Pops’ Denmark Travel Guide – Part 1, Lolland, Where My Grandfather Came From

Denmark is a peninsula with a cluster of islands with most of them connected by bridges to each other and the peninsula. My relatives live on Lolland, the fourth largest island in the southern portion of Denmark and across the channel from Germany. Lolland is about a 1.5 hour drive from Copenhagen and a 45 minute ferry ride to Germany. Lolland is also known as the "pancake island" because of its flatness: the highest peak of the entire island is 25 m (82 ft) high. Lolland used to flood but now there is a dike around the island to prevent the flooding. The largest town of Lolland is Nakskov, with 15,500 residents. Other main towns are Maribo (6,000 residents), which hosts the seat of the Diocese of Lolland and Sakskobing (3,500 residents), and Rodby (2,500 residents). My relatives live mostly in and around Holeby which is a few miles from Maribo. My Grandfather was born in a small town, Herritslev.

Lolland’s economy is mostly farming with the main crop being sugar beets. There is also a huge sugar producing factory in Nykobing-Falster. At one time, before the bridges, Lolland had a ship building yard in Nakskov but that has long been closed. In its place is a factory that builds the huge power producing windmills you can see all over Europe.

What to see in Lolland:

Lolland is a very rural area and with that it is very laid back and beautiful. It is un-crowded but there is also a lot to do and see. You can see the many sites, including castles and estates, go to the beautiful beaches or fish on the channel between Lolland and Falster. I went fishing and was glad I didn’t catch anything. The fish were very ugly with big sharp teeth. My cousin wanted to catch some for dinner. I’m glad we ended up with beef.

Visiting Nysted is like going back in time. Nysted is a small city with a beautiful port on the southeastern side of the island. The town and harbor originated during the Middle Ages near Aalholm Castle. The town was a natural crossroads for commerce and traffic on account of its having the only natural harbor on the south coast of Lolland. At the port there is a memorial to an American bomber crew that was shot down during World War II. The propeller is part of the memorial with the names of all the service men on the plane. The people of Nysted found the bodies of the crew and returned their dog tags to their families.

Nakskov is in the inner part of the Western inlet of Lolland, which remains one of the agriculturally richest of the Danish islands. The area was settled during the Neolithic period and from this period the area has been continuously inhabited. The town received trade privileges in 1266, during the reign of king Eric 5 of Denmark. Once the export center of the rich farmland region of western Lolland, Nakskov thrived on trade, commerce and industry. Nakskov was once known for ship building but now is known for manufacturing wind mills that produce power. Go to the coast and enjoy the beautiful scenery. There is also an old Russian submarine you can tour. A couple guys wrote a letter to the Russian government asking if they had any old submarines they could have. Surprisingly the Russians said if you can get it back to Denmark you can have it. They towed it back and started tours.  

 

Maribo is the county seat of Lolland. The church in Maribo is worth visiting. Knuthenborg Safari Park is just outside of the city and is a must see. You can drive your car all over the park and view the animals at your own pace.

I would go to Sakskobing just to see the water tower. There is also a nice shopping area downtown.

Rodby is a port city on the south of Lolland facing Germany on the other side of the straight. This is where you can catch the ferry both on foot and by car to Puttgarden, Germany. I have used the ferry many times to get to my relatives in Holeby when traveling from Germany. Take the relaxing ride to Puttgarden and from there you can catch a taxi to the city of Berg for shopping, eating and drinking.

Lollandia is a resort west of Rodby on the coast. At Lollandia you can rent rooms and cabins. There is an 18 hole golf course and a very nice beach. Also, you will find an indoor water park and a bowling alley.