North Jutland

Limfjorden runs east-west, in the western part being the border of North Jutland, in eastern part running through the region.

North Jutland comprises the northern part of Jutland in Denmark. In Danish it is known as Nordjylland and it is congruent with the administrative North Denmark Region.

Regions

In terms of municipalities, North Jutland consists of Brønderslev, Frederikshavn, Hjørring, Jammerbugt, Læsø, Mariagerfjord, Morsø, Rebild, Thisted, Vesthimmerland and Aalborg.

The northern part of the region is actually an island, completely separated from the Jutlandic peninsula by the Limfjord. It goes by the name of North Jutlandic Island (Nørrejyske Ø in Danish), but is usually considered part of Jutland anyway. The same holds true for the smaller Limfjord islands, including Morsø. The North Jutlandic Island is divided between the traditional provinces of Thy, Han Herred, and Vendsyssel.

Cities

North Jutland is largely a rural region. There is only one city in North Jutland, all other settlements have less than 30,000 inhabitants.

• 1 Aalborg — old, urban center for North Jutland, founded in the Viking Age. The city has grown around an inland harbour on the Limfjord and has a proud history as one of Denmark's industrial centers. Today, it is still a hub for various industries, as well as education, culture, and trade.

Towns

• 2 Hjørring — inland town in Vendsyssel area
• 3 Frederikshavn — coastal town on Kattegat Sea. Ferry to Sweden, Norway and Læsø Island.
• 4 Thisted — town at the western end of Limfjorden
• 5 Hobro — small town at the bottom of a deep Jutland fjord

Small towns

Interesting smaller settlements with less than 10,000 inhabitants, includes:

• 6 Sæby — coastal town on Kattegat Sea
• 7 Aars
• 8 Skagen — Beautiful and historic town on the top of Jutland. Originally a fishing village, but with a long history for artist collectives attracted by the natural landscape and unique light conditions. The small town swells with holidaymakers in the summer.
• 9 Hirtshals — important ferry harbour with services to Norway.
• 10 Hadsund — small town and crossing point at Mariagerfjord

• 11 Blokhus — one of Denmark's most popular beaches
• 12 Dronninglund — town in Vendsyssel
• 13 Fjerritslev — small village in the central of Han Herred, the land between the North Sea and Limfjorden, building a bridge between Thy and Vendsyssel
• 14 Hanstholm
• 15 Hjallerup — famous for the annual Hjallerup Market days. Originally a horse market for farmers since 1744, the market now includes a big hawkers market, music, events, and general entertainment.
• 16 Løkken — small coastal settlement on the North Sea coast. Very popular with holidaymakers and beach-goers in the summer.
• 17 Mariager — namesake small town at Mariagerfjord

Other destinations

• 1 Thy National Park — A big windswept coastal wilderness of sand dunes, dune heaths, and woodland. One of Denmark's five national parks, designated in 2008.
• 2 Bulbjerg — a Dark Sky Park on the west coast.

Islands

• 3 Hirsholmene — a group of 10 islets, mostly a nature reserve.
• 4 Læsø — off the beaten path island half way to Sweden, with its own unique atmosphere and history.
• 5 Mors (or more formally Morsø) — a relatively large island in the Limfjord.

Understand

The geography of North Jutland can be confusing. The Limfjord is, by geographic terms, not a fjord, but a strait. The North Jutlandic Island is a natural island, separated from the mainland by the Limfjord, but it is traditionally described as part of Jutland. The island is seldom referred to in daily parlance, however; most people stick to the three constituent provinces of Thy, Han Herred, and Vendsyssel instead.

Get in

By ferry

There are ferries from Sweden and Norway to Hirtshals and Frederikshavn in North Jutland.

By plane

There are planes from Copenhagen, Oslo, London, Málaga, Tórshavn and Reykjavik to Aalborg Airport.

By train

There are trains from Copenhagen, Aarhus, Randers, Odense, Esbjerg and other cities to Northern Jutland.

By bus

From Copenhagen or Aarhus: Take the 888 bus to Aalborg, and from there take another bus to your destination

See

Natural scenery

Råbjerg Mile

• 1 Rold Skov, Rebildvej 25a, 9520 Skørping, ☏ +45 99 88 90 00, info@rebildporten.dk. One of the largest forests in Denmark, dating back to the last Ice Age, Rold Skov forest has a rich history and many opportunities for great nature experiences. The forest has a visitors center (RebildPorten) in Rebild, a small town in the northern region of the forest. In and around the village is a unique and protected heath landscape of heather-covered hills, known as Rebild Bakker. Nestled in the hills' beautiful natural scenery is a large outdoor scene that hosts various events throughout the year, including concerts and a traditional meet-up for American immigrant families on the 4th of July. The Rold Skov area also offers access to an old abandoned limestone mine and a large underground Cold War bunker.  

• Rubjerg Knude in Løkken is a high migrating coastal dune, equipped with a lighthouse. The lighthouse was abandoned long ago, and now serves as a great vantage point of the natural landscape. The dune is surrounded by dense thickets of sea buckthorn and wild woodlands (Rubjerg Klitplantage), perfect for a good hike.

• Råbjerg Mile in Skagen is one of the biggest migrating dunes in Europe. It is moving about 15 metres eastward each year, leaving new land to be populated by plants and animals on its western side.

• Grenen is another natural attraction in Skagen. Also known as The Skaw Spit, in English, it comprise a long sand spit, forming the northernmost point of Denmark where the Baltic Sea and North Sea meet.

• 2 Lille Vildmose, Vildmosevej 100, 9280 Storvorde, ☏ +45 99 31 75 50. A large wild bogland southeast of Aalborg. Special protected nature with a visitor centre. Parts of the protection is accessible for free year round, while other parts can only be accessed with a nature guide. Experience wild-living elk, European bison, boar, or - if you a lucky - wolf. These wooded bog lands are great for bird watching and nature lovers. kr 160 (adults), kr 60 (children).  

• North Sea Oceanarium in the coastal town of Hirtshals, offers you a chance to experience the nature of the North Sea without getting wet. Top attraction in the region.

Culture and history

Voergaard Castle

Aalborg is a treasure trove of culture and history. Lindholm Hoeje is an ancient Viking graveyard landscape, including a related museum. Musikkens Hus concert halls and music school in an amazing futuristic architectural building. Nordkraft is an inspiring culture center, including theatre, music, dance and arts. Utzon Centre is a specialized culture center exhibiting art, architecture and design focused on renowned architect Jørgen Utzon's own work in particular. KUNSTEN is a museum of modern art from both Denmark and elsewhere. Examples of Aalborg's many interesting medieval buildings include the popular and iconic merchant house of Jens Bang's Stenhus from 1624, The Monastery of the Holy Ghost dating back to 1431, and Budolfi Church built in the 1300s and serving as Aalborg's cathedral.

Voergaard Castle is a beautiful 16th century renaissance castle in the countryside, now a public museum.

Hanstholm Bunkermuseum is a large WWII museum in an abandoned bunker in the west coast fishing town of Hanstholm. It is a top attraction in the region.

Do

Fårup Sommerland

Entertainment

• Fårup Sommerland. Amusement park near Blokhus on the West Coast. (updated Jul 2024)

Hiking

The North Jutland region presents some beautiful nature hikes, some of which are among the very best in Denmark. Noteworthy hikes includes:

• Hærvejen - Cross-regional long-distance route traversing the entire Jutland peninsula, starting off in Hirtshals (or Frederikshavn).
• Vestkyststien - A shorter and more manageable trail along the North Sea coast.
• Rebild Bakker Ruten - Short one-day trail through heather covered hills at the village of Rebild.
• Mariagerfjord Panoramaruten - Another one-day trail, presenting some amazing scenery of a Danish fjord. Starts off, and ends, in the town of Hobro.

Eat

Apart from restaurants and regular eateries, North Jutland presents a number of local specialities:

• Skawbo rødspætte — rye-breaded, fried plaice (on the bone), served with butter sauce, potatoes, and a berry porridge of cranberries, lingonberry or gooseberry. Traditional dish of the Skagen area.
• Rulleål — filleted eel, rolled with onion and parsley, and cooked in salty water. When cold, the eel-rolls are sliced and served with a special salad (lettuce with a dressing of cream, vinegar and a dash of sugar), and sometimes Danish dark ryebread. In a variation of the dish, known as Ål i gelé, the eel-rolls are jellied. Local delicacy from the Limfjord region.
• Krøstekål (or Krystekål) — a special side dish of stewed white cabbage, traditionally served around Christmas. The cabbage is shredded, cooked, and then squeezed and wrung, before it is stewed with cream and butter. When served, it have the consistency of mashed potatoes. At the table it is traditionally eaten with a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar, pickled beetroots, pork, and strong mustard. Local speciality from the region of Thy.

Drink

• Jomfru Ane Gade — a popular bar street in Aalborg.

• Thisted Bryghus — historic brewery in the town of Thisted. The beers can be had all over Denmark in well-assorted bars, including the iconic 'Limfjords Porter'. Guided tours available.

Sleep

You don't need to stick to town hotels, when you visit North Jutland. Apart from plenty private Bed & Breakfast offers, and countryside holiday homes for rent, North Jutland have the highest concentration of beach hotels in Denmark. Nearly all of them are on the west coast, and quite a few are high-end with exquisite restaurants and luxurious service. Here is a good selection:

• Ruths Hotel the Skagen area is packed full of lovely beach hotels, some of which are historic high-end luxury stays. Ruths Hotel is among the most famous.
• Svinkløv Badehotel high-end seaside hotel with a history dating back to 1925. Renowned for its relaxed, toned down atmosphere, location and good restaurant.
• Løkken Badehotel celebrated as the best beach hotel in Denmark in 2018, this historic hotel is located in the small coastal settlement of Løkken, a very popular destination for holidaymakers in the summer.
• Strandhotellet Blokhus this luxurious wellness-centered beach hotel was built in 2017, but in a style that mirrors the original traditional Danish beach hotels, including the iconic white-painted wooden panels. The small settlement of Blokhus on the North Sea coast is very popular with beach-goers in the summer.
• Villa Vest Badehotel another historic, traditional beach hotel in Lønstrup on the North Sea coast. Simple, elegant style with good service. Close to the Rubjerg Knude dune.
• Strandgaarden Badehotel a lovely beach hotel on the island of Læsø in an old timber-framed building. Læsø has some good child-friendly beaches, as it is situated in the more quiet Kattegat Sea.
• Aalbæk Badehotel small three-star beach hotel in the little village of Aalbæk, north of Frederikshavn. The beach here is excellent, and child-friendly. Overall, the Kattegat Sea coasts are much calmer and safer than those on the North Sea in the west, but from Aalbæk, you can easily do both; the North Sea coast is just a ten minute drive away, across the Skaw Spit.

Camping is also an option in North Jutland, and you can choose to do it cheap by bringing your own tent, or spend more for a campsite cottage, or maybe a holiday van. Some places are focused on families with children and offers extra entertainment for kids.

• Jambo Feriepark is a relatively new and appraised family friendly campsite with plenty of on-site entertainment options for kids especially. Cheap stay if you bring your own tent, or pay more and stay in a campsite cottage or a van. The North Sea coast and Fårup Sommerland is just around the corner.

Go next

Routes through North Jutland

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