Denmark
Day 1 - Aarhus and Randers
Our first stop in Denmark was Aarhus, a city on the east coast of the country that my parents had traveled to together years ago. We decided to spend the afternoon exploring Den Gamble By, the historic old town section of the city.
Den Gamble By has many colorful and original buildings that are centuries old. There is a host of activities to do here, from boating on the river that runs through town to wandering around or getting some authentic Danish food.
The food in this area was my first introduction to Danish style food. We bought some delicious pastries from the bakery, which had a centuries old theme. We also bought bratwurst and beer and enjoyed watching families and couples wandering through the park.
Tickets cost about €24 for adults and €13 for students. The price was a little high but I would say worth it just to experience the park and all of the historic buildings.
After we left the park we wandered through the adjacent botanical gardens and eventually back to the car that we rented before heading to Randers, where we would be staying with some relatives on my mom's side of the family.
We stayed with my moms relatives at their beautiful home in the quiet countryside of Randers. Their house had an amazing sprawling garden, trickling creek, and beautiful surrounding meadows.
For dinner our relatives cooked us an amazing meal - steak with delicious wine and savory sides. I loved the design of the house with the light wood tones, minimalistic styles and big windows.
We enjoyed catching up and talking the whole afternoon, ending the day with our wonderful dinner before turning in to bed.
Day 2 - Ebeltoft
The next day our relatives wanted to take us to a local area that they love and have spent most of their lives visiting, Ebeltoft.
We started the morning with a delicious sunny breakfast spread in the garden. I really love the way Europeans do breakfast, with lots of different meats, cheeses, spreads, jams, breads, and juices and coffee.
Our first stop was at Kalø Castle, a site with the ruins of a historic castle. The ocean was a beautiful blue green and it was a sunny day. The area was actually a primary inspiration for the famous author J.R. Tolkien when writing Lord of the Rings.
After our walk we were quite hot and decided to drive to a nearby beach called Femmøller Strand. There were many people swimming, jumping off the dock, and enjoying the beautiful warm weather and sunny afternoon.
For lunch we drove into Ebeltoft. I loved this little village by the sea. It is a popular location for summer homes and there are many little shops, boats, and restaurants by the water.
This was one of my favorite places that we visited on our trip. The little cobblestone streets, colorful poppies, endless rows of small shops and boutiques, and adorable homes was so picturesque.
This was one of my favorite places that we visited on our trip. The little cobblestone streets, colorful poppies, endless rows of small shops and boutiques, and adorable homes was so picturesque.
After we had explored Ebeltoft a thunderstorm began to roll into the area so we headed back for the rest of the afternoon. We enjoyed a quick rainstorm back at home. It was so peaceful enjoying the rain while the fire crackled and we sat around reading and talking while the storm rolled past.
Day 3 - Hellerup
The next morning we had a quick breakfast and said goodbye to our relatives before returning to the train station in Aarhus and making our way to Copenhagen. We checked into our hostel mid afternoon and rested for a while before we walked to the nearby train station and traveled to Hellerup where we were visiting another set of our of relatives for dinner.
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and we enjoyed sitting in the garden drinking cocktails and catching up with family. My mom had visited with these relatives when they traveled to America many years ago, so it was very special for them to be able to reconnect after so long.
We had a wonderful dinner, the food was amazing and one of the most memorable and decadent meals I have ever had. We spent the rest of the evening sharing stories and laughter with our family, walking around the neighborhood in the fading daylight, drinking and having fun.
Day 4 - Copenhagen
Our first stop was at Amalienborg Palace where we got to see the changing of the guards. This was a really interesting experience as I have never seen anything like it before.
Next we walked through the city to go see the famous Little Mermaid statue, popularized by Hans Christian Andersen, a famous Danish author.
St. Alban's Church and Gefion Fountain
For lunch we stopped in Nyhavn, the famous canal in Copenhagen. We had a delicious lunch in the sun, enjoying the local seafood and taking a break to people watch everyone milling around the busy area.
After lunch we did some shopping in Strøget before returning to Nyhavn to board our canal ship tour of the city. Strøget has a number of stores ranging from high fashion brands to small businesses to dessert and lunch shops. I stopped in Prada and Louis Vuitton to browse and bought a cute tote bag at a small local shop.
After our boat tour we were all pretty tired so we headed back to the area of the city where we were staying for dinner and to get some rest before our early flight home the next morning.
Overall I loved Denmark much more than I expected. This was the longest and most relaxing part of our trip by far. I loved getting to visit with relatives, try new foods, and enjoy the beautiful architecture and colorful buildings that sprinkled every inch of this country. From beautiful blue waters in the various port cities we visited to rolling golden countryside hills to the fluttering red flags hanging from ships and homes, Denmark is surely one of the most charming and lovely countries I have visited. I cannot wait to return and see even more of such a special place!
Published 8.29.22
