Just 45 minutes from Billund, a low-cost airline hub famous for its family-friendly Legoland theme park, lies Horsens, a picturesque city on the east coast of Jutland.
Denmark is, as you might expect, a clean, well-kept city and a gateway to many relatively unknown landscapes.
Atop the city’s hills, you’ll be greeted by one of Denmark’s toughest prisons and the site of the country’s last execution in 1892.
It was here in 1949 that master criminal Karl August Lorenzen made headlines for his difficult escape by digging a tunnel, only to be captured and repatriated days later.
Today, the museum is an interactive museum that the whole family can enjoy and is also used for major events, such as Scandinavia’s largest medieval festival, held on the last weekend of August.
A 5-minute drive away, the spacious Horsens Museum features contemporary Danish works, including the collection of homegrown artist Michael Kuvium.
Here you’ll find Café Era and the unassuming but extraordinarily talented Korean-born chef Jimmy Boi Jensen. He was recently the winner of Denmark’s Best Beef Sandwich, a true stomach-churning sandwich topped with a sublime sauce.
Jensen prides himself on his creative cuisine, and Ji-Mi’s, a small restaurant in the heart of the city, also serves gourmet tasting dinners featuring only the finest food and wine, from oysters to Chablis.
In the heart of Horsens, the beautiful Jorgensens Hotel is located in the historic Lichtenberg Palace, built in 1744 by Gerd de Lichtenberg.
The beautifully restored rooms are equipped with modern amenities, and traditional Danish breakfasts are popular, while creative cuisine is available for lunch and dinner.
The Horsens walk features beautiful architecture and great shops, and for competitors there is a 5.5km long treasure hunt to explore while having fun, with special medals awarded to those who complete the tasks.
Even if you get lost, the locals are very friendly and your tour of the city will also take you to the old industrial port. There, you can find Dolly’s, founded in 1993, serving traditional dishes such as parsley-he sauced pork he rasher fries and shoots. The stars are fried fish fillets, steamed white fish, hand-peeled prawns and smoked salmon roe, served on toasted sourdough bread with dressing. North of Horsens, the clean and refreshing area of the Sondrup Hills is a great place to explore and walk. A great way to find your way is with guide Kirsten Aagaard, who hails from Vilholt-Reysel. He will serve you a typical Danish breakfast and prepare you for a fjord domino hike through the stunning Horsensfjord, enjoying forests, meadows, villages, marinas and mostly uncrowded nature. beach.
You can also visit Bakkelandet, home to some of Denmark’s highest peaks, on Heidi Holm’s electric bike from Holmely Bikes, 20 minutes away. Among the attractions is the Uncovered Bridge, which was used by the railroad and was hidden inside a dam for 85 years before being restored in 2014.
If you’re lucky, you might come across a troll named Jensnej who lives deep in the forest and was created by artist Thomas Dumbo. His 100 other trolls dotted around the Danish Islands never fail to capture the imagination. Tucked away deep in the countryside, Bolle Nobu Hotel is located on a narrow peninsula, making it the perfect place to rest before exploring.
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Then take a magical 60-minute ferry ride to car-free Touno. There, a tractor acts as a taxi, and you can enjoy a circular walk along the cliff top while enjoying a delicious fish meal at the Walking House.
Denmark’s second smallest and most beautiful church is located on Jarno Island, 500 meters from the mainland at the foot of Horsensfjord.
A 10-minute boat ride brings you to the picturesque harbor. There he lives 150 inhabitants. Among them are Jane Willamsgaard, a visual artist who combines her passions with Det Her Graphiske Her Magasin Coffee Her Bar.
The nearby 7.7 square kilometer Alro Island is a paradise for kite surfers and food lovers. Allow Kovmansgaard serves beautiful bison dishes with meat sourced from nearby farms.
These islands, with their natural beauty, lack of crowds, and inventive locals who turn their creativity to clever ways to make a living, are reminiscent of Scotland and even more popular than Kistrande. It makes it a must-see place.
Travel trivia:
For more tourist information and links to food, activities and accommodation, visit kystlandet.com and visitdenmark.com.
Flights to Billund are available from Edinburgh on low-cost airlines. For airport parking, lounges, and transportation, holidayextras.com can help.