Denmark's wild and beautiful national parks
Thought Denmark was too small to have national parks? Think again! Allow us to introduce Denmark’s best forests, countryside and seaside right here: our five beautiful and very different national parks, along with our UNESCO Global Geoparks.
Thy National Park
Denmark’s first national park is on the west coast of Jutland and covers 244 sq km of untouched and magnificent nature. The area was formed by hundreds of years of drifting sands, and the dune and heathland landscapes are quite unique – not only in Denmark, but also internationally. Look out for deer as well as some of the rarest breeding birds in Denmark.
Mols Bjerge National Park
Mols Bjerge National Park in East Jutland is one of the most hilly areas of Denmark with many rare animal and plant species. There are marked cycling and hiking trails throughout the national park and plenty of great child-friendly beaches to enjoy. If you like fishing, there are a lot of great spots in the area, and even better, this wild and lovely area is just a 30-minute drive from Aarhus for a city plus countryside break.
Wadden Sea National Park
The Wadden Sea National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs from Blåvandshuk and Ho Bugt in the north to the German border in the south. Watch fat seals bask on the sandbanks or look for wading birds from the high lying dykes. From spring 2021, the 25-m tall Marsk Tower will offer a front row experience for nature watchers in the area.
Skjoldungernes Land National Park
This national park includes the fjord landscape at Roskilde Fjord, salt meadows, beautiful valleys, lakes and lagoons as well as the large state forests and former royal forests near Bidstrup. It’s a natural, cultural and historical national park, with reconstructed Viking ship burials to discover alongside breeding songbirds, pretty anemones and bike trails.
Royal North Zealand National Park
Denmark’s newest national park is the second largest national park in Denmark, extending north of Copenhagen over 26,250 hectares. Within it you can find Gribskov forest and Denmark’s second largest lake, Esrum Sø, as well as two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Kronborg Castle in Elsinore and the Parforce hunting landscape in Store Dyrehave and Gribskov.