Denmark Today - Virtual tour of Himmerland, Denmark

Himmerland, situated in the northern part on the Danish peninsula, Jutland, stretches from Kattegat in the east, Limfjorden in the west and north and to Mariager Fjord in the south.

Soft green slopes, forests and deep blue shining waters of the fjords characterize this lovely spot in the heart of the Danish Kingdom, where both nature and culture always played an important role. Rold Skov, the largest wooded area in the country, Lille Vildmose, the biggest raised bog in Europe on the banks of Kattegat and the 7000 years old kitchen midden at Ertebølle belong to the places of interest and are just a small selection of what the region has to offer.

Historical buildings:

Roaming around the countryside you will discover a number of old manors, beautifully maintained in well-kept parks with green lawns and tall trees. And in every village, however small, the typical sight of a whitewashed church side by side with the red-white Danish flag will no doubt become one of the happiest memories of Denmark.

Many date back as late as 11-12th centuries like the granite church in Farsø Foulum boasts one of from 1180. Foulum boasts one of the oldest buildings in Himmerland, namely the Romanesque church from approx.1170.

10 km to the south of Løgstør Vitskøl Kloster is worth a visit. The land was donated the Cistercian Order by King Valdemar in 1157 as a thank to God for the lucky escape from the massacre at Roskilde near Copenhagen. The monks built a monastery on the spot as well as a church, which was intended to be the biggest in Scandinavia. But the church was never completed according to the original plans and the Reformation left only the ruins you see to-day. The monks did leave their original spice-herb- and medicine gardens, now open to the public.

On the Louns peninsula near Hvalpsund do not miss the last thatched manor house, the 4 winged estate "Hessel". The simple and harmonic estate houses an agricultural museum, open all year, and during the summer season the Limfjord-dipped slopes host events such as sheep and goat fairs, old fashioned methods of grain-reaping and folklore marriages. The whole Louns peninsula offer a nice selection of paths in the heart of protected nature and is very rich on scenic beauty.

A Nobel-prize winning Himmerlænding:

The world famous writer Johannes V. Jensen and his sister Thit Jensen, born in the 1870's in Farsø, were both deeply involved in the social life of the local farmers and fishermen.
Johannes V. Jensen was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1944 for literature. "The long Journey" and "Himmerland Tales" belong to his best known novels. His sister, a despised outcast for her candid and indiscreet views on the lack of women's rights in the stern 1900, was nevertheless awarded the Holberg Prize in 1940 and accepted into the ranks of the Authors Association. Her novels "Jørgen Lykke", "Stygge Krumpen" and "Valdemar Atterdag" all take place in Himmerland.

What to do in Himmerland:

Of course, there are plenty of water sports opportunities surf board is very popular and easily accessible due to the many beaches.
A plea to the visitor - please keep the nature as clean as you would like to enjoy it.

Yacht-harbours:

Limfjord:
- Hvalpsund, Løgstør, Rønbjerg, Aggersund, Nibe.
Mariager Fjord:
- Hadsund

Should you feel the urge to visit the northernmost region of Denmark, a bridge takes you from Aalborg to Nørresundby in Vendsyssel. The Aggersund bridge takes you to Hanherred and the beaches of the Danish west coast - Slette Strand, Blokhus and Lild Strand. Going north you reach Råbjerg Mile, the famous wandering sand dune, which hides medieval churches and farms and is doomed to disappear into Kattegat around year 2330. Continuing north, the glowing ochre-yellow houses of Skagen and the narrow, windy streets lead you right into the world of the "Arts of Light", the famous Golden Age paintings born of out of the blue shimmering light you yourself will discover on the "Grenen", the narrow strip of land kissed by two seas. Skagens Museum display the famous works of Holger Drachmann, P.S. Krøyer and the couple Anna and Michael Ancher.

Aalborg, a 900 years old Capital:

Aalborg is the capital of Northern Jutland and combines medieval architecture and spirit with today's pulsating lifestyle in a charming way. The pedestrian streets in the inner city offer a large selection of shops, cafés, bars, restaurants, colours and music.

Jomfru Ane Gade is The Place you should not miss perfect for lunches, cosy for dining and well equipped for a late night out.

If you are travelling with children, Aalborg's Tivoli, the fun park, and the spacious zoo where the animals enjoy a fair amount of freedom, are well worth a visit.

Note: As in all cities, beware of pickpockets.

What's on the Menu in Himmerland:

Fish is on the menu in every restaurant, and highly recommended, be it in it's fried, smoked or poached variety. Fried or poached plaice with boiled potatoes and smelted butter is as common as fried eel accompanied by potatoes in white sauce - the real display of appreciation of the latter means decorating the rind of your plate with the backbones all the way around! The variety of smoked fish is wide - buying them directly from the smokehouse, will provide a hearty and tasty lunch. Like the fried eel, smoked fish wash nicely down with cold beer and iced snaps, one the Danish specialities.

Frequent meat dishes are Frikadeller, fried meatballs, Hakkebøf with soft onions, fried beefburger in sauce, Engelsk Bøf, fried fillet of beef, Hamburgerryg, cooked smoked fillet of pork.

Danish Open Sandwiches are world famous just as Danish Pastries called Wienerbrød, due to a Viennese baker.

There are a number of desserts of which Æblekage (it's not a cake), Rødgrød med fløde (thickened stew of red fruits with cream) and different fruit-mousses, called Fromage (and for French readers, Danish Fromage is NOT Cheese)! A typical Danish meal ends with coffee - if you like brandy, ask for the price - you'll only get 3 cl. but almost pay for the entire bottle - this goes for all spirits.

All restaurants serve wine - check the price before ordering or you may be in for nasty surprise.

Note: Count your drinks if you are going to drive afterwards - police are strict and fines are heavy!

Getting there:

By plane: Fly into Kastrup,( Copenhagen) and onwards to Aalborg Airport.
Car ferry from Britain: Disembark in Esbjerg and continue north to Hobro.
Car ferry from Sweden and Norway: Disembark in Frederikshavn and go south to Aalborg.
Car ferry from Bergen(Norway) to Hanstholm. Go east to Aggersund.
By rail: Ask to go to Aalborg.
By coach from Copenhagen: Ask the agency, but general stops are in Hobro, Nibe and Aalborg.
By car from Seeland: Catch the car ferry to either Grenaa or to Ebeltoft and continue to Hobro.

Hobro	Alpina Hotel. tel. 98522800 fax. -
Hadsund	Hotel Hadsund. tel. 98574255 fax. 98574657 Hotel Sydfærgekroen. tel. 98571301 fax. 98572099
Farsø	Himmerland Golf & Country Club. tel. 98661600 fax. - Farsø Hotel. tel. 98633399 fax. -
Hvalpsund	Hvalpsund Færgekro. tel. 98638600 fax. 98638644
Aalborg	Hotel Chagall. tel. 98126933 fax.98131344 Limfjordshotellet. tel. 98164333 fax. 98161747 Park Hotel. tel. 98123133 fax. 98133166
Løgstør	Rønbjerg Feriecenter. tel. 98676700 fax. -
Nibe	Phønix Hotel. tel. 98351677 fax. -
St. Restrup	St. Restrup Herregård tel. 98341888 fax. -
Skørping	Rold Stor Kro. tel. 98375100 fax. 98375250 Hotel Rebild Park. tel. 98391400 fax. 98391464
Mariager	Hotel Postgården. tel. 98541012
Aars	Aars Hotel. tel. 98621600 fax. 98621187

Some people have the charming ability to find all seasons equally attractive, but the majority will probably find Himmerland at it's best from May to September when life out of doors is pleasant. The sea-bathing season starts around mid-June and lasts throughout August, sometimes even into September, but do not count on it. Anyway, the Danish climate is quite unpredictable due to the fact that Denmark is an island-state and not all that far away from the North Pole...

The Christmas season is for many reasons the best period for the out-of-season traveller - Danes are famous for their indoor "hygge" (having a cosy time with nice meals, fire in the stove and, very important, lots of candles..) Streets and gardens are beautifully decorated, with floods of lights, Christmas trees, colours..

Most hotels offer excellent atmosphere and exquisite meals and drinks - the Danish "Julebord" the buffet is a highlight, meal-wise, bouncing with succulent dishes.

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