Copenhagen
The coolest, most cosmopolitan, most exciting and, yes, Danny Kaye was right, the most wonderful city in Scandinavia (don’t argue Stockholm): welcome to Copenhagen (København).
The coolest, most cosmopolitan, most exciting and, yes, Danny Kaye was right, the most wonderful city in Scandinavia (don’t argue Stockholm): welcome to Copenhagen (København).
The Jutland (Jylland) Peninsula is where mainland Europe meets Scandinavia although with little drama; the area where the borders meet is a rather monotonous procession of moor and marsh.
Funen (Fyn) is engagingly pretty, with rural scenery, thatched farmhouses and a surprisingly varied set of attractions.
Funen’s 1000-year-old capital is a cheerful place, welcoming to pedestrians and cyclists.
It is well worth taking some days out from the hectic pleasures of Copenhagen to explore the rest of the island of Zealand (Sjælland).
We found it hard to get a handle on Aalborg, sitting at the narrowest point of the Limfjord (the long body of water that slices Jutland in two).
The crooked cobblestone streets of Ribe (pronounced ree-buh) date from 869, making it Denmark’s oldest town.
One of Jutland’s most prized areas is the Lake District (Søhøjlandet), as it dazzles with hills, forests and lakes not found anywhere else in Denmark.
The main sight at the busy port town of Helsingør (Elsinore) is imposing Kronborg Slot, a brute of a castle that dominates the narrowest point of the Øresund.
Skagen, with its rich art, fresh seafood, photogenic neighbourhoods and classic characters, is an utterly delicious slice of Denmark.
First impressions do count, and if your first taste of Esbjerg (pronounced es-be-erg) is the odour of fish or the sight of industrial plants, well, we wouldn’t really blame you for giving it only a cursory glance en route to more glamorous Jutland...
In July, fans pour into town for the four-day-long Roskilde Festival, which vies with Glastonbury for the title of Europe’s biggest rock festival.
Hilly Svendborg is the region’s largest town, a jolly place to be in summer when its cafés and bars fill up with holidaymaking yachties.
In a country of supreme flatness, the modern town of Silkeborg is something of a black sheep, surrounded as it is by hills, sitting on an expansive lake and spaciously laid out.
A thoroughly appealing island, Møn is best known for its spectacular white cliffs, Møns Klint.
The country’s largest town square sits at the heart of Køge, creating an open, relaxed feel from the off.
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