Nykøbing Sj, Højby and Rørvig (Odsherred)
Odsherred is the hook of land in the north-west of the island and has the most houses in the region. Rørvig has a small harbour, thatched cottages and the heathland spit of Skansehage, with a 25-minute ferry across the Isefjord to Hundested. Højby's houses sit behind the beaches on the Kattegat side. Nykøbing Sj is the shopping town and the end of the train line from Holbæk. Copenhagen airport is about an hour and a half away.
Best for: Families who want sandy beaches, a harbour and an easy train link
Not for you if: You want to be close to Copenhagen: this is one of the furthest corners from the city.
Gilleleje, Hornbæk, Dronningmølle, Vejby and Græsted (north coast)
Copenhageners call this the Danish Riviera. Gilleleje has a busy fishing harbour with fish smokehouses, and Hornbæk a wide sandy beach and a small, smart village. Dronningmølle and Vejby are quieter, with houses in the woods behind the dunes. Kronborg Castle in Helsingør and Frederiksborg in Hillerød are both around half an hour away, and local trains link the coast to Copenhagen. The airport is about an hour by car.
Best for: Couples and families who want beaches and Copenhagen day trips
Not for you if: You are on a tight budget or want space in July: this is the most sought-after coast in Sealand.
Sjællands Odde, Vig, Fårevejle and Grevinge
Sjællands Odde is a narrow peninsula of farmland and summer houses with beaches on both sides, ending at the point of Gniben. Fast ferries leave from its harbour for Aarhus all year and for Ebeltoft in summer. Vig, Fårevejle and Grevinge sit further south near the reclaimed farmland of Lammefjorden, and Dragsholm Castle is close to Fårevejle. Copenhagen airport is about an hour and a half away.
Best for: Families who want quiet beaches and a ferry link to Jutland
Not for you if: You want a town with restaurants nearby; the Odde is long, thin and rural.
Sejerø Bugt and the west (Føllenslev, Eskebjerg, Store Fuglede, Gørlev, Kalundborg, Slagelse)
Sejerø Bugt is a wide, shallow bay with long, sandy beaches and summer-house areas tucked in behind them, popular with families from Copenhagen but far quieter than the north coast. Kalundborg has a church with five towers and a ferry to Samsø. Gørlev and Store Fuglede face the Great Belt further south, and houses under Slagelse are near that coast too. Copenhagen airport is around an hour and a half.
Best for: Families wanting shallow water and quieter beaches at lower prices
Not for you if: You want day trips into Copenhagen, which is over an hour and a half away.
Isefjord and Halsnæs (Frederiksværk, Hundested, Melby, Jægerspris, Holbæk)
Hundested sits at the mouth of the Isefjord, with a harbour, the ferry to Rørvig and Kattegat beaches to the north. Houses under Melby are near Liseleje, a sandy beach with dunes. Frederiksværk lies between the fjord and Arresø, Denmark's largest lake. Jægerspris is on the quieter Hornsherred side with a castle and oak forest, and Holbæk is a fjord town with a train link to Copenhagen. The airport is about an hour away.
Best for: Sailors, families and couples who want fjord and sea in one place
Not for you if: You want a resort atmosphere: these are mostly small towns and scattered houses.
Stevns and the south (Strøby, Rødvig Stevns, Faxe Ladeplads, Præstø, Vordingborg)
Stevns Klint is a chalk cliff on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and at Højerup the old church stands on the edge, its choir lost to the sea in 1928. Rødvig is a small harbour village at the southern end of the cliff. Faxe Ladeplads has a sandy beach and the fossil-rich Faxe limestone quarry inland. Præstø and Vordingborg face the southern islands, with Møns Klint under an hour away. Copenhagen airport is about 45 minutes from Strøby.
Best for: Walkers and families who want cliffs, fossils and short airport transfers
Not for you if: You want broad sandy beaches: much of this coast is pebbly or backed by cliffs.
