In case you’re contemplating a household vacation in Denmark, chances are high your first decisions are going to be Copenhagen or Legoland Billund, particularly when you’re visiting Jutland with children. Each get my vote, however there’s excess of Lego alone to your Jutland itinerary.
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After our journey in the direction of the top of August, discovering Vikings, historic cities, a wartime bunker within the dunes and spectacled bears – plus Lego galore – I’ve pulled collectively my strategies for one week in Jutland with children, in addition to concepts when you’ve bought a bit longer to spend.
As a result of when you’re on the lookout for concepts for one week in Denmark, as this itinerary reveals, there are few locations with fairly as many kid-friendly actions crammed into such a small area.
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 operating out of issues to do. You probably 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 straightforward 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 related costs after 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 a whole lot of the opposite sights very close by too.
Keep at: Legoland Fort lodge
I may begin by telling you all the sensible causes to remain on the new Legoland Fort lodge… however the largest one is that it’s SO a lot enjoyable.
Lego dinosaur roaring outdoors as you stroll in? Yep. Lego dinosaur asleep by the fireside with containers of bricks to entertain the children as you examine in? One other yep.
And that’s earlier than you examine 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 to your children to seek 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 rest room was additionally product of Lego, I genuinely believed him for just a few moments. It nonetheless wouldn’t shock me in the event that they finally work out a method to do that.
There are each 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 be aware, your keep contains entry to Legoland which is just some 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 seem like a Lego fashion fortress, and large household restaurant: breakfast is included, the night buffet had some good decisions if (as a whole lot of Denmark) barely pricy
We stayed for 2 nights: in case your flight arrives sooner than ours did, depart a while to get constructing and usually 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, numerous rides – together with some to swimsuit youthful/extra cautious children – plus some reveals and dwell occasions, particularly in the course of the summer season.
Legoland Billund opens at 10am and closes between round 6pm and 8pm, though rides could 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 may head again to the play space and room, and depart my husband to go on just a few remaining sooner 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 a bit of illustration of the airport, utilizing greater than 25 million bricks.
Or Duploland is ideal with littler ones together with a bit of 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 when 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 all the time clearly marked, and regardless of being a few centimetres underneath 120cm, my seven-year-old may nonetheless go on the overwhelming majority of issues (and didn’t fancy the extra adrenaline-fuelled choices anyway).
In case you’re unsure how a lot your children will take pleasure in rollercoasters, that is positively the place to tempt them – after making an attempt out The Dragon, Minnie insisted we went straight again to queue up and take a look at it once more.
The water rides in Pirate Land had been successful (though she was a bit extra nervous in regards to the drop within the Viking River Splash in Journey Land), liked taking pictures the lights contained in the Temple, panned for gold in Legoredo City and noticed penguins in Polar Land.
There may be an app to obtain so you’ll be able to plan your day, examine dwell experience instances and get further suggestions. We managed fairly fortunately with a paper map when you don’t have it.
You can too get Q-Bots to skip the queues at Legoland however we definitely wouldn’t have wanted one.
The tip of August is term-time for Danish colleges, 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 outdoors the primary summer season 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 probably be open outdoors peak months as effectively, even in late August: you’ll be able to take picnics and if we went again, I’d positively try this – our pizza buffet was pretty customary theme park fare, and never the most cost effective possibility.
Jutland itinerary: Day 3 – The Lego Home, Billund and Givskud Zoo
Legoland is likely to be the well-known identify however the Lego Home, the place you go to get your individual arms on the bricks, was one in all my very own favourites.
Opened in 2017, the constructing – designed to seem like piled up bricks itself, with just a few big vibrant ones close to the doorway – has a museum on the historical past of the model downstairs.
However the remainder is solely devoted to getting inventive: no-one sits out right here, there are employees to assist, encourage and encourage all ages to choose up just a few bricks. There’s additionally an app with extra concepts, though you received’t be in need of inspiration as you wander.
My husband and daughter adopted the directions to construct one Lego craft and check if it may 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 attempt your hand at a cease movement video.
There are intricate fashions too, making up a complete Lego world – together with fairly just a few scenes from films, together with (somewhat 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 data, movies, images and extra so that you’ve bought 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 somewhat enjoyable video of Lego folks 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 recommended a few concepts for video games till we bought sidetracked making an attempt to construct the tallest tower. Alongside the best way, 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 lady) spending half an hour establishing a huge tower is each completely regular and worthy of recognition.
I may fairly simply have stayed all day… and when you have time, I like to recommend giving your self a lot 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 stunning mixture of safari park and walk-around enclosures – and the 4 spectacled bears from South America are the latest additions, serving to rejoice the zoo’s fiftieth birthday.
Their residence has a lot area, the zoo is hoping so as to add just a few 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 somewhat larger than their fictional counterpart, prowling and padding previous swimming pools and thru the undergrowth of their residence, often 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, large otters, lemurs and numerous different animals. There’s even a guinea pig assortment!
In case you don’t have your individual automotive, a safari bus runs at sure instances across the route, whereas when you’ve bought a rent automotive you’ll be able to park at numerous factors alongside the best way to interrupt up the safari part. A very nice solution 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 can too 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 dimension and towering above us among the many bushes… and the indicators asking guests to not feed the dinosaurs.
Minnie was in her ingredient right here – it’s a tough resolution 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) when you have longer to spend, it’s straightforward 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 stunning place for households to loosen up – set in numerous inexperienced area 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 location (or a few different larger ones inside a couple of minutes’ drive) plus a stunning patio to take a seat out on, in addition to eating and residing area, a correct kitchen, rest room with bathe, to not point out a washer and drier.
One factor to notice is that in addition to hiring bedlinen/towels (except you convey 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 evaluate of Lalandia Billund right here
Jutland itinerary: Day 4 – Lalandia, Billund
You need not less than a day to discover Lalandia – our large focus was on testing the Aquadome and stress-free, 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 tender 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 effectively.
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 services as effectively.
From snowboarding slopes and climbing partitions to a bowling centre, ice rinks, sport halls, and a Monky Tonky Playland, Lalandia presents rather more than its famed waterpark.
Numerous the actions do have an additional cost, even when 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 positively extra within the loopy golf fashion than the one inside Lalandia which regarded extra like an indoor golf course in miniature.
And regardless of just a few hilariously inconceivable holes, we had a whole lot of enjoyable. There’s an honesty system if no-one is manning the ticket sales space (with a warning of fines when you play with out paying and get caught) and you may 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 hold 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 youths, plus a huge splash zone – be careful for the warning alert siren right here too… they actually imply it, and when you’re not underneath cowl, you’ll get deluged.
Then loads of sooner slides as effectively – fairly just a few are for 120cm or over, which meant Minnie was simply too small (to her aid) however fairly just a few of these are for 2 folks or extra.
Which sadly meant that neither my husband nor I may attempt them, as we couldn’t depart 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 by accident submerged alongside the best way, plus an out of doors Jacuzzi which I retreated to at one level. In case your wristband is charged, you can too 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 day by day when you wished, somewhat than paying upfront and spending your entire day there.
Parking is free for the primary hour – or you’ll be able to depart your automotive by your vacation cottage when you’re staying and stroll or get the land practice.
You probably have longer than every week in Denmark, add an additional day staying at Lalandia as a way 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 services.
Take a look at my evaluate of a keep at Lalandia Billund.
Jutland itinerary: Day 5 – Kongernes Jelling and Koldinghus to Ribe
It’s straightforward to spend an entire week in Jutland with children round Billund – from the Lego to the zoo to Lalandia’s household sights, you received’t shortly get bored when you’re planning a Billund itinerary.
However that actually 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 among the finest interactive museums I’ve come throughout for youths (and adults) plus some fascinating Danish historical past – and nice when you’re on the lookout for free issues to do with children in Denmark.
The inspiration is 2 historic rune stones, which nonetheless sit outdoors (now in glass circumstances) subsequent to the museum itself.
One accommodates the primary point out of the identify 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 identify!).
The second was created for his son Harald Bluetooth (sure, the identify 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 may contact any of the reveals… with one exception.
Something marked orange wasn’t non-compulsory, she completely needed to contact it, to convey 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 actual fact a robotic was drawing in chalk behind the welcome desk).
There’s a implausible combine of data, with recordings telling extra about Norse mythology in addition to the possibility to just about stroll the trail to Valhalla.
We additionally bought to find extra about on a regular basis Viking life. Regardless of the pillaging and plundering fame (a well-earned one, let’s be honest), 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 exhibiting the assorted weapons you would possibly like to make use of, how deadly they had been and how briskly you would possibly 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 youths, take a look at my high picks
Then extra likelihood to get arms on at Koldinghus fortress, over 750 years previous 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 carried out cleverly sufficient to be nearly 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 somewhat 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 attempt, 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 arms of the Nazis alongside the best way.
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 remaining cease was Ribe, Denmark’s oldest city and a ridiculously picturesque spot which dates again round 1,250 years.
As soon as residence to a tenth of the nation’s inhabitants, a whole lot of 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 identical time, Ribe began to turn into a much less vital centre: fortunately for guests right this moment, as these historic and sometimes 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 a bit of on our first night time by taking the free Evening Watchman’s tour.
The put up itself is sort of as historic because the city, going again centuries as they stored 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 Evening 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.
Completed in Danish and English, there have been children on the tour too, plus you hear just a few snatches of the Evening Watchman’s tune alongside the best way.
Keep at: Ribe Byferie resort
We checked in to the Danhostel Ribe, just some minutes stroll from the town centre – and when you’re on the lookout for a comparatively funds possibility, it’s price contemplating.
Nonetheless, if there had been availability, I’d advocate the Ribe Byferie resort, an identical 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 – take a look at her evaluate.
Jutland itinerary: Day 6 – Ribe to Tirpitz and Esbjerg
Spend a bit of longer exploring Ribe itself, together with a glance contained in the cathedral – when you have time, you can too climb the tower – in addition to the waterwheels, waterfront homes and ornate doorways among the many vibrant previous buildings.
However put aside a while to go over to the coast as effectively. Wild and windswept, the dunes line the seafront, hiding their very own newer 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 truly 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 truly way more to find than simply the wartime years.
And when 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 convey 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 folks to Viking instances, from conventional fishing village to seaside vacation vacation spot.
There’s an entire space devoted to ‘Baltic gold’ as amber was recognized, full with bugs frozen inside items of amber.
The audio guides are cleverly carried out, so you’ll be able to merely level them at an indication and hear (or skip previous areas you’re not desirous about) in addition to sensory containers 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 be taught extra in regards to the plans for it, in addition to the daily lifetime of these primarily based right here: one information story confirmed a former German soldier returning for the museum’s opening, a thought-provoking combine of adverse reminiscences and the banality of rediscovering on a regular basis gadgets.
After a fast stroll on the dunes, head in the 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 the direction of the horizon, wind farms dotted alongside the coast, you can too spot the imposing Man meets the Sea sculptures.
Simply outdoors Esbjerg itself, the 4 big 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 a whole lot of locations closed, we solely stopped briefly to refuel however when 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 transport historical past. Or for extra animals, Blavand Zoo can also be close by.
Jutland itinerary: Day 7 – Ribe Vikingecenter and again to Billund
finish your week in Jutland with children? With extra Vikings, after all. A go to to the Ribe Vikingecenter, simply outdoors the town, was a implausible solution to step again in time and produce Viking life to life!
Primarily based on three genuine archaeological websites from the world, you’ll be able to uncover a farm, city with a recreation of an early church and market the place folks 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 battle and practised some archery, but in addition 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 giant and small.
There’s a sacred lavatory to discover and you may take a look at the church, within the means of being painted.
We watched the weaver making his dyes, a Viking lady 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 talk to – many truly dwell on website in the course of the summer season, 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 folks of the time would have eaten. With out a time machine, it’s laborious to suppose how rather more genuine it might be.
My daughter additionally made herself comfy in each chief’s chair that she may 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 go south in the 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 season solar, and I spied remoted cottages and extra clusters of vacation lodging to fireside my creativeness for one more journey.
Regardless of cramming rather a lot into every week, it felt that nowhere was ever very removed from anyplace else, and all so family-friendly that it was enjoyable somewhat than frantic.
Not venturing past Legoland, when you’ll be able to see a lot coast and historical past in just a few further days, can be lacking out.
You probably have longer to spend, fairly Vejle on the jap coast is thought for its artwork – together with a floating sculpture path.
Or former capital of tradition Aarhus is Denmark’s second metropolis and a tempting possibility for a metropolis break in its personal proper, particularly when 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, take a look at 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
