Our neighbors from Denmark have repeatedly been voted the happiest people in the world. Perhaps it is due to the wide and calming Danish coastal landscape, the many charming palaces and castles or simply the hygge lifestyle that the Danes almost celebrate. We don’t really know, but we do know that the Danish sights of our neighbors in the north are always worth visiting. Note: According to Countryaah, Denmark is a country located in north part of Europe. Here are our top 10:
10TH PLACE: ROSENBORG CASTLE
In our opinion, Rosenborg Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in Copenhagen. Not only the fairytale-like castle itself, but also the huge royal gardens give the castle something imaginative. The former summer residence of Christian IV. Is over 400 years old and now houses a museum on the royal history of Denmark. The richly decorated walls and ceilings, but also the precious porcelain and the guest gifts from all over the world bear witness to the royal wealth of that time. In addition to all the magnificent exhibits, you can also discover the crown jewels of past kings in the museum.
9TH PLACE: ORESUND BRIDGE
You can see it from afar, at least part of it. All in all, it can only be seen from the air, because with its length of 7,845 meters, the Øresund Bridge is a small masterpiece of architecture. The longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, which is accessible by both car and train, connects Copenhagen with Malmö in Sweden. But the bridge doesn’t quite extend from mainland to mainland: in the direction of Copenhagen, the lane disappears into the sea and continues through the Drogden Tunnel to the capital of Denmark. This ensured that air traffic was not impaired. The phenomenal structure cost around one billion euros and was built in 40 months. It has been navigable since 2000.
8TH PLACE: FREETOWN CHRISTIANIA
A hotly controversial topic in Denmark made it to our 8th place. The alternative housing estate Christiania can be found in the middle of the capital. It is an autonomous area that is tolerated by the state and so lives according to its own laws and rules. The residential community was formed in 1971 on a former military site. In addition to the creatively designed residential buildings, there are several art studios, restaurants, cafés, workshops, small market stalls and their own kindergarten in Christiania. The residents even trade with one another in their own currency. The free city has fallen into disrepute due to the so-called Pusher Street, where in the past there was obviously cannabis trade that was tolerated by the government. However, when some violent incidents occurred, Denmark had Pusherstreet closed by the Danish police in 2018. Nonetheless, you can wonderfully spend an afternoon in Christiania strolling through the small studios. The highlights for many are the street art works and graffiti, but you can also simply relax in one of the cafés or at the lake and let your free spirit run free.
7TH PLACE: VIKING SHIP MUSEUM IN ROSKILDE
If you want to follow in the footsteps of the Vikings, you shouldn’t miss a visit to Roskilde. The small town with the famous cathedral is about 35 kilometers from Copenhagen and is worth seeing in itself. An annual highlight is the Roskilde Festival at the beginning of July, which attracts around 100,000 visitors from all over Europe every year. However, the Viking Museum remains the highlight of the place and offers insights into shipping in the past. You can find 5 finds from original Viking ships in the museum. In order to better understand the elaborate construction, Viking ships are also being built here true to detail and using the original methods. You can also work here yourself or sail on one of the replicas. A film, and guided tours in various languages provide further background information on life as a Viking. An adventurous journey into the past for young and old.
6TH PLACE: HANS-CHRISTIAN-ANDERSEN IN ODENSE
One of the most famous Danes in history is the writer Hans Christian Andersen. The author became famous with fairy tales like “The Little Mermaid”, “The Ugly Duckling”, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” or “The Princess and the Pea”. But most of them do not know that Hans Christian Andersen originally wanted to be a dancer. He was particularly interested in operas and ballet, but also in the theater. After an unsuccessful dance debut, he began his writing career as an operetta writer long before he put his more famous stories on paper.
Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark’s third largest city, on the island of Funen. This is where the birthplace is located, which was opened to the public in 1908. There is also a museum dedicated to the life and works of the poet and writer. The silhouettes of the versatile artist are particularly beautiful to look at. Everywhere in the city you can find sculptures from fairy tales. You can tell that Odense is a city that is proud of its famous son.
5TH PLACE: AMALIENBORG PALACE
In the middle of the city of Copenhagen stands Amalienborg Palace, the property of the Danish royal family. Amalienborg consists of 4 individual city palaces, which together define a square. In the middle is the equestrian statue of Friedrich V. Directly behind the palace ensemble is the marble church, the dome of which is strongly reminiscent of St. Peter’s Basilica. Opposite the palace is a small park that was originally created as a gift for Queen Margaret II. A little tip: If you don’t want to be yelled at loudly by the guards, you shouldn’t touch the walls of the castle.
The family around Queen Margarethe II is probably one of the closest royal families and at the same time one of the most popular royal families in the world. Those who frequent the Schlossplatz have a good chance of seeing members of the royal family. In the summer the Queen travels all over Denmark with her state yacht Dannebrog. She can often be seen unannounced in some Danish Sunday service. And she has many talents: She speaks four languages fluently and has illustrated the Danish “Lord of the Rings” books, among other things.
4TH PLACE: DEN GAMLE BY
“Den Gamle By” means “The Old City”. It is located in Aarhus, the European Capital of Culture 2017. Den Gamle By is a very special kind of open-air museum. It shows how people lived in different epochs from 1900 to 1970. So you can go through the changes of the 20th century in one day. You can look into the apartments, stroll through the old shops, look at everyday life in the workshops, marvel at the original cars in the workshops or simply walk through the old streets. People are also happy to be asked to participate and quickly find themselves in the past. A museum consisting of over 75 historic houses, which inspires hundreds of thousands of people every year and an experience that you will not soon forget.
3RD PLACE: THE COASTAL LANDSCAPE OF DENMARK
Denmark has a coastline of more than 7,300 kilometers. This is a lot considering the size of the state, which also includes 400 islands. As a result, you are a maximum of 50 kilometers from the Danish coast, no matter where you are in Denmark. Thus you will find countless kilometers of sections that attract tourists and locals with wide sandy beaches, clean water and high dunes. In the east of the country you can splash around in the shallow and calmer waters of the Baltic Sea, while the opposite North Sea in the west is often rougher. Denmark is developing into a real European beach alternative to Italy, Spain and Co.
2ND PLACE: NYHAVN
When you think of Copenhagen you immediately have an image of the colorful gabled houses on the canal in your head. Nyhavn is called this place, which means “New Port”. It is a meeting point, a place to relax and the start of the canal cruises in equal measure. You can go to one of the small restaurants or just stroll along the water. You should definitely try the delicious waffles, which are typically also served with ice here.
Nyhavn used to be the landing stage for incoming merchant ships and so became the entertainment district for sailors and locals. Hans Christian Andersen also lived in Nyhavn for a while. The bright colors were attached to the gabled houses later, so that the quarter was given a new shine. Today it is one of the most sought-after photo opportunities for Copenhagen.
1ST PLACE: THE LITTLE MERMAID
You could easily overlook it in passing, but the crowds that regularly form around the bronze figure, which is just 1.20 meters high, attract attention. At the port of Copenhagen, the world’s smallest landmark sits on a stone, not far from the shore and surrounded by water: The Little Mermaid. It has been sitting there since 1913 and is reminiscent of the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. But in her 100-year-old life she has been through a lot: She was beheaded several times, sprayed with paint and once, while it was awarded at the 2010 Shanghai World Exhibition, replaced with a TV screen. The latter was not a glorious idea: On the one hand, the live broadcast from the Shanghai exhibition halls only showed a black, dark hall during the day due to the great time difference in Copenhagen. On the other hand, the technology did not get along very well with the sea air and sea water. Nonetheless, it remains the most popular and most photographed attraction in Denmark.