Quality time in the kitchen, walks in all kinds of weather, and a game of Uno

Why do you and your family go on weekend trips to a vacation home?

I’m not very good at relaxing at home. I’m used to working a lot—and work often follows me home—but as soon as we get a little away from home, it’s easier to let it all go. For us as a family, these short getaways to a vacation home are a welcome solution to this challenge.

We’ve also found that it’s a great way to spend time with friends. In a vacation home, there’s a different kind of time for togetherness, and we all slow down to a pace where we can genuinely take an interest in each other’s lives.

What do you look for when choosing a vacation home?

I appreciate good architecture and a well-thought-out interior design, preferably with a touch of luxury—and I’m happy to pay for it. And then it’s important to have a view where you can feel at one with nature. It has been repeatedly shown that nature has a stress-relieving effect on the human brain, so that’s what I look for when choosing a vacation home.

What’s usually on the menu?

I like to have the girls join me in the kitchen, and I make it a priority to spend time cooking together. It’s not about gourmet food, but about the quality time we spend together in the kitchen, sharing a meal, and enjoying each other’s company. For that reason, I appreciate it when there’s proper cooking equipment available, whether it’s a whisk for pancake batter or a good skillet for searing a steak.

We love buying fish from a local fisherman or a good fishmonger, and then it’s off to homemade luxury “stjerneskud” and a glass of white wine for lunch.

What do you pack?

It doesn’t really matter which sweater we end up bringing—we’re there to relax. What’s far more important is that we bring the Uno card game and, ideally, a board game. Packing for a summer house trip shouldn’t take half a day, since we want to be able to decide on a whim and not have to plan everything way in advance. I love arriving at a summer house where the beds are made and the heat is on, so we can just move right in. I also love it when there are games in the house for indoor or outdoor use, bikes for a ride, or beach gear.

What are you reading?

I wish I could focus on a good book. My wife can do that—she easily plows through a 300-page book in a weekend. I have a hard time getting into that mindset so quickly after a busy week, but I often bring a magazine or two along, like Conde Nast Traveller.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Music in the car is a must, and on the way to the summer house, it’s Anna, our oldest daughter, who’s in charge of Spotify. We take turns requesting songs, and then we sing along to new and old classics.

How do you make the most of the vacation home’s surroundings?

We always make it a priority to go for a walk every day, no matter the weather—in fact, we’ve had some of our best vacation home stays in snow, rain, and wind. It’s fantastic to get thoroughly blown through the elements and then return to the wood-burning stove to warm up again. A couple of years ago, we were at a vacation home on the North Sea for a weekend during the winter, and a heavy snowstorm hit the area, closing off all the small roads in the region. We got in touch with a local farmer who had a snowplow, and he cleared our road for 500 kr. when we needed to drive home. So even though the weather conditions were harsh, it’s a special memory we cherish today.

This past summer, we were at a vacation home near Tranum Strand, and there we were told that there were wild blueberries in a nearby plantation. It turned into a lovely long walk, and we came back with bags full of the most delicious blueberries. Dinner that night was pancakes with homemade blueberry jam.

Can you share a special vacation home memory?

Our last New Year’s Eve actually took place at a vacation home. The vacation home was situated in a beautiful and peaceful winter landscape near the North Sea, so it was pretty amazing. We spent the day taking a long walk along the water, relaxing and having good conversations, enjoying a fire in the fireplace, and taking the time to cook from scratch—no pre-packaged New Year’s Eve meals here. We had a cozy time on the couch with the usual TV rituals throughout the evening, complete with chips and candy, and at 11:59 p.m., we brought out the kransekage, opened the champagne, and headed outside, where a handful of vacation home guests from the area had gathered to wish each other a Happy New Year. A dedicated family man from the neighboring vacation home provided entertainment with big fireworks, much to everyone’s delight. This won’t be the last time we celebrate New Year’s in a vacation home.

Anders’ Three Favorite Vacation Homes on Landfolk