Denmark travel guide

King Humble's Grave is a prehistoric long dolmen. It measures about 55 m long and 9 m wide with a single burial chamber on the top of the mound and is outlined by 77 curb stones (though we didn’t count). The name refers to a King Humble, who appears in local legends and probably lived around 300-400 AD. However, archaeological excavation has revealed more than 4000 years old human bones in the grave. Today the long dolmen is located on open farmland, a short walk through fields from the parking area, with views of the Church of Humble in the distance.

The King Oak (Kongeegen) is estimated to be 1500-2000 years old. It's the oldest living oak in northern Europe and the oldest living thing in Denmark. Its glorious days were during the viking age, where it must have been a giant. Today the crumbling tree has a hollow trunk and the few branches left are supported by beams, but the treetop still turn green every summer. There are two other ancient oaks in the same forest, but both of them are dead. Snoegen, which was about 600 years old when it died in 1991, and Storkegen, which was about 800 years old when it died in 1980.

Vesterhavet (North Sea) is well known for its big waves and strong winds, but Klitmøller is particularly famous. It’s called Cold Hawaii because the weather conditions for wind- and kitesurfing are perfect year around. Windsurfers, not only from Denmark, but from all over Europe, come to Klitmøller to ride the waves. Pre surfing times, Klitmølle was a traditional fishing village, which was popular in summer with families on holiday, but today the town is flavoured by the growing international community of surf bums, who live out of their vans. Klitmøller is very unique in that aspect, that the fishing boats and surfboards share the beach together.

"There is something rotten in the state of denmark" is a famous quote from the Shakespeare's play Hamlet, which is set at Kronborg Castle (called "Elsinore" in the play). Shakespeare never went to Kronborg, but some of his actors did in 1586 and they probably told him about the fancy castle with all the drinking and partying, which might have inspired Shakespeare.
Around year 1600, the castle was one of the finest in all of Europe with its 62 meters long dance hall. It was originally built as a stronghold in the 1420s, but was radically transformed into this extravagant Renaissance castle by King Frederick II in the late 16th-century. It burnt down in 1629, but it was subsequently rebuilt. In 1658 Kronborg was besieged and captured by the Swedes, and in 1785 the castle ceased to be residence for the royal family. Kronborg Castle is the only UNESCO-listed castle in Denmark.

There are so many good spots along the west coast of Jytland, but some are more popular than others. While Klitmøller has become the trendy place for windsurfers (and those who want to mingle with them), Løkken is still the more traditional beach town for those who are more interested in the sun and sand, than the wind and waves. The wide sandy beach seems endless and is dotted with iconic beach huts, as far as the eye can see. All the summer cottages are semi hidden in the hilly landscape of sand dunes and lyme grass. Though Løkken town is small, it’s very lively with an abundance of cafes - it even has a bit of a party scene during the summer months.

The National Park is called "Mols Bjerge" in Danish, which literally means Mols Mountains. And though the highest point, Agri Bavnehøj, is merely 137 meters above sea level, the area is among the most hilly in Denmark. The national park covers both moors, forests, and meadows, but also coastal areas and villages. There are several historical sights, like Kalø Castle Ruin and Ørnbjerg Water Mill, and barrows and burial mounds from the Bronze Age can be seen throughout the landscape. More than half of all wild Danish plant species can also be found here. Hiking at Mols Mountains is some of the best in Denmark, with many various trails traversing the hills. The most famous trail is the 60 km long "Mols Bjerge sti", which is enlisted among the "Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe". The trail has 3 sections of 20 km each; the "Bjerg-etapen" (the mountain section), "Kalø-etapen" and "Ebeltoft-etapen". But there is a trail for everyone.

Though Stevns' Cliff is a UNESCO World Heritage site, Møn's Cliff - which is not enlisted - is actually larger and more dramatic. For about 7 km the chalk cliffs on the island of Møn break off in a sheer drop of more than 125 m into the Baltic Sea. Each year the sea eats a bit of the cliffs. Usually it's just 20-40 cm, but in 2007 a huge chunk fell into the sea and turned into the white peninsula you can see today, where it eventually will be totally absorbed by the sea. While the rest of Møn island is flat, the landscape at Møn's Cliff is surprisingly hilly and covered in typical Danish beech forest. There are trails at both the top and bottom of the cliffs with a few connecting stairways. On a clear day you can see across the Baltic Sea to Sweden and Germany from the many lookouts, but be careful not to fall down.

Nykøbing Falster is another old market town with a fine collection of half-timbered houses. The town is beautifully nested on the shore to Guldborg Strait, right in the middle of what the Danish call the South Sea Islands. These islands are generally considered remote countryside, where very little thrives besides sugar beets, but Nykøbing Falster has kept its historical position as the region's biggest town. Today, the main sights are the pretty church, which was funded in the 15th century, along with several cute half-timbered houses, some dating back as far as the 16th and 17th century. Note that the name "Nykøbing", meaning "New Market Town" in Danish, is quite a common town name in Denmark, so it's important to add the geographical postfix "Falster", when typing into the GPS or buying a train ticket.

The name "Nørreskov" lightly translates to Northern Forest, meaning several different forests in Denmark have this common name, including the forest on the north coast of the island of Als. This beautiful and lush forest is mostly made of beech trees along with some old oaks, which were planted in the 1770s. The forest is also rich in historical graves and barrows dating more than 5500 years back. Another unique thing about this Nørreskov is that you can drive along the network of dirt roads to get to one of the many scenic picnic spots. Camping is however not allowed.

The spectacular Roskilde Cathedral is the most important church in Denmark. It has been the royal burial church for 38 Danish kings and queens, not including Harald Bluetooth (Harald Blåtand) and Sweyn Forkbeard (Svend Tveskæg), who were also buried in Roskilde, but their sites are unknown. The cathedral wasn't built as one complete structure, instead it has extended and altered over 800 years, since it was first constructed during the 12th century. Roskilde Cathedral is, of course, a UNESCO World Heritage site.