Denmark Beyond Copenhagen

Exploring the parts of Denmark many miss...

You may think you have visited Denmark because you once spent a day in Copenhagen while on a Baltic Cruise. Yes, Copenhagen is a beautiful city. But today, I want to encourage you to explore more of Denmark. The part we fell in love with …

After 3 Nights in Copenhagen

You may recall that we blindly followed Google Maps and found ourselves on a ferry en route to Copenhagen. After we got settled in the pet-friendly Adina Apartment Hotel¹ we took our customary free walking tour. Over the next two days, we visited Christiania, the Botanical Gardens, Our Saviors Church, and The Kings Garden. We walked, ate some great food, and then walked some more.

This beautiful hotel was our home for three nights.

We then drove two hours west to the town of Munkebo. The Munkebo Kro, a small, family-owned hotel, would be our home for the next three nights.

Denise and Onix are in front of Hans Christian Anderson's childhood home.

While Staying in Munkebo

We spent one day visiting Odense², the birthplace of one of Denmark’s most famous authors Hans Christian Anderson. If you go, we recommend you spend time at the Hans Christian Anderson House… an enchanting garden and museum that brings his stories to life in new and imaginative ways. You can even tour his childhood home a short distance away. Then enjoy a hearty lunch at a 19th-century pub.

A “living” castle in Egeskov.

Another day, we visited Egeskov Castle, home to Count Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille and his family.³ Built as a fortress in 1554, this Renaissance castle features an authentic moat, banquet halls, and exceptional gardens. During the day, you can tour its nearly 50 acres of perfectly manicured gardens and much of the castle. In the evening, when the last visitors have left, the doors to the family’s quarters are opened and it becomes a private residence again.

Onix loved the gardens but was not allowed inside the castle.

Skagen

We then drove four hours north, stopping in Arhus for lunch on the way to Skagen … a town that reminds you of your favorite quaint New England beach town.

We spent three relaxing nights at a private vacation home just a 10-minute walk from downtown. The house had a modern, no-nonsense Scandi feel and a small fenced-in yard for Onix. The owner greeted us warmly, provided us bikes, and offered suggestions for local spots to visit and eat. While we met friends to play golf one day, we mostly chilled … visited a local art museum, perusing the many interesting shops, and walking on the beach.

Daytona Beach on steroids … but more upscale … kites, campers, and antique cars.

Sønderland Rømø

We drove for six hours down the western coast, in no particular hurry. We stayed at a clean, no-frills motel⁴ within minutes of Denmark’s largest and first National Park. Covering 244 square kilometers (94 square miles), National Park Thy offers 55 km (34 miles) of coastline, dunes, bogs, a game preserve, a WWII museum, German bunkers, and miles of hiking trails.

Skagen’s Grey Lighthouse.

That’s All Folks

As we reflect on our summer road trip, we are so fortunate to have had this experience. At one point in the trip, I had thought that Bordeaux was my favorite stop. The chateau that we stayed in (while a bit past its prime) was magical … the vine rows entertained Onix for hours … the small public golf course welcomed us as the first Americans to ever play there … and the woman who decided to create a second half of her life even more exciting than the first. But after much reflection, we have agreed that the time we spent in “western” Denmark was our favorite. We likely won’t drive there again … but there are direct flights from Faro to Copenhagen, and from there, it is only a two-hour drive.

Muitos pediram o nosso itinerário completo de viagem... na próxima semana entregamo-lo, tchau…

Nanc

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
― St. Augustine

Update on Last Week’s Post: We appreciate the many likes and supportive comments following last week’s post. The rain continued all week, and every day, the city threw oily stones onto the rutted street in front of our house. I spent at least one hour each day scrubbing the front of our house and washing the windows and door. I also sent emails to the câmara each day … at one point quoting Albert Einstein.⁵ We have now retained an attorney. Stay tuned…

1. We stayed in both hotels and apartments during our travels. There are two hotel chains that we can highly recommend. The first is the Adina Apartment Hotel. They currently have 20 hotels in Europe and hotels in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. In addition to Copenhagen, we stayed in their hotel in Berlin. If you are looking for a modern, full-service hotel at a reasonable price, check them out. We also recommend the Cocoon Hotels … hotels with a artsy, hip vibe, clean rooms, and outstanding breakfasts.

2. Odense was a 20-minute drive from our hotel.

3. The castle was a 30-minute drive from our hotel.

4. This was the only “hiccup” on our 6-week trip. We had made reservations for a cabin we booked on Airbnb. A few days before our arrival, we got an email from the owner explaining that we needed to bring bedding, towels, cooking equipment, etc. We canceled the reservation and frantically looked for a place to stay during the height of the tourist season. This was it.

5. My email began: “Creio que foi Albert Einstein que disse: ‘Insanidade é fazer a mesma coisa vezes sem conta e esperar resultados diferentes”.