When Jason suggested we visit a castle he had found online, I agreed it looked pretty interesting. The decision to go there led to one of my favourite days.

The Egeskov Castle, built in the 1400s, was not just a castle but a journey through time. From its humble beginnings as an unfortified village manor, it was transformed into a highly fortified stronghold in 1554. Today, it stands as one of the best-preserved moated Renaissance castles in Northern Europe. As we stepped onto the grounds, the castle beckoned from a distance, and we strolled through the meticulously maintained gardens on our way to reach it.

Flowers were in full bloom, and we enjoyed the serenity as the sweet aromas of the blooms surrounded us. We came to the castle, passing over the moat and through a short tunnel. Before entering, we enjoyed a coffee and people-watched.

The first room we entered depicted someone’s passion for all things hunting. Heads and pelts of dozens of animals lined the walls (I didn’t stay long). From there, every room was more beautiful than the last, filled with stylish furniture and accessories from years past. Gorgeous quilts lined the beds that I was enthralled with. One hung on the wall, and upon studying it closely, I realized the thousands of tiny hand-made stitches that had gone into every detail of the large quilt. Jason was impressed with all the woodworking of the beams and corbels that had been hand-hewn. We commented on the time and skill it would have taken to make just one of them, let alone the hundreds throughout.

At the very top, we could access the attic, which was filled with large displays of toys, some dating back to the 1800s. We even found one of an early LEGO truck and two LEGO toy gas pumps. Also on display in the attic was an intriguing display of duelling guns. Exciting stories were artfully put together. Everything was so clean, and as we learned later from talking to a lady at the front desk, the whole castle is dusted daily. 

As we delved deeper into the castle’s offerings, we realized that our initial plan of a couple of hours of visiting would need to be revised. The vastness of the property, which was not fully apparent on the map, unfolded before us. What was meant to be a brief tour turned into a day-long adventure filled with endless, unexpected discoveries.

Admission included numerous museums right there on the property. A whole building was dedicated to displaying old buggies, one of countless antique cars and another of motorcycles. An exhibit of airplanes mounted high over a fabulous display of old camping tents and trailers sat in yet another building. A depiction of a general store carried every kind of soap, medicine, cigarettes, spices, and cleaning products lined up tastefully on shelves, probably just as they would have been ages ago. Fire trucks from as far back as when they were first produced filled an enormous room, and the first emergency call centre was laid out, showing just how far modern-day equipment has improved the efficiency of the fire department. 

Somewhere in our day, we found time for lunch in one of the old buildings, set up with tables where we could relax. I was getting tired, my legs telling me to quit, when we decided to quickly do the maze, which would be the day’s last stop.

It was laid out around a central tower. The goal was to find our way to the tower. Easier said than done. We walked and walked. My legs were screaming at me to quit, but I had to keep going, fearing I would never get out. Jason kept saying he thought we were almost there when he came to a dead end, and we had to backtrack a long way to get back on track. I was so glad to finally find the tower and even happier that we didn’t have to navigate our way out further once we did.

At the top, we were rewarded with amazing views of the maze we had just conquered, and it was time for our daily chat with the girls, so they got a nice view with us. After saying goodbye to them, we took the stairs down the tower and found the gate to let us out, and we began another long walk back to the car. It had been quite a day and one of my favourites to date. I wish I lived closer because this would be a place I would come to many, many times. My legs would disagree!