Himmerland is a scenic region of northern Denmark set between the Kattegat sea and Limfjord strait. This largely rural area has Viking relics, quaint villages and farms dotted around a countryside of green pastures, pristine forests and shimmering blue waters. The open roads and waterbodies of Himmerland lend themselves to exploring on bike and by bike and kayak.
Positioned on the Limfjord is Aalborg, a thousand-year-old port city and the region’s largest urban center. Visit historic landmarks, such as Budolfi Cathedral and Gråbrødre Kloster, on Algade street. Bask in the long summer daylight hours at waterfront Jomfru Ane Park and enjoy the boisterous nightlife on Jomfru Ane Gade. On a hill on the opposite side of the fjord is Lindholm Hoje, which is the biggest Viking burial ground in Scandinavia.
On the region’s east coast is Lille Vildmose, a raised bog and habitat for antlered buck, foxes, golden eagles and red deer. Learn about this wilderness area via interactive exhibits and movies at the Lille Vildmose Center.
More natural wonders await on walks through the mystical Rold Forest. Within the forest is the heather-clad hills of Rebild National Park, the location of a century-old American Independence Day celebration.
History buffs will delight in the prehistoric and folk objects displayed at the Vesthimmerlands Museum in Års. Retrace the life and work of a Danish Nobel laureate at Farsø’s Johannes V. Jensen Museum. On the eastern shores of the Limfjord, Ertebølle is home to Stenaldercenter Ertebølle, which preserves the remains of a Stone Age kitchen midden.
Biking is a great way to experience the region and there are several marked trails to follow. The Himmerland Trail is a 43-mile (69-kilometer) route that passes vineyards and villages from Løgstør to Viborg. For more adventure, cruise the calm Mariager Fjord by kayak from towns such as Hobro, Mariager and Als Odde.
Get to Himmerland by flying to Aalborg Airport and start your tour from there. Rent a car to benefit from the freedom of traveling to your own schedule or travel between major towns by trains and buses.
