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| Introduction Lying in northern Europe between Scandinavia and Europe is the small country of Denmark. Occupying an area of 42,930 square kilometers, the country is home to 5.2 million people. Denmark is a lowland of fertile farms, rolling hills, beech woods and moors. The country can trace its linguistic and cultural roots back to when the area was settled by the Danes, a tribe thought to have migrated south from Sweden around 500 AD. Despite its small size, Denmark ruled Norway for three centuries and Iceland from 1380 until 1918. The Kingdom of Denmark still includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands, but both are pretty much self-governing. The Danes are a casual, relaxed people as is shown in their enthusiasm for small cafe's and pubs. Some famous Danes include the fairy tale King Hans Christian Anderson and Karen Blixen who wrote Out of Africa and Babette’s Feast. Both books have been made into successful films. Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, is Scandinavia’s biggest and liveliest city. One of the oldest and most beautiful of the European capitals, it is an important seaport, a commercial hub and a seat of royalty. It boasts the world’s longest pedestrian mall, the Amalienborg Palace (home of the royal family since 1794), and the Little Mermaid statue which sits on the waterfront just north of the city centre. The lively university town of Arhus, in Jutland, boasts one of the country’s best music and entertainment scenes. Near the town of Billund, in Jutland, lies Legoland - a 10-hectare theme park built from plastic Lego blocks. Denmark is one of the most cycle-friendly countries in Europe. It is criss-crossed with hundreds of miles of established cycling routes - making this an ideal way to explore the country. Windsurfing, yachting, swimming, and fishing opportunities abound. Sample some Danish specialities - gravid laks (cured salmon marinated in dill and served with a sweet mustard sauce), wienerbrod (the rich pastry known as a "Danish" in most other countries), and floeskesteg (roast pork with crackling). And don’t forget to down a pint of the country’s excellent beers - Carlsberg and Tuborg. Full country name: The Kingdom of Denmark Area : 42,930 sq km Population : 5,356,000 Capital city : Copenhagen (pop 1.8 million) People : 95% Danish; 5% foreign nationals Language : Danish; English & German are widely spoken Religion : Lutheran Government : Constitutional monarchy Facts for the Traveler Visas : Most Western nationals, including Americans, citizens of EU countries, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, Malaysians, Singaporeans and most South Americans do not need a visa. Health risks : No Health risks. Time : GMT/UTC plus one hour (plus two in summer) Electricity : 220 volts, 50Hz Weights & measures : Metric Climate Denmark has a mild climate with no extremes of heat or cold. In the light summer months of June to August, the average daytime temperature is 19.5 degrees centigrade and in February - the coldest month - the average is 1.2 degrees centigrade. This makes Copenhagen's weather much more like London's or Amsterdam's than that of the other Scandinavian capitals. When to Go Considering its northern latitude, Denmark has a fairly mild climate all year round. Still, the winter months - cold and with short daylight hours - are certainly the least hospitable. Correspondingly, many tourist destinations come alive in late April, when the weather begins to warm up and the daylight hours start to increase, and by October they again become sleepers. May and June can be delightful months to visit: the earth is a rich green accented with fields of flowers, the weather is comfortable and you'll beat the rush of tourists. While autumn can be pleasant, it's not nearly as scenic because the rural landscape has largely turned to brown. High tourist season is July and August. There are open-air concerts, lots of street activity and basking on the beach. Other bonuses for travellers during midsummer are longer hours at museums and other sightseeing attractions. The last half of August can be a particularly attractive time to travel, as it still has summer weather but far fewer crowds Transportation Getting There & Away The vast majority of overseas flights to Denmark arrive at Copenhagen International Airport. A few international flights, mostly coming from other Scandinavian countries or the UK, land at small regional airports in Århus, Aalborg, Esbjerg and Billund. There are daily bus and rail services between Germany and Denmark's Jutland peninsula, which then wind their way east to Funen and then over a significant bridge to the island of Zealand and ultimately Copenhagen. The completion in July 2000 of the Øresundsforbindelsen (Øresund Fixed Link), a road-rail system stretching nearly 16km (13 mi) of bridges and tunnels between Malmo in southern Sweden and Copenhagen, has given the Danish capital a welcome (albeit artificial) land link with the rest of Scandinavia. It's also possible to arrive from Norway and Sweden by ferry. Other boat options are the daily (high season) and weekly (berg bashing) ferries running from Germany (Kiel, Rostock, Puttgarden, Sassnitz-Mukran and the island of Sylt), Iceland (Seydisfjördur), Norway (Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen and Larvik), Sweden (Helsingborg, Gothenburg, Varberg and Malmö), Poland (Sá;winouj;cie) and the UK (Harwich). There are no departure taxes when leaving Denmark. Getting Around Domestic air travel is quite limited. The country is compact and the increasing efficiency of the rail system keeps local air travel to a minimum. There are, however, frequent flights between Copenhagen and a few more distant corners of Denmark. Most places are serviced by regional buses, many of which are timed to connect with trains. Denmark has a good, reliable train system with reasonable fares and a frequent service. In Denmark you drive on the right-hand side of the road, seat belt use is mandatory and all drivers are required to carry a warning triangle. A web of bike paths link the country, so cycling is a practical way to get around Denmark, both within towns and also from town to town. Ferry networks link all of Denmark's populated islands, although the more adventurous might like to charter a yacht and mosey around at their leisure. Festivals & Events Denmark's main events are the hundred-plus music festivals which run almost nonstop, covering a broad spectrum of music that includes jazz, rock, blues, gospel, Irish, classical, country and Cajun. Beginning with Midsummer Eve bonfires in late June, some of the most popular festivals are the Roskilde Festival, northern Europe's largest rock music festival, held in late June or early July; the Midtfyns Festival in Ringe, held in early July, which features international rock, pop, world, folk and jazz musicians; the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, held for 10 days in early July, which is one of the world's major jazz festivals; the Copenhagen Summer Festival which features chamber and classical music concerts during the last week of July and the first two weeks of August; and the Tønder Festival, one of northern Europe's largest folk festivals, which is held at the end of August. The nine-day Århus Festival, beginning on the first Saturday in September, turns that city into a stage for nonstop revelry, with music and drama performances of all sorts drawing hundreds of thousands of Danish and international visitors. The program also incorporates a Viking Festival complete with roving jesters, jousting and archery competitions, Viking-style ships, and traditional food, drink and merrymaking. |
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