Denmark Travel Guide
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is another case of a major city dominating a country. 25% of the population live here and it is home to all the major institutions of the state. Copenhagen is a complete contrast to the rest of the country; outside it is a sleepy, bucolic, rural existence whilst the city is a busy, lively and dynamic place.
Copenhagen got its lucky break when the king, Valdemar I, granted a small fishing village to Bishop Absalom. This began a chain of events that would see Copenhagen become one of Europe's great cultural, commercial cities. The name is a corruption of the original Kobmands Havn (Merchants Harbour).
Although the city is heaving with historical monuments and museums all easily accessible within a short walk of each other this would be nothing without its accompanying street scene. Copenhagen day or night is one of those cities where there is always something interesting going on.
Where to Go and What to See
Tivoli Gardens
One of the world's earliest theme parks. Well not quite, but these world famous gardens (opened in 1843) have always been given over to simple fun. There are some excellent restaurants to enjoy as you stroll around the formal flowerbeds and roller coasters. There are street entertainers of all sorts and, on three nights a week at midnight, there is a huge display of pyrotechnics. Take pleasure in the fountains and reflect on a place devoted to innocent fun. The Gardens are only open during the summer and for a couple of weeks of Christmas frivolity in the winter.
Castles and Palaces
Throughout its history, Denmark has been under the rule of one monarch or another, sometimes a foreign one, sometimes one of their own. They have also been involved in an inordinate number of conflicts with their neighbours. This has left a rich heritage residing in a number of castles and palaces throughout the country. Copenhagen is certainly no exception.
One of the most significant of these is the Christiansborg Castle. Whilst some remnants of the original can still be seen, the main attraction is the fact that it houses the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court and certain royal institutions. The Queen still uses the Renaissance Royal Reception Rooms for official state functions and, assuming the dishes have been cleared away, it is possible to go on a tour through these sumptuous chambers.
Equally worthy of attention is the Rosenborg Castle. Dating from 1634 this small summer palace of Christian IV is surrounded by 12 hectares of glorious gardens. This is also where the Danish crown jewels reside. These, alongside the collected royal bric-a-brac of centuries, make a fascinating picture of Danish royal life over the last 500 years.
The other two palaces of importance are Charlottenborg a former royal residence dating from 1683. Since 1754, it has been the Royal Academy of Art. This is open to visitor's daily, something that can't be said of Amalienborg Castle. This is the winter residence of the present Queen Margrethe II and only one wing is open to the public. This wing consists of royal apartments that were in use between 1863 and 1947.
When the Queen is in residence there is a changing of the guard at midday each day.
The other Royal building of note is the Rundetarn (Roundtower). Built in 1642 by Christian IV as a library and observatory it still functions as the latter today. This is a popular landmark, many tourists making their way to the top every day.
The Museum that Beer Built
Possibly the finest collection in the country was endowed by Carl Jacobsen of the Carlsberg brewery. Jacobsen passed his collection to the nation in 1888. His real passion was for classical art, hence there are large sections devoted to Greek, Roman and Egyptian works. There's more. Gauguin is well represented in a collection that also includes Monet, Degas and Cezanne as well as some decent Danish paintings. Thank goodness for Beer, I always knew it had a cultural value. Pay back the brewers generosity with a visit to the Carlsberg brewery.
National Museum
The other top rate museum in Copenhagen is given over to the culture and history of the country. Exhibits include artefacts dating back to the Bronze Age, Viking weaponry and the centrepiece of the collection, the 3500-year-old sun chariot that was hauled from the ground in Zealand. Danish medieval life is well covered and there are exhibits of Greenland Inuit life. The section that includes Roman, Greek and Egyptian pieces as well as Islamic art is also well worth a look. In addition to all this, there is also now a Children's Museum, which aims to illuminate life in differing cultures through experiences of childhood.
Other museums worth a little of your time include the Resistance Museum, the Royal Arsenal Museum and the Naval Museum.
Hans Christian Anderson
With the possible exception of ex Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby, Andersen is probably Denmark's best-known son. Strictly speaking, this comment on the great storyteller should be in the Odense section above but the statue of the 'Little Mermaid' is one of the most notable landmarks in the city.
Andersen was a writer who worked in many genres, he wrote novels, travel books and poems but it is his fairy tales that brought him fame and paid the rent. The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen (terrifying) and The Emperors New Clothes are some of the tales that appeared in Andersen's collections of fairy tales. The stories them selves were a mix of Danish and German folk tales and his own imagination.
Andersen's early life was far from happy or stable and at 14, he left his hometown of Odense to seek his fortune in Copenhagen. Throughout his life he travelled extensively before his death, aged 70, just outside Copenhagen.
The Little Mermaid statue gives the city its main tourist icon and although it has been variously abused over the years, she still sits placidly (as she has since 1913) waiting for her lover to come. Do not expect anything huge, not for nothing is she called the 'Little' Mermaid.
Not Your Normal Run of The Mill Museums
The Danes have been proud of their liberated attitude towards sex and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Museum Erotica? This celebrates all things to do with rumpy- pumpy of all sorts. The museum is spread over a number of floors of a building the contents of which chart the more recent history of Porn. There are photos from the 1850's, through numerous paintings, toys and other photos. As you go up the building (as it were!) the content becomes more explicit. The top floor houses a wall of video screens showing hard-core porn. I can't begin to imagine why but this floor is the most popular and crowded.
The other oddity is the Oplevelsmuseum or Believe It Or Not. This houses any number of strange exhibits inspired by the work of the US cartoonist R.L Ripley. There is a model of the world's tallest man and a six-legged calf amongst other weirdness.
Food, Drink and a Place to Sleep
Accommodation of all kinds is in plentiful supply in Copenhagen. If you are looking for something at the budget end of the spectrum, you will need to book early in the summer. Most of the decent hotels and hostels are centrally placed.
Prices for eating out are high in Copenhagen, having said that there is a fair choice of places to suit all pockets. There is also a wide range of international cuisines on offer from French (expensive) to Indian, Chinese and Turkish (reasonable) down to the most reasonably priced Italian Pizzerias.
For Danish native food there is a wealth of choice of seafood, check out the open sandwiches (smorrebrod, which has become smorgasbord) and the traditional Danish Pastries. Gorgeous.
As a University City and vibrant capital city Copenhagen has a very lively club and live music scene.
Drinking in Copenhagen isn't quite as costly as in other Scandinavian cities and the beer is excellent. For local rocket fuel try a shot of Aquavit or the Glogg, a warming mulled wine. The pubs in Copenhagen are well used by a populace who take their drinking seriously.
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