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One of Europe's coolest, most laid back countries, the Danes enjoying the highest standard of living in the world, this is what remains of a Viking empire that once was vast and powerful and is in fact also the oldest kingdom in the world. Its attractions include not only the capital Copenhagen, but a range of towns and rural areas spread across the 450 islands that make up the country and are grouped into three regions: Sjaeland, Fyn and Jylland. Recently it has become easy to hop across to Malmo, Sweden while travelling in this region, with the construction of a bridge connecting Copenhagen to the rest of Scandinavia.
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Danish design classics
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The main hub of tourism is centred on Sjaeland, dominated by the wonderful city of Copenhagen. This is a great city to explore on foot, stopping frequently to enjoy the excellent cafes, bars and restaurants along the way. Its districts of Norrebro and Vesterbro have great fashion stores, and a popular trip is taken by boat around the canals and harbour. The city features some outstanding contemporary architecture and design, while a favourite event to catch would probably be the Copenhagen Jazz Festival held in the summer months. Popular attractions here are the city's many castles: the Amalienborg palace, the Christiansborg Castle, the Charlottenborg set within vast gardens and Rosenborg Castle which is a museum for some of the nation's historic treasures. The Tivoli Gardens are in summer months, famous for their nightly fireworks.
Outside the capital, Fyn is predominantly rural, with endless green pasture land as well as unspoilt sandy beaches. Here, Odense is worth a visit for its links with the author Hans Christian Anderson, a charming provincial university town with a lively student scene, lots of folk music events and a zoo which sets out to recreate an African nature reserve. Billund is the home of the Legoland Theme Park, while Roskilde has a fascinating Viking Ship Museum as well as holding an important annual music festival.
In Jylland, the landscape becomes more rugged as fjords penetrate inland from the Baltic Sea, and visitors are drawn towards the towns of Aarhus and Aalborg. The former is regarded as Denmark's more bohemian capital for the arts and has a great location for tourists with its proximity to some delightful beaches, forests and castles. Nearby are the Marselisborg Castle and the excellent Prehistoric Museum which is set within an enormous ancient forest. This is also a student town with a reputation for a lively bar scene and great night life. For an insight into Danish culture, a must-see is the local Den Gamle By, a museum of urban culture and history. |