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 way over Lego alone in your Jutland itinerary.
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After our journey in 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 ideas 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 searching 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. 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 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 once we flew), most individuals fly straight there.
And Legoland is virtually subsequent door to Billund airport (actually, you possibly can see the planes land from the Polar Land space), with loads of the opposite points of interest very close by too.
Keep at: Legoland Fort resort
I may begin by telling you all the sensible causes to remain on the new Legoland Fort resort… 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 youngsters 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 in your children to search out – there’s a path across the resort and play space to get the code.
When my husband advised me the bathe head within the lavatory was additionally made from Lego, I genuinely believed him for just a few moments. It nonetheless wouldn’t shock me in the event that they ultimately work out a manner to do that.
There are each day Lego constructing challenges, and all of the workers put on minifigures on their badges which you’ll be able to swap.
Again to that sensible observe, your keep contains entry to Legoland which is only a few minutes’ stroll away, plus you possibly can skip the queue by a separate entrance.
There’s an out of doors playground, designed to appear like a Lego type fortress, and massive household restaurant: breakfast is included, the night buffet had some good decisions if (as loads 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 over time to incorporate 11 completely different areas, plenty of rides – together with some to go well with youthful/extra cautious children – plus some reveals and reside occasions, particularly throughout the summer time.
Legoland Billund opens at 10am and closes between round 6pm and 8pm, though rides could end earlier – one other massive 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 ultimate sooner rollercoasters.
There’s simply sufficient to fill a day – begin with a wander round Miniland, with its Lego landmarks and recreations of various international locations, 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 wanting down on Miniland, the place all the things’s already tiny, it feels as in the event you’re even larger.
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 type 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 may 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 attempting 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), cherished capturing 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 possibly can plan your day, examine reside journey occasions and get further ideas. We managed fairly fortunately with a paper map in the event you don’t have it.
You can too get Q-Bots to skip the queues at Legoland however we actually 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 principle summer time season, in addition to throughout components of the winter months, so it’s value checking earlier than you go to.
Not all of the eating places will probably be open outdoors peak months as nicely, even in late August: you possibly can take picnics and if we went again, I’d undoubtedly try this – our pizza buffet was pretty normal theme park fare, and never the most affordable choice.
Jutland itinerary: Day 3 – The Lego Home, Billund and Givskud Zoo
Legoland is perhaps the well-known identify however the Lego Home, the place you go to get your individual palms on the bricks, was certainly one of my very own favourites.
Opened in 2017, the constructing – designed to appear like piled up bricks itself, with just a few large 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 artistic: no-one sits out right here, there are workers to assist, encourage and encourage all ages to select up just a few bricks. There’s additionally an app with extra concepts, though you gained’t be wanting 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 seem 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 motion pictures, together with (relatively fabulously) the set-up from Again to the Future – in addition to the prospect 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 possibly can scan your wristband to avoid wasting data, movies, images and extra so that you’ve obtained a memento document.
Even lunch has a Lego hyperlink: within the MiniChef restaurant, you employ particular bricks from the luggage on the desk to decide on your order which you then scan and after a relatively 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: workers recommended a few concepts for video games till we obtained sidetracked attempting 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. It is 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 may fairly simply have stayed all day… and if in case you have time, I like to recommend giving your self loads 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 points of interest is a stunning mixture of safari park and walk-around enclosures – and the 4 spectacled bears from South America are the most recent additions, serving to have a good time the zoo’s fiftieth birthday.
Their house 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 reside in South America (together with darkest Peru), I found that they’re relatively greater than their fictional counterpart, prowling and padding previous swimming pools and thru the undergrowth of their house, 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, 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 occasions across the route, whereas in the event you’ve obtained a rent automotive you possibly can park at numerous factors alongside the way in which to interrupt up the safari part. A very nice strategy 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 even obtain the app which has particulars of actions, in addition to occasions 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 superb assortment of dinosaur fashions, imposingly life dimension and towering above us among the many timber… and the indicators asking guests to not feed the dinosaurs.
Minnie was in her component right here – it’s a difficult resolution whether or not animals or Lego high her checklist of favorite issues, so a day which mixes each is difficult to beat. Though (once more) if in case you have longer to spend, it’s straightforward to fill a complete 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 chill out – set in plenty of 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 selection on the location (or a few different greater ones inside a couple of minutes’ drive) plus a stunning patio to sit down out on, in addition to eating and dwelling area, 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 convey your individual), you additionally must 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 no less than a day to discover Lalandia – our massive 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 smooth 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 nicely.
The bulk is tucked away inside the principle Lalandia constructing – as you undergo the revolving door, you’d by no means count on to see this mini piazza inside with its eating places and cafes, plus all of the actions and services as nicely.
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 possibly can cost cash to your wristband and pay that manner 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 type than the one inside Lalandia which appeared extra like an indoor golf course in miniature.
And regardless of just a few hilariously inconceivable holes, we had loads of 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 youths, 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 sooner slides as nicely – 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 individuals 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 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 can even 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 an enormous bonus as you possibly can pop in for an hour or two every single day in the event you wished, relatively than paying upfront and spending your complete day there.
Parking is free for the primary hour – or you possibly can depart your automotive by your vacation cottage in the event you’re staying and stroll or get the land practice.
If in case you have longer than per week in Denmark, add an additional day staying at Lalandia so as 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 assessment of a keep at Lalandia Billund.
Jutland itinerary: Day 5 – Kongernes Jelling and Koldinghus to Ribe
It’s straightforward to spend a complete week in Jutland with children round Billund – from the Lego to the zoo to Lalandia’s household points of interest, you gained’t shortly get bored in the event you’re planning a Billund itinerary.
However that basically is barely scratching the floor of what there may be 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 the most effective interactive museums I’ve come throughout for youths (and adults) plus some fascinating Danish historical past – and nice in the event you’re searching for free issues to do with children in Denmark.
The inspiration is 2 historic rune stones, which nonetheless sit outdoors (now in glass instances) subsequent to the museum itself.
One comprises the primary point out of the identify Denmark, created throughout the tenth century reign of the primary Danish king, Gorm the Previous (my daughter, an enormous fan of the How To Prepare 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 greatest to discover the museum itself first, the place the workers solemnly advised my seven-year-old that she may contact any of the displays… with one exception.
Something marked orange wasn’t elective, she completely needed to contact it, to convey the displays to life.
Her face lit up as she scampered off, decided to fulfil these directions (not even slowing all the way down to savour the very fact a robotic was drawing in chalk behind the welcome desk).
There’s a improbable combine of data, with recordings telling extra about Norse mythology in addition to the prospect 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 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 displaying the varied 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 all the way 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, try my high picks
Then extra likelihood to get palms on at Koldinghus fortress, 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 are accomplished cleverly sufficient to be nearly a design function in themselves.
It now homes collections of silverware, ceramics and historic artefacts, in addition to momentary exhibitions.
Simply my daughter’s favorite half was the prospect to decorate up in seventeenth century costume, the peak of royal type from 1610, proper all the way down to gloves and tiara.
She took this very severely, looking out the ending touches for my outfit – I’m relatively glad ruffs have since gone out of trend! – and selecting out two separate ones for herself.
I needed to remind her not all the things else was fairly as touchable as Kongernes Jelling, though there may be an exercise path referred to as Within the Footsteps of the King to attempt, in addition to a viewing tower to look down on the beautiful city, a courtyard the place they had been establishing for a medieval banquet and a few fascinating displays.
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 ultimate cease was Ribe, Denmark’s oldest city and a ridiculously picturesque spot which dates again round 1,250 years.
As soon as house to a tenth of the nation’s inhabitants, loads 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 essential centre: fortunately for guests at this time, 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 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 throughout the 45-minute stroll round Ribe’s cobbled streets, the Night time Watchman revealed among the historical past of the position in addition to factors of curiosity: Scandinavia’s oldest faculty for instance, the Metropolis Corridor, and one constructing so wonky, there appeared to be barely a straight line in it.
Executed in Danish and English, there have been children on the tour too, plus you hear just a few 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 searching for a comparatively funds choice, it’s value contemplating.
Nevertheless, if there had been availability, I’d suggest the Ribe Byferie resort, an analogous distance from the town centre on the other aspect, with self-catering vacation houses which are good 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 can even 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 nicely. Wild and windswept, the dunes line the seafront, hiding their very own more moderen historical past.
On the Tirpitz museum, you possibly can step inside a Second World Struggle bunker, constructed throughout 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 puzzled how this darker interval of historical past would work with a seven-year-old, however there’s truly 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 convey it to life, inside a state-of-the-art constructing tucked underneath the grass.
Together with tales from the occupation advised by these on each side, the museum additionally tracks the historical past of the Jutland coast, from its historic individuals to Viking occasions, from conventional fishing village to seaside vacation vacation spot.
There’s a complete space devoted to ‘Baltic gold’ as amber was recognized, full with bugs frozen inside items of amber.
The audio guides are cleverly accomplished, so you possibly can merely level them at an indication and hear (or skip previous areas you’re not involved in) in addition to sensory containers in a single space – touching ‘mammoth fur’ was a little bit of a shock.
Cling 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 day after day 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 recollections and the banality of rediscovering on a regular basis gadgets.
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 can even spot the imposing Man meets the Sea sculptures.
Simply outdoors 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 loads of 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 transport historical past. Or for extra animals, Blavand Zoo can also be close by.
Jutland itinerary: Day 7 – Ribe Vikingecenter and again to Billund
The best way to finish your week in Jutland with children? With extra Vikings, in fact. A go to to the Ribe Vikingecenter, simply outdoors the town, was a improbable strategy to step again in time and produce Viking life to life!
Primarily based on three genuine archaeological websites from the realm, you possibly can 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 struggle 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 wanting inside homes massive and small.
There’s a sacred bathroom to discover and you’ll try the church, within the technique 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 attempting to coax sparks from fireplace stones.
At every spot, there are volunteers (and a few workers) in character to talk to – many truly reside on website throughout the summer time, sticking to a Viking lifestyle so far as doable.
The animals on the farm are breeds which might have been just 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. And not using a time machine, it’s arduous to assume how far more genuine it may very well be.
My daughter additionally made herself snug in each chief’s chair that she may discover, wanting 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 profiting from the final of the late summer time solar, and I spied remoted cottages and extra clusters of vacation lodging to fireside my creativeness for an additional journey.
Regardless of cramming rather a lot into per week, it felt that nowhere was ever very removed from wherever else, and all so family-friendly that it was enjoyable relatively than frantic.
Not venturing past Legoland, when you possibly can see a lot coast and historical past in just a few further days, can be lacking out.
If in case you have longer to spend, fairly Vejle on the jap 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 ideas from Museum Mum.
Take a look at my full information to Denmark with children right here
*First revealed 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 points of interest 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.
Photographs copyright MummyTravels
