Visit the Geografisk Have in Kolding, Denmark

On a long weekend during the spring of 2021, we were in the Kolding area to visit the famous Koldinghus Slot or Castle. Since the castle and Kolding’s lovely mall, the Kolding storcenter, were the only two things we experienced in Kolding thus far, we wanted to find something to excite our nature-loving family. The Geografisk Have, Kolding’s Geographicial Gardens, was the best option for us to explore.

What is a Geografisk Have?

To be honest, I didn’t know what a “geografisk have” was before visiting Kolding. In English, it translates to “geographical gardens”, which also seems a bit confusing to someone who is unfamiliar with botanical gardens.

These gardens have plants from all over the world, and the Geografisk Have in Kolding organizes them in a way that makes you feel that you are traveling around the world to experience them.

Let me show you what we found during our afternoon at Kolding’s beautiful, botanical gardens.

This post is sponsored by Visit Kolding. We want to thank them for access to the Geografisk Have. All thoughts and comments are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for supporting My New Danish Life!

Parking at Geografisk Have in Kolding

First things first…parking. We were happy to see that the Geografisk Have had a free parking lot next to the entrance of the gardens. We had no issues in finding spot.

As we approached the entrance, we noticed that the main building had a roof that was filled with grass and flowers. This is something you see from time to time in Denmark, and I thought it really fit the theme of the gardens! The building was small on the inside and had a ticket counter with a few things that could be purchased as souvenirs.

Café Lykkefund

They also had a very small café for purchases that can be enjoyed on the terrace, one of the many pavilions or at any of the picnic tables in the gardens. The great thing about Café Lykkefund that it sells items that are made locally and organically. You can choose from organic coffee, tea, carrot buns, homemade apple jelly, or a variety of cakes. They also have cold drinks, ice cream and organic wines.

The café isn’t always open, and you may need to order some foods a day in advance. If delicious tapas interests you, be sure to call them before you visit. See the link at the bottom of this post to get more information on Café Lykkefund’s (åbningstider) opening hours.

Having a Picnic at the Geografisk Have in Kolding

Since we were still a bit cautious about coming out of the corona restrictions in Denmark, we decided to pack a picnic lunch instead of eating out in a café or restaurant in the town. We weren’t sure when we would arrive at the gardens, so we chose not to order a meal at the café.

Want to see what else Kolding, Denmark has to offer? Check out the Koldinghus Castle!

However, we love picnics and were very excited to make a picnic at the Geografisk Have in Kolding. In fact, this proved to be a fantastic decision, since the Geografisk Have had many picnic tables in different places. Some were out in the open, and others were in a shelter. No matter the weather, you can be sure to find a nice spot to enjoy a picnic at Geografisk Have.

Geografisk Have (Dyr) Animals

We happened to eat our picnic lunch next to the goat area. It was fun watching the baby goats play as we ate, and the boys even went into their area after our picnic to get a better look at them.

The Geografisk Have has other animals, as well. Here, you can also find a variety of birds, miniature pigs, rabbits, ducks and squirrels.

Geographical Gardens and Scavenger Hunt

Inside the main building at the gardens, we picked up a map to the Hjertestien, which was the map of the park that showed where all of the heart-labeled birdhouses are in the gardens. There were 47 birdhouse in total, and we were supposed to find which had a bird hanging from them. If we could keep track of where we found the birds, we (the boys) could get a prize at the end of the scavenger hunt or “skattejagt” as they call it in Danish.

The scavenger hunt was enough to get my boys motivated to go on a walk in the geografisk gardens without any complaining.

Traveling to Different Parts of the World

We traveled to areas of the gardens that had plants from various parts of the world. China seemed to be one of the largest areas in the gardens with a nice sitting area, gazebo and beautiful sculpture.

Next, you could travel to Japan, Europe, North America, and South America. All areas had trees and plants from those countries.

I loved that we were there in time for the rhododendrons and other fragrant flowers to be in bloom.

What my boys loved the most was the extra play spaces that were hidden along the way.

Do you love exploring natural places? Check out the Hald Sø and Dollerup Bakker for a great day in Denmark’s nature.

The Bamboo Labyrinths

It was in this area where we found the Bamboo labyrinths. The boys enjoyed going hiding from us in them. That is, until we decided to find them! 😊 It was great that the boys explored and played in the gardens. We were appreciative that they had the chance to go “off the path”.

The Caves at the Geografisk Have in Kolding

The next fun discovery was in the area labeled “Japan” where we found some very interesting caves. They seemed to be native to the area because they fit in so well with the surrounding. We almost felt as if we had stumbled upon a secret place and weren’t sure if we should go in…almost.

I guess I should just speak for myself, since my two boys were ready to see just where these caves would go! Luckily for their dad and I, we weren’t too big to fit in the caves, so we could enjoy exploring as a family.

Junglestien

After we left the area called “North America”, we came to a spot on the map that said “Junglestien”, which meant “jungle path”.

Here, we found a few different obstacle courses for the boys to try! It truly went to show that you never know what to expect. There seemed to be something fun in unexpected places.

Rose Garden

After coming out of the Junglestien, we noticed that there was an area that had circular paths around a greenhouse that sat in the middle. This was the rose garden. Unfortunately for us, we were there in May and didn’t get to see the roses in bloom.

That would be a good reason for us to return in the summer months to see the flowers then. There was also a spice garden just to the side of this area with a small pavilion. This was also the place where you could get entrance to the Kolding Miniby.

Kolding Miniby (Miniature Village)

Probably one of the most impressive and imaginative ways of exploring Kolding’s historical past is by taking a walk through the Kolding Miniby or miniature village. This area showcases the many different buildings that made of the entire city center of Kolding during the mid-1800s.

A volunteer told us about all the buildings and the people who lived in Kolding long ago. I especially liked how the castle was still in ruin after the fire that caused lots of destruction less than a hundred years before this scene was set.

Another great place in Denmark that lets you feel that you have stepped into Italy is Lalanda: Scandinavia’s Largest Indoor Water Park!

Large Green House

As the circular path of the gardens nearly had us back to the main entrance, we noticed a very large greenhouse. Not only could you see many different flowers in there, but also a wooden creature guarding the entrance. With seats and tables in there, you could also enjoy a picnic with friends or family while being in warmer temperatures and amazing, floral scents.

Other Playgrounds at Geografisk Have

We decided to put the playgrounds off until the end of the scavenger hunt to give our kids an incentive to finish. Since there were so many other fun things on the way, this didn’t seem so mean of a thing to do in the end. They really enjoyed a bit of play before we left.

“Hunt for Plants with Aksel Olsen” Playground

At the entrance to the gardens, you will find two playgrounds. One can be used for smaller children since it is lower to the ground.

The other may be better for bigger kids who like to climb.

Next to both, you can find two small diggers in which children can enjoy in a large, sanded area.

Do your kids like to play and climb? Try the nearby WOW Park Treehouse Park in Billund, Denmark!

Tumlehaven Playground

Near the Rose Gardens, you will find “Tumlehaven”, a playground that is perfect for toddlers to smaller children. It had a jungle gym in the shape of a train with horses on springs that the children could ride.

Though my kids are a bit big for this playground, they did find some enjoyment with a few of the items that seemed to even entertain an 8 and 11 year old.

Completing the Scavenger Hunt

Since we had found all of the birds in the scavenger hunt, it was time to turn in our map to the ticket counter. The boys both received a prize bag with some fun animal cut-outs, a coloring book and some seeds to plant at home! Learn more about getting extra prizes for children at over 20 different locations in Denmark with the Be Happy Pass!

Overall Thoughts on the Geografisk Have in Kolding

It is easy to say that I would have gladly bought season passes to this wonderful garden had we lived in the Kolding area. Also, we really enjoyed the peaceful path and great vibe of the place. There is plenty to entertain kids, as well. For me, I loved the variety of flowers, and it would be a great place to experience in the summer when the roses would be in bloom.

We had also heard that they have many different events and fun animals demonstrations for kids. It would be a lot of fun to visit on one of those days. Especially for one of their famous markets.

Experience more of the beautiful nature in Denmark at the National Park Thy in Northern Denmark!

If you are looking for something to do as a family in Kolding, you should give this place a try if you like to be in nature with all the fun of a playground.

What do you plan to do when you visit Kolding, Denmark?

Getting in Touch and Visiting the Geografisk Have in Kolding

Address: Christian 4 Vej 23, 6000 Kolding, Denmark

Telephone: +45 79 79 70 00

Email: info@geografiskhave.dk

Website: https://geografiskhave.dk

Map of the Geografisk Have: Click HERE!

Activities for Children: Click HERE to see what they have planned for children during your visit.

Café Lykkefund: Click HERE to find opening hours and dates. Click HERE for the menu.

Café Lykkefund Telephone: +45 79 79 70 00

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