Kolding

Kolding is a city of 62,000 people (2020) in eastern South Jutland. Visitors come to Kolding to see the 13th century royal castle of Koldinghus, the stone Church of Saint Nicholas, the Trapholt art museum and the gardens Geografisk Have.

Get in

By train

• 1 Kolding railway station.  

Kolding does not have a very big train station (3 platforms), but trains between Aarhus and Copenhagen normally stop here. If not, the 2nd-largest train station of the country in Fredericia has a train departing for Kolding every 10 or 20 minutes.

By car

When following the E45 motorway (mid-Juttish motorway), follow motorway exit 62, which should take you directly in to the city at ease.

By plane

The nearest big commercial airport near Kolding is Billund (2nd-largest of Denmark). From Billund, either take the train or a bus to Kolding (both easily found. If you can't find one, take a bus to Fredericia and then take the train to Kolding (the personnel will happily help you on your way).

By bus

Due to the Bosnian war in the 1990s there are several bus companies, mainly serving the Bosnian diaspora, which provide a cheap and clean way of getting to the other side of the European continent.

• Toptourist, ☏ +45 48 25 38 37, info@toptourist.dk. Various destinations in Bosnia and Hercegovina. Off-season approx €140 for a return ticket. 

Get around

Kolding city center isn't very big, so getting around in the city centre is quite easy. If you wish to go to more remote locations, e.g. the botanical garden of Geografisk Have, buses run by Sydtrafik are cheap and drive all over town. It should also be possible to get a taxi cheaply (by Danish standards. Taxi-driving is mostly very expensive in Denmark.)

As Kolding city center is not very big, you should somewhat easily be able to get around by foot.

See

Koldinghus

Near the top of Skamlingsbanken

• 1 Koldinghus, Markdanersgade 11, ☏ +45 76 33 81 00, museum@koldinghus.dk. 10:00 - 17:00. DKK 80 kr for adults, free for children (under 18).  
• 2 Geografisk Have, Christian IVs Vej 23, ☏ +45 75 50 38 80, geografiskhave@kolding.dk. 10:00 - 18:00. A botanical garden. All exhibits are in Danish. 60 kr for adults, 20 kr for children (under 18).  
• 3 Trapholt (4 km east; take bus number 4 from the station). Art museum.  
• 4 Sankt Nicolai Church, Nicolaiplads 2-4. free. One of the oldest churches in Denmark.  
• Vejle-Kolding Football Club. They play in the Danish First Division (next best division), but is still worth a trip. 

• 5 Skamlingsbanken, Skamlingvejen 125, 6093 Sjølund (8 km southeast of Kolding). Historic viewpoint and the highest natural point in South Jutland, at 113 metres. Despite the low height, there is a great all-round view across the region of Kolding, Lillebælt strait, and the island of Funen. The hills and local surroundings of wide grassland, ravines and woodland are all protected nature, offering a good opportunity for nature hiking. The highest point is known as Højskamling and is historical significant for the birth of modern Danish democracy and nation state. In the mid 1800s, large groups of people gathered here to celebrate free speech and a new Danish nationalism, and there are still festivities and political speeches here on Denmark's constitution day of Grundlovsdag on the 5th of June. Several monuments for historic important Danes are scattered throughout the landscape, and not far from the top is a spectacular visitor center from 2021 built into the hillside. Good opportunities for a nice picnic in the area, or enjoy a meal at the restaurant near the top or the visitor center. free (kr 50 for the visitor center).  

Do

Because most of Kolding's sites are very centralized to the center of the city (Church of St. Nicholas, Koldinghus, Geografisk Have), most travellers will not have to do much travelling once the city has been reached.

Koldinghus is only a few hundred metres from the city center and the church (they form a sort of triangle between them). The botanical garden of Geografisk Have does require either a short bus ride or walk (appx. 5 km or 3 miles).

Kolding also has quite a big swimming facility, Slotssøbadet, which is only a few hundred metres from Koldinghus Castle.

• Slotssøbadet, Hospitalsgade 16, 6000 Kolding, ☏ +45 75 50 01 50, fax: +45 75 50 01 50, vand@ssbad.dk. 06:00-21:00. 

Buy

• H&M (Kolding center). 10:00-17:00. 

Eat

Many restaurants can be found in the city centre of Kolding with various themes: Asian food, pizza, traditional Danish food, American buffets and steak houses can all easily be found in the city center and near the train station.

• 1 Marcello's, Søndergade 11 (by the river), ☏ +45 75518855. Su-Th 10:00-22:00; F Sa 10:00-23:00. Serves pasta, burgers, and steaks. Good atmosphere with friendly service, white tablecloths and candles on the tables. 150 kr. 

Drink

• 1 You'll never walk alone (English pub). The most popular pub in Kolding. You can also dinner there (burgers and Indian chili). On Tuesdays you can participate on Quiz Nite. On Saturdays you will have live music. On Sundays, Spanish Tapas. 

Sleep

Budget

• Danhostel Kolding Vandrerhjem, Ørnsborgvej 10 (about 15 min walk from centre), ☏ +45 75 50 91 40. 

The youth hostel on a hill overlooking the center

Mid-range

• Kolding Hotel Apartments, Kedelsmedgangen 2, ☏ +45 75 54 18 00, stay@koldinghotelapartments.dk. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 10:00. Apartments in striking architecture, placed i pavilions on a green overlooking the lake. Price per apartment per night from 750 kr (min. 3 nights). (updated May 2020)

Splurge

• 1 Tyrstrup Kro, Tyrstrup vestervej 6 (about 10 km south at Christiansfeld; better to get there by car), ☏ +45 74 56 12 42, fax: +45 74 56 19 70, post@tyrstrupkro.dk.  

Go next

Brødremenighedskirken (Brotherhood church), Christiansfeld

• 1 Christiansfeld (15 km south of Kolding towards Haderslev). Old historic town in yellow brick, founded in 1773 and administered by a Moravian religious order. Unique architecture and history. UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

• Vejen town on the railway to Esbjerg
• Billund with the theme park Legoland.
• Fredericia old fortified town at the coast northeast of Kolding
• Vejle, The regional capital of south Jutland
• Haderslev
• Odense City on Funen
• Flensburg in Germany, about one hour by car.

Routes through Kolding

Esbjerg ← Vejen ←	W  E	→ Fredericia → Odense
Aarhus ← Vejle ←	N  S	→ Haderslev → Flensburg