Forming part of Denmark’s Triangle Region, Vejen lies partway between Kolding and Esbjerg on the Jutland peninsula. It’s home to an outstanding art museum dedicated to Danish artists and serves as a convenient base for exploring family-friendly attractions such as zoos and fossil digs.
Things to do in Vejen
One of Vejen’s most well-known attractions is the Vejen Art Museum, which houses an impressive collection of works dating from the late 19th century. It was originally established in 1924 to showcase the sculptures of Niels Hansen Jacobsen but has expanded to include paintings by Jens Lund and Harald Slott-Møller, as well as ornamental pieces by Thorvald Bindesbøll.
A short drive from Vejen is the Glad Zoo, where around 80 different animal species from around the globe are exhibited in natural-inspired enclosures. You can get up close to Asian wild dogs, hedgehogs and friendly goats or coincide your visit with one of the spectacular bird of prey shows. In addition to a small cafe, there’s a nature playground and a bouncy castle for kids.
If you continue driving south, you’ll reach Gram Clay Pit, a geological formation where fossils from the Miocene period are preserved. The on-site museum features an impressive exhibition of fossilised sea creatures, including those of extinct whales. But a highlight of any visit is climbing down into the old seabed to dig out your own fossils and inspecting them over refreshments at the cafe.
Getting around Vejen
Vejen is a 40-minute drive from Esbjerg and around 1.5 hours from Aarhus while Copenhagen Airport is 2.5 hours away. Regular trains connect to the Vejen railway station from destinations across Denmark while buses travel throughout the city. The centre of Vejen is compact enough to explore on foot.