Villas in Southeast Jutland

Families after calm water pick Als or the coast near Haderslev, walkers head for Silkeborg's lakes, and nobody comes here for surf. This is the sheltered east side of Jutland, running from the German border up past Vejle and Juelsminde towards Aarhus, with fjords, beech woods and small ferry islands. Legoland is within reach of most houses.

Where

Villas: 583
From, per week: £380
Cheapest month: November
Nearest airports: Billund, with British Airways flights from Heathrow taking around one hour 45 minutes, suits the middle and north of the region. Aarhus has daily Ryanair flights from Stansted (around one hour 40 minutes). For Als and the Flensburg Fjord, Hamburg is often as convenient, around two hours' drive.

Where to stay in Southeast Jutland

Als (Sydals, Nordborg, Augustenborg)

Sydals, the southern end of the island, has the largest cluster of our houses in the region, around Kegnæs and Mommark, with low cliffs, shingle-and-sand beaches and very calm water. Sønderborg has a castle museum and the 1864 battlefield at Dybbøl just across the bridge. Nordborg, in the north, has the Universe science park, and Augustenborg has a palace park open to walkers. Hamburg airport is about two hours away.

Best for: Families who want quiet beaches and short drives to Sønderborg

Not for you if: You want to fly in and be on the beach fast: Billund is close to two hours away.

Haderslev, Hejls, Bjert and Sjølund (Little Belt coast)

Houses under Haderslev are mostly on the coast east of the town, at places like Diernæs and Kelstrup, and at Årøsund, where a small ferry runs to the island of Årø. Hejlsminde is a little harbour on a lagoon, with a sandy beach facing Funen. Bjert and Sjølund cover the shores of Kolding Fjord and the Stenderup peninsula. Haderslev has a cathedral and its own fjord. Billund airport is around an hour away.

Best for: Families wanting a calm beach within an hour of Billund

Not for you if: You want lively evenings: these are summer-house areas and villages with little nightlife.

Flensburg Fjord and Aabenraa (Broager, Egernsund, Gråsten, Kruså)

The Danish side of Flensburg Fjord is wooded and sheltered, with small beaches and marinas. Broager's church has two spires that you can see across the water, and Egernsund sits on the narrow channel into Nybøl Nor. Gråsten Palace is the royal family's summer residence, and its gardens open to the public when they are not in residence. Kruså is on the German border, a few minutes from Flensburg. Aabenraa lies on its own deep fjord to the north.

Best for: Couples and families who want a fjord view and Germany next door

Not for you if: You want open sea and long sandy beaches; the fjord shore is narrow in places.

Vejle Fjord and Juelsminde (Børkop, Juelsminde, Fredericia)

Børkop's houses are along the north shore of Vejle Fjord, near forest and small beaches. Juelsminde is a harbour town on the Kattegat with a long, sandy beach, and nearby Snaptun has small ferries to the islands of Hjarnø and Endelave. Fredericia keeps its old ramparts. Billund and Legoland are around 40 minutes to an hour away, which makes this the easiest part of the region for a Legoland trip.

Best for: Families who want sandy beaches and quick access to Legoland

Not for you if: You want a remote spot: the motorway bridge and Vejle's suburbs are never far away.

Odder and Malling (south of Aarhus)

Houses around Odder are close to the Kattegat beaches at Saksild and Hou, with sandy bays facing the island of Samsø. Hou has ferries to Samsø and to the tiny car-free island of Tunø. Aarhus, with the ARoS art museum and its old town museum, is around 30 minutes north of Malling. Aarhus airport is about an hour away and Billund around an hour and a quarter.

Best for: Families who want a beach plus day trips into Aarhus

Not for you if: You want space around you in July: the beaches near Aarhus get local day-trippers.

The Lake District and Legoland side (Silkeborg, Ry, Bryrup, Give, Ejstrupholm)

Around Silkeborg and Ry, lakes are linked by the Gudenå river, and you can canoe between them or take the old paddle steamer to Himmelbjerget, one of Denmark's highest points. Bryrup is quieter, on a smaller lake. Give and Ejstrupholm are close to Billund, with Legoland and Givskud Zoo each roughly 20 minutes away. Stock here is small, so book early for school holidays.

Best for: Walkers, canoeists and families with Legoland on the list

Not for you if: You want the sea: these houses are inland, among lakes and forest.

When to go to Southeast Jutland

July is the warmest and busiest month, with Danish school holidays from late June into mid-August and Legoland at its most crowded. The shallow bays along the Little Belt and on Als warm up more than the open North Sea, though swims are still bracing. May, June and late August are good for cycling, and the beech woods are bright green in May. Legoland closes from early November to spring. Off-season, the lakes and fjord towns stay open but beach kiosks shut.