Article written by Niels Kayser Nielsen

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Leisure time is something we take for granted, but that hasn't always been the case. At one time, only nobles or the wealthy middle class had time to visit the coast, go to the theatre or hunt. Eventually, white-collar workers were granted the right to holiday and time off at the weekend, when they were free to spend their time playing the newest sports from Britain. But it wasn't until the 20th century that workers were also permitted to take time off to relax at their allotment, play badminton or go to dances at the village hall.

Leisure time is a new phenomenon. People have always taken a break from their work, but the concept of leisure time doesn't appear in history until the latter half of the 18th century. In Denmark, leisure time was long the privilege of the nobility and the middle classes. Nobles used their free time hunting, while the middle classes read, visited salons and attended the theatre. Denmark was no different from the rest of Europe in this respect. But, Danes had one thing many other European elites didn't have – a long coastline. So, when visiting the coast became all the rage in Europe around 1800, Danish aristocrats were quick to catch on.
Early on, bathing and summer recreation were activities mostly popular with wealthy Copenhageners. Well-to-do urbanites headed north during the summer months. It was called going to the country", but it was the coasts they were in search of. The annual migration led to summer residences being built along the beaches of the Sound and the …

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