Friday 6 January 2012

Travel Tips For Denmark

By Graham McKenzie


Denmark is the smallest of the Scandinavian countries, and consists of the Jutland peninsula and over 400 islands. In this land of peace and tranquility, it is difficult to imagine Denmark once spawned the formidable, seafaring Vikings.

Tourists will find a variety of delights to explore in Denmark. With its scenic villages, castles, ring forts, and monuments, sandy beaches, coves and fjords, Denmark is a place of striking beauty. The best time to visit is August, although anytime April through October, there is nice weather.

Founded in 1167, and located on the islands of Zealand and Amager, the capital of Denmark is Copenhagen. Known as the city of copper roofs and spires, Copenhagen enchants visitors with everything from the Little Mermaid at the harbor entrance, to its cobble stoned streets. The city is a treasure trove of old buildings, parks, gardens, fountains and squares, not to mention the world famous amusement park, Tivoli, which is open from late April to mid-September. On top of that, tourists will find a plethora of excellent eateries and shopping opportunities, and to help tourists get around the city, there is an inexpensive train network.

Visitors can find a number of organized tours in Copenhagen. To name just a few, there is the Vikingland Tour, which takes you to the Viking Ship Museum, and the Royal Tour, which goes to the Christianborg Palace. Another popular tour is the famous Carlsberg brewery.

As fascinating as Copenhagen is, Denmark does offer many delights beyond its capital. There is the biggest Viking burial ground, as well as the most extensive Renaissance buildings in Denmark, both located at Aalborg. In addition, Arhus has a collection of over sixty 17th and'th century buildings, taken from all over the country and recreated, then set on a beautiful landscaped site.

Then, of course, Funen is a must-see. Known as the 'Garden of Denmark', it offers some of Denmark's most appealing countryside. In addition, visitors can enjoy historic castles, churches and manor houses, set in longstanding parks and gardens. Named after the Norse god, Oden, Odense is the main city of Funen, and the third largest city in Denmark. Odense has been called the 'Capital of Fairytales', and is probably best known as the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). Every July and August, Odense has a festival celebrating the works of Hans Christian Andersen, where visitors can tour his childhood home and the Hans Christian Andersen Museum. Funen's newest attraction is the Naturama, which opened up in 2005. This amazing museum has three levels of multimedia and natural history displays.

A trip to Lolland is always worthwhile. It is here that visitors will find Denmark's largest park, Knuthenborg Park. Not only does it sport over 500 species of trees, flowers and plants, Knuthenborg also has a safari park. Denmark's largest castle ruin, Hammershus, built in 1260, can be seen at Bornholm, and at Elsinore, visitors will find the old fortress of Kronborg. Not only is Kronborg one of the most arresting structures in Scandinavia, it was the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.




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