Must-see attractions in Southern Jutland

Dominating Ribe’s skyline is the impressive Ribe Cathedral, which dates back to at least 948 (the earliest record of the existence of a bishop in Ribe) –…

Near the west-coast resort town of Blåvand, 38km northwest of Esbjerg, is this inspired new museum, which showcases Danish history alongside its knack for…

Design buffs should get out of town to the Trapholt modern art and design museum, housed in an architectural wonder in Kolding's residential northeastern…

Koldinghus is Kolding’s extravagant showpiece, with the requisite turbulent history. A fortress occupied the land in 1268, while parts of the castle you…

At the western end of Slotsgade is Møgeltønder Kirke, its lavish interior a feast for the senses. The Romanesque nave dates back to 1180 and the baptismal…

Embrace your inner Viking (ignore any pillaging tendencies, OK?) at this fun, hands-on, open-air museum. It re-creates a slice of life in Viking-era Ribe…

An undeniable benefit of being the oldest town in the land is the opportunity to amass an impressive art collection. Ribe’s beautifully restored art…

On the waterfront opposite Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet is Esbjerg’s most interesting landmark, Mennesket ved Havet ('Man Meets the Sea'): four stark-white,…

About 10km southwest of Ribe, VadehavsCentret is a top-notch information and activity centre and the best source of information about the park. Inside a…

For a leisurely stroll that takes in some of Ribe’s handsome half-timbered homes and idyllic cobbled lanes, head along any of the streets radiating out…

At low tide, tractors haul buses 11km from VadehavsCentret, driving over the mudflats to deliver visitors to the small outlying island of Mandø. This…

Three-in-one Tønder Museum houses Kulturhistorie Tønder, a collection of delicate Tønder lace and decoratively painted furniture. In the adjacent wing is…

For three weeks each summer the sleepy town of Gråsten (population 4200) is abuzz as Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik (and usually the extended family)…

Some 16km south of Kolding is the small town of Christiansfeld – an under-the-radar place that in 2015 was awarded Unesco World Heritage status for its…

The town of Padborg (population 4500), right by the German border, is the site of Frøslevlejren, an internment camp opened near the end of WWII following…

Founded by Spanish Blackfriars in 1228, St Catharine’s Church was originally built on reclaimed marshland, but it eventually collapsed. The present…

Sønderborg Castle dates from the mid-12th century, when a stronghold was built on the site; later bastions were added for further fortification. It's rich…

For an up-close look at North Sea marine life, head 4km northwest of the city centre to the saltwater aquarium at the Fisheries & Maritime Museum (take…

On the village's eastern edge is Schackenborg, a small castle from the late 17th century that was home to Queen Margrethe’s youngest son, Prince Joachim,…

The handsome thatched Kommandørgården, 1.5km north of the causeway, is the preserved home of one of Rømø’s 18th-century whaling captains. It stands as…