Esbjerg, the fifth largest town

About 90 minutes' drive from Esbjerg, Silkeborg lies on the Langsø ("Long Lake") in an area of Central Jutland cloaked by forests and lakes. These are the Danish Lake Uplands, through which flows the Gudenå river.

Sparkling bays beckon on the island's west coast, and the beautiful beaches here make Als a popular place for vacations. Sønderborg, the capital, straddles the Als Strait (Alssund), which separates the island from the Danish mainland and is traversed by two bridges.

The town of Ribe, one of the oldest in Denmark, lies about 30 kilometers from Esbjerg and is a launching point for a fascinating day trip to the little marsh island of Mandø in Wadden Sea National Park. Rich in birdlife, Mandø Island is only accessible at low tide from Vester Vedsted in a bus drawn by a tractor.

About a 40 kilometers' drive north of Esbjerg (Road 181) are the wonderful white beaches of Henne Strand, famous for glorious sand and long dunes stretching as far as the eye can see. Neighboring Henne is a popular Danish tourist town with all the amenities you'd expect of a beach resort.

While visiting the Viking Museum in Ribe, be sure to stop in the center of the old town at the Romanesque Cathedral. Built with limestone dug from quarries near Mønsted nearly 1,000 years ago, it was the first Christian church in Denmark, founded by a missionary monk from Hamburg, Germany.

You'll also find some wonderful beaches with pristine sand dunes. The lakes have a profusion of unique bird life. At Marbækgård Farm, you'll find the district's Tourist Information Center, a restaurant, and mini-golf. Close by, the beach area has barbecue facilities and picnic tables.

A short 12-minute ferry ride from Esbjerg is the extremely popular island of Fano (Fanø), a must-see attraction if visiting the area. It's around 16 kilometers long and five kilometers wide and an excellent place for a day trip.

Around 10 minutes' walk from the Water Tower on Torvegade, this worthwhile museum details Esbjerg's history and hosts a fascinating amber exhibition. Amber, known as 'Danish Gold,' has long fascinated humankind, and the west coast of Jutland is famous for large discoveries of the precious fossilized resin.

In Esbjerg Municipal Park, at the top of a cliff overlooking the extensive harbor, you'll find the Water Tower, built in 1897 and one of the town's landmarks. The tower is open daily in the summer, and along with sweeping views over the city and harbor, you can see exhibits on other water towers.

Esbjerg's unmistakable landmark, the nine-meter-high sculpture Man Meets the Sea, imposingly overlooks both the Wadden and North Seas. If arriving by boat, you really can't miss it.