Weekend Getaways, COVID style

The current COVID restrictions have yet again been extended, so we’ve decided to safely make the most of it by getting out of the city on the weekends. I hate to admit that it’s taken me five years to rent my own summer house but it’s quickly become our new favorite getaway. The Danish summerhouse is a 400+ year old tradition. The government started offering industrial workers plots of land so they could get away on the weekends for fresh air and grow healthy vegetables. Many of these houses are smaller than my apartment, but sleep up to six people. While they can be small, they sure are cozy. 

A few things I quickly learned about Danish summer houses upon arrival: While yes, a summer house is someone’s second vacation home, it is in fact quite simple. They are not large nor lavish, often tucked away from the seaside or in a forest. It’s not uncommon for them to be quite small or run a bit chilly. Some have joked that Danish prisoners may even have more sleeping room than some summer houses. That said, most of them have massive windows allowing for light to flood in. 

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At first I was a bit taken aback by having to bring my own linens (you can rent usually as well), pay extra for electricity, and do a vacuuming/cleaning at the end. I was definitely the most nervous about paying for the electricity at the end, also considering we had the heat on full blast last weekend since it was so cold but it ended up being less than $10 for the whole weekend. It’s also a great excuse to turn down the lights, embrace the hygge, and light some candles. The cleaning didn’t bother me so much either as the places are quite small that it takes no time really at all. 

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Getting There

The first of many summerhouse trips was to celebrate Jespers 30th with our 2 close friends up north to what is called The Danish Riviera. It is about 1.5 hours by train + cycle combo, but if you’re crazy enough you can cycle the whole way like Jesper did. 

In general, Denmark is known for its wonderful transportation, though renting a car definitely makes it easier to get to your destination. There is always a bus that will stop near your rental, however the frequency of the bus may be quite limited so be sure to check your route up on google maps before. Our favorite way to get to the properties is a train/bike combo. We take the regional train as far as we can and then cycle the rest of the way. The only downside is that you can’t bring as much with you. In these cases, we dropped off our luggage and then did a second trip to a local grocery store. Often there is one just a few kilometers away.

What to do

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1. Take in the scenery
   I’ve mentioned it before, but one of my favorite parts of Denmark is the fact that you can quickly go from being in the heart of Copenhagen to being surrounded by water or forests with not a soul in sight. All within a matter of a few kilometers. Did you know that there is no place in Denmark where you are more than 56 kilometers from the water? Yes, that’s definitely a perk of living in a geographically small country.  Many summer houses are located 3+ kilometers away from the sea. We took a lovely 3 hour stroll along a gorgeous beach, that we had almost entirely to ourselves.
   
2. Let Loose or Spice it Up:
   I’ve always had fun getting away with friends. It’s a special moment where everyone will be spending the night so no one needs to worry about what time it is or the journey home, allowing for a more relaxing environment. We play games quite often with friends on a regular basis so when we head out of town we love to change it up by playing silly games like charades or inventing new ones. (These also take up way less space when packing). Last weekend, we spiced things up with a Spanish tapas night, complete with Spanish Tinto de Verano. It was the closest I’ve felt to traveling in a long time. This weekend with my girlfriends we’re picking a theme for Saturday night so we can all dress up together, simply because why not. 
   
3. Embrace the Hygge: 
   One of the joys of renting a summer house with your partner, friends, or family is being able to turn off reality and enjoy being together. The past few weekends some of my favorite memories have been cooking together and late night chats (and giggles) over candles with a nice cocktail. Living with a group of people (especially friends) reminds me of all the fun times I had back in university. 
   
4. Take the plunge
   Go for a stroll and take a dip in the sea while you’re at it. Yes, even if it’s winter! Many of the summer houses even have jacuzzis and saunas to enjoy too, make sure to filter for that if you’re interested. 

Where to Stay:

There are many agencies in addition to Airbnb that you can rent summer houses from. 

Sol og Strand translates in English to “Sun and Beach” and is a Denmark specific rental agency specializing in Danish summer houses. They have 5,800 properties and are known for quality of quantity. They also pride themselves with knowing the areas and local activities for you to check out. 

Dansommer has the largest collection of Danish sommerhus. Similarly to Airbnb, you can filter your preferences. I love being able to select the distance to the water. 

Airbnb is of course another option. For airbnb I like to use ‘map view’ when selecting my airbnb since many summer homes are located in specific areas.