Here are the available villas for rental in Denmark.

Sun and the summer house

With the sun beaming down and the crystal clear water lapping at your feet, it comes as something of a shock to remember you're in Denmark.
You might think bacon, beer and Lego, but most people wouldn't associate these small islands with beaches.
Within two hours of leaving Britain you could be on a white, sandy beach in one of the cleanest places in Europe. And, no, it won't cost the earth.
The summer house - or sommerhus - is an integral part of Danish life.
Workers are entitled to take three weeks' holiday in the summer to spend quality time with their families and people take full advantage.
This time is spent away from the cities, far from work and enjoying the great outdoors; either walking, cycling, playing golf and table tennis, swimming or just eating and relaxing.
The majority of Danish summer houses are in West Jutland or North Zealand.
Jutland has the best beaches and good facilities for watersports including windsurfing. Sea kayaking, sailing and fishing tours are also popular.
In Zealand, you can enjoy the warm waters of the Kattegat. They often shelve very gently making them good for kids. Although, watch out for the stinging "firemen" jellyfish.
Many summer houses are just a short walk from the beach, but they're even closer on a bike. Various rattletraps lie unlocked near the dunes. If you're tempted to jump on, remember many bikes don't have brakes; you just pedal backwards. ... more

Luxury that's best enjoyed at sea

London's spectacular Tower Bridge only lifts on special occasions. The last time it opened, it opened for me.
Sailing under the bridge to the cheers of hundreds of riverside tourists was an awe-inspiring start to my trip on the luxury cruise ship Seabourn Pride.
Equally impressed, one fellow passenger told me in no uncertain terms: "This is one of those rare occasions when one simply has to do the royal wave."
The Seabourn Pride's emphasis is on easy and relaxed travel in style. Measuring some 277sq ft and carrying no more than 200 passengers, the ship has an unusual feeling of spaciousness and light. My immaculate, well-turned-out suite, complete with Egyptian cotton robe, personalised stationery and plates of fresh fruit, was also surprisingly roomy.
Being a cruise novice, my indulgences were largely enjoyed in the ship's bars and restaurants. For me, breakfasts at sunrise were best taken al fresco in the Veranda Cafe or, on lazier days, in bed. Barbecue lunches in the Sky Bar and meticulously-prepared course-by-course dinners in the main restaurant were highly sociable occasions - a great way to get to know other passengers.
Enjoying the gastronomic pleasures of a five-star cruise ship isn't about counting calories but burning them off is easy, even enjoyable. Try several lengths of the swimming pool, a few jogging laps around the top deck and some weights in the gym - you'll certainly feel revitalised.
Relaxed surroundings, attentive service and the odd evening of light entertainment all go to make the Seabourn Pride perfect for romantic couples over 50.
Not having a partner and being in my 30s, I did sometimes feel like the odd one out. But there were some advantages... when the ship's captain asked me to dance with him in the piano bar to the tune of Blue Moon was one memorable moment. ... more

Take a wind break

An overnight ferry and we were there. We drove along empty roads and hedge-lined country lanes, courteous local motorists deferring to our foreign vehicle.
Half-an-hour later, we arrived at the track that was to lead to our holiday home.
The beach, a long flat stretch of silver-white sand, was just a two-minute walk away through a garden gate and beyond the dunes.
The midsummer sun shone down through most of the day and long into the evening. Would we ever find a more perfect setting for a bucket and spade holiday? We thought not, at least until the winds came.
Unless you're Danish, the western Danish coastline is perhaps an unorthodox choice for a summer holiday. But our beach was magnificent - empty, clean and unsullied by amusement arcades or ice cream shops.
It was all characteristically Scandinavian and, dare I say, Bergmanesque, but where were the tall blonde female sunbathers? We found only outdoors-types busily erecting beach tents.
To them, happiness is a rollmop, a modestly proportioned barbecue and an industrial-strength windbreak.
Whatever the fantasies of the Danish Tourist Board, a beach holiday on the west coast of Denmark will never quite measure up to its Mediterranean counterpart.
Even in June, when we went, the North Sea is still jaw-droppingly chilly: there are no bikini-clad sunbathers (they have all decamped to the Med), no lush Mediterranean foliage and no beach bars.
A week here is an altogether different proposition from a week in Southern Europe. If you accept that premise, you will still find plenty to enjoy. But take lots of warm jumpers and a cagoule instead of a swimming costume.
But for ease of access, Denmark has the edge over the Med. We took the overnight ferry from Harwich to the unpronounceably named Esbjerg, arriving mid-morning after a full night's kip in a four-person cabin. ... more

Peace and quiet in pretty West Jutland

For most Britons, Denmark starts and ends with Copenhagen. There's more to the Viking nation than Hans Christian Andersen and the Tivoli gardens, though. To see another side of the Danes, head west of the capital to the Jutland peninsula.
Ruggedly pretty, set among windswept heathland off the North Sea, it's ideal for families and couples seeking a week or two of peace, quiet and fresh air.
In the light of world events, a quick jaunt across the North Sea will be an appealing prospect for many travellers. In this sense, West Jutland could become one of the beneficiaries. It's an hour away by air and within easy reach of Britain's east coast by ferry.
Cheap flights to the region's capital, Esbjerg, have made it more accessible to British visitors - but it remains a little-known holiday destination.
Unless you're sporty or active, there's frankly not a whole lot to see or do in West Jutland. Cycling, the most common pursuit, is an agreeable way to pass a few hours. Windsurfers and anglers are also well catered for on the region's fjords.
The area's charm lies more in its unhurried pace and the eye-pleasing landscape of dunes and heaths bordering the sometimes tempestuous North Sea. ... more

Let's all go to the land of Lego

From the Daily Mail

Hop I, slap af,' said the slogan on the brochure, and the boys were certainly giving the springkissen their interpretation of the Danish phrase which translates as 'jump in and relax'.
The springkissen was a cross between a trampoline and a bouncy castle, and I was hoping it might distract them from the freezing swimming pool, but alas, that was not to be. All the camp site facilities had to undergo hop-i-slap-af testing, brass monkeys notwithstanding.
It was to be a lads' outing, this trip to Denmark: just me, Thomas, aged five, and Boris, seven. Boris was a friend's son, and what a difference a couple years makes. 'Do you fancy those girls?' he asked me, as a couple of nubile teenagers crossed our bows as we arrived. Lads, eh.
The camping idea had obvious advantages of budget, room to roam and being able to rustle up bangers and baked beans night after night - a perfect match of the boys' favourite dish with my culinary skills.
Choosing the destination had not been so easy. As they grow older, children become less portable. They begin to know what they like - and to not like what they don't know.
When he was small, we took Thomas to the Far East. Now that he's bigger, he finds foreign stuff more . . . foreign. On our last trip across the Channel even the playground equipment was deemed to be 'a bit Frenchy'.
Denmark, though, is ideal for soft adventure. It has uncommon quantities of sky, sand and fresh air, limited traffic, no language problem, regular helpings of theme parks - including the original Legoland - and hot dog stands on every corner. The latter met with complete approval from the hop-i-slap-af testers, especially as the ketchup was, apparently, just like jam. ... more