This year is the perfect time to go out and be a tourist in your own country, so for all my Danes out there; here's 8 must-see destinations in Denmark you can visit this year!!! When the first lockdown hit, I was bummed that all of my travel plans got cancelled... But then I decided to make the best of it and see as much as Denmark as I could. Luckily we have lots of gorgeous nature that are free to visit and open even during a pandemic :-)
1. Rubjerg Knude
On the northwest coast of Jutland you'll find the famous Rubjerg Knude. Sand dunes, ocean views and the famous lighthouse that had to be moved 70 meters inland to ensure it didn't fall into the ocean. This was quite an event when it happened a few years ago, because they basically put the whole lighthouse on skates and rolled it to its new location. The west coast struggles with migrating dunes because of the strong winds, so the edge of the cliff got two meters closer to lighthouse every year... When we visited it for the first time back in 2018, the lighthouse was only a few meters from the edge!
2. Copenhagen
Copenhagen of course is a must in Denmark. The capital and home to the little mermaid, Nyhavn Canal, Amalienborg, great museums, amazing restaurants, shopping and much more. The photo is from Nyhavn – my favourite photo spot in Copenhagen. You can read about my 8 favourite places in Copenhagen here.
3. Skovtårnet (Camp Adventure)
The Forest Tower (Skovtårnet) is part of Camp Adventure and provides you with the best view of South Zealand. Unfortunately it's one of the few non-free destinations on my list with an entrance price of 150 DKK (20€). However, I think it's worth it! When we visited in October 2020, we walked up the tower's spiral ramp about 20 minutes before sunset so we could enjoy the sunset from above and it made the view look almost magical. To get to the tower, you have to walk for a little over 1 kilometer through the forest, but there's a path way to follow so it's very easy.
4. Skagen
One of the best places to enjoy the Danish summer! Famous for the iconic yellow houses, amazing sunsets, great seafood and good summer vibes. Skagen is the northernmost town in Denmark, right at the tip of Jutland. This is where you can visit Grenen, the beach where you can stand between two clashing seas. With one foot in the Skagerrak and the other in the Kattegat.
5. Aarhus
Aarhus is my home at the moment and the second largest city in Denmark. It doesn't have as many famous sights as Copenhagen but it does have a few like ARoS museum (including the rainbow panorama on the roof) and the little cute cobbled street Møllestien. Besides, Aarhus is just a really cozy city to visit – with lots of shops and good food. My favourite thing to do in Aarhus is thrifting! Aarhus has some really cool vintage and second hand stores like Prag, Soulshine and All Time Vintage – and also the food is amazing and cheaper than in CPH!
6. Løkken Beach (the West Coast)
The western coast line is so cool with sand dunes, pretty (windy) beaches, bunkers, lighthouses, wind surfing and much more. You can drive and park your car on a lot of the beaches, which is so much fun and perfect if you want to have a picnic in the trunk of your car or if you have a campervan. The west coast is also where you find Cold Hawaii, the surfer's paradise. One of my favourite beaches are Løkken Beach. During the summer, all the little white beach huts in the city are put on the beach front to decorate the beach and it's super pretty.
7. Råbjerg Mile
Did you know that you can experience sand dunes in Denmark?! The dune, Råbjerg Mile, is the largest migrating sand dune in Denmark. Each year it moves about 15 meters closer towards Skagen and Grenen, which is not far away from Råbjerg Mile. For a moment it feels like you are in a desert – then the cold wind brings you back to Denmark hahaha.
8. Faxe Kalkbrud
Would you believe me if I told you that the water is actually this blue? Faxe Limestome Quarry is located only a few hours from Copenhagen – near the forest tower and Stevns Cliffs so it makes sense to do it all on the same trip. 63 million years ago the bottom of the quarry was covered by sea where sharks, crocodiles and squid lived and you can still find fossils from all of the animals down there! My fav view of the quarry is watching the sunrise from the viewpoint in front of Faxe Danhostel. From there you can walk down the quarry to see the perfect turquoise lake op close. Fyi it's not very healthy to swim in so no need to bring your bathing suit. The quarry is also a workplace, so in the weekdays, look out for trucks down there.
