Beaches in North Zealand

Photo: Tine Uffelmann

The north coast is nicknamed ‘The Danish Riviera’ for a reason. Along the almost 70 km stretch between Lynæs and Nivå, golden sandy beaches, classic promenades and cosy seaside resorts are strung together like pearls on a string. So grab your swimwear and head for a relaxing day.

Beaches, dunes and plantations. Charming seaside towns, high skies and fresh sea air. Zealand´s north coast has it all. Here you can find peace in your soul and soak up the summer atmosphere in the 11 idyllic seaside towns, scattered like pearls on a string by the Sound and Kattegat along the North Zealand coast. 

The Danish Riviera has plenty of experiences in store for families with children, nature lovers and bathers. Beautiful beaches stretch all the way along the coast, and 21 of them are manned with life-guards. These specially trained life-guards ensure the bathing weather along the almost 70-kilometre stretch between Nivå and Hundested is the safest in Denmark. 

Popular sandy beach with lovely dunes

Just a stone’s throw from the town and harbour of Hundested is the 300-metre long Trekanten beach. The beach has lovely sand and a fine sandy shoreline and is very popular - with locals and holidaymakers alike. From Trekanten, you can enjoy the fantastic view of the Isefjord and to the west lies the holiday town Rørvig. There are cafés, ice cream parlours, shops and mini-golf nearby if you want to break from the sun.

During the school summer holidays, lifeguards are on duty at the beach every day from 10 am to 6 pm. At Trekanten Strand, there are accessible toilet facilities and an accessible ramp right down to the water. The parking conditions are good at the beach; however, be aware that you have to pay for the parking. 

The small harbour town Lynæs is about 2 km from Hundested. At the town’s harbour, you can take a dip in the harbour pool, which has a bathing bridge and steps down to the water. If getting sand between your toes is more your thing, you can lay your towel on the lovely sandy beach right next to the harbour, where there’s shallow water and great swimming for the whole family. Lynæs Surfcenter is located behind the beach, here you can rent kayaks and SUP boards.

Eight kilometres of golden beach & classic seaside town

At the edge of Tisvilde Hegn lies the cosy seaside village Liseleje - with charming timbered houses, hollyhocks and several good beaches. Closest to the centre you will find the lovely sandy beach Liseleje Strand, with lifeguards on duty, ample parking and disabled access to the water’s edge during the bathing season.

Alternatively, if you prefer to get away from it all, head east to Lille Kulgab, which, along with Stængehus, a few kilometres further down the coast, is one of North Sealand’s most secluded beaches. Both of the beaches have fine dunes and good bathing conditions. 

Tisvildeleje has a priceless beach hotel atmosphere. For generations, the small town with its kilometrelong beach has been an oasis and holiday destination for the city’s bohemians. Over the years, Tisvildeleje has become trendy with cafés, dining venues and bars, but the town still has plenty of charm and history.

On the beach at the end of the main street, small colourful beach huts from the 20th century create a distinctive atmosphere, and the area is full of beach hotels and holiday homes. The beach is located next to the wild and beautiful Tisvilde Hegn nature area.

Classic seaside promenade, fishery and atmosphere

Follow Strandvejen and when it turns right out towards the sea in North Zealand, you’ve arrived in the atmospheric seaside resort of Rågeleje. Just the drive itself is an experience, but the town, and especially the beach, doesn’t disappoint either.

On Rågeleje Strand, striped beach huts are lined up, making the wide stretch of coast look like a scene from ’Badehotellet’. The dunes provide shelter for sunbathing and relaxing, and the town’s promenade is perfect for a stroll with a refreshment in hand. Round off the day with a beautiful sunset from the beach or the Heatherhill Hills just outside town.

Behind Smidstrup’s pretty red and black summer cottages is a gorgeous hidden bathing beach. There is a jetty and a designated area where dogs are permitted to swim and stay off-leash, and Smidstrup Strand is one of the only beaches in Denmark where bonfires are permissible - a cosy treat for those long summer evenings when it’s nice to stay out after dusk.

Smidstrup town has shops, cafés and an ice-cream parlour. The popular Kollerødgård Ice Cream Dairy voted the best ice cream in Gribskov, is a short drive away

The charming fishing village of Gilleleje, boasts not just one, but several great beaches to choose from. Strandbakkerne lies on the east side of town. It is a lovely family beach. On the other side of the harbour, Veststranden is an approximately 20-metre wide sandy beach, where the water is a bit deeper, and there are usually a few more waves. Both beaches are a short walk from the cafés shopping in Gilleleje town centre and the ice cream parlours, eateries and maritime atmosphere of the town’s beautiful harbour.

Perfect family beach, charm and atmosphere.

Dronningmølle Strand ranks high on the north coast’s best and most visited beaches. The beach is child-friendly with fine sand, shallow water and small, warm pools and ponds where kids can play, dig and splash about. It also provides good accessibility for people with reduced mobility. From the parking lot on the inland side of Villingebæk Strandvej, there is a wheelchair ramp down to the water’s edge, and the beach has accessible toilet facilities.

Just south of Nivaas idyllic harbour area is the lovely and very childfriendly Nivaa Strand. The beach is in a wide bay with shallow water and ideal swimming conditions for the youngest members of the family, and a lifeguard is on duty every day throughout the school summer holidays. Within walking distance from Nivå Strand is the Nivå Bugt Strandenge nature reserve, with stunning scenery and plenty of bird watching. If you fancy a refreshing treat, it’s just a short walk to delicious ice cream at the harbour.

Lifeguards along the Danish Riviera

For over 75 years, the North Zealand Coastal Lifesaving Service has watched over the sandy beaches of the Sound to Kattegat´s beautiful dune-filled natural beaches. The lifesaving stations in North Zealand are located only a few kilometres apart, which is closer than anywhere else in Denmark.

Every year, over 100 volunteers and professional lifeguards help to ensure visitors have a good and safe day at the beach. The volunteers make it possible for children and young people, locals and tourists to learn how to use the sea all year long. For decades, the tradition of sharing advice and prevention methods has helped to make North Zealand´s beaches some of the safest in Denmark. 

 

Rågeleje Strand
© VisitNordsjællandPhoto: Tine Uffelmann
Tisvildeleje Strand
© VisitNordsjællandPhoto: Daniel Overbeck

Blue Flag Beaches

  • Clean bathing water
  • Lifesaving and first aid equipment, as well as lifeguards in some locations
  • Nature and environmental education activities
  • Information about environmental conditions and natural areas
  • Access to toilets
  • Waste facilities and waste sorting
  • Information board

Blue Flag Marinas

  • Lifesaving and first aid equipment
  • Firefighting equipment
  • Environmental improvement measures
  • Nature and environmental education activities
  • Information about environmental conditions and natural areas
  • Information board
  • Access to toilets
  • Waste management system
  • Information about good environmental practices

The North Zealand beaches with Lifeguard Stations

Here you can see the 13 beaches in North Zealand that are guarded by lifeguards every day from June to August:

  • Villingebæk at Dronningmølle
  • Veststranden, Gilleleje
  • Strandbakkerne, Gilleleje
  • Smidstrup Beach
  • Heatherhill, Rågeleje
  • Strandbjerggaard, Rågeleje
  • Trekanten, Hundested
  • Lynæs Beach & Harbour Bath
  • Liseleje Beach
  • Lille Kulgab, Liseleje
  • Stængehus Beach
  • Tisvildeleje Beach
  • Nivå Beach

But in short, the dog must be kept on a leash on the beach during the summertime, which runs from April to September. During the winter season, which runs from October to March, the dog is allowed to be loose on the beach, but only if it does not cause harm or other damage and the owner has control over his dog.

On the blue flag beaches, during summer, however, it is absolutely forbidden to bring dogs - Please always notice possible local signage at the beach. 

On some of the North Sealand beaches, the blue flag wawes in the summertime. The blue flag is a symbol that the beach is quality assured and the bathing water quality is top quality and the environment is looked after.

It is allowed to bathe naked on all public beaches in Denmark, however, one must show consideration for the other beach guests. You can see and read more about nude beaches at www.strandguide.dk (it´s in danish)

The Danish Riviera is the name of North Sealand's 90-kilometre long coastline. The name is not a new smart marketing effort. As early as in1923 the first tourist brochure mentions the Danish Riviera. A Riviera consists not only of beaches, sand and bathing water alone but also of a hinterland with a rich range of cultural experiences and attractions.