Denmark might be a small country, but with an impressive 5,000-mile coastline, the country attracts thousands of tourists every year. And even though you are never more than 30 miles from the sea in Denmark, it does matter where you choose to go if you are after a real beach holiday. After all, there's a big difference between the Danish beaches. For example, are you looking for big waves and a strong current, fine sand and crystal-clear water or wide beaches where the water is so shallow that you'll get tired before it reaches your bellybutton? Here is a shortlist of 10 of Denmark's best beaches.
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Søndervig Beach
Take a peak in the bunkers and jump in the waves of the North Sea
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Søndervig Beach is located near Ringkøbing, and it stretches from Hvide Sande in the south to the small town of Søndervig in the North, from which the beach derives its name. Søndervig has been a popular summer holiday destination for Danes since the 1800s, mostly due to its beach, which was named the best beach in Denmark in 2014. The sand on the beach is relatively firm, which combined with the exceptional width of the beach, makes it a great playground for ball games, sand castle competitions and kite flying. History buffs will appreciate the numerous bunkers, which have moved several hundred meters from their original location in the dunes and are now a relic of World War II on the beach.
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Blåvand Beach
Bring your family along to a clear, low-tide and child-friendly beach
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Blåvand Beach offers a beautiful natural area and a wide, white sandy beach that stretches mile after mile. The beach is quite unlike other beaches at the North Sea for several reasons. First, there is little current in the water, and the waves roll in softly towards the beach (which is hardly the way you envision the North Sea). In addition, the tide is very low, so kids can walk far out while still reaching the bottom. Blåvand Strand is also one of the beaches in Denmark that can proudly hoist the Blue Flag, which means that the water is clean and lives up to the bathing water requirements.
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Blokhus Beach
Get sand under your tyres – and not your feet!
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Blokhus Beach is a genuine bathing beach by the North Sea. The beach is in Jammerbugten, by the popular holiday town of Blokhus, and it stretches from Rødhus Beach in the south to Saltum Beach in the north. This is a truly special beach, in part because it is open to vehicles. Visitors can thus choose to take a drive on the beach instead of walking. That said, the 330-foot-wide beach is perfect for walks. Among other things, you can take a walk past the iconic white bath houses or pop by the stands with fresh fish, which are sold right on the beach. If you are into adventure and action, Blokhus Beach also offers great windsurfing.
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Saltum Beach
Sand, dunes, forests and rides at one of Northern Europe's best beaches
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Saltum Beach is on the Danish west coast, between the two popular holiday towns of Blokhus and Løkken in Northern Jutland. The beach has been named one of the best in Northern Europe, and it is easy to understand why. The area around Saltum Beach offers everything from white sandy beaches and wind-blown dunes to green forests and lush plantations. In other words, here you can find activities for eager water enthusiasts and nerdy nature lovers. Saltum Beach is so long and wide that vehicles are permitted on the beach. You could take a drive to Løkken on the beach and eat a stjerneskud (a special open sandwich with plaice) at one of the many seafood restaurants. Other activities in the area include Denmark's oldest summer land, Fårup Sommerland.
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Kandestederne - Skiveren
Hike through the dunes with a view of the North Sea
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Do you need to get out and feel the strong wind? The beach and the area around Kandestederne and Skiveren are ideal for long, meditative walks, where you can let your thoughts fly out towards the dunes, between the heather and out across the great moor. The beach offers the possibility for nude bathing, should that be your thing, and good conditions for wind surfing for those of you looking for adventure. If you can't get enough of the sand, Denmark's largest sandbox, Råbjerg Mile, isn't far from Kandestederne and Skiveren. The same applies to Grenen in Skagen, which is one of Denmark's greatest landmarks.
Mapphoto by Villy Fink Isaksen (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
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Rømø Beach
Long beaches without a stone in sight at the Wadden Sea National Park
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Rømø is an island located in the Wadden Sea, which is in the North Sea on the Danish west coast. The island is barely 50 square miles, and the whole western side of the island is covered by the finest white sand. You are allowed to drive your car on the approx. 5-mile-long beach. However, beach guests should be careful with respect to the tide, so as to avoid their cars getting stuck, which has happened to countless tourists in the past. Every year, the beach, which is free of stones and seaweed, attracts lots of water enthusiasts. Among the visitors are many families with kids since the water is incredibly low during low tide, so even the youngest children can go far out into the sea.
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Henne Beach
Battle the big waves of the North Sea – under the supervision of lifeguards
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Enjoy a wonderful holiday surrounded by Danish nature at Henne Beach. Apart from having access to a beautiful white sandy beach, you can also hike on the rough dunes or take a walk on the wind-swept heaths. During summer, the beach is visited by lots of sun-hungry, water-loving tourists, who battle the big waves and strong undercurrents of the North Sea. Even though the sea can at times be rough, you don't need to worry about jumping into the salty water since you'll always find lifeguards at the beach during the summer period. The beach has also been awarded the Blue Flag, which means that the bathing water requirements are being met. If you love water sports, the water and wind conditions at Henne Beach are ideal for windsurfing.
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Marielyst Beach
A child-friendly beach on Falster with calm water, low tide and lifeguards
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You can find Marielyst Beach in Southern Falster near the small Væggerløse. As opposed to the wild North Sea, here you'll find water without big waves and dangerous undercurrents. In addition, Marielyst Beach has very low tide, which makes it great for kids. During the course of the summer, from July to August, the lifeguard tower is open every day, so guests can feel safe when they are out swimming or when letting their kids go into the water. On particularly windy days, tourists like to move further up in the dunes, where you can find cosy 'pockets' sheltered from the wind. A unique aspect is the path that was established on top of the dunes, which is well-suited for walks or bike rides.
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Dueodde Beach
Fine sand and crystal-clear water on Sunshine Island's favourite beach
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Dueodde Strand, located on the sunshine island of Bornholm, is presumably one of the most famous beaches in Denmark. The beach extends over several miles from the island's eastern tip, so there is ample opportunity to walk a few miles in the extremely fine sand. To make the beach more accessible for the most number of people, a long ramp has been built, connecting the main car park. This allows people in wheelchairs or with prams to visit the beach and admire the crystal-clear water. Because of the numerous sandbanks in the water, you will find shallow and deep areas, so both kids and adults can enjoy the waves.
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Hornbæk Beach
The perfect playground for water enthusiasts of all ages
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Hornbæk is on the Danish north coast, by the north-western part of Øresund. The beach is the largest and most visited beach on the north coast during the summer. The numerous visitors come to feel the fine sand between their toes or to jump into the clear water with its sandy floor and virtually no rocks. Many of the guests consist of families with children, who can let their kids run free on the child-friendly beach or at the popular beach playground. For the somewhat bigger kids, it's possible to rent water sports equipment, e.g. stand-up paddleboards. If you forgot to pack a picnic basket, that's no problem either! You can find a café in the middle of the beach as well as a street food market on the edge of the beach.
Mapphoto by Guillaume Baviere (CC BY 2.0) modified