Islands in the Kattegat

See Denmark's so-called desert on the isolated island of Anholt, or the dramatic effects of glaciation on Samsø.

Samsø

The Kattegat island of Samsø is green and fertile, and well-known for its fruit and vegetable production. It has a friendly local feel and you can often pick up produce at roadside stalls. In recent years, it’s also developed a reputation as a sustainable community, with widespread use of renewable energy. So head to Samsø for a truly green holiday.

You can visibly see the impressive legacy left by the last glaciation, on the hilly landscape of North Samsø. All along the coast, you’ll see beautiful beaches and impressive seal and sea bird colonies, especially at Besser Reef (Besser Rev).You’ll find Samsø’s compact interior, covered with cosy villages, is easy to explore.

Anholt

Anholt is one of Denmark’s most isolated islands, lying out in the middle of the Kattegat. You can reach Anholt by ferry from Grenaa. You’ll feel the isolation reflected in its landscape of open dunes and beaches. The inland area is known as “the desert” but is in fact a dramatically barren heathland.

Whatever it is, you’ll feel completely free standing out on its wind-blown sand far out in the Kattegat Sea. You may also catch a glimpse of one of the largest seal colonies in Northern Europe, lying at a protected eastern point.