Balle: Zoo, Round Dolmen and Romanesque Church

A stay in Balle can be planned around different interests: watching animals at Munkholm Zoo, visiting a prehistoric monument, exploring Romanesque church architecture or cycling along a signposted national cycle route. These themes give the town more than one main focus. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first consider which of these activities will be the deciding factor for your trip. Addresses, directions and route details can then help you plan your days.

Munkholm Zoo and Getting There

Munkholm Zoo is located at Munkholmvej 5, 8444 Balle. More than 400 animals from 80 different species live there. These two figures give an idea of the zoo’s animal population from two angles: the number of animals and the variety of species. Regional bus route 123, which runs between Grenå and Ebeltoft, is relevant for travel by public transport. Get off in Balle for the zoo; from there, it is a further 2-kilometer walk. Factor this distance into your schedule and check the timetable before travelling.

Balle Dysse: A Prehistoric Monument

Just north of Balle lies Balle Dysse, a fully preserved round dolmen in a burial mound. It dates to approximately 3400 BC. This approximate date places the monument in a distant prehistoric period. Access is via a footpath: a marker post stands at the roadside, and the path leads across the field to the burial mound. Three landmarks structure the directions: the roadside, the post and the path to the mound. Visitors thus get both a historical timeframe and practical directions for reaching the monument.

Romanesque Architecture at Rosmus Church

Rosmus Church is located at Rosmus Bygade 26, 8444 Balle. It has a Romanesque nave and a Romanesque chancel. The nave is the main part of the church, and the chancel is the area by the altar; both terms help explain the church’s architectural layout. Its oldest item of church furnishings is also Romanesque: a granite baptismal font decorated with lions. The architecture and furnishings thus offer two different ways to explore the church.

Cycle Route and Landscape Orientation

In Syddjurs, the national cycle route runs from Balle via Ebeltoft and Rønde. It is signposted at every junction. This gives you both the places along the route and a practical way to find your way when planning a ride. This makes a cycling trip different from a visit to a single destination: the route itself is part of the planning. At Åvangen in Balle, the beach and forest are a short distance away. So, in addition to the route and monuments, local landscape features can help you orient yourself.

The transport information is not interchangeable when planning your day: for the zoo visit, a bus followed by a walk is mentioned; for the national route, signs at junctions are noted. This helps you distinguish between the kind of day you want—a visit to a single destination or a tour through several places.

Discover more destinations: Boeslum, Stubbe, Esby, Lyngsbæk, Skødshoved Strand, Femmøller, Knebel, Ebdrup.

For the broader travel overview: Syddjurs Municipality.