Encircled by a moat and surrounded by 15 hectares of lavishly landscaped gardens, the 16th-century Egeskov Slot is a regal, romantic beauty. Extensive grounds are home to remarkable museums and play-activities, while a roster of seasonal events includes a rock festival and Christmas markets. Pack a picnic and you can easily spend all day here.
Castle and Gardens
Built in 1554, Egeskov Slot (egeskov.dk, adult/child 265/160kr) was updated to its current Gothic-meets-Renaissance styling in 1883. Part of the castle is still a residence for the family of Count Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille, but you can explore 13 lavishly decorated rooms, filled to the rafters with hunting trophies, weapons, paintings and antiques.
The surrounding grounds are the real highlight, however. Many of the individually designed gardens are 21st century creations, revealing elegant topiary, rose beds, oak woodland and water features. A garden-only ticket costs 225kr/145kr.
Museums
An astonishing array of exhibitions are on show inside the castle's former barns. Petrolheads will love the vintage cars (spot the DeLorean made famous in the Back to the Future movies), and there are dedicated displays on fire engines, motorcycles and fighter jets. A real gem is Europe's first camping museum, packed with life-sized dioramas that showcase covetous vintage camper vans, caravans and tents.
Family Activities
A smorgasbord of kid-oriented activities includes an adventure playground, a vertigo-inducing walkway high up in the old beech trees, and a pedal-powered go-kart track. Inside the castle, Titania's Palace is an astonishingly detailed dollhouse so vast it almost fills one of the chambers. Created in the early 1900s by an English painter, it’s on long-term loan to Egeskov Slot by its owners, the LEGO Foundation.
