Best things to do in Lolland-Falster for families
Denmark is a remarkable place for families to visit but there is so much more to it than the headline acts of Legoland, fairytale castles, and Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, canals, and Nyhavn. So, come visit Lolland-Falster to discover all the lesser known but just as fun family attractions.
Before our most recent holiday to Denmark the islands of Lolland-Falster, and the towns of Nakskov, Maribo, and Nykøbing Falster, hadn’t even registered on my radar. I was unaware of the beauty of its forests, lakes, and beaches; the fun family experiences, and the warm welcome we would receive.
We were surprised to find a large number of attractions designed with families in mind. They were interactive, fun and educational all at the same time.
Being only one hour’s drive south of Copenhagen over the bridge, it was also very easy to get to and navigate which makes for a much nicer family holiday.
We chose to visit the island because wonderful friends who live on Lolland, convinced us we needed to not only see them but to stay longer and discover what makes their region great. They were so sure we’d love the place, they asked all 12 of my family to stay with them in their home for seven nights. This was no small undertaking!
We are so happy we stayed on Lolland and recommend you add it to your itinerary if you’re visiting Denmark. Here are our favourite attractions for families when you visit Lolland-Falster.
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Knuthenborg Safaripark
Northern Europe’s biggest safari park, Knuthenborg Safaripark, is no ordinary place to experience animals from around the world. Spend the day getting up close to animals like wolves, tigers, rhino, and giraffe while driving your car through this picturesque 500-hectare safari park.
There are plenty of places you can get out of the car. You can board the train to feed the monkeys (very loud and funny), pat some of the animals, or have a family picnic.
And when you tire of looking at the 1,200 wild animals, you can stop off, at no extra cost, at Limpopo Land, Denmark’s biggest nature water playground. It was so much fun we didn’t care that we’d all forgotten to bring our swimmers. Open late April to October. Check the website for dates and times.
Middelalder Centret (Medieval Centre)
One thing that really stood out during our time on Lolland-Falster was how interactive the attractions were. The Middelalder Centret might be a living museum of medieval times but it had plenty of unique hands-on experiences for all ages.
You can cheer on the knights in a jousting battle, prepare the trebuchet (a siege warfare weapon) for firing, and try your hand at working the massive medieval machines. We had so much fun learning archery, training for sword fights and searching the forest for mythical people.
With its own medieval village, you can see families living the life of medieval times. People in costume care for their animals, work at their trades and talk about how life would have been in the Middle Ages.
Krenkerup Brewery
Travel isn’t just about finding fun things to do with the kids, which made many of the adults in our family group happy. While my Mum and I took the kids on our own adventure, the others headed off for a guided tour and tasting session at the Krenkerup Brewery. Situated on one of Denmark’s oldest and largest estates, the boutique brewery has a small restaurant serving light meals for lunch in an authentic setting. They also host a harvest party in August.
Knuthenlund Estate
For all lovers of food, pay a visit to Knuthenlund Estate and enjoy the sensational flavours of the estate’s organic dairy and meat products as well as those from other local producers. Take a seat at the café and enjoy ice cream, yoghurt, yummy cakes or lunch. Discover the wonderful tastes of the organic cheeses, meats, and charcuterie at the farm shop and remember to take some home with you. Why not stay longer, pre-order a picnic basket, and take a spin on one of the estate’s red bicycles to find your own special spot in the woods for lunch.
Knuthenlund Estate is also famous for hosting the Native Cooking Award each year, an international competition for chefs at Michelin star level.
Bandholm Hotel
No visit to Lolland is complete without a visit to Bandholm Hotel’s restaurant. We spent the most glorious afternoon on the large outdoor terrace enjoying a long lunch overlooking the sea. The food and drink were very impressive, with a diverse menu that met the wide array of tastes and requirements of the 12 adults and children at our table. The steak we were served at Bandholm was the best we tasted throughout Denmark.
After lunch, the kids took to the small beach in front looking for sea creatures and eating ice-creams. There is also an old steam train ride you embark on from the front of the hotel that takes you to Maribo and returns an hour later. It only runs on a few days a week so check the timetable.
With beautifully appointed rooms, including small family rooms, you can stay overnight at the beautiful Bandholm Hotel. The hotel is close to many attractions including Knuthenborg SafariPark and Lalandia.
Roadside farm stalls
Make sure you stop by one of the many roadside farm stalls and pick yourself up some freshly harvested fruit and vegetables. During our visit, we delighted in buying the juiciest strawberries and raspberries we’ve ever tasted, as well as what seemed to be an endless supply of kartofler (new potato). I have never eaten so many potatoes and they tasted sensational. Make sure you take cash with you, as it is an honour system and you need to put the right amount of money in the moneybox provided.
Other things to do when you visit Lolland-Falster
- The Danish Castle Centre is remarkable and we were sad we ran out of time to experience it. The Centre is highly interactive with iPad guides (adult and children’s versions), as well as a Children’s Castle Centre full of fun activities.
- Enjoy splashing around in the massive Aquadome, as well as a multitude of fun activities, shopping, and accommodation at Lalandia holiday centre in Rødby
- Discover seals in their natural habitat on a seal safari. Boats departs from Nysted Harbour (July to mid-August)
- Hire a bike or a horse and go for a ride through the picturesque countryside
- With so much water around, fishing is a great idea
- Take a boat ride on the PostBaden (post boat) to the islands in Nakskov Fjord
- Go canoeing or kayaking
- Head to Hestehoved Beach to enjoy a swim in the warmest bathing waters in Denmark and one of the longest bathing jetties.
- Take the ferry to Northern Germany
Accommodation
If you have a car you could easily stay in one place and take day trips from there which is what we’d recommend. We were lucky to stay with friends in the lovely village of Langø, near Nakskov. Throughout our stay we saw some fantastic places to stay on Lolland. We book most of our accommodation through Booking.com and AirBnB.
If you’re looking to experience the real Denmark, outside of the headline acts, we recommend you visit Lolland-Falster and enjoy a family-friendly holiday. It’s heaven!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means, at no additional cost to you, if you book after clicking on the accommodation links, we will earn a commission. Booking through these links helps to support us to continue providing you with the best information on family travel. We only ever use links to highly reputable companies that we trust and use ourselves.
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