Denmark

[NikkiD]

Hi, I've visited mumsnet occassionally but have never posted, so hi!! We are thinking of going to Denmark later this year and would really welcome any advice/tips/recommendations. We'd like to visit Copenhagan and Legoland (but not sure where the latter is exactly). We're not sure whether we'd fly or take the car or what type of accommodation we want (there's the two of us plus 3 year old). Just thought if anyone has been you might be able to head our plans in the right direction. Thanks.

We are across the water from Copenhagen in Sweden. We've driven across Denmark a couple of times after catching the ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg. The ferry journey was comfortable and relaxed despite being long, we splashed out on a large cabin last time which we thought was well worth it.

Travelling West/East across the country takes about 4 hours. Legoland is somewhere in the middle and Copenhagen at the end. The roads are plain sailing mainly as it's so flat. I had a brochure from Bridge travel before I came first time, it might be worthwhile for travel/accomodation deals. Also got stuff from the Danish Tourist Board: a useful map and info from the various regions. Lots of b&bs, small hotels and camping, as well as the bigger hotels, but listed alphbetically rather than by location which was tedious. There are holiday villages as well.

Nice, clean, efficient country which likes its beer and is pretty child friendly. If you go to Legoland you can prob get a little cart to pull your 3 year old about in and pop your lunch in, for example. School holidays are, I think, June and July so it'll prob be busy then. There's lots of cycling, sandy beaches and fish. Easy place to get around by train as well.

Hope this is of some help.

MalmoMum - how expensive are Denmark and Sweden for tourists these days? It used to considered exorbitant but I'm vaguely aware that things are not as expensive as they used to be. It's just that Ryanair's deals to Scandinavia are so good, it is very tempting to go.

Tinker, I don't think the difference is so bad, like central Paris or London, you have to watch where you go and what you do. Denmark has always been more reasonable than Sweden, at least as far as alcohol taxation goes so you get a more relaxed party attitude.

What you can find at a good price will prob be clean and honest. Swedish lunch time 'Dagens Ratt' specials are good value (about £4) but the evening equivalent will be much more. The bars here are full of people happily paying £3.50 a pint and £20 for a bottle of house white (I think, I got pg shortly after arriving here so my alcohol knowlegde is sadly out of touch).

Spring has finally arrived to the Windy North. It is getting dark at 8.30 pm at the moment, so great long evenings for a few more months. All the restaurant tables are now outside for that holiday feel (blankets and heaters provided). And there are lots of prawns to get shelling!

Gosh, all sounds very tempting now. Must investigate for next year, maybe.

What about self-catering places to stay - are there many of these about? I want a log cabin in Sweden by a lake - been obsessed with Sweden since I was a child (ABBA, of course). Even bought a Teach Yourself Swedish book once (unopened).

Tinker, we are going to Sweden in August, to stay with a Swedish chap I "met" playing backgammon on a games site - we have been communicating that way for 2 years now and he has invited us (DH too, OF COURSE!!!) (and he has 3 boys close in age to our youngest) to stay at his family's summer cottage on the island of Oland.

We are taking the car and getting the ferry from Newcastle to Gothenburg - quite a lot more expensive than flying with Ryanair but we are hopeless packers and always take the kitchen sink.

Malmomum has been giving me lots of useful information and we are hoping to visit Copenhagen and legoland too, I'll let you know how we get on! (Younger son is obsessed with lego Bionicles at the moment, when I looked at the Danish legoland site it didn't mention them so I'm hoping he won't be disappointed.)