Places to go in Denmark and Sweden?

[FiveHoursSleep]

We have almost definitely decided that this summer is going to be spent driving to, and around, Denmark and Sweden. We haven't quite decided how to get there- I'd like to take the ferry, DH would prefer to drive across Europe.
We have 4 kids aged 6-12 and we usually like to go somewhere for a few days, explore the area a bit, then move on. We will probably take 3-4 weeks for this trip.
Has anywhere been anywhere interesting or great for kids in these countries?
We'd like to see some historical stuff as well as go to a few child orientated places.

DH wants us to drive to Tallin in Estonia and catch the overnight ferry to Stockholm, so we can approach the trip from that direction.
I'm hanging out for a simple ferry from Harwich...

OK, OP hasn't asked me any questions, so I am just going to pour out my knowledge ;)

The Viking Museum in Roskilde is fabulous. The Zoo in Cph. is great (with or without giraffes). Generally attractions tend to be about half price of similar in the UK.

There is a puppet theater in Kongens Have in Cph. that runs daily (but not Mondays) that is free (and usually international, no speaking). Fælledparken in Cph. has an excellent new water theme play park (free). The Botanical Gardens in Cph. is free. So it the National Museum and The National Gallery in Cph.

The canal boats in Cph. are excellent. And there is this lido like thing in a few places the canals for swimming, for free! Very popular with kids. Amager Beach is also very nice and close to the city centre.

And apparently the Pippi Longstocking theme park in Sweden (near Stockholm, I think) is excellent.

In Malmø (in Sweden, where the bridge from DK goes) there is a lovely little park called Folkets Park with a petting zoo, pony riding and an excellent play ground. Also a small amusement park in summer season.

In Cph. you need to leave your car at the hotel or whatever as it is just too small a city to bother with it! You can walk to most places or use the Metro or bus. Prieces are resonable compared to London.

I can help out with any local contact if it helps?

I have been to Sweden a few times and we tend to go to cottages in out of the way places and hang out beside the lake with a canoe. We usually went in May or September before DS so we avoided the midges, which by all ccounts can be awful during the summer.
We have enjoyed the burial mounds at Anundshog in Vasteras if you like a bit of ancient monuments.
Also the car graveyard and troll berget Lake Asnen area, near Tingsryd in Smaland.
We also went to a really cool country park type place in Varmland/Orebrolan where there are loads of round boulders of different sizes. Can't for the life of me remember where it was. Anyone else help me out?

For our next trip we really want to do a week in Stockholm and then a week in a cottage on the archipeligo. That looks fun.

tobiasfunke, is it Tiveden you are thinking of?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiveden

misscph1973 Thank you for that information- it's really helpful. DH is putting together an itinerary and when I have an idea of where we are going and for how long, I will be back to you with loads of questions.
Are the midges really bad in the cities ?

My pleasure ;)

I don't think the midges are normally a problem in the cities.

We have travelled around Scandinavia a fair bit- mainly Denmark, but other places too. We have tended to camp- not sure what you are planning to do?

Trips for us have included:

Fly to Helsinki as a base, day trip Tallinn, overnight ferry to Stockholm and back to Tampere, overnight train Rovaneimi and back again.

Various trips around Denmark/Sweden

Denmark- Esbjerg, Copenhagen, Mons Klint, Faaborg, Jutland

Denmark- Esbjerg, Aero, Copenhagen, Sweden- Karlskrona, Malmo, Bornholm, back through Germany

Denmark- Skagen, Ebeltoft, Copenhagen, Mons Klint, Faaborg, Jutland

We have also been to Stavanger, would like to explore Norway more.

These were all bases, loved places like-

Lejre museum

trapholt

lindholm hoje

fyrkat

den gamle by

egeskov slot

and legoland!

Friends loved the Stockholm youth hostel? which is a boat.

They also mentioned a children's literature museum - is that the Pippi Longstocking one?

DS and I loved Universeum in Gothenberg - a very child-orientated museum - we wanted to go to Liseberg but it was unfortunately closed as we were there too early in the year.

The natural history museum in Gothenberg is nice.

Gothenberg is just very, very beautiful as a town, though that's more of an adult thing I guess.

If you have an ordinary public transport ticket you can use it on the ferries to the small islands in the archipelago (certainly in Gothenberg, I'm sure the same is true in Stockholm).

My first link is wrong, should have been
this place

If you go to Stockholm you can do a mini-cruise. leave car in secure compound in Stockholm, travel overnight as sun sets through the archipelago of islands and across to Helsinki. Smorgasbord buffet for dinner, sleep, arrive in Helsinki following morning. Spend day in Helsinki, return overnight to Stockholm.

Wasa Ship in Stockholm fantastic.

Tallinn is lovely but bear in mind that young Swedes use the route as a real booze cruise - noisy and there well may be sick in corridors. That said, our cabin was immaculate. Big yes to exploratorium in Copenhagen. Near Carlsberg brewery iirc. My kids loved it - been twice at least. Roskilde was beautiful and near Helsingor. Tom Tits is the fab science museum outside Stockholm. I would move (back) to Stockholm tomorrow. Fjordaholmaner is lovely for a day trip - great sailing and food - and a very near bit of the archipelago. I'm really jealous! Fab idea for a holiday.

We used to take DS to Gothenburg every Christmas when he was younger.

As mentioned the theme park Liseberg (pronounced Lisaberry) is great fun, and next door to it is the Universeum which is a fantastic day out for kids of all ages. There are also some great ships down at the docks there (Liseberg own one which is a floating hotel iirc). There is a lovely park with restaurant too.

I haven't read through all the posts but I'm assuming Legoland in Billund has been covered!

The Legoland in Denmark is very cool. We also went to a Viking Ship Museum which was excellent, and the town it was in was very beautiful. It was in Roskilde. Vasa museum in stockholm is a must!!

Okay, he's now talking about taking the train everywhere and hiring a car when necessary. The route he'd like to go would end up with us driving 3000miles and thats a bit much for 3 weeks! Anyone got any experience of trains?

Is there a car train service? We are taking one up to Berlin this year from Bavaria to save on mileage and driving hours. I'm just wondering aloud if there is a similar option for your journey?

Our car is too big for that with the roof box on :(

Wow so envious!

Dp and I went a couple of years ago and drove Denmark/Sweden/Norway and flew to Finland for a day trip. 2400 miles in 14 days. Was a bit too far to go, didn't get to stay anywhere very long but it was amazing!

The ferry from harwich to Eisberg is lovely and I love it! The food is awesome on board! Personally I'd do that and then drive across Denmark, over the oresund bridge from Copenhagen to Malmo and then either up through Gothenberg, into Norway and get the ferry to from kristiansand to hirtshals in North Denmark and back to Eisberg OR drive up to Stockholm, Oustersund and back down to Gothenberg in a loop before going back across the bridge to Denmark. You can get ferries from Stockholm across to Helsinki and Tallinn as well which I haven't tried but sound a good way of exploring that side without driving all the way around!

In Denmark definitely Tivoli (has one of the worlds biggest Ferris wheels!) Copenhagen Zoo, maybe Lalandia to stay for a couple of nights as well? Most people also do a river trip to see the mermaid and explore Copenhagen.

Sweden, the Vasa museum in Stockholm is great! You can wander around Gamla Stad (the old town) and it's lovely, plus there are short boat trips out to Islands in the archipelago - lots of them serve lunch during the tour.

Ostersund is a fab area in mid Sweden with a brilliant open air museum called Jamtli which has actors and buildings and goats and all sorts! There's a lovely lake (with a monster!) and it's a beautiful area. You can go riding on Icelandic ponies and go to a moose farm too!

I've not been to Gothenburg but have heard it's a very arty and cultural place.

I want to come with you!!!

THe lake district area of Jutland in Denmark is nice. Do some research into youth hostels- the ones I have stayed in in Denmark were lovely.

Gothenburg. Maritiman and a boat tour round the canals.

I've just come back here to say thanks to those of you who made suggestions about our summer holiday this year.
Due to time/ distances, we've had to simplify it slightly, so our itinerary now looks like this.
We are driving up to Scandiland, stopping over at Bruges and Hamburg on the way there, then spending 4 nights in each of
Copenhagen
www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/445851
Osby,
www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/425117
Stockholm,
www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1034393
and
Blekinge,
www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/636220
followed by 2 nights at Legoland,
then back towards the UK with a stopover in Groningen, and then in Ypres.
Am finally looking forward to it!

Do you have plans and spare time in Hamburg?

There's a U-boat that you can clamber through and a massive indoor model railway (Miniatur Wunderland) that are both worth a visit.

We are going to Copenhagen and a holiday cottage west of Malmo in Skane in August too. Looking forward to crossing the Oresund bridge listening to The Choir of Young Believers (the theme from The Bridge) We went to Denmark last year and stayed on the west coast of Jutland. The kids loved Legoland and swimming in lakes, but the currents on the beaches were too strong for safe swimming .DH and I went to Stockholm before DCs and went to the museum with the viking ship the Vasa Museum and also the boat trip on the viking style boat around the bay and islands.We really loved Stockholm.

OP, have you thought of stopping over in Bremen instead of Hamburg? I know both and prefer Bremen. Might mess with your timings, mind.

Just outside Malmo is Lund, a pretty university town with an awesome cathedral, if you manage a detour.

Anyway your whole trip sounds fabulous! Enjoy.

If you haven't booked accommodation at Legoland yet, I can recommend the campsite next door to Lalandia, which has lodges for hire. We went last May and I think Legoland had just taken it over, I got a reasonable deal fir two nights, park tickets, breakfasts and 1 dinner.

I know this thread has gone a quiet but I've only just found it so I'm going to try for some more info (sorry for the hijack FiveHoursSleep )
We're planning a camping (tent) touring trip in Denmark this summer and I have a few questions and would be really grateful if any of the knowledgeable folk on this thread could help. We've got three dc 8, 5 and 2.

We're in Scotland so from what I can work out our school holidays match up with the Danish ones. We're going at the end of June for a couple of weeks - should I just be expecting everything to be really busy?

Our current plans are :
Ferry Harwich - Esbjerg
Camping at Ebeltoft Strand
Camping at Bunken Strand near Skagen
Camping at Charlottenlund for Copenhagen stuff
Camping at Faruup So for LEGOLAND

From the thread above Roskilde sounds good - could we get there ok from Copenhagen?
Is the campsite by LEGOLAND good?

We did actually do all the planning last year but due to the ferry crashing we weren't able to go so my reasoning for some of the choices above is vague! Any other tips/suggestions would be lovely.

Thanks.