and other points of interest such as Bornholm Museum, the Hjorths Fabrik (the island’s traditional pottery museum) and the Forsvarsmuseet.

On the same island of Bornholm you should also visit the towns of Allinge and Sandvig, the ruined castle of Hammershus Slot and Madsebakke Helleristninger, the largest set of cave paintings in Denmark. Another striking feature of the island is the round churches that you will encounter along the way.

2. Fejø

This small island of just 500 inhabitants is located in the middle of the Småland Sea. And along with Bornholm it is one of the islands with the most hours of daylight per year. The climatic conditions are ideal for growing fruit trees, so the island is famous for its production of apples and pears (used to make cider) that are distributed throughout the country.

The island is also a very pleasant place to spend a morning for its beautiful views of the coast, the port of Dybvig, the colorful houses and small ponds that adorn the city. It is highly recommended to visit the island by bike or on foot to enjoy the scenery.

3. Nekselø

Nekselø is the northernmost island of Denmark and is characterized by its unspoiled nature and icy landscapes with almost no vegetation due to constant wind erosion. Despite being a very small island with just 2.2 km2 of extension, it is an incredible place for trekking excursions. A curious fact is that only 18 people live on the island.

The island can be reached from Havnsø or Zealand by ferry in just 20 minutes. The connection is good and boats leave quite frequently as the island is very touristy. It is usual to also visit the island of Sejerø on the same day. Another interesting fact is that cars are not allowed on the island, so the only way to get there is by boat. And once there we will have to move on foot or by public transport.

4. Faroe Islands

In the middle of the Atlantic, halfway between Denmark and Iceland there is this set of 18 islands with abrupt landscapes that will not leave you indifferent. They are definitely something important to see in Denmark. Due to its growing popularity, there are more and more direct flights from the Danish mainland. Another option to get there is to take a ferry to Iceland with a stop in Tórshavn, capital of the islands.

The islands of volcanic origin has postcard landscapes; mountain ranges, green meadows, towering cliffs and the ever-present sea. Curiously, due to the type of terrain and the continuous exposure to the wind, we hardly see any vegetation on the islands, but there is a great variety of fauna, especially seabirds. It is a paradise for mountain lovers. Summer is the best time to go as temperatures are milder and there are more hours of daylight.

What is the typical food in Denmark?

Eating well is a must for any trip to be perfect. Although Danish gastronomy is not among the most renowned in the world, we can assure you that you will not eat badly in its restaurants. The country’s cuisine closely resembles that of its neighboring countries, Sweden and Norway, which also share a tradition for roasts, fish and dense breads.

These are some of the most typical dishes and products of the country:

• Smørrebrød: this is a slice of rye bread and seeds with other ingredients on top such as egg, salmon or avocado. It is also very common to add tiny prawns with mayonnaise.
• Flæskesteg: is a traditional pork roast that is often served during the Christmas season and is often accompanied by potatoes and cabbage.
• Gravad laks: is a dish of marinated salmon with dill and sweet mustard. It is one of the most typical of the country.
• Wienerbrød: as for the sweetest plates, we have this delicious butter-based dessert ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Denmark travel map

Here we leave you a map with the places to visit in Denmark so you can organize your trip easily and quickly. You can also add important documents such as travel tickets, hotel reservations and even invite your friends to be part of the itinerary organization. Using Passporter is free of charge and will help you travel in a more organized way.  You have the option to register on the web or download the app so that you can keep everything centralized and in your pocket 🙂

Travel tips for Denmark

• Tap water is safe to drink throughout the country.
• The official currency of Denmark is the Danish krone.
• We recommend that you exchange money before you set out on your trip, as it will work out cheaper.
• As European citizens we don’t need a visa to enter the country either, with your ID card or passport is enough.
• Please note that stores close at 18:00h and on weekends at noon.
• It is mandatory to carry winter tires in the car during this time and lights always on.
• Hedge yourself against possible medical emergencies: travel insured.
• It is not customary to tip in Denmark.
• The best time to travel is between May and September.

How to organize your trip to Denmark

Register on the website or download the Passporter App and discover all its possibilities.

• Get inspired by other travelers’ experiences
• Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions into it.
• Add the stops you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest we indicate in this post as a reference).
• Organize your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can be inspired by the routes presented in the post)
• Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
• Make any modifications you need and you’ll be all set for your trip.
• Share your experience. Upload photos of the places you visited on your trip to the app and recommend other travelers what to see in Denmark.

If you have doubts about how to do it, you can check our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.

Frequently asked questions when traveling to Denmark