Places of interest and destinations close to Marina Minde
Gråsten and surroundings
Gråsten offers a wide range of exciting and interesting sights and experiences. There are endless excursion destinations for both nature lovers, families with children and art and culture lovers. Besides, there are good options for shopping, both in the city center and at Ulsnæscentret, which is a shopping center with many speciality shops.
The nature is characterized by woods and beaches. Take your bike and experience the Gendarm path which passes the Ox Islands. There is no better view over Flensborg Fjord, unless you pass it with your boat.
Read this page carefully and you will find lots of beautiful destinations.
Gråsten Palace
Gråsten Palace and the palace garden are placed in Sønderjylland’s beautiful nature among forests and lakes. The palace was built in 1759 and represents one of the successor castles, which have been at that place since 1500s.
Gråsten Palace is of great importance for Sønderjylland, which is the reason, why Queen Margarethe II follows her parent’s tradition and spends each summer vacation at Gråsten Palace.
Visit the beautiful garden and the castle church, which is richly decoraded.
Gråsten Palace Garden
Provided that the royal family does not spend its vacation at the palace, the palace garden is open from:
- 1st November to 28th February
- 7.30am – 4.30pm
- March
- 7.30am – 6.00pm
- April
- 7.30am – 7.00pm
- 1st May to 30th September
- 7.30am – 8.00pm
- October
- 7.30am – 6.00pm
The garden at The Little House (Det Lille Hus) is reserved for the Royal Family and therefore closed for the public.
The nursery is also closed for the public.
Gråsten Castle Church
Provided that the Royal Family is not spending time at the castle, the opening hours from the 2nd April until the 31st October are the following:
- Monday 11.00am – 2.00pm
- Saturday 10.00am – 12.00pm
- Sunday 2.00am – 4.00pm
If there are church services or other religious ceremonies, the castle church is closed for visitors.
Should you be interested in attending the church services, you are welcome to participate in the church services all year long, also if the family resides.
Guided tours
Guided group tours in the garden and the castle church kan be booked at:
Gråsten Turistbureau
Tlf. 74 65 09 55
Tourist cooperation for Sønderborg Kommune www.visitsonderborg.com
See more on www.graastenslot.dk
Cathrinesminde brick factory
Catrinesminde brick factory is a department of Museum Sønerjylland, which explains the danish history of brick factories and and the history of Souther Jutland’s industry. The museum is beautifully located on an area of about 7 hectare, just next to Flensborg Fjord. The landscape is characterized by clay pits, kneading mills and embarkations of the brick factory.
In 2007, Cartinesminde brick factory was ellected as one of the 25 national industrial monuments by the Danish Agency for Culture.
Sønderborg Castle
The history of Sønderborg Castle presumably goes back to 1158, when Valdemar the Great established it as a defence tower. Over the centuries, the castle had been extended and rebuilt, but in 1964 to 1973, it was restored and brought back to the baroque style, it was given by Frederik IV in the 1720s.
Dybbøl Banke
We are in the middle of the year 1864; a dramatical year, when Denmark fought against two of Europe’s Great Powers – Prussia and Austria. You will be at the same place, where the war was decided by an attack on 18th April 1864.
Come by and get to know the story behind the war, in which both Danes and Germans fought for, what they thought was justiable.
See more on www.1864.dk
Flensborg Fjord from the top
See Flensborg Fjord out of a helicopter’s perspective.
Gendarm path
The Gendarm path from Padborg to Høruphav belongs to one of Denmark’s most beautiful trails. In a historic part of the country and with a delightful nature as a companion, it is not difficult to rejoice and to marvle: over historic monuments, the varying landscape and the stunning views one can experience along the way.
Read more about the beautiful Gendarm path on www.vandreruter.dk/vandreruter/gendarmstien
Gråsten forests
Gråsten forests cover an area of app. 700 hectare, and due to its varied landscape and history, they belong to some of Denmark’s most beautiful forests which were desiganted as national landmark and Natura 2000 area. The forests have largely had the same extent since the Middle Ages and offer lots of experiences in terms of a diverse flora and fauna, many ancient monuments, clean burbling brooks, bogs and lovely lakes.
Here, you can download a folder with more information about the forests (in Danish).
Carriage rides in Gråsten forrests
Ahlefeldvej 4
6300 Gråsten
Phone: +45 7442 3555
Den Gamle Kirke – The Old Church
Den Gamle Kirke, Sct. Laurentius, was inaugurated in 1158, and with that, it belongs to one of the country’s five oldest churches. Participate in a guided tour and get to know the church’s history.
Heinz Saxburger offers tours in Den Gamle Kirke the last Thursday in June and every Thursday in July; always at 7.45pm.
The church has always been interesting for visitors, and over the years, it has, due to restaurations, become even more interesting. For example, the grant of 750.000 DKK from the Danish A.P. Møllers Fund, which was used for paintings in the gallery, which depict the twelve minor prophets and have been covered for centuries.
Entrance is free.
Oldtimer race
Denmark’s biggest meeting on wheels.
Gråsten – Flensburg round-trip. The oldtimer race can be joined by mopeds, motorcycles, scooters and cars, tractors, fire trucks and military vehicles from the good old days.
Come and see more that 1000 beautiful vehicles at ‘Ringriderpladsen’ in Gråsten the last weekend in May.
Read more about the oldtimer race on www.oldtimerlobet.dk
Ring riding
Ring riding is a national folk festival which lasts several days. and includes parties and events in the whole city.
The ring riding place is filled with beer tents, a funfair, and of course hippodromes for the ring riding. Throughout the weekend, you can watch the turnaments or attend the parties.
Sønderborg, Gråsten, Broager and Sønderborg are seen as the great cities for ring riding. Before the knights arrive at the hippodrome, they offer remarkable cavalcades through the city.
Each city has its own unique experiences, ranging from men’s lunch in Sønderborg to the Fridays cavalcade in Gråsten and the bicycle parade in Broager.
The event has its origin in the traditional ring riding, where knight used to fight for the king’s title.
Ring riding is a very popular event among locals and tourists – come by and have look.
KC 1855 – 25.8 – 28.8. 2016
A historic regatta and cultural event. The first Kongelig Classic 1855 (Royal Classic 1855) was held in 2012 and was more than a pleasure for the guests in Aabenraa, Flensburg and Sønderborg.
Enjoy the wonderful sailing ships and the extensive cultural program.
For more information www.kongelig-classic.com
The paper museum’s city
Visit the big shop in the paper museum’s city in Gråsten, which is a 800m2 indoor mini-city with streets and a little square. In several houses, it abounds with paper hobby articles and popular paper clips. Here, you can also find a museum (Det Ganske Lille Papirmuseum), with articles from around the world and a café in which you can relax with a cup of coffee and a meal.
See more on www.karenmarieklip.dk
Danfoss Universe
One of the biggest attractions in the surrounding is UNIVERSE, which is a scientific theme park, in which children and adults get to know science by playing – just following the motto ‘learning by doing’. The whole family can learn about the forces of nature, the wonderful world of science and the technology that makes life even more enjoyable. Come by and have fun.
For more information see www.universe.dk
Krusmølle
Krusmølle – the oasis in the green – is worth a visit each day of the year. Come by and relax in the café, experience the candle factory or enjoy the giftshop.
Get an impression on www.krusmoelle.dk
Providence
Restaurant & Café, beautifully located at Flensborg Fjord.
– Exciting a la carte menu / vegetarian dishes can be ordered
– Big variety of lunch
– Sandwiches (Smørrebrød) and kids menue
– Good coffee and delicious homemade
– Breakfast (only reservations)
– Catering
ORION Planetarium
Here, you can experience the universe, observed out of a comfortable planetarium chair. There are multimedia performances which combine videoclips and photographical pictures from 24 diascopes with star projections from a special Skymaster star projector.
http://www.orionplanetarium.dk/
On the German side of the border
As the Danish – German border crossing in Kruså only is 20km from Marina Minde, there are a lot of good destinations and shopping possibilities in the area. Southern Schleswig and South Jutland have a lot of places of interest as e.g. Flensburg, a historical city which is worth visiting.
Flensburg, only a few sea miles from Marina Minde
Flensburg offers many maritime experiences, which have current and historic character.
From Rum Regatta to the maritime museum, classical wooden ships and a shipyard museum.
For more information: www.flensburg-tourismus.de
Dampf rund um
Every year in July, Flensburg hosts a vast number of steamboats which represents the biggest event in Europe.
During the event, it is possible to experience the steamboats as a passenger on Flensborg Fjord, or enjoy the folklore at the harbour. Besides, you can also take an old steam locomotive out of the harbour and sail back with a steamboat, or vice versa.
There is plenty to look at for both,children and young-at-hearts.
Rum Regatta
The Rum Regatta is annually held in Flensburg in May.
It is a grand event with hundrets of classic wooden boats.
In combination with the regatta, you can also experience the celebrations at the harbor.
Gottorf Castle
Gottorf Castle was built on an island close to the city of Schleswig. It used to be the bishop’s Castle, but from 1268, it belonged to the Duke of Schleswig. Christian I took over the Castle in 1559. Frederik I and Christian III extendet it. From 1544 – 1713, Dukes of Gottorf lived on the castle and made the it to a cultural center with a unique library and a cabinet of curiosities.
The castle was from 1852 to 1864 a Danish casern, and afterwards a German garrison. After World War II, the castle was used for refugees and from 1947, it was used for archival puropses and as museums; among others, as an art museum.
In the great hall, west from the main building, the Nydam boat is exhibited.
Haithabu
Just north of the old city Haithabu (close to Schleswig), you can find a collection of houses, resembling ships, turned upside down. Haithabu museum belongs to Gottorf Castle, which was estabilished in 1985 and holds many of the items that have been unearthed in Haithabu. The exhibition gives a good impression of the different crafts, handicrafts, architectures, etc.
Both, the museum and Haithabu are worth a visit.
