Rising only 557 feet, it features landscapes of undulating, farmlands punctuated by woods and the huddle of picturesque old villages and farms. There’s something timeless and relaxing about these tidy landscapes, though change is evident as reduced dairy herds lead to increasing arable production and rosy pigs disappear into the warm sheds of factory farming. This makes Denmark an ideal and well organized country for farmhouse holidays with its very special family appeal.

There’s much to see, too–rich collections dating back to prehistory, numerous traces from Viking times, and many castles and monasteries reflecting the prosperity of the Middle Ages when men cleared the great forests. After the monk Ansgar introduced Christianity in the 9^th Century, the village church became a major feature of rural Denmark along with the half-timbered farms and inns. It was the monks who taught the people to fire clay, accounting for the predominance of brick as a building material throughout the country. Later came the castles, manors and parks reflecting and adapting the Renaissance styles especially from Holland.

Denmark's other great natural feature is the complexity of its coastlines, providing splendid sheltered waters for boating, bathing, fishing and other water sports. Among the stirring sights of the Danish summer is the fluttering of a myriad colorful sails during the Funen and Sealand regattas which attract not only expert sailors but many families. Hundreds more take part in marches or organized walks.