Reviewing Billund in Denmark.
Although Billund might not come to mind when you think of European travel, let me assure you: this small Danish village punches well above its weight. Most people know it as the home of Lego, which means that anywhere you go, your inner child will either be happy or sad, depending on how many little bricks you have stepped on in your life.
Arriving in Billund is a strange feeling, since the airport seems like it was built by someone who adored Lego so much they tried to recreate it in real life. It's little, quick, and you'll get from the baggage carousel to a taxi quicker than you could say "brick by brick." Though the village itself is small, let not that trick you. Though the latter is occasionally dwarfed by screaming youngsters at Lego House, Billund is a centre of inventiveness, entertainment, and Danish hygge.
Ah, Lego House. Where should I even begin? Walking inside is like entering a three-dimensional Pinterest board picked by someone with a somewhat obsessive love of basic colours. There are areas where you may build, places where you can test your engineering skills, and areas where you only gaze at Lego art so beautiful you start doubting your decisions. After spending a good hour attempting to create a bridge strong enough to hold a Lego bus, I began to question the soundness of my own job.
But Billund is more than just memories of youth and bricks. Lalandia is another Scandinavian water park that shows you how much you underrate Danish winter. Then warm up in the sauna while quietly criticising the visitors who believe denim is an appropriate swimsuit, you can slide, swim, and float about in a vast pool complex.
Billund has surprisingly quiet scenery if you like a slower tempo. Walking trails and green areas let you forget you are actually in a town where small plastic rectangles are the principal export. If you haven't tried it, cycling is somewhat of a Danish rite of passage, and the nearby countryside is ideal for it. Try to avoid being run over by someone who obviously views themselves as an expert Tour de France contender.
And then the food is a whole different kind of adventure. Try regional smørrebrød, an open-faced sandwich that is somehow both simple and elegant, or sample classic Danish pastries, which taste like paradise dipped in sugar. Eating in Billund is a mild reminder that Scandinavians know how to do things well, and I personally am not embarrassed to say I left most dinners wondering, Why can't the rest of the world do this?
Billund ultimately combines nostalgia, amusement, and quite outstanding design in a bizarre, tiny mix. You arrive for the Lego, but you linger for the times you chuckle at yourself and question why you ever considered little villages to be dull. And seriously, you are having a really good day if stepping on a Lego brick is the worst that befalls you here.
