09-05-2025
Skip The Hamptons And Book A Trip To The Danish Riviera Instead
North Zealand's iconic colorful bathhouses can be found in Rågeleje.
As New Yorkers get ready to take over the Hamptons for the summer, you may want to consider skipping the Long Island Expressway gridlock and heading to the Danish Riviera instead.
There are so many reasons the scenic North Zealand coastline, which spans over 100 miles, has been the vacation spot of choice for Danes — including Denmark's kings, queens and master artists — for centuries. Boasting fresh sea air, healing waters and inspiring natural light, this area of the country offers a unique opportunity to experience luxury the Danish way: without pretension, surrounded by nature and the highest quality art, food and design.
I recently spent a week road tripping through the Danish Riviera and, by the end of the first day, could easily understand why Denmark is ranked the second happiest country in the world.
North Zealand is about an hour north of Copenhagen and, because it's easy to get to by train, it's a great add-on to a Copenhagen trip. It has a completely different vibe from the city and offers a real sense of the Danish lifestyle and why it's so happiness-inducing.
The villages of North Zealand are so picturesque.
Although North Zealand is often referred to as 'the Hamptons of Denmark,' it's very different in a number of significant ways. Less about giant houses on 'the right side of town' and more about simple pleasures in a naturally beautiful setting, it pretty much redefines the idea of luxury. It's about being awed by nature rather than material things and about feeling comfortable walking to the beach in your cozy old robe for an early morning swim without feeling self-conscious about what you're wearing.
Options abound for badehotels (classic seaside lodgings where you're welcomed like family), holiday homes and cottages, with prices considerably less expensive than what you'd expect to pay in the Hamptons. If you work remotely, consider that you can probably spend a summer (or fall) in North Zealand for the cost of a few weeks in the Hamptons. And, whichever town you stay in, you'll still be able to visit all the different villages without the kind of traffic you encounter driving from, say, Westhampton to Montauk.
As beautiful as North Zealand is during the summer, I would love to return in the fall or the holiday season, when I imagine it must be magical and the epitome of what we think of when we hear the word, 'hygge.' Luckily, the 'summer' season extends through most of October so you still have plenty of time to experience everything before some places close.
Scandinavian Airlines offers many direct flights from the US to Copenhagen.
It's surprisingly easy to get to the Danish Riviera from the US. Just fly into Copenhagen — there are lots of direct flights and, if you're traveling from the West Coast, Scandinavian Airlines business class is the way to go) — rent a car and, in half the time it would take you to get from Manhattan to East Hampton, you're there.
Download the app and walk in Kierkegaard's footsteps in Gilleleje.
Nature is the star of the show in North Zealand so you can choose from a wide variety of outdoor activities, from windsurfing, kayaking and SUP boarding to fishing, hiking and biking. You can even experience Tisvildevejen, taking the same 77 km pilgrimage the monks once did or follow in the footsteps Denmark's most famous philosopher along the 12 km Kierkegaard by Nature walk in Gilleleje.
Pet baby animals and enjoy delicious goat's milk ice cream at Tothaven.
You'll definitely want to spend some time cuddling with the animals at Tothaven, a family-run farm, where goats, pigs, miniature donkeys are roaming around for the petting. And be sure to visit the dairy for a farm-made Goat's Milk Ice Cream Stick and some goat cheese to go.
Because there's much culture to take in, as well, though, don't be surprised to find yourself wishing for a little rain so you can rationalize spending a day or two inside North Zealand's world class museums. My favorites include:
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
The Louisiana Museum of Art seamlessly merges art and nature.
The most-visited museum for modern and contemporary art in all of Scandinavia, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art may be one of my favorite museums in the world. The way it blends into its waterfront location is just breathtaking and its extensive — and eclectic — collection is eye-opening. Go see whatever exhibitions are on display when you're in town but don't miss the Yayoi Kusama installation, Gleaming Lights of the Souls, and be sure to stop in the gift shop and enjoy lunch in the cafe. If you're coming with kids, you'll be thankful for the Children's Wing, which is likely to turn them into art lovers.
Munkeruphus
Munkeruphus is all about art, nature and inspiration.
The former home of artist Gunnar Aagaard Andersen, this beautiful, colonial-style listed house gives you a rare look back in history as well as a behind-the-scenes view of the current world of art. Munkeruphus is now an exhibition space, art gallery and cafe located right by the ocean, and it's easy to see why Andersen was so inspired by his surroundings.
Rudolph Tegner's Museum & Statue Park
Rudolph Tegner's Museum & Statue Park is filled with wonder and awe.
Be prepared to be awestruck by this amazing collection of 300 works by Danish sculptor, Rudolph Tegner. The scope of his work is astonishing and the fact that he also created the cathedral-like space that houses it all was enough to make me want to learn more about this fascinating man. Visiting the museum and outdoor sculpture garden is a real experience.
The House of Knud Rasmussen
The House of Knud Rasmussen is a deep dive into the man who introduced the world to the history and culture of the Inuit people.
Touring the home of Danish polar explorer and anthropologist, Knud Rasmussen, it's impossible not to get caught up in the stories of his nail-biting adventures and to go down a rabbit hole of exploration yourself. I left the lovely house-turned-museum with one of the many books written by 'the father of Eskimology' and have come to really admire the man who devoted much of his life to celebrating and sharing the history and culture of the Inuit people with the world.
Helenekilde Badehotel lets you experience Danish bathing culture at its hygge-est.
I stayed at three different hotels during my trip and highly recommend them all for truly understanding the Danish concept of hygge: the historic Gilleleje Badehotel, proudly sitting atop a 30-meter-high cliff overlooking the sea; Helenekilde Badehotel, built in 1896 as a private summer residence and still feeling like your best friend's coveted home on the water; Fredensborg Store Inn, which lets you fall asleep to castle views.
Other top-notch options are Gilbjerg Strandhotel, with its beautiful views of the Kattegat Sea; Liseleje Badehotel, a 19th century fisherman's house with 16 beautifully appointed rooms and a nod to American motels; and the brand new Hotel De Ville, which promises to be a stunner with a killer spa from what I saw during its construction.
If you're interested in renting a privately owned home, check out Feriepartner, Sol og Strand and Novasol.
Dinner with a view: the view of Esrum Lake from Skipperhuset.
All the hotels, above, have excellent restaurants that you'll want to try even if you're not staying there.
I became a big fan of smorrebrod, Denmark's signature open-faced sandwiches, while traveling around North Zealand, especially at Fyrkroen (The Lighthouse Inn, whose food rivals its ocean views), Restaurant Sletten (where the fish is so fresh because it's brought in from 100 feet away) and Country Market (a local favorite for obvious reasons once you've eaten there).
Some of my other top dining recommendations include Knud, overlooking Hundested Harbor (eat outside, then explore the artwork inside), Skipperhuset (The Skipper's Lodge), located in a building which housed the royal laundry room in the 18th century, and Tinggaarden, a cozy farmhouse restaurant helmed by Jan Friis Nikkelsen, a former TV chef and one of the chefs behind the New Nordic Manifesto.
The magnificent Chapel at Frederiksborg Castle.
The Danes know a thing or two about royalty — they remain a monarchy today — and no trip to North Zealand is complete without a visit to the wowza that is Frederiksborg Castle. Often referred to as the Danish Versailles, it was built in the 17th century by King Christian IV (who's also often referred to as the Danish Louis XIV) and you can happily spend hours here. It is filled with amazing portraits, paintings, furniture and so much more — and everything is presented with so much life, it feels exciting and makes you want to keep digging deeper. If you're lucky, you'll get to hear the Compenius Organ in the Frederiksborg Castle Chapel, which is a truly moving experience, especially in that breathtaking setting.
You'll want to save enough time to walk through the gorgeous gardens with their royal monogrammed-hedges and maybe even take a boat ride on the lake. Have lunch at Rabarbergaarden at the Castle, where the dishes are thoughtfully crafted from organically-farmed ingredients and are fit for royalty.
The beautiful Fredensborg Palace Gardens.
Speaking of which, the Danish royal family spends half the year in North Zealand, residing at Fredensborg Palace during the spring and fall, and you may see them while you're walking through the beautiful grounds. In July, you can also book (online only) a guided tour inside the palace as well as the gardens, including the parts that are usually reserved just for the royal family.
I'm shocked that, for anyone other than Danes, the Danish Riviera has — so far — seemed to fly under the radar as a top travel destination. And, as much as I want to share how special this experience is, I also hesitate to because I'd like to return soon and experience it all without crowds just like I did before.
