121 Best Sights in Denmark

Prehistory might not sound exciting to all, but at Moesgaard Museum it’s presented in a way that’s anything but dusty and dated. The exhibitions are created with care and creativity, but the architectural and natural settings are so stunning that you have to force yourself to focus on the exhibits rather than the forest and sea surrounding the remarkable museum.

The island of Møn is most famous for its dramatic chalk cliffs, known in Danish as Møns Klint. Circled by a beech forest, the milky-white bluffs plunge 400 feet to a small, craggy beach with jade-green waters—accessible by more than 500 steps. Fossils on the beach suggest that the cliffs are 70 million years old. The cliffs attract tens of thousands of visitors each year, who come for the views and to be close to nature.

Visit on a sunny day if you can, and park at the top of the cliff and walk down.

This pretty harborfront neighborhood, whose name means "new harbor," is perhaps the most photographed location in Copenhagen. It was built 300 years ago to attract traffic and commerce to the city center. Until 1970, the area was a favorite haunt of sailors. Though restaurants, boutiques, and antiques stores now outnumber tattoo parlors, many old buildings have been well preserved and retain the harbor's authentic 18th-century maritime character. You can even see a fleet of old-time sailing ships from the quay. Hans Christian Andersen lived at various times in Nyhavn houses at numbers 18, 20, and 67.

Ordrupgaard is one of the largest museum collections of French impressionism in Europe outside France itself, and it reopened in late 2020 after a major renovation. Most of the great 19th-century French artists are represented, including Manet, Monet, Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir, Degas, Gauguin, Sisley, Delacroix, and Pissarro. Ordrupgaard also has a superb collection of Danish Golden Age painters and spectacular works by Vilhelm Hammershøi, whose deft use of light and space creates haunting settings for his mostly solitary figures. The paintings hang on the walls of what was once the home of museum founder and art collector Wilhelm Hansen. The interior of this manor, dating from 1918, has been left just as it was when Hansen and his wife Henny lived here. In 2005 a black, curvaceous addition, designed by the acclaimed Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, joined the main building. In addition to extra exhibition space, the new structure made room for a spacious café that overlooks the park. There are labels in English.

Even more famed than the area's sand-buried church is the west coast's dramatic Råbjerg Mile, a protected desert-like migrating dune that moves about 50 feet a year. You can reach it on foot from the Kandestederne.

This cultural and culinary hub used to be an artificial island home to a historical shipyard, but the island has been annexed with the rest of Amager, and the shipping industry is long gone. Instead, Refshaleøen’s former factories are being turned into art galleries, not-so-micro-breweries, busy beach bars, music venues, and gourmet restaurants. It's the perfect place to while away an afternoon and evening.

The lush island of Rømø, 35 km (22 miles) southwest of Ribe, has one of Denmark's widest beaches, which unfurls along a sunny western coast and has protected areas for windsurfers, horseback riders, nudists, and dune-buggy riders—space for everyone, it seems. Rømø has fewer than 600 permanent residents, but masses of vacationing German and Danish families increase this number tenfold in summer. It's a haven for campers, cyclists, and budget vacationers. A causeway crosses green fields and marshy wetlands to connect Rømø to the mainland. Many birds live here, feeding off the seaweed and shellfish washed up by the tides. Summer houses dot the island; most of Rømø's services and accommodations are in and around the village of Havneby, 8 km (5 miles) south of the causeway, and in the camping and shopping complex of Lakolk, in the west.

Construction began on Roskilde Cathedral around 1170 on the site of a church erected 200 years earlier by the Viking hero Harald Bluetooth. It was made possible by the introduction of brickmaking to Denmark—it is made up of more than 3 million bricks—and a commission by the powerful Bishop Absalon, who's also considered one of the founders of Copenhagen. The cathedral made the city one of the spiritual capitals of northern Europe. These days, its best known as the mausoleum of the royals: 38 Danish monarchs are entombed here, including the first Queen Margrethe (1353–1412), and there's reason to believe that Queen Margrethe II will ultimately find her resting place in or near the cathedral, like her father, Frederik IX. Don't miss the 16th-century clock depicting St. George charging a dragon, whose hisses and howls throughout the church cause Peter Døver, "the Deafener," to sound the hour. A squeamish Kirsten Kiemer, "the Chimer," shakes her head in fright but manages to strike the quarter hours.

Time seems to stand still in Ærø's main town, where the half-timbered houses and cobblestoned, winding streets look exactly like they did a century ago. The heart of town is full of small restaurants, cafés, inns, and galleries, but the harbor and the beach---where a seemingly endless column of charming, colorful beach houses stands guard---beg to be explored too. A quirky museum sheds light on the island’s rich maritime history.

On the heath-covered grounds of this sculpture park there are 14 outdoor statues, and inside the stunning museum—designed by the sculptor and architect Rudolph Tegner himself—there are many, many more. Tegner was a controversial figure because of the monumental scale and content of his sculptures, but in recent years his art has gained more recognition. This museum is set in the middle of a wild, uncultivated part of North Zealand called Rusland (i.e., "Russia"), a name it was given due to its relative remoteness and wilderness. 

The 19th-century Danish artist and poet Holger Drachmann (1846–1908) and his friends, including the well-known P. S. Krøyer and Michael and Anna Ancher, founded the Skagen School of painting, which sought to capture the special quality of light and idyllic seascapes here. They and their contemporaries depicted everyday life in Skagen primarily from the turn of the 20th century until the 1920s, and you can see their efforts on display in the Skagens Museum. It's a wonderful homage to this talented group of Danes, and you'll become mesmerized by some of the portraits, which seem more like a photographic collection of days gone by. The light and the landscape, however, remain the same, and it's a magical experience to recognize scenes from the paintings when you walk on the beach or in the dunes. The museum store sells posters, postcards, and other souvenirs depicting the Skagen paintings.

With its rugged, windswept dune heath, several hundred lakes, and twisted, sand-swept forest, this national park is one of Denmark's proudest treasures. Red deer roam the park freely, and it is not uncommon to see seals lounging around on the long, sandy beaches, but chances are you'll meet few other visitors; there are more than 200 km (124 miles) of lonely biking and hiking trails. You can also explore the park by horseback, spend a night at one of the many shelters, and fish at many of the lakes. The park stretches from Hanstholm lighthouse in the north to Agger Tange in the south, and you can access it from anywhere; entry is free, and the park is open day- and year-round.

Denmark's northernmost point is so thrashed by storms and roiling waters that the 18th-century Sand-Buried Church, 2 km (1 mile) south of town, is almost completely covered by dunes; only its tower rises above the sand. It's a beautiful if windswept area to go for a walk.

A postcard favorite, this rocky promontory dividing the harbor has been the home of the Faroese parliament for more than 1,000 years. It also hosts a bundle of red sod-roofed cottages built in the 16th and 17th centuries that are cute enough to pinch. The prime minister's office is in the last building, but the marks of Viking chieftains long gone are still visible in the rocks to practiced eyes. A guide is recommended.

North Zealand’s most happening historic seaside town is charming Tisvildeleje. Copenhagen’s creative elite has been vacationing in the town for decades, leading to an influx in classy hotels, fine dining options, designer boutiques, and stylish, casual cafés. Most of the town consists of private vacation homes, but the main street---which ends at the beach---is where most of the action takes place. There are two lovely, sandy beaches, and a forest just west of the town, Tisvilde Hegn, is an ideal spot for a stroll.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site national park is a flat, wet, and large marshland stretching from southern Denmark to the Netherlands. The dynamic landscape is home to many migratory birds and, since 2017, a visitor center designed by the world-famous Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. The building blends into the flat marshland and has become as much of an attraction as the mudflat area itself. It is home to changing exhibitions, guided tours, activities, and teaching programs for schools.

One of Denmark's best-preserved castles is located on the island of Tåsinge, immediately south of Svendborg. There's a restaurant, a tea pavilion, an orchard to get lost in, and several stately buildings to explore. The castle was built in the 17th century for a Danish prince, but it now belongs to a wealthy family.

The site of Denmark's main cathedral, the Church of Our Lady, has drawn worshippers since the 13th century, when Bishop Absalon built a chapel here. The previous church, consecrated in 1738, was burned to the ground in 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars. Despite the country's poverty after the defeat, the city built a new place of worship, in the then-modern neoclassical style. Inside you can see sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen's marble sculptures depicting Christ and the 12 apostles, and Moses and David cast in bronze. The funerals of both Søren Kierkegaard and Hans Christian Andersen were held here.

It might be one of Copenhagen’s shortest streets, but Værnedamsvej is also one of the most charming. The mix of cafés (Granola is a beloved institution), cheese and flower shops, bookshops, wine bars, bistros, and designer boutiques gives the street a Parisian feel, and it’s lovely from early morning to late night.

The Aalborg Historical Museum contains the well-preserved underground ruins of a medieval Franciscan friary, including a walled cellar and the foundations of the chapel. Enter via the elevator outside the Salling department store. Another favorite attraction is the Renaissance chamber Aalborgstuen, which features furniture and glassware from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Aalborg Maritime Museum includes a visit aboard the submarine Springeren or the torpedo boat Søbjørnen, and a look at Queen Margrethe's Prinsesse-jollen, a dinghy she learned to sail when she was still a crown princess. All the exhibits depict what life is like at sea, in the port of Aalborg, and at the shipyard.

United by a stretch of cliffs that are popular to swim from, Allinge and Sandvig used to be two separate coastal towns, but both have grown and they’ve now joined forces. The towns are home to sandy beaches, small guesthouses, a bustling music venue, and several yacht harbors and smokehouses. There are beautiful walks to take along the cliffy coast north of Sandvig and south of Allinge.

Michael and Anna Ancher are Skagen's—if not Denmark's—most famous artist couple, and their meticulously restored 1820 home and studio, Anchers Hus, is now a museum. Old oil lamps and lace curtains decorate the parlor; the doors throughout the house were painted by Michael. Anna's studio, complete with easel, is awash in the famed Skagen light. More than 240 paintings by Michael, Anna, and their daughter, Helga, grace the walls.

This museum chronicles the working class from 1870 to the present, with evocative life-size "day in the life of" exhibits, among them reconstructions of a city street and re-creations of apartments, including the home of a brewery worker, his wife, and eight children. Changing exhibits focusing on Danish and international social issues are often excellent. The exhibitions have explanatory texts in English. The museum also has a 19th-century-style café and beer hall serving old-fashioned Danish specialties and a 1950s-style coffee shop.

Rising gracefully over the center of town, the Aarhus Cathedral was originally built in 1201 in a Romanesque style but was expanded and redesigned into a Gothic cathedral in the 15th century. Its soaring, whitewashed nave is one of the country's longest. The cathedral's highlights include its chalk frescoes in shades of lavender, yellow, red, and black, which grace the high arches and towering walls. Dating from the Middle Ages, they depict biblical scenes and the valiant St. George slaying a dragon and saving a maiden princess in distress. Also illustrated is the martyrdom of St. Clement, who was drowned with an anchor tied around his neck. He became a patron saint of sailors. Climb the tower for bird's-eye views of the rooftops and streets of Aarhus.

Architect Søren Robert Lund was just 25 and still a student when he was awarded the commission for the ARKEN Museum for Moderne Kunst, which is set against the flat coast southwest of Copenhagen. ARKEN, or "the ark," which opened in 1996, is a building with a ship's features: sail-like protrusions and narrow red corridors that evoke a submarine. The museum's massive sculpture room exhibits both modern Danish and international art. The hall is narrow in one end and wider in the other to provoke illusions of space and proximity, depending on where you stand. The café, which looks like a ship's bridge, offers nice views of Køge Bugt.

Located in the peaceful Dyrehaven, Bakken is the world's oldest amusement park—it opened in 1583!—and one of Denmark's most popular attractions. Here a mostly working-class crowd lunches on hot dogs and cotton candy and, perhaps most importantly, plenty of beer. Tivoli, with its trimmed hedges, dazzling firework displays, and evening concerts, is still Copenhagen's reigning queen, but unpretentious Bakken is unabashedly about having a good time. Bakken has more than 30 rides, from quaint, rickety roller coasters (free of Disney gloss) to newer, faster rides and little-kid favorites such as Kaffekoppen, the Danish version of spinning teacups, where you sit in traditional Royal Copenhagen–style blue-and-white coffee cups.

The residents of Klampenborg are lucky enough to have this pleasant beach nearby. In summer this luck may seem double-edged, when scores of city-weary sunseekers pile out at the Klampenborg S-train station and head for the sand. The Danes have a perfect word for this: they call Bellevue a fluepapir (flypaper) beach. Bellevue is still an appealing seaside spot to soak up some rays. Amenities: lifeguards, showers, toilets. Best for: partiers, swimming.

This masterpiece of fantasy and architecture is Europe's oldest stock exchange. Børsen was built between 1619 and 1640, with the majority of the construction in the 1620s. Christian IV commissioned the building in large part because he wanted to make Denmark the economic superpower and crossroads of Europe. Rumor has it that, when it was being built, he was the one who twisted the dragons' tails on the spire that tops the building. When it opened, it was used as a medieval market, filled with shopping stalls. Though parts of Børsen still operate as a stock exchange, the bulk of the building houses the chamber of commerce, and the interior isn't open to the public except on special occasions such as Culture Night, held in mid-October. Across the canal, look for a square, modern building: the Nationalbanken (Denmark's central bank), designed by the famed Danish designer and architect Arne Jacobsen.

Trees, flowers, ponds, sculptures, and the spectacular 19th-century Palmehuset (Palm House) of tropical and subtropical plants blanket the garden's 25-plus acres. There's also an observatory and a geological museum. Take time to explore the gardens and watch the pensioners feed the birds. Some have been coming here so long that the birds actually land on their fingers.