Travel thoughtfully in the Heart of Jutland
Discover the Heart of Jutland and get closer to nature, local flavours and places taking practical steps on nature, the environment and certification. Here you’ll find inspiration for experiences and small choices along the way that make it easy to explore with care.
Video: Frame & Work
Discover nature, local experiences and certified places – without compromising on great holiday memories.
A selection of our special Natura 2000 areas
The Heart of Jutland is home to some of Denmark’s distinctive natural areas. Several are protected as part of Natura 2000, a European network of protected areas created to safeguard important habitats, plants and wildlife.
These are places where rare plants, wild animals and special habitats are given room to thrive – while giving you the opportunity to experience nature with care, just as it is.
Visit our Natura 2000 areas and help take care of the natural heart of Jutland
When visiting Natura 2000 areas, a few simple actions can help you take care of the surroundings: stay on the paths where possible, take your rubbish with you and give wildlife plenty of space.
It’s not about limiting your experience. It’s about helping to keep these places special for tomorrow – for you and for everyone, young and old, who follows in your footsteps.
Sleep well in the Heart of Jutland
Several places to stay in the Heart of Jutland are Green Key certified. Green Key sets specific environmental requirements covering areas such as energy, water, waste and operations. Here you’ll find a selection of accommodation with registered environmental certifications.
Getting around the Heart of Jutland is easy. As you travel through our towns and landscapes, experiences are never far apart – and many are easy to reach by train, bus or bike.
Trains and buses connect towns and countryside across the region, and in many cases children can travel free. Hire a bike in a few clicks, or lace up your walking shoes and follow trails through forests, fjord landscapes and welcoming town centres.
Did you know?
Rejseplanen.dk can help you find the easiest way to travel between our four towns by train or bus.
Hop on the bus or take the train
Buses and trains run regularly between the towns in the Heart of Jutland, with both regional and local services. That makes it easy to visit places including LEGOLAND® in Billund, Koldinghus in Kolding’s historic centre, Kongernes Jelling near Vejle and the historic fortress town of Fredericia.
In Fredericia, you can even travel on the city buses free of charge all day.
Regional and local buses
Here you’ll find regional and local bus services that make it easy to get around the Heart of Jutland.
Sydtrafik – buses in Kolding, Fredericia, Vejle and Billund. If you have accessibility requirements, you can also find information about travelling with a wheelchair or walking aid, accessibility on buses and the Flextur service.
Midttrafik– including connections to and from Billund.
Take the train around the Heart of Jutland
The towns of the Heart of Jutland are close together. Journeys between Kolding, Vejle and Fredericia take less than 20 minutes by train for each leg, making it easy to experience several towns during the same trip.
Billund doesn’t have a railway station, but regional buses connect the town with stations in the surrounding area. Travel by DSB or GoCollective, and use Rejseplanen to find routes, departure times and tickets.
Do you need assistance when travelling?
DSB provides information about travel assistance and accessibility.
Grab a bike and get closer to …
… the landscape, the sounds and all those little details you might otherwise pass by. On two wheels, you set the pace. In the Heart of Jutland, routes wind through forests, follow fjords and pass through town centres. Some are flat and family-friendly; others take you all the way up to rewarding viewpoints.
Cycling brings you closer to your surroundings, with the freedom to stop whenever something catches your eye.
Many places to stay make it easy to get started. Munkebjerg Hotel and Kolding Hotel Apartments, for example, offer bike hire, and e-bikes are available at several locations for longer trips.
Hire a bike
You don’t need to bring your own bike to explore the Heart of Jutland on two wheels. Bikes are available to hire at several locations, so you can head straight out – whether you fancy a leisurely ride along the fjord or want to tackle the hills around Vejle.
Some accommodation providers offer bike hire, and at several locations you can also find e-bikes and equipment such as helmets and child seats.
Find bike hire in the Heart of Jutland
Take your bike on the train
Combining bike and train is an easy way to cover more ground in the Heart of Jutland. Take your bike aboard, skip a longer stretch of the journey and get back in the saddle when you arrive.
Rules vary between train types and operators, so check ticket and bike-space requirements before travelling. DSB may require a bike reservation, while GoCollective allows bikes where space is available.
Prefer an e-bike?
An e-bike makes it easy to explore a little further in the Heart of Jutland – particularly when you start to feel the hills. Bikes and e-bikes are available to hire at several locations across the region, and some accommodation providers and service points also offer charging facilities.
Take a break, recharge both yourself and your bike, and carry on when you’re ready.
Lace up your walking boots and step out into the Jutland landscape
Walking routes wind through landscapes shaped by the Ice Age, along the coast, into forests and across open heathland. Feel the geology beneath your feet, the breeze from the fjord and the particular sense of calm that comes when you slow the pace.
Head for Lillebælt: follow the coast and you’ll find yourself in the middle of a nature park
Naturpark Lillebælt stretches from Trelde Næs to Hejlsminde. Here, forests, coastline and sea meet a rich variety of wildlife – including harbour porpoises. Head out in a sea kayak, fish from the shore or join a guided tour to experience Lillebælt up close.
Or grab a net and bucket and try catching shore crabs from the coast. There are plenty of shore crabs in Lillebælt, and a trip with a net and bucket gives you a close-up look at life beneath the surface. You can also learn why crabs are so abundant in the area and how Naturpark Lillebælt is investigating whether catching them could play a part in nature restoration.
Sleep under the stars
In the Heart of Jutland, you can spend the night right in the great outdoors. Expect fresh air around the clock, often a sky full of stars and perhaps even views across a fjord or out to sea.
Pitch a tent, book a shelter or fall asleep in a yurt in the middle of the forest. It’s simple living with a little extra magic.
