In the heart of Denmark lies a town where the humble plastic brick holds more sway than the latest smartphone. Welcome to Billund, a municipality of just under 8,000 people that proudly serves as the global headquarters of the Lego Group and has been officially dubbed the 'Capital of Children'.
More Than a Theme Park: The Heart of Lego
Arriving at Billund Airport, visitors are immediately immersed in the world of Lego, a theme that continues unabated throughout the town. A short ten-minute bus journey brings you to the Hotel Legoland, a structure that appears to be constructed from the iconic bricks themselves. The hotel offers themed rooms, like the popular Ninjago suite, and countless opportunities for play, ensuring that even teenagers forget their cool exteriors and embrace the fun.
The experience is pleasantly surprising for adults too, with amenities like a extensive breakfast buffet featuring healthy options and hot smoked salmon. Most crucially, the hotel provides direct, early access to the original Legoland theme park, the second largest tourist attraction in Denmark after Copenhagen's offerings.
This Legoland offers a markedly different experience from its often-crowded UK counterpart in Windsor. Guests enjoying early access find an empty park, and even after the main gates open, the atmosphere remains relaxed with minimal queues. The staff in Billund reflect the town's welcoming nature, offering a cheery, Floridian 'have a nice day' demeanour rather than the brusqueness sometimes encountered elsewhere.
Where Creativity Rules: The Magic of Lego House
While Legoland is a major draw, a trip to Billund would be incomplete without a visit to the remarkable Lego House. Kathrine Kirk Muff, a representative for Lego House, encapsulates its mission with the phrase, "We are all about the brick." This massive, Lego-shaped building, which opened in 2017 after a year-and-a-half of construction, represents one of the company's single biggest investments and is a one-of-a-kind attraction.
Inside, the focus is on classic Lego creativity rather than specific themed ranges. The space is home to an incredible 25 million Lego bricks, a figure set to grow with the upcoming Masters Academy attraction in autumn 2025. The environment is designed to suspend time, where play reigns supreme and children consistently lose interest in their phones.
Visitors are issued digital bracelets to record their creations, curbing the temptation to use smartphones for photos. The experience is profoundly interactive, allowing families to build everything from spaceships to animals and even create their own Lego movies. The sprawling 'Tree of Creativity' and master builds from global 'Lego Masters', including a hulking T-Rex and detailed cityscapes, provide endless fascination.
Robotic Chefs and Future Fun
Lego House also pushes technological boundaries with its Mini Chef restaurant experience. Here, robots named Robert and Roberta serve healthy lunchboxes that are ordered via a table console. While the service is unsmiling and procedural—unsurprising given the servers are robots—the novelty is a huge hit with children and adults alike.
The innovation continues with the forthcoming Masters Academy, which will add another five million bricks to the complex. Set up like a TV studio, it will host live, interactive shows for small groups of 40 guests, teaching them the secrets of becoming a Lego Master. Booking ahead is considered essential for this new attraction.
A Town Built for Families
Although Lego is the undeniable star, Billund offers more than just bricks. The flat, tree-shrouded town is easily navigated by foot or bike via its accessible pathways and is home to over 20 family attractions. These include the vast play area of WOW Park, Scandinavia's largest water park at Lalandia Billund, and even a Teddy Bear Art Museum.
However, as journalist Robin McKelvie discovered on his trip with his two daughters, the magnetic pull of Lego is powerful. His daughters, 17-year-old Tara and 14-year-old Emma, found the other attractions hard to compete with the 'Lego dream' that Billund so beautifully sculpts. It stands as a striking testament to a Danish creation that successfully stacks up fun for kids and big kids alike.
Getting there: British Airways and Norwegian both fly direct to Billund from the UK, with a flight time of approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.
