Marielyst is the largest beach resort in Denmark by visitor numbers, a long stretch of white sand on the eastern coast of Falster facing the Baltic. The beach itself is the reason to come: it runs for several kilometres, is backed by a belt of pine forest, and has calm, clear water that warms up reasonably well in summer. Compared to the North Sea beaches on the west coast of Jutland, Marielyst is sheltered and safe for children.
The resort consists almost entirely of summer cottages — several thousand of them spread through the forest behind the beach — plus a strip of restaurants, ice cream shops, and mini-golf courses along the main road. There is no real town centre; Marielyst is a seasonal place that comes alive in July and is quiet from September to May.
In peak summer the beach fills up, the roads back up with caravans, and the queues at the fish and chip stands stretch into the afternoon. Come in June or August and it is considerably more pleasant — the weather is still good and the crowds have thinned. The beach extends further to the south and north of the main resort area, where the cottages thin out and the sand is less busy.
The nearest town with proper facilities is Nykøbing Falster, about 15 kilometres north. Gedser, the southernmost tip of Denmark, is a further 10 kilometres south.