When you’re contemplating a household vacation in Denmark, likelihood is your first decisions are going to be Copenhagen or Legoland Billund, particularly in the event you’re visiting Jutland with children. Each get my vote, however there’s excess of Lego alone in your Jutland itinerary.
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After our journey in direction of the tip of August, discovering Vikings, historic cities, a wartime bunker within the dunes and spectacled bears – plus Lego galore – I’ve pulled collectively my options for one week in Jutland with children, in addition to concepts in the event you’ve obtained a bit longer to spend.
As a result of in the event you’re on the lookout for concepts for one week in Denmark, as this itinerary exhibits, there are few locations with fairly as many kid-friendly actions crammed into such a small house.
Take a look at my full information to Denmark with children right here
We by no means went past a 50-mile radius on this Denmark itinerary with children and infrequently drove for longer than an hour (nice in case your children aren’t followers of automotive journeys) however we by no means got here near working out of issues to do. If in case you have much less time, you can additionally take the primary few days to make a Billund itinerary and stick in and round Legoland.
Jutland itinerary: Day 1 – arrive in Billund
Billund is round three to 4 hours’ drive from Copenhagen, or round an hour from Aarhus, so it’s simple to mix each into one journey.
However with low cost flights from the UK to Billund, together with British Airways and Ryanair out of London (each of which labored out at comparable costs once we flew), most individuals fly straight there.
And Legoland is virtually subsequent door to Billund airport (actually, you’ll be able to see the planes land from the Polar Land space), with numerous the opposite sights very close by too.
Keep at: Legoland Fortress lodge
I might begin by telling you all the sensible causes to remain on the new Legoland Fortress lodge… however the largest one is that it’s SO a lot enjoyable.
Lego dinosaur roaring exterior as you stroll in? Yep. Lego dinosaur asleep by the fireside with bins of bricks to entertain the children as you test in? One other yep.
And that’s earlier than you test into the themed rooms – 142 throughout two buildings, designed for dragon knights, wizards and princesses, with Lego characters on the wall, a Lego cat above our mattress, and extra bricks by the bunk-beds in my daughter’s separate sleeping space.
Plus a locked treasure field, every containing completely different Lego goodies in your children to search out – there’s a path across the lodge and play space to get the code.
When my husband instructed me the bathe head within the lavatory was additionally made from Lego, I genuinely believed him for a number of moments. It nonetheless wouldn’t shock me in the event that they ultimately work out a method to do that.
There are every day Lego constructing challenges, and all of the employees put on minifigures on their badges which you’ll be able to swap.
Again to that sensible word, your keep consists of entry to Legoland which is only a few minutes’ stroll away, plus you’ll be able to skip the queue by a separate entrance.
There’s an out of doors playground, designed to appear like a Lego fashion citadel, and large household restaurant: breakfast is included, the night buffet had some good decisions if (as numerous Denmark) barely pricy
We stayed for 2 nights: in case your flight arrives sooner than ours did, go away a while to get constructing and customarily benefit from the enjoyable.
Jutland itinerary: Day 2 – Legoland, Billund
The unique Legoland park, it opened in 1968 and has expanded through the years to incorporate 11 completely different areas, a number of rides – together with some to swimsuit youthful/extra cautious children – plus some exhibits and dwell occasions, particularly in the course of the summer time.
Legoland Billund opens at 10am and closes between round 6pm and 8pm, though rides might end earlier – one other large bonus of staying so near the park is that when my daughter was flagging from our late arrival the night time earlier than, we might head again to the play space and room, and go away my husband to go on a number of closing quicker rollercoasters.
There’s simply sufficient to fill a day – begin with a wander round Miniland, with its Lego landmarks and recreations of various nations, together with slightly illustration of the airport, utilizing greater than 25 million bricks.
Or Duploland is ideal with littler ones together with slightly monorail to pootle round and take within the sights.
For extra views, the Legotop is a round gallery which rises up 36m and rotates slowly round. As you’re trying down on Miniland, the place the whole lot’s already tiny, it feels as in the event you’re even increased.
Previous the Star Wars fashions, my daughter’s wishlist featured Atlantis by SeaLife within the Creativeness Zone – spot the Lego submarine among the many fish.
However there’s additionally Ninjago World, Legoredo City – a cowboy/Wild-West fashion expertise – Pirate Land, Knights’ Kingdom, Journey Land and Polar Land, plus the brand new addition of Peppa Pig in 2024.
The peak restrictions are at all times clearly marked, and regardless of being a few centimetres underneath 120cm, my seven-year-old might nonetheless go on the overwhelming majority of issues (and didn’t fancy the extra adrenaline-fuelled choices anyway).
When you’re unsure how a lot your children will take pleasure in rollercoasters, that is undoubtedly the place to tempt them – after making an attempt out The Dragon, Minnie insisted we went straight again to queue up and check out it once more.
The water rides in Pirate Land had been a success (though she was a bit extra nervous concerning the drop within the Viking River Splash in Journey Land), cherished taking pictures the lights contained in the Temple, panned for gold in Legoredo City and noticed penguins in Polar Land.
There’s an app to obtain so you’ll be able to plan your day, test dwell trip instances and get additional suggestions. We managed fairly fortunately with a paper map in the event you don’t have it.
You can even get Q-Bots to skip the queues at Legoland however we actually wouldn’t have wanted one.
The top of August is term-time for Danish faculties, and we by no means needed to wait greater than 5 or 10 minutes for something – even in vacation time, I’ve heard it’s quieter than Legoland Windsor.
The park is closed on some weekdays exterior the primary summer time season, in addition to throughout components of the winter months, so it’s price checking earlier than you go to.
Not all of the eating places will likely be open exterior peak months as properly, even in late August: you’ll be able to take picnics and if we went again, I’d undoubtedly try this – our pizza buffet was pretty customary theme park fare, and never the most cost effective choice.
Jutland itinerary: Day 3 – The Lego Home, Billund and Givskud Zoo
Legoland is likely to be the well-known title however the Lego Home, the place you go to get your individual palms on the bricks, was one in every of my very own favourites.
Opened in 2017, the constructing – designed to appear like piled up bricks itself, with a number of large vibrant ones close to the doorway – has a museum on the historical past of the model downstairs.
However the remaining is solely devoted to getting artistic: no-one sits out right here, there are employees to assist, encourage and encourage all ages to select up a number of bricks. There’s additionally an app with extra concepts, though you gained’t be in need of inspiration as you wander.
My husband and daughter adopted the directions to construct one Lego craft and take a look at if it might fly, whereas I performed round with a heap of Lego designing my very own.
In one other space, you can make a Lego fish and scan it to look digitally in an onscreen aquarium, design your individual creature or strive your hand at a cease movement video.
There are intricate fashions too, making up a whole Lego world – together with fairly a number of scenes from films, together with (quite fabulously) the set-up from Again to the Future – in addition to the possibility so as to add squares to a city and backyard simulation, with your individual creation altering life for the digital inhabitants.
And at every level, you’ll be able to scan your wristband to avoid wasting info, movies, pictures and extra so that you’ve obtained a memento document.
Even lunch has a Lego hyperlink: within the MiniChef restaurant, you utilize particular bricks from the baggage on the desk to decide on your order which you then scan and after a quite enjoyable video of Lego individuals making ready your meal, is delivered by conveyor to a pair of robots (Robert and Roberta) close by in a field that appears like an outsized brick.
As you wait to gather your meals there’s Lego to play with: employees steered a few concepts for video games till we obtained sidetracked making an attempt to construct the tallest tower. Alongside the way in which, the desk subsequent to us, which had been having their very own household constructing competitors, donated a small pyramid.
The ultimate oversize Lego behemoth ended up on show within the restaurant. This can be a world the place adults (and one small woman) spending half an hour developing a big tower is each completely regular and worthy of recognition.
I might fairly simply have stayed all day… and if in case you have time, I like to recommend giving your self lots right here.
However there have been spectacled bears ready for us, so having watched a machine making the Lego bricks and selecting up our personal free memento, we headed off to Givskud Zoo.
The zoo, round a 20-minute drive away from the opposite Billund sights is a beautiful mixture of safari park and walk-around enclosures – and the 4 spectacled bears from South America are the latest additions, serving to have fun the zoo’s fiftieth birthday.
Their dwelling has a lot house, the zoo is hoping so as to add a number of extra furry inhabitants to the sleuth.
The inspiration for Paddington, and the one bears that dwell in South America (together with darkest Peru), I found that they’re quite larger than their fictional counterpart, prowling and padding previous swimming pools and thru the undergrowth of their dwelling, sometimes menacing a (cleverly protected) tree or two.
That was solely the beginning – there are lions (two prides, one on the safari route, the opposite on the strolling route plus a pair of brothers) together with giraffe, elephants, rhinos, gorillas, big otters, lemurs and numerous different animals. There’s even a guinea pig assortment!
When you don’t have your individual automotive, a safari bus runs at sure instances across the route, whereas in the event you’ve obtained a rent automotive you’ll be able to park at varied factors alongside the way in which to interrupt up the safari part. A very nice approach to do it with children, so everybody can stretch their legs with out getting savaged.
There’s additionally a free digital audio information, whereas you may also obtain the app which has particulars of actions, in addition to instances for safari buses, eating places and outlets plus a map.
Between the animals, there are additionally a few themed areas – an Ice Age world and a wonderful assortment of dinosaur fashions, imposingly life measurement and towering above us among the many bushes… and the indicators asking guests to not feed the dinosaurs.
Minnie was in her factor right here – it’s a difficult choice whether or not animals or Lego high her checklist of favorite issues, so a day which mixes each is tough to beat. Though (once more) if in case you have longer to spend, it’s simple to fill an entire day exploring and wandering right here.
Keep at: Lalandia Billund
This vacation park, a Lego brick’s throw from Legoland is a beautiful place for households to loosen up – set in a number of inexperienced house with little playgrounds and leaping pillows, the vacation cottages sleep as much as 10 (or 8 in case your children are over two).
They’re self-catering and there’s a grocery store with a wide variety on the positioning (or a few different larger ones inside a couple of minutes’ drive) plus a beautiful patio to sit down out on, in addition to eating and dwelling house, a correct kitchen, lavatory with bathe, to not point out a washer and drier.
One factor to notice is that in addition to hiring bedlinen/towels (except you deliver your individual), you additionally should pay for electrical energy and water. Anybody staying additionally will get free entry to Scandinavia’s largest waterpark, which we checked out the next day.
Learn my full assessment of Lalandia Billund right here
Jutland itinerary: Day 4 – Lalandia, Billund
You need at the least a day to discover Lalandia – our large focus was on trying out the Aquadome and enjoyable, however there’s a lot to do right here that you can fortunately spend a number of days exploring.
And in addition to the waterpark, there’s a delicate play for youthful children with added actions, plus bowling, an ice rink, arcade, climbing partitions, mini dry ski slope, sports activities, mini golf and a excessive ropes course as properly.
The bulk is tucked away inside the primary Lalandia constructing – as you undergo the revolving door, you’d by no means anticipate to see this mini piazza inside with its eating places and cafes, plus all of the actions and amenities as properly.
From snowboarding slopes and climbing partitions to a bowling centre, ice rinks, sport halls, and a Monky Tonky Playland, Lalandia provides far more than its famed waterpark.
A variety of the actions do have an additional cost, even in the event you’re staying on website as we had been – you’ll be able to cost cash to your wristband and pay that method although.
We additionally found an out of doors mini golf simply between Lalandia and the Legoland Vacation village – that is undoubtedly extra within the loopy golf fashion than the one inside Lalandia which regarded extra like an indoor golf course in miniature.
And regardless of a number of hilariously not possible holes, we had numerous enjoyable. There’s an honesty system if no-one is manning the ticket sales space (with a warning of fines in the event you play with out paying and get caught) and you’ll pay in each krone and Euros.
However the Aquadome is the spotlight. For starters, there’s a wave pool and lazy river.
My daughter and some different children didn’t get the cling of the lazy bit and determined they wished to swim round within the present… I reclined very fortunately in my blow-up tyre and allow them to.
There are additionally smaller slides and some shallow swimming pools for teenagers, plus a big splash zone – be careful for the warning alert siren right here too… they actually imply it, and in the event you’re not underneath cowl, you’ll get deluged.
Then loads of quicker slides as properly – fairly a number of are for 120cm or over, which meant Minnie was simply too small (to her reduction) however fairly a number of of these are for 2 individuals or extra.
Which sadly meant that neither my husband nor I might strive them, as we couldn’t go away our seven-year-old on her personal however couldn’t slide alone both.
Regardless of that, there have been sufficient enjoyable flumes that includes greater than sufficient possibilities to be unintentionally submerged alongside the way in which, plus an out of doors Jacuzzi which I retreated to at one level. In case your wristband is charged, you may also use it to pay for drinks inside (in addition to to lock the lockers).
As somebody who enjoys waterparks however can’t think about spending all day there, staying at Lalandia is a giant bonus as you’ll be able to pop in for an hour or two on daily basis in the event you wished, quite than paying upfront and spending all the day there.
Parking is free for the primary hour – or you’ll be able to go away your automotive by your vacation cottage in the event you’re staying and stroll or get the land prepare.
If in case you have longer than per week in Denmark, add an additional day staying at Lalandia with a view to spend a full day on the zoo and a full day on the Lego Home (as above), or add an additional two – or extra! – days for a extra chilled-out break having fun with the amenities.
Take a look at my assessment of a keep at Lalandia Billund.
Jutland itinerary: Day 5 – Kongernes Jelling and Koldinghus to Ribe
It’s simple to spend an entire week in Jutland with children round Billund – from the Lego to the zoo to Lalandia’s household sights, you gained’t rapidly get bored in the event you’re planning a Billund itinerary.
However that basically is simply scratching the floor of what there’s to do on this a part of Denmark, with royal historical past, the nation’s oldest metropolis and its official birthplace to find.
Solely half-hour away is Kongernes Jelling, with top-of-the-line interactive museums I’ve come throughout for teenagers (and adults) plus some fascinating Danish historical past – and nice in the event you’re on the lookout for free issues to do with children in Denmark.
The inspiration is 2 historic rune stones, which nonetheless sit exterior (now in glass circumstances) subsequent to the museum itself.
One incorporates the primary point out of the title Denmark, created in the course of the tenth century reign of the primary Danish king, Gorm the Previous (my daughter, a giant fan of the How To Practice Your Dragon books was delighted by his title!).
The second was created for his son Harald Bluetooth (sure, the title behind the cellphone expertise) who helped unify the tribes within the space.
It’s finest to discover the museum itself first, the place the employees solemnly instructed my seven-year-old that she might contact any of the reveals… with one exception.
Something marked orange wasn’t non-obligatory, she completely needed to contact it, to deliver the reveals to life.
Her face lit up as she scampered off, decided to fulfil these directions (not even slowing right down to savour the very fact a robotic was drawing in chalk behind the welcome desk).
There’s a improbable combine of knowledge, with recordings telling extra about Norse mythology in addition to the possibility to just about stroll the trail to Valhalla.
We additionally obtained to find extra about on a regular basis Viking life. Regardless of the pillaging and plundering popularity (a well-earned one, let’s be truthful), the Vikings had been additionally farmers, merchants and town-builders.
However as a result of crusing out and putting terror into the hearts of your enemies was a reasonably main half, there was additionally an exhibit displaying the varied weapons you may like to make use of, how deadly they had been and how briskly you may kill off an opponent with them.
After gazing down from the roof onto two burial mounds flanking a small church and the well-known rune stones, we headed right down to see them shut up, in addition to the white flagstones marking the define of the place a ship was as soon as buried.
For some nice books on Vikings for teenagers, try my high picks
Then extra likelihood to get palms on at Koldinghus citadel, over 750 years outdated and a 40 minute drive away.
The former royal residence in Jutland was partly destroyed in a fireplace in 1808, and remains to be being restored, with structural helps which might be performed cleverly sufficient to be virtually a design characteristic in themselves.
It now homes collections of silverware, ceramics and historic artefacts, in addition to short-term exhibitions.
Simply my daughter’s favorite half was the possibility to decorate up in seventeenth century costume, the peak of royal fashion from 1610, proper right down to gloves and tiara.
She took this very significantly, searching out the ending touches for my outfit – I’m quite glad ruffs have since gone out of style! – and selecting out two separate ones for herself.
I needed to remind her not the whole lot else was fairly as touchable as Kongernes Jelling, though there’s an exercise path known as Within the Footsteps of the King to strive, in addition to a viewing tower to look down on the gorgeous city, a courtyard the place they had been organising for a medieval banquet and a few fascinating reveals.
One British-made gilded silver dressing set has handed from London to Denmark and Germany, to the USA and again to Denmark, linked to a royal scandal earlier than falling into the palms of the Nazis alongside the way in which.
Its first proprietor, Caroline Mathilde was the granddaughter of George II, married off to the mentally unstable Danish king Christian VII – accused of an affair, she was later divorced and banished.
Our closing cease was Ribe, Denmark’s oldest city and a ridiculously picturesque spot which dates again round 1,250 years.
As soon as dwelling to a tenth of the nation’s inhabitants, numerous the buildings date from the 1500s – the imposing cathedral and some others are older however after fireplace, flood and plague, many had been destroyed and the city rebuilt within the sixteenth century.
On the similar time, Ribe began to grow to be a much less vital centre: fortunately for guests at this time, as these historic and infrequently crooked beamed homes weren’t later demolished to make room for contemporary replacements.
Arriving not lengthy earlier than my daughter’s bedtime, I took the chance to discover slightly on our first night time by taking the free Night time Watchman’s tour.
The publish itself is nearly as historic because the city, going again centuries as they saved the peace and warned of floods.
The official duties resulted in 1902 however in the course of the 45-minute stroll round Ribe’s cobbled streets, the Night time Watchman revealed a few of the historical past of the function in addition to factors of curiosity: Scandinavia’s oldest faculty for instance, the Metropolis Corridor, and one constructing so wonky, there gave the impression to be barely a straight line in it.
Carried out in Danish and English, there have been children on the tour too, plus you hear a number of snatches of the Night time Watchman’s tune alongside the way in which.
Keep at: Ribe Byferie resort
We checked in to the Danhostel Ribe, only a few minutes stroll from the town centre – and in the event you’re on the lookout for a comparatively finances choice, it’s price contemplating.
Nevertheless, if there had been availability, I’d suggest the Ribe Byferie resort, the same distance from the town centre on the other aspect, with self-catering vacation properties which might be excellent for households.
Nichola from the weblog Globalmouse and her household stayed there in 2018 – try her assessment.
Jutland itinerary: Day 6 – Ribe to Tirpitz and Esbjerg
Spend slightly longer exploring Ribe itself, together with a glance contained in the cathedral – if in case you have time, you may also climb the tower – in addition to the waterwheels, waterfront homes and ornate doorways among the many vibrant outdated buildings.
However put aside a while to move over to the coast as properly. Wild and windswept, the dunes line the seafront, hiding their very own more moderen historical past.
On the Tirpitz museum, you’ll be able to step inside a Second World Battle bunker, constructed in the course of the Nazi occupation of Denmark. Designed to be a part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall defences, it was by no means really operational.
Atmospheric and sometimes eerie, I’d questioned how this darker interval of historical past would work with a seven-year-old, however there’s really much more to find than simply the wartime years.
And in the event you’re pondering {that a} concrete bunker doesn’t sound wildly thrilling, as with the opposite Danish museums we’d visited, they’ve used each choice to deliver it to life, inside a state-of-the-art constructing tucked underneath the grass.
Together with tales from the occupation instructed by these on each side, the museum additionally tracks the historical past of the Jutland coast, from its historic individuals to Viking instances, from conventional fishing village to seaside vacation vacation spot.
There’s an entire space devoted to ‘Baltic gold’ as amber was identified, full with bugs frozen inside items of amber.
The audio guides are cleverly performed, so you’ll be able to merely level them at an indication and hear (or skip previous areas you’re not serious about) in addition to sensory bins in a single space – touching ‘mammoth fur’ was a little bit of a shock.
Hold round that gallery and also you’ll additionally see the entire room remodeled as a storm sweeps throughout the partitions.
Then into the concrete bunker to study extra concerning the plans for it, in addition to the each day lifetime of these based mostly right here: one information story confirmed a former German soldier returning for the museum’s opening, a thought-provoking combine of adverse recollections and the banality of rediscovering on a regular basis objects.
After a fast stroll on the dunes, head in direction of Esbjerg for lunch – Tirpitz is round an hour from Ribe, Esbjerg roughly half-way between the 2.
Among the many wealthy Jutland farmland, stretching out flat in direction of the horizon, wind farms dotted alongside the coast, you may also spot the imposing Man meets the Sea sculptures.
Simply exterior Esbjerg itself, the 4 large white statues of seated males tower above the waves.
Our go to to the town, a style of extra fashionable Denmark, had ended up being on a barely wet Sunday so with numerous locations closed, we solely stopped briefly to refuel however if in case you have longer (or higher climate), save a while to discover.
There’s additionally the The Fisheries and Maritime Museum close by, with an aquarium and ‘sealarium’ alongside the exhibitions on Denmark’s fishing and delivery historical past. Or for extra animals, Blavand Zoo can also be close by.
Jutland itinerary: Day 7 – Ribe Vikingecenter and again to Billund
The way to finish your week in Jutland with children? With extra Vikings, after all. A go to to the Ribe Vikingecenter, simply exterior the town, was a improbable approach to step again in time and produce Viking life to life!
Based mostly on three genuine archaeological websites from the realm, you’ll be able to uncover a farm, city with a recreation of an early church and market the place individuals would have travelled by water to commerce – in the summertime there are nonetheless craftspeople promoting their very own creations.
We did handle to squeeze in a small sword combat and practised some archery, but additionally stamped a silver coin, watched glass beads being made, floor flour and tried wooden carving (utilizing particular exercise tokens), in addition to trying inside homes massive and small.
There’s a sacred lavatory to discover and you’ll try the church, within the means of being painted.
We watched the weaver making his dyes, a Viking girl twining onions to hold for the winter, and eyed up Viking-style beds earlier than making an attempt to coax sparks from fireplace stones.
At every spot, there are volunteers (and a few employees) in character to speak to – many really dwell on website in the course of the summer time, sticking to a Viking lifestyle so far as attainable.
The animals on the farm are breeds which might have been much like these of a millennium in the past, even the meals on the tables (though much less strictly within the cafe!) is what individuals of the time would have eaten. With no time machine, it’s laborious to assume how far more genuine it could possibly be.
My daughter additionally made herself snug in each chief’s chair that she might discover, trying mildly imperious. Truly make that very imperious.
And that’s the place our personal week in Jutland needed to finish – tempting although it was to move south in direction of the German border, round an hour away. However with our flight leaving from Billund later that day, it was time to return north.
We determined to take the scenic route again to the airport, alongside Jutland’s west coast, having noticed the Ringkobing Fjord on the map throughout our go to to Tirpitz, a skinny strip of land between the water and the ocean.
Extra of an inland lake than dramatic surroundings like Norwegian fjords, it was nonetheless a really fairly route.
Wind surfers and kitesurfers had been taking advantage of the final of the late summer time solar, and I spied remoted cottages and extra clusters of vacation lodging to fireplace my creativeness for one more journey.
Regardless of cramming quite a bit into per week, it felt that nowhere was ever very removed from anyplace else, and all so family-friendly that it was enjoyable quite than frantic.
Not venturing past Legoland, when you’ll be able to see a lot coast and historical past in a number of additional days, can be lacking out.
If in case you have longer to spend, fairly Vejle on the japanese coast is understood for its artwork – together with a floating sculpture path.
Or former capital of tradition Aarhus is Denmark’s second metropolis and a tempting choice for a metropolis break in its personal proper, particularly in the event you’ve already visited Copenhagen, with historical past buildings and fashionable structure on the cobbled streets.
For concepts of issues to do in Aarhus with children, try these suggestions from Museum Mum.
Take a look at my full information to Denmark with children right here
*First printed 2019, final up to date 2024*
PIN FOR LATER: ONE WEEK IN JUTLAND WITH KIDS
Disclosure: My journey to Jutland was courtesy of Go to Denmark and the sights and lodging talked about. All opinions are my very own, together with a love of intelligent interactive museums and being allowed to play with Lego for hours on finish.
Photos copyright MummyTravels