A night behind bars becomes a reality at SleepIn FÆNGSLET. SleepIn is an unforgettable overnight stay with plenty of food for thought. The hostel is situated in the prison’s old sick ward.
Denmark: Sjælland – Wadden Sea
On my quest to visit as many UNESCO World Heritage Sites as I can, I wanted to head out in the afternoon to the Wadden Sea, which had a shoreline not too far from where we were staying Ribe, an attractive, ancient town in western Denmark.
The Wadden Sea stretches from Den Helder, in the northwest of the Netherlands, past the great river estuaries of Germany to its northern boundary at Skallingen in Denmark along a total coastline of some 500 km (310 mi) and a total area of about 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi). It forms a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands which supports a high biological diversity and is an important area for both breeding and migrating birds. In 2009, the Dutch and German parts of the Wadden Sea were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and the Danish part was added in June 2014.
We were not quite sure where we were going exactly, initially heading for the Visitor Centre, which turned out to be more of a museum. So, we didn’t hand around too long, and instead followed the road toward the coast. The road ended and we parked up. It was a flat, and open landscape, which I can imagine is totally barren in the winter – but today it was lovely. We climbed up onto the dike that protects the land beyond from the ingress of the sea. Humans in Southern Jutland have always struggled against sea flooding. Because of the significant storm surges experienced in Denmark in 1976 and 1981, the Danish government subsequently decided to reinforce the existing dikes thoroughly and build an advanced dike in the Tønder marshland. And it was on one of these dikes that we found ourselves. We walked for about 1.5 km to where there was a sheltered marker that gave some history on the dikes and arable land in the area.
Laying off the coast are a series of small marsh islands, one of which is called Mandø. In theory, you can drive your car across it is not recommended, so the safest way to get there is by a trailer pulled by a tractor – referred to as a tractor-train. Sadly, we missed the last one of the day, but we did see them coming back. It looked a lot of fun. Another way of getting to Mando is on horseback, and we saw a group coming back across, presumably to miss the incoming tide. This looked more fun than the tractor train – if you get on with horses that is.
Planning your visit to Ribe
Ribe is located in West Jutland on the Danish North Sea coast. The town has just over 8,000 inhabitants and belongs to the municipality of Esbjerg, to the south of whose centre it is located. It is less than 40 kilometres from the Danish North Sea island of Rømø. The island of Mandø is even closer and is located about 20 kilometres west of Ribe in the North Sea.
From Central Europe, most holidaymakers travel to Ribe by car. The town can be reached from Hamburg in less than three hours by land, for example. Ribe can also be easily reached by public transport. As there are no direct flights from outside the region, the only option is to fly via Copenhagen.
Where to stay in Ribe
1. Hotel Dagmar
Hotel DagmarHotel Odeon is located in Odense, 656 feet from Odense train station. Featuring a 24-hour front desk, this property also provides guests with a restaurant. The accommodations offer a business centre and free WiFi.
Guest rooms in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV. The rooms come with a private bathroom with a hair dryer. The units at Hotel Odeon include climate control, a desk and a chair.
2. Hotel Ribe
Hotel Ribe is offering accommodations in Ribe. Each room at the 3-star inn has city views, and guests can enjoy access to a terrace and to a restaurant. The property is non-smoking throughout and is located a 2-minute walk from Ribe Cathedral.
All guest rooms at the inn are equipped with a seating area and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Free WiFi is available to all guests, while selected rooms here will provide you with a balcony. At Hotel Ribe all rooms come with bed linen and towels.
3. Budget – Danhostel Ribe
Located in Ribe, a 5-minute walk from Ribe Cathedral, Danhostel Ribe has accommodations with a garden, free private parking, a shared lounge and a terrace. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a shared kitchen and an ATM, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Guests can have a drink at the snack bar.
At the hostel, rooms contain a closet. Danhostel Ribe provides certain accommodations that have city views, and rooms come with a private bathroom with a shower. At the accommodation every room includes a seating area.
More to Explore
