Antonias summer holiday on Djursland: “Having nature on our doorstep helped us all slow down”

About Antonia 31, lives in Northern Germany near Bremen together with her partner and their two children. Enjoys being in the kitchen, interior decorating, crafting, and spending a lot of time with her children. Find her at @toni_and_telli.

How was the journey from Germany to Djursland?

We travelled by car – not always the easiest thing to do with small children, but we have this mobile table for our five-year-old that she can use for drawing in the car. In combination with her musical box, this is simply worth its weight in gold for us. With a short break at the Golden Seagull, it's really easy to travel with her. Our little one who’s only 4 months slept through the journey, so no complaints there either.

Find a summer house on Djursland.

Why do you think getting out of the city and being closer to nature appeals to you?

It’s a feeling of breathing a sigh of relief for us. We currently live in a flat, but this summer, we will finally move into our dream house with a garden, and our family has really been longing for that. I’m a rather restless, wild and loud person. That's why I love peace and nature as a balance. The flat is nice and in the countryside, but it's not a spacious garden, the sea on the doorstep or a national park around the corner.

As a family, we come together in these moments and enjoy having no appointments, living for the day and exploring the world in a completely different and stress-free way.

Having the opportunity to get up in the morning and have nature on our doorstep, to spend the day in the fresh air and to enjoy the varied nature helps us all to slow down the often so stressful everyday life. As a family, we come together in these moments and enjoy having no appointments, living for the day and exploring the world in a completely different and stress-free way.

What was your first impression of Djursland? Did it differ from your expectations?

I fell in love at first sight. As most Germans, I love the never-ending sandy beaches and great dunes on the west coast. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every minute and also learned to love this side of Denmark.

We would love to go on holiday in Djursland again, it was just great - that's all I can say. I don't want to limit myself to the best moments and experiences. The holiday was very harmonious all around

What were three experiences in nature you enjoyed on your trip?

My absolute highlight was our hike near Jernhatten - I almost stepped on an adder here! But first and foremost, I was impressed by the whole experience. There are the craziest trees growing in all directions and so inviting to climb, beautiful views and a beach that invites you to have a picnic. The level of difficulty was perfect for our big one and the little one didn't mind either, he mostly slept during our excursions.

Our hike around Trehøje was also simply wonderful. First we walked up to the observation points and the view was great, sea wherever you look, and I just love this barren landscape with lots of grasses and pines. We then had fun and followed the cows’ paths across the pastures away from the other tourists and created our own little adventure.

Book a handpicked summer house in Mols Bjerge.

I was impressed by the whole experience. There are the craziest trees growing in all directions and so inviting to climb, beautiful views and a beach that invites you to have a picnic.

And no less great is simply enjoying nature on your doorstep. We had a wonderful big garden where we could have adventures. Whether bird watching or examining vineyard snails and insects with a magnifying glass, reading books on the sun lounger or barbecuing over the fire on the swivel grill - the main thing is outside and the main thing is together.

Did you find a great bakery, café, restaurant or other place in the area that you think is worth a visit?

Not just one! I became addicted to coffee a few years ago and even though my partner thinks I'm an addict, I don't let it get to me. My top 3 coffee experiences and recommendations from Denmark are:

1. Street Coffee in Aarhus (Graven 22, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark).
2. Egil's Café in Ebeltoft (Hovedgaden 14, 8400 Ebeltoft, Denmark)
3. Go' Kaffe in Ebeltoft (Skindergade 5, 8400 Ebeltoft, Denmark)

What were some of the best moments on your Djursland holiday as a family?

We would love to go on holiday in Djursland again, it was just great - that's all I can say. I don't want to limit myself to the best moments and experiences. The holiday was very harmonious all around, whether it was a short city trip or a hike through nature, we always tried to create a balance in order to create a highlight in the day for everyone.

What do you usually look for when looking for a destination for your holiday?

With children, travel time has become important to us. Denmark is practically next door for us in northern Germany and easy to reach by car. Open the boot, pack everything and go. No stress with luggage restrictions and security checks at the airport.

One criterion for our big girl is the sea. She just loves to be around and in the water and if we can, of course we want to make that possible. Nature is important to my partner and me, whether it's the mountains or the sea. The main thing is to be outside in the fresh air, with the sun on our faces and a stiff breeze around our noses.

Curious about the summer house Antonia and her family stayed in? Book it here.

With children, travel time has become important to us. Denmark is practically next door for us in northern Germany and easy to reach by car.

What is most important to your family when you’re looking for a summer house to spend your holiday in?

Location, location and location. If possible, within walking distance of the water. Preferably a bit away from the hustle and bustle, but still close to shopping facilities and preferably to a small, beautiful town. For us, eating out is part of our holiday and we love to discover small cafés and restaurants.

Explore summer houses near a beach.

Did you enjoy the summer house and location?

Yes, absolutely. The beach was within walking distance, the surroundings of the holiday home quiet and Ebeltoft as the nearest town incredibly great. Whether in the historic old town or in the harbour, there was a lot to discover and delicious food.

Whether in the historic old town or in the harbour, there was a lot to discover and delicious food.

Curious about the summer house Antonia and her family stayed in? Book it here.

What were your favourite places in the holiday home?

The dining table was great. It was in front of a large glass front to the garden with a view of the sea. And then there was a hammock in the garden, hanging from a funny flat-grown tree, the perfect place to linger in the shade for a bit in the afternoon.

Describe a day of your trip, from waking up to going to bed

Thanks to the kids, we were unfortunately awake from 5am. Our big daughter put on a jacket and shoes straight away, opened the sliding door to the garden and played outside. In the meantime, our son was mostly breastfed and we all started showering and preparing breakfast. After a hearty breakfast, we discussed what activities were planned for today, packed food and drinks and usually started our excursion around 9 or 10am.

We especially liked the excursions in nature. We spent the morning hiking and had a small picnic with biscuits and bread around noon. Towards afternoon we went back to the garden. There, everyone enjoyed some peace and quiet for themselves. Reading a book, lying in the hammock, sunbathing on the terrace.... around 5 pm I started preparing dinner. We loved to buy pizzas at Føtex (supermarket, red.) and eat them in the garden on a blanket or on the terrace. At the end of the day we always had ice cream. Ice cream is simply part of the holiday.

The children got ready for bed and went to sleep around 8 pm. Simon and I then enjoyed the peace and quiet outside and listened to the birds or made ourselves comfortable inside with a book.

Find a summer house in Ebeltoft.

Are there any other cool things you should know about this area?

The people are super open-minded and helpful. When it comes to travelling, I'm not much of a planner, and neither is my partner. We think it's great to explore places and get in touch with people. Many of our adventures have been on the recommendation of our host or the nice waitresses of said cafes.

Book your next holiday on the beautiful peninsula of Djursland.