Road trip through Jutland in Denmark: how to combine Sønderjylland, the Heart of Jutland, and Kystlandet
Yessss, we go to Denmark when we're in the mood for a city trip—hello Copenhagen—or for the North Sea coast—hello holiday home in the dunes. We tear through everything in between. And so we did what everyone should do: stop in eastern Jutland, on the Danish mainland. It is such a good destination for a road trip because it is within a day's drive, the distances are short, it is quiet, and the landscape changes constantly. One day you are standing on the mudflats of the Wadden Sea, the next day you are walking across a bridge over the Little Belt, and the day after that you are on a ferry to an island in the Kattegat.
For a week-long trip, three regions combine well: Sønderjylland directly across the border, the Heart of Jutland in the middle, and Kystlandet around Horsens Fjord. Below, you can read what you shouldn't miss in each region and how to structure your route smartly. Let's go!
The road trip on Google Maps:
A logical route for a week begins and ends in Sønderjylland, as you will be passing through there on your way from the Netherlands anyway. It is advisable to start on the eastern side of Sønderjylland, around Aabenraa and Sønderborg. Then cross over to the Wadden Sea at Løgumkloster and Skærbæk. Next, drive via Christiansfeld to the Heart of Jutland, passing through Middelfart, Fredericia, the Vejle Ådal, and Kolding. After that, continue to Kystlandet: first the interior around Brædstrup and Horsens, then take the boat to Endelave. For the return journey, drive south again, with a final stop in Haderslev and the Aabenraa area.
The drives between the regions gave us the ultimate road trip feeling, usually lasting no longer than an hour and a half. Vacation mode on!
Bring rain gear and sturdy shoes. Many of the best spots on this route are outdoors, and the weather in Denmark can change quickly. Check the current weather on dmi.dk.
Don't forget your swimwear. For the hot tub, the sauna, and a dip in the Baltic Sea. Danes take those sea plunges seriously, you know.
Book activities with a guide, a tide schedule, or a boat in advance. This applies especially to the oyster safari, Bridgewalking, and the ferry to Endelave.
Please note opening hours and receptions. At some locations, the reception is only staffed until a certain time, and many shops are closed on Sundays.
* Visit a supermarket at least once. Skyr, Lurpak butter, rugbrød, cleisure, Faxe Kondi: you'll want to stock up!
Sønderjylland is the Danish word for South Jutland. It is the region directly behind the German border and the region that most Dutch people simply drive through. That is a shame, because it is fun here! The Baltic Sea and the Wadden Sea are close to each other and the region is very unique.
After the War of 1864, Sønderjylland belonged to Germany for over fifty years. The decisive battle took place on Dybbøl Banke, near Sønderborg. With a guide on a Segway, you ride past the old ramparts and hear the story of the place. Afterwards, you look down from Alsik Point of View in Sønderborg out over the city, the water, and the bridges to the island of Als.
On the west side, you will find in the forest near City complex one of Thomas Dambo's trolls and you sleep in a glamping tent at Marsh Camp in Skærbæk, in the middle of the salt marshes. The highlight on this side is the oyster safari: with a guide, you go out onto the mudflats at low tide to gather and taste wild oysters.
On the east side, you walk through the historic center of Haderslev, you climb into the gorge of Genner High Park and you sleep in a tiny house by the sea at Tiny Seaside Skarf, with an outdoor sauna you shouldn't miss.
On to the next! The region around Fredericia, Kolding, Vejle, and Billund lies exactly in the middle of Jutland. You might know it from LEGOLAND, but the region has so much more to offer.
Drive from the south via Christiansfeld, a UNESCO city founded in the eighteenth century by a Protestant Moravian congregation and famous for its honey cookies. And you'll want to try them. In Middelfart, you can get to work during Bridge WalkingWith a guide, you walk across the arch of the old Little Belt Bridge to a height of sixty meters, with a view over Jutland, Funen, and the water where porpoises swim. Cool!
Left photo: ©Bridgewalking Fredericia DestinationTrekantomraade
Sleep in a safari tent with a hot tub on the peninsula. Trelde Næs and eat smørrebrød with it Café Yum at the old port of Fredericia. Then drive the green Vejle River Valley in. There you will discover at Egtved Pigens Verden the story of a young woman who was buried 3400 years ago and remained remarkably well preserved, and drink your coffee in Bindeballe Købmandsgård, a village shop from 1897. Finish at Restaurant Nögen in Kolding, where creative cooking is done with ingredients that are often thrown away elsewhere.
Read all the tips in our article about the Heart of Jutland.
Kystlandet (or Coastal Land) is the ultimate destination for a coolcation. You know, escaping the extreme heat on vacation by choosing a cool or temperate destination. The destination is situated around Horsens Fjord. Start inland, in the forests along the Gudenå. There stands The Rediscovered Bridge, a railway bridge that was hidden in a dam for 85 years and was uncovered again in 2014. A troll lives in the forest near Brædstrup Jensnej, created by artist Thomas Dambo. You have lunch in Sandvad Kro, an inn dating back to the sixteenth century.
In Horsens you sleep at Jørgensens Hotel, a Baroque city palace from 1744, and discover the street art in the city center or the Fængslet prison museum.
And then on to such a beautiful part of Denmark. Leave the car in Snaptun and take the ferry to End low, the rabbit island. After an hour's boat ride, you sleep in a glamping tent with a view of the Kattegat and a skylight above your bed, eat at the inn, and walk part of the Kanino route, among hundreds of wild rabbits.
You can find more inspiration at visitdenmark.nl, visitsonderjylland.nl, destinationtrekantomraadet.com en kystlandet.com.
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Tips for Kystlandet: the Denmark you want to know
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