Kay Xander Mellish explains why Danish beaches become social hubs in winter when indoor venues close. The Øresund coast's "Whiskey Belt" offers views of Sweden and kiosks serving gløgg, while Jutland's west coast draws surfers and German tourists to beaches where cars can drive on the sand.
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Hello and welcome to the How to Live in Denmark podcast. I'm Kay Xander Mellish. It might seem like a counterintuitive time to talk about beaches, In the middle of a long, very cold winter. But in these times of COVID beaches are one of the few places in Denmark you are currently allowed to meet up with family and friends. Beaches, parks, frozen-over lakes— these are the big social meeting points at a time when cafés, restaurants, bars, shops, gyms, schools, theaters, Museums, places of worship, hairdressers, barbers, and nail salons are all closed. Getting together in a small group outside is still allowed, and the beach can be a nice place to be, even if you have to put up with sand that's frozen solid, slippery rocks, and the bitter, bitter wind off the icy cold water. On the side of Denmark facing Sweden, you can walk up the coast. along what's called the Whiskey Belt. Whiskey used to be very expensive in Denmark, and this is where you'll see some of the country's prettiest and most expensive villas. You can park your car at Charlottenlund Fort, an old part of the Danish defenses that was never actually used as a fort, and join the dozens of families and friend groups walking up and down along the body of water that overlooks Sweden. You can see Sweden in the distance on a good sunny day. When you can't stand the cold anymore, you can come back to a little kiosk selling coffee, tea, or gløgg— the hot wine with a little brandy thrown in. Now, beaches are popular in the summer, too, but I wouldn't really say Denmark is a beach culture. More of a boating culture. You don't get a lot of surf music from Denmark. Now, the best beaches in Denmark are not near Copenhagen. They're on the other side of the country, in Jutland, facing the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. Now, that is where you'll find the best surfing in Denmark. The conditions are so windy there that the water throws up some great waves. And the west coast beaches really are the prettiest beaches. The sand is light and clear, and unlike the Copenhagen beaches, there's plenty of room to stretch out your beach blanket and enjoy the sound of the waves. Some places let you drive your car right onto the beach. These tend to be quite popular with German tourists. These beaches are pretty and sunny, but the cold North Sea winds means that they are rarely warm, even during the summer. So bring a sweater to put over your bikini. You can enjoy Danish beaches even if you're shivering a little. And that's the How to Live in Denmark podcast for this week. You can buy our books, How to Live in Denmark, How to Work in Denmark, and Working with Danes: Tips for Americans on Amazon, Saxo, Google, Apple Books, and Barnes Noble Nook. And you can follow all our content at howtoliveindenmark.com or follow us on Twitter or Instagram at How to Live in DK. The 2 is a number. See you next time.
