In Denmark, hyggelig is a concept of feeling cozy, warm, and fuzzy, a general pursuit of contentment. Attaining hygge is a universal goal of the Danes. Visit Denmark not only for its palaces, but also for its dandelion fields, midnight sun, elder flower beverages, and bicycles.
Must Sees: Copenhagen | Must Sees: Roskilde | Must Sees: Odense | Food | Transportation
MUST SEES: COPENHAGEN
The Little Mermaid
The little mermaid sits on a rock near the water. Hans Christian Andersen’s heroine doesn’t have a fairy tale ending. She has a curiosity to explore the world above. So, she gives up everything, loses love, and floats to the sky. As a spirit of the air, she must do good deeds for 300 years before she may receive a soul.
Nyhavn
Nyhavn is a canal from the sea to the old city. The area entertained sailors, courtesans, and alehouses. Now it is a lively entertainment district with colorful townhouses, restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Hans Christian Andersen
There are many statues of Hans Christian Andersen around Copenhagen. At Copenhagen City Hall Square, H.C. is holding a book of his 156 fairy tales. These include: The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, and Thumbelina.
Strøget
Located at the center of the old city, this long pedestrian street contains a large shopping district. Strøget begins at the City Hall Square and ends at the Nyhavn.
Frederiksborg Castle
In the 17th century, Christian IV built Frederiksborg Castle on three islets in the Slotssøen. The Renaissance red brick castle has stepped gables with many copper-clad towers and turrets. The impressive Neptune Fountain guards the entrance.
Kronborg Castle
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark lives at Elsinore, inspired by Kronborg Castle. Eric VII built Kronborg Castle at the town of Helsingør (Elsinore) in 1420. Ships entering the Baltic Sea paid tolls at the Renaissance castle. At the fortress wall, you can see the waters of the Øresund.
Amalienborg
Amalienborg is the Danish royal family’s official residence in Copenhagen in winter. The palace complex has four palaces with Classical facades and Rococo interiors arranged in an octagonal courtyard. At the center, the equestrian statue of Frederik V faces the green copper dome of Frederik’s Church.
Fredensborg Palace
The Danish royal family uses Fredensborg Palace as its residence in the spring and autumn and for special events. Frederick IV built the Scandinavian Baroque palace in 1726. There is a daily changing of the guard at noon.
Tivoli
Tivoli Gardens is one of the world’s oldest amusement parks. It has 30 rides, thousands of colorful flowers, exotic architecture, and nostalgic shops. Tivoli inspired Walt Disney when he was designing Disneyland.
Church of Our Saviour
The Baroque church is famous for its black and gold corkscrew spire. The external staircase climbs a counterclockwise spiral to the top of the carillon, which offers the best views of Copenhagen.
MUST SEES: ROSKILDE
Viking Ship Museum
In Roskilde, you can view the Skuldelev ships scuttled in the 11th century to block invasions by sea. There are four types of Viking ships: knarr cargo ship, skeid longship, byrding cargo ship, and snekkja longship.
Roskilde Cathedral
On the island of Zealand, the Gothic cathedral has been the burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. They made Margrethe I’s stone sarcophagus in 1423.
MUST SEES: ODENSE
St. Alban’s Church
St. Alban’s is a Catholic parish church that serves the Polish, German, and Vietnamese Catholics in the area. The neo-Gothic building has a 177-foot-tall tower.
FOOD
Smørrebrød
Smørrebrød is a Danish open-faced sandwich. It starts with a base of buttered rugbrød, a dense bread with grains and seeds. The bread is then topped with a variety of meats, fish, spreads, vegetables, and cheese. Popular toppings include pickled herrings with onions, roast pork, shrimp with dill, smoked salmon, and roast beef with remoulade.
Flæskesteg
Flæskesteg is a meal of roast pork with crispy crackling skin typically served at Christmas dinner. Slices of roasted flæskesteg arrive with brown gravy, boiled potatoes, and caramelized potatoes, and red cabbage.
Rødgrød
Rødgrød is a dessert of red currants and other berries that are boiled to a gelatinous pudding. Cream or custard is added to balance the berries. The ability to pronounce rødgrød med fløde is the ultimate test of Danish language skills.
Wienerbrød
Wienerbrød is a Danish multilayered, laminated, sweet pastry in the viennoiserie tradition. The pastries are topped with chocolate and icing or stuffed with marzipan and custard.
Risalamande
Risalamande is a rice pudding mixed with chopped almonds, sugar, vanilla, and whipped cream. It is topped with a cherry sauce. On Christmas Eve, the cook hides an almond in the dessert and the person who finds it wins a prize.
TRANSPORTATION
Ferry
At the Jutland Peninsula, catch a ferry from Frederikshavn, Denmark to Gothenburg, Sweden. The two-hour ferry ride quickly crosses the Kattegat. Once the ramps move off the ferry, the engine thrusts the water back in large jets. Upon your arrival, drive your vehicle out of the cargo hold and hit the road.
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