Denmark
Chart-topping contentment and quality of life, blockbuster dining and design, and a cheerful emphasis on hygge – explore (and envy) what makes Denmark tick.
Happiness & Hygge
It’s heart-warming to know there’s still a country where the term ‘fairy tale’ can be used freely – from its most enduring literary legacy to its textbook castles. In a nutshell, Denmark gets it right: old-fashioned charm embraces the most avowedly forward-looking design and social developments. The country wins a regular place on lists of both the most liveable and the happiest nations on earth. You won’t have to search hard to find much-prized hygge, a uniquely Danish trait that has a profound influence on the locals’ inestimable happiness. Hygge is social nirvana in Denmark: a sense of cosiness, camaraderie and contentment.
Quality of Life
While many countries are noticeable for the ever-increasing gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’, Denmark seems to be populated by the ‘have enoughs’, and the obviously rich and obviously poor are few and far between. This egalitarian spirit allows the best of the arts, architecture, eating and entertainment to be within easy reach of everyone. Indeed, the best catchword for Denmark might be ‘inclusive’ – everyone is welcome and everyone is catered to, be they young, old, gay, straight, and whether they travel with kids, pets or bikes in tow. Cities are compact and user-friendly, infrastructure is modern, and travel is a breeze.
The Danish Aesthetic
It’s true, Denmark doesn’t have the stop-you-in-your-tracks natural grandeur of its neighbours, but its landscapes are understated – pure and simple, often infused with an ethereal Nordic light. Such landscapes are reflected in the Danish design philosophy towards fashion, food, architecture, furniture and art. Simplicity of form and function come first but not at the expense of beauty. And so you’ll find moments of quintessential Danish loveliness on a long sandy beach, beside a lake, admiring a Renaissance castle, on the bike lanes of Bornholm or in a candlelit cafe that has perfected the art of hygge.
History & Impact
The world first took notice of Denmark more than a millennium ago, when Danish Vikings took to the seas and ravaged vast tracts of Europe. How things have changed. These days Denmark captures global imagination as the epitome of a civilised society, and it punches above its weight on many fronts: progressive politics, urban planning, sustainability, work-life balance, design and architecture. Recent global crushes, freshly exported from Copenhagen, include a city cycling culture, the New Nordic culinary movement, and brilliantly addictive TV drama series.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Denmark.
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Kronborg Slot
Best known as the Elsinore Castle of Shakespeare's Hamlet, this Unesco World Heritage Site is a vast Renaissance masterpiece topped by baroque green-copper spires. It's ringed by moats, fortifications and powerful Vaubanesque star bastions that you can discover without a ticket. But it's well worth the entry fee to explore the inner palace's rooms, tapestries, ceiling paintings and viewpoints and, best of all, to delve into the spooky maze of casemates – subterranean dungeon passages barely lit by flickering paraffin lamps. The castle began life as Krogen, a formidable tollhouse built by Danish king Erik of Pomerania in the 1420s to command the 4km Øresund strait between Denmark and today's Sweden. Passing ships heading to or from the Baltic had to pay transit fees, which created enormous tax revenues that made the city very wealthy and allowed Frederik II to vastly expand the castle in 1585. A major fire in 1629 destroyed most of the interior, bar the chapel, but Kronborg came back to life under tireless builder-king Christian IV, who preserved the castle’s earlier Renaissance style while adding his own baroque touches. During the Danish-Swedish wars, the Swedes occupied the castle from 1658 to 1660, looting everything of value, including its then-famous fountain. Thereafter, Christian V bulked up Kronborg’s defences, but the Danish royals gave up trying to make the castle a home. The building was used as a barracks from 1785 until 1924, when it became a museum (the Swedish government sportingly returned some previously looted items). The site is extensive, and to do it justice you'll need a couple of hours. Around half of that will be spent wandering in areas that are open sunrise to sunset without fee, but for the payable area, note that ticket sales (and entries to the 145-step Cannon Tower) stop half an hour before official closing time. Free wi-fi and several QR-coded information points allow you to download commentaries and a Kronborg visitor app for your mobile phone. From June to August before 5pm there are interactive moments where you might encounter actors playing Hamlet characters. Tickets include optional guided tours, with English versions typically through the day, plus casemates only at 1pm and (possibly) 4pm. The accessible Royal Apartments section covers two floors of the castle with several huge spaces in which the royal ladies would promenade – going outside was too much for their delicate shoes. See the king's desk, his-and-hers royal bedrooms, and what was, in 1585, the longest ballroom in Scandinavia. Banquets held here consisted of 65 courses, with each guest equipped with their own vomiting bucket. You arrive back into the central courtyard via an extensive gift shop, behind which is an easily missed push-screen historical timeline. Don't give up yet. Across the courtyard, separate doorways lead to the Cannon Tower (great views, sweaty climb), the well-explained tapestry collection, the 1582 chapel (with original interior fully restored since 1843) and the casemates. Though essentially empty apart from nesting bats and a foreboding statue of Viking chief Holger Danske (Ogier the Dane), this very extensive series of low-ceilinged dungeons, storerooms and soldiers’ quarters stretches a surprisingly long way beneath the castle. It’s suitably dark and creepy, but just follow the dimly lit arrows and you'll emerge…eventually. One extra perk of the paid ticket is the right to walk up to the Flag Bastion for views towards Sweden.
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Frederiksborg Slot
One of Denmark's most impressive buildings, this gigantic, Dutch Renaissance–styled fortress-palace rises proudly out of photogenic moat-lake Slotsø. Access is free to the impressive central courtyards and huge, beautifully tended park with baroque gardens. To visit the interiors (ticket required) you'll need around three hours to do justice to the 80-plus rooms overloaded with beautiful furniture, tapestries, endless portraiture and gilded decor of astonishingly pompous grandiosity. Copious info-cards, along with free audio guides in nine languages, add plentiful context. The oldest part of the castle dates from the reign of Frederik II, after whom it is named. His son Christian IV was born here, and most of the present structure was built by Christian in the early 17th century. Especially dazzling is the Slotskirken, where Danish monarchs were crowned between 1671 and 1840. It retains the original interior commissioned by Christian IV, having survived an 1859 fire that ravaged much of the original castle. It's a deliciously ornate confection of curling gold and pink-cheeked cherubs, the altar, font and pulpit crusted with silver detail and overlooked by a priceless 1610 Compenius organ (played on Thursdays for half an hour at 1.30pm). Also fairly intact is the Audience Chamber, an eye-boggling room containing trompe l’œil details, a self-indulgent portrait of big-nosed Christian V posing as a Roman emperor, and, best of all, a 17th-century elevator chair, which enabled the king to rise regally through the floor! Other rooms in the castle were restored to their original appearances in the 19th century, notably the richly embellished Riddershalen, a vast ballroom complete with minstrels’ gallery and vivid ceiling carvings. The rest of the 1st and 2nd floors contain the Museum of National History, a chronologically arranged portrait gallery of kings, noblemen and olden-day celebrities, interspersed with unusual pieces of furniture. It’s a lot to digest in one go – you might be better off concentrating on the time periods that interest you. North of the castle is an extensive park, Slotshaven. The formal baroque garden (open from 10am till sunset), made up of perfect terraces and immaculately manicured yew and box, demonstrates that even nature was forced to bend to a king’s will. In the Romantic garden, Indelukket, 18th-century rigidity melts into a wilder 19th-century notion of gardening. North again is the oak wood of Lille Dyrehave, which was planted to provide material for boat-building after the Danish fleet was confiscated by England in 1807. You could easily spend a pleasant hour strolling through the three sections, perhaps combining the walk with a ride on the little Frederiksborg ferry.
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Legoland
Mind-blowing Lego models, fun rides and the happy-family magic associated with great theme parks have transformed Legoland into Denmark’s most visited tourist attraction outside of Copenhagen. It’s a great day outing (you’ll need a day to do it justice) and it sits smack-bang in the middle of Jutland, 1km north of Billund. The heart of Legoland is Miniland – 20 million plastic Lego blocks snapped together to create miniature cities and replicate global icons (and re-create scenes from Star Wars movies). You can’t help but marvel at the brilliant Lilliputian models of the Kennedy Space Center, Amsterdam, Bergen or a Scottish castle and you’ll no doubt vow to head home and drag your Lego out of storage to see what masterpiece you can create. In Miniland you can also do some advance sightseeing of Danish landmarks including Copenhagen’s Nyhavn, Ribe, Skagen and various royal palaces. Or take a trip in miniboats past landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, the Acropolis and an Egyptian temple. The reconstructions are on a scale of 1:20 to 1:40 and the attention to detail is incredible. The park’s largest piece, a model of Indian chief Sitting Bull, was built with 1.4 million Lego bricks. (The smallest piece? A Miniland dove, built from four small white bricks.) Pick up a map to assist with further exploration. The park is divided into themed areas, including Legoredo Town, a Wild West area that's home to a haunted house; Knights’ Kingdom, where a medieval castle awaits; Pirate Land, which hosts ships, sword-play and a swimming area; Ninjago World, the place to battle a ninja-loathing serpent; Adventure Land, a strange hybrid of Indiana Jones meets Egypt; Polar Land, with a roller coaster and a penguin habitat; and Duplo Land, with plenty of safe, simple rides and activities for littlies. For some downtime stop by Atlantis, an aquarium built around Lego models of divers and submersibles. For the chilled park-goer there are placid rides, from merry-go-rounds to a tranquil train ride; adrenaline junkies should seek out the roller coasters. Once the entrance fee is paid, all rides are free – the only exception is the SEAT Driving School (99kr), for kids aged seven to 13. Note that the admission price is slightly cheaper if you buy your tickets in advance online.
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Tivoli Gardens
Dating from 1843, tasteful Tivoli wins fans with its dreamy whirl of amusement rides, twinkling pavilions, carnival games and open-air stage shows. Visitors can ride the renovated, century-old roller coaster, enjoy the famous Saturday evening fireworks display or just soak up the story-book atmosphere. A good tip is to go on Friday during summer when the open-air Plænen stage hosts free rock concerts by Danish bands (and the occasional international superstar) from 10pm – go early if it's a big-name act. Indeed, Tivoli is at its most romantic after dusk, when the fairy lights are switched on, cultural activities unfold and the clock tower of the neighbouring Rådhus soars in the moonlight like the set of a classic Disney film. Each of Tivoli's numerous entertainment venues has a different character. Perhaps best known is the open-air Pantomime Theatre, built in 1874 by Vilhelm Dahlerup, the Copenhagen architect who also designed the royal theatre. Tivoli's large concert hall features performances by international symphony orchestras and ballet troupes, as well as popular musicians. While the numerous open-air performances are free of charge, there's usually an admission fee for the indoor performances – check the website for venue details, line-ups and prices. Amusement ride tickets cost 30kr (some rides require up to three tickets), making the unlimited-ride wristband (230kr) better value in most cases. Outside the main summer season, Tivoli also opens for approximately three weeks around Halloween, from mid-November to late December for Christmas, through February for the Winter Season, and at Easter. For up-to-date opening times, see the Tivoli website.
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Christiania
Escape the capitalist crunch and head to Freetown Christiania, a hash-scented commune straddling the eastern side of Christianshavn. Since its establishment by squatters in 1971, the area has drawn nonconformists from across the globe, attracted by the concept of collective business, workshops and communal living. Explore beyond the settlement's infamous 'Pusher St' – lined with shady hash and marijuana dealers who do not appreciate photographs – and you'll stumble upon a semi-bucolic wonderland of whimsical DIY homes, cosy garden plots, eateries, beer gardens and music venues. Before its development as an alternative enclave, the site was an abandoned 41-hectare military camp. When squatters took over, police tried to clear the area. They failed. The hippie revolution was at its peak and wave after wave of alternative folk continued to pour in. Bowing to public pressure, the government allowed the community to continue as a social experiment. Self-governing, ecology-oriented and generally tolerant, Christiania residents did, in time, find it necessary to modify their 'anything goes' approach. A new policy was established that outlawed hard drugs, and the heroin and cocaine pushers were expelled. The main entrance into Christiania is on Prinsessegade, 200m northeast of its intersection with Bådsmandsstræde. From late June to the end of August, 60- to 90-minute guided tours (50kr) of Christiania run daily at 1pm and 3pm (3pm weekends only September to late June). Tours commence just inside Christiania's main entrance on Prinsessegade.
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Rosenborg Slot
A 'once upon a time' combo of turrets, gables and moat, the early-17th-century Rosenborg Slot was built in Dutch Renaissance style between 1606 and 1633 by King Christian IV to serve as his summer home. Today the castle's 24 upper rooms are chronologically arranged, housing the furnishings and portraits of each monarch from Christian IV to Frederik VII. The pièce de résistance is the basement Treasury, home to the dazzling crown jewels, among them Christian IV's glorious crown and Christian III's jewel-studded sword. Feeling cramped at Rosenborg, King Frederik IV built a roomier palace in the 18th century in the town of Fredensborg, north of the city. In the years that followed, Rosenborg was used mainly for official functions and as a place in which to safeguard the monarchy's heirlooms. In the 1830s the royal family decided to open the castle to visitors as a museum, while still using it as a treasury for royal regalia and jewels. To avoid the queues (especially in the summer months), buy your ticket online. The ticket can be sent directly to your smartphone so there's no need to print a copy. Also, buying your ticket online ensures you entry in your desired time slot. If you have a Copenhagen Card, however, you will need to obtain your tickets in person at the castle ticket office.
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ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum
Inside the cubist, red-brick walls of Aarhus’ showpiece art museum are nine floors of sweeping curves, soaring spaces and white walls showcasing a wonderful selection of Golden Age works, Danish modernism and an abundance of arresting and vivid contemporary art. The museum's cherry-on-top is the spectacular Your Rainbow Panorama, a 360-degree rooftop walkway offering views of the city through its glass panes in all shades of the rainbow. The rainbow halo is the brainchild of Olafur Eliasson, a Danish-Icelandic artist famed for large-scale, conceptual pieces. Another iconic piece is Australian artist Ron Mueck’s Boy, an astoundingly lifelike, oversized (5m-high) sculpture of a crouching boy. The museum's basement (level 0) is dedicated to international video and light art, as well as evocative installations. ARoS stages varied special exhibitions throughout the year (check the website) and also hosts the ARoS Triennial, launched in 2017. Art aside, the museum houses a fantastic gift shop and light-filled cafe on level 4 (free entry), as well as a restaurant on level 8.
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Statens Museum for Kunst
Denmark's National Gallery straddles two contrasting, interconnected buildings: a late-19th-century 'palazzo' and a sharply minimalist extension. The museum houses medieval and Renaissance works and impressive collections of Dutch and Flemish artists, including Rubens, Breughel and Rembrandt. It claims the world's finest collection of 19th-century Danish 'Golden Age' artists, among them Eckersberg and Hammershøi, foreign greats like Matisse and Picasso, and modern Danish heavyweights including Per Kirkeby. Among the contemporary stars are Danish/Norwegian duo Elmgreen and Dragset and Vietnamese-born Danish artist Danh Vo. The latter co-designed the museum's light-filled, organic cafe, Kafeteria. Statens Museum for Kunst also claims an extensive collection of drawings, engravings and lithographs representing the works of such prominent artists as Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. Check the website for upcoming temporary exhibitions.
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Nyhavn
There are few nicer places to be on a sunny day than sitting at an outdoor table at a cafe on the quayside of the Nyhavn canal. The canal was built to connect Kongens Nytorv to the harbour and was long a haunt for sailors and writers, including Hans Christian Andersen. He wrote The Tinderbox, Little Claus and Big Claus and The Princess and the Pea while living at No 20, and also spent time living at Nos 18 and 67. The oldest house on the canal is number 9, remarkably unaltered since its construction in 1681. Today Nyhavn is a tourist magnet of brightly coloured gabled town houses, salty boats and foaming beers. It's also a handy place to hop on a boat ride with Canal Tours Copenhagen.
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