Hidden gems for all the family in South Jutland

The Danish region of South Jutland is the gateway for visitors arriving from Harwich to Esbjerg by sea and has much to offer with miles of white sandy beaches and pretty little towns near the shore; where shops, accommodation and local cuisine is all close by. It also offers a range of family attractions that illustrate Denmark’s earliest history and others that entertain and explain its high tech future.

Plus opportunities to relax in its wide open countryside and forests; enjoy wildlife walks and bird spotting, as well as wellness centres and an extensive network of cycle paths.

For those who want to feel miles of fine white sand under their toes some of Europe’s widest beaches, up to 1 ½ miles at their widest point, can be found on the west coast island of Rømø, including the beach at Sønderstranden which has perfect conditions for beach sailing and kite buggies. Further inland the marshland provides a unique haven for migrating wildlife, whilst canals and locks navigate through the rolling hills and wooded river valleys to the deep fjords on the east coast.

On the east coast visitors can also combine shopping with the beach in a choice of pretty little towns, such as Haderslev, Aabenraa and Sønderborg where gentle, child friendly beaches are just a short walk from the town. Accommodation can also be found along the shore with some campsites literally on the beach (danskecampingpladser.dk) and beach cottages just moments from the water (novasol.co.uk).

The area is also home to some the largest and most exciting family attractions including the world famous, original Legoland, which celebrates its 40th anniversary on 1 May 2008 and still attracts over 1.5 million visitors each year. With amazingly detailed miniature versions of cities and famous landmarks as well as thrilling rides, miniature trains and water chutes it is easy for children and adults to explore.

Last year the park launched ‘Atlantis’, an underwater world of submarines, shipwrecks and tropical fish (legoland.dk) and new for 2008 is the Pirate Land with pirate ships, water falls, pirate skipper school. Close by is Givskud Zoo, which combines a safari park and zoo.

Set in over 280 acres of parkland it is home to more than 1000 animals from over 120 species, covering all five continents. Children can get up close to some of the animals, especially at feeding times and learn more about their habitats (givskudzoo.dk).

For curious kids and questioning minds the answer could be a trip to the fascinating science and technology fun park at Danfoss Universe. Located on the south east coast island of Als, it offers a world of information for visitors to learn about the forces of nature and the latest technology in an interactive environment.

The brand new ‘Cumulus’ area is a curiously shaped building that will host a variety of exhibitions using ultramodern multimedia tools in an innovative learning processes (danfossuniverse.com).

For nature lovers the Wadden Sea on the south west Jutland coast provides a unique wetland habitat for a range of marine life as they come to feed at low tide, twice a day. It is also a magnet for eager birdwatchers wishing to witness the migration of thousands of geese that gather in the meadows in October and giant flocks of starlings that create the natural phenomenon known as ‘black sun’. The area is also home to the largest community of spotted seals in Denmark.

Seal Safaris in and around the island of Rømø depart daily from the Havneby Harbour on Rømø (breaksandbeaks.com) or at Esbjerg (visitesbjerg).

The history of Denmark also finds its roots in this region, for it was at the town of Jelling that the Danes changed from Nordic paganism to Christianity and where the royal dynasty was founded by King Gorm the Old, a 1000 years ago; making the Danish royal dynasty one of the oldest in the world.

Today visitors can visit the UNESCO World Heritage site and get up close to the two rune stones that were erected by Harald Bluetooth and Gorm the Old, the largest of which is considered to be the ‘Birth Certificate’ of the country, as it is the earliest known record of the word ‘Denmark’ (sydjylland.com).

To relive some of these ancient Danish traditions ‘The Viking Chronicles’ are performed in Jels each summer (4 -20 July 2008) as a colourful pageant with spectacular scenes, fierce sword fights and stories re-enacted in the open air amphitheatre (jelsvikingespil.dk).

At Fredericia, a pretty little town on the east coast, close to the Little Belt, visitors can see the ancient ramparts, which are the most extensive and best preserved in Europe and children can become immersed in the local history at the ‘Historical Mini-Town’ which has about 700 buildings and moats constructed as a model village, about a tenth of the size of the originals. It is also home to Madsby Play Park, Denmark's largest play park with free activities for children. (visitfredericia.dk).

Further south, near Sønderborg ‘The Dybbøl Banke Historie Center’ retells the dramatic history of this much fought over region and the strategic importance of the area is witnessed by the large number of fortified castles, including Sønderborg Castle where adults can join hooded monks on a late night walks in search of ghosts, or at Kolding where Koldinghus is the oldest royal castle in Jutland. Kolding is also home to the lovely Trapholt museum of art (visitkolding.dk).

The area is known as the ‘Garden of Jutland’ and its open space and country roads welcome many families including the Danish Royal family who have their summer residence in the area.

For more historic and scenic tours around the region the South Jutland website (sydjylland.com) provides a variety of themed tours including ‘Royal Residences and Castles’, ‘Nature’s Oasis’ and ‘From the Golden Age of Danish Art to the COBRA Group of Artists’ go to sydjylland.com.

Visitors with a sweet or savoury tooth can also indulge in a range of South Jutland delights, from traditional home-made sausages, that can be found in the speciality shops of the old market town of Haderslev and Aabenraa, to the distinctive flavour of the lamb this is raised on the salty grass of the west Jutland coast, or the famous gingerbread, made in Christiansfeld from a ancient recipe.

Not forgetting the regional ‘Bread Torte’ rye bread layer cake that is served with traditional coffee and cakes each afternoon. For more details see also sydjylland.com.

Working up an appetite could not be easier using the dense network of cycle trails that criss cross South Jutland with over 2,500 km of paths over the varied landscapes, from the flat countryside on the west coast, through the central area of streams and woods to the characteristic fjord landscapes of the east coast and its atmospheric market towns.

For cycling tour descriptions see sydjylland.com. Or for those who want to relax in a spa and ease aching muscles, a series of wellness centres and spas have developed across the region including the Comwell Kellers Park Hotel and Spa at Børkop which takes an holistic approach to wellness at its spa that opened last year (comwell.com).

Getting there

DFDS Seaways offers a regular service of departures every other day between Harwich and Esbjerg, in West Jutland with prices starting from only £29 per person one way.

By air, SAS has direct daily flights from London Heathrow, London City Airport, Birmingham, Manchester or Aberdeen to Copenhagen and Aarhus. Visit flysas.co.uk

Alternatively Sterling has daily flights from Gatwick to Billund. Visit sterling.dk for more details. On arrival Europcar offers car hire rates from £145 per week. To book visit europcar.co.uk.

For more information on South Jutland go to sydjylland.com and for more information on Denmark log on to Visitdenmark.com.