Varde combines historic charm with a picturesque setting in the Danish countryside. Walk around the medieval centre and visit a museum dedicated to one of Denmark’s most beloved painters. The city is a gateway to Southern Jutland, where you can sunbathe on North Sea beaches, explore World War II bunkers and visit chocolate-box towns and villages.
Things to do in Varde
Admire works by an iconic Danish painter at the Frello Museum. The museum showcases one of the largest collections of Otto Frello originals in Denmark. You’ll be amazed by the vibrant colours and incredible attention to detail. Alongside paintings, the collection includes cartoons and graphic art by Frello.
Discover a wonderland of rare flowers, plants and trees in Tambours Garden. You’ll love exploring the different corners, including the Japanese Garden filled with bamboo, azaleas and rhododendrons. Learn about remedial plants in the Medicinal Garden and admire ferns, orchids and other tropical plants in the Orangery.
Spend the day in the picturesque seaside town of Blavand. It’s perched on the tip of a headland fringed by sandy beaches and grass-covered dunes. The swimming is fantastic thanks to an offshore reef that creates a calm, crystal-clear lagoon. Blavand Lighthouse watches over the coast and dates back to the 1900s. You can climb the winding staircase to the observation deck for sweeping views over the North Sea and surrounding coast.
The Danish coast is studded with concrete bunkers built to house soldiers in World War II. Tirpitz Bunker is one of the largest and houses a museum where you can learn about the Nazi Germany regime and the role Denmark played in World War II.
Getting around Varde
Varde is pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. The town is a 30-minute drive from Esbjerg and 3.5 hours from Copenhagen. Trains run between Varde and Copenhagen in around four hours, while rental cars offer the freedom to explore Southern Denmark at your own pace. Copenhagen Airport is a three-hour drive away.