Sønderborg is Denmark’s 16th largest municipality and the “capital” of Southern Jutland. Around 75,000 people live here – many of them families with children – and there is plenty of room for more who wish to enjoy a safe and active family life close to nature, the city and a strong sense of community.
In recent years, Sønderborg has developed significantly – not only as a centre for business and education, but also as a place where family life has the best possible conditions. Once known as a quiet provincial town, Sønderborg is today a vibrant, ambitious and family-friendly municipality, an attractive destination for holidays and conferences, and an internationally recognised development hub for the green transition.
Distances here are short – both geographically and socially – which means more time for family and less time spent commuting. At the same time, the town is closely connected to the rest of the world, with just a 35-minute flight to Copenhagen and around an hour and a half’s drive to Hamburg. With its location in the border region, its open culture and no fewer than 150 different languages spoken, Sønderborg offers a unique international atmosphere that contributes positively to children’s upbringing and makes everyday life easier to manage – whether you live, work or study in the town.
Sønderborg Municipality stretches across the entire island of Als and across Sundeved on the Jutland side. Whether you choose to live in the town centre, in a residential neighbourhood or in a smaller local community, nature is never far away. Water, forests and open landscapes are a natural part of everyday life – perfect for walks, cycling trips and outdoor family time.
The town offers modern residential areas, established villa neighbourhoods and lively urban environments where children can grow up safely. Many families highlight the sense of security, community and manageable everyday life as some of the greatest advantages of settling in Sønderborg.
Sønderborg offers a wide range of schools, including public schools, independent schools, private schools and international schools, giving your family excellent opportunities to find the educational option that suits your children best.
The municipality’s international character is also reflected in its school system. German schools and English-language options are available, and Sønderborg International School, for example, offers education from kindergarten through to Year 11. In addition, Sønderborg is one of only ten university towns in Denmark and home to the country’s most international campus, creating a strong educational environment from primary school through to higher education.
For the youngest children, Sønderborg offers good and flexible childcare options, including day-care centres, nurseries, kindergartens and childminders. All of these share a strong focus on wellbeing, learning and secure relationships, ensuring that both children and parents feel well supported.
Many institutions actively work with outdoor activities, physical movement and community, and nature is often integrated as a natural part of children’s everyday lives.
An active leisure life is an important part of family life in Sønderborg. The municipality has hundreds of associations and sports clubs where children and young people can enjoy everything from football, handball and swimming to ballet, music, scouting and creative activities.
In addition, the town offers nature playgrounds, an adventure park, beaches, forests and green spaces, providing plenty of opportunities for play and experiences – even outside organised activities.
The cultural life is just as diverse, ranging from summer revues and a symphony orchestra to local bands and international superstars that the whole family can enjoy.
Sønderborg’s town centre is lively and family-friendly, with a varied retail scene, cafés, specialty shops and gourmet restaurants. There is room for both everyday shopping and cosy moments with the family.
The town’s waterfront and pedestrian streets host events, markets and activities throughout the year, and it is easy to combine shopping, café visits and playtime for children. This makes Sønderborg a town where family life is also lived in the city – not only at home.
There are many wonderful places in Denmark – but we are quite certain that Sønderborg has something truly special to offer. Sønderborg combines international outlook with local security. Here, business, education, culture and nature come together in a way that creates a unique balance between the global and the local.
We build the future on the history that has shaped us here in the border region for centuries, where we have been at the centre of both conflict and development and have learned to collaborate across borders, cultures and differences.
In Sønderborg, there has never been far from idea to action, and we work together to create change. That is why the municipality today is home to a motorway, a university, a luxury hotel, a multicultural centre and a waterfront designed by a world-renowned architect. Achievements like these are possible because some of Denmark’s largest global industrial companies are based in Sønderborg – and together with the municipality and other local stakeholders they take responsibility for developing the area through unique and close collaboration.
It is also this collaboration that has enabled Sønderborg to attract major events such as the Tour de France, Royal Run and the international IEA conference.
Sønderborg is driven by strong local initiative, and this is one of the main reasons why the municipality is now close to becoming CO₂-neutral. The ambition is to reach this goal by 2029, and the development is already well underway. A key driving force is the close public-private partnership ProjectZero, which ensures a continued focus on making the entire supply chain greener.
As the first Danish municipality, Sønderborg has also been admitted to UNESCO’s Sustainable Learning Cities network, underlining its long-term and holistic approach to sustainable development. However, the ambition extends beyond the municipality’s own borders – Sønderborg also aims to act as a pioneer and knowledge-sharing partner in the green transition.
This is clearly reflected in the business sector, where around 60% of industry – corresponding to nearly 6,000 jobs – works with green solutions. At the same time, Denmark’s environmental technology cluster CLEAN has chosen to locate its headquarters in Sønderborg, strengthening the municipality’s position as a green powerhouse.
So come a little closer – and experience how family life, community and opportunity go hand in hand in Sønderborg.
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