Cycle-friendly cities, design classics and long summer evenings by the sea.
Denmark is a low-lying kingdom of islands and peninsulas, never far from the sea. Copenhagen has the colourful harbour of Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens and a food scene that helped define New Nordic cuisine. Beyond the capital are Kronborg Castle at Helsingør, the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, the chalk cliffs of Møns Klint and the dunes and light of Skagen at the northern tip.
The pace is calm and comfortable, with bikes everywhere, open-faced smørrebrød at lunch and cosy cafés when the weather turns. Trains and bridges tie the islands together, and distances are short. June to August is best, with long light evenings and beach weather; December has Christmas markets, while January to March is dark, damp and windy.
Best time to visit Denmark
June, July, August.
Places to visit in Denmark
Copenhagen: Denmark's easygoing capital of canal-side cafés, royal palaces, design shops and some of Europe's most celebrated restaurants.
Aarhus: A student city on Jutland's east coast with a rainbow-topped art museum, an open-air old town and a reinvented harbourfront.
Skagen: Denmark's northernmost town, famous for its golden light, yellow houses, painters' colony and the sandbar where two seas collide.
Odense: Funen's main city and the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, with a storybook old quarter and a museum devoted to his tales.
Essentials
Currency: Danish Krone (DKK)
Language: Danish; English widely spoken
Plugs: Type C / E / F / K, 230 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC+1
Tipping: Service is included; round up for good service
Getting around: Trains and bridges link the islands; cities are made for cycling
Entry: Check the official rules for your passport before booking