Holiday in Denmark

Being a very small country of just above 5 million people covering an area of not more than 43.093 km2, Denmark is the perfect place to go if you have a week or two available for your holiday. You can practically see most of our attractions in this period of time if you know where to look. Here are some facts about our country:

Location in the world: Find a map of Europe and look just above Germany and to the left of Sweden...
Capital: Copenhagen
Currency: Danish kroner
Religion: Christian
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Head of State: Queen Margrethe the Second
Head of Government: Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Largest cities: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense and Esbjerg

First of all - if you are keen to experience a broad range of our attractions on your holiday in Denmark I recommend that you start of with some days living in Copenhagen, go to Funen for a day or so, then stay a couple of days in Jutland (Aarhus and the northern tip of Jutland called Skagen constitutes the starting and ending point of a fine trip). Here are what I recommend you see on your way:

In and around Copenhagen:

The Little Mermaid, Langelinie, Gefion Fountain and Kastellet
The main attraction in Copenhagen which I hope won't disappoint you because of its limited size is undoubtably the Little Mermaid sculpture based on the fairy tale of our famous writer Hans Christian Andersen. In my opinion it is the surroundings near this sculpture that deserves attention with a walk along the beautiful harbor front, up on the hills of Kastellet and down to the magnificent Gefion Fountain which is my personal favorite in Copenhagen.

Roundtrip on the canals
This is highly recommended if the weather is good - you will see most of the noticable sights of the city.

Christiania
This is a famous part of town founded in the sixties as a free city where everyone was meant to be equal and everything should be shared. Today it is a cultural landmark with unique atmoshphere as well as a fighting ground between police and drug dealers.

Buildings
For architecture and knowledge about the history of Denmark visit Amalienborg (Queens resident), Christiansborg (Parlament), Boersen (stock exchange), and Rosenborg.

Shopping
Visit the shopping street in the center of town, Strøget, or go to Vesterbro for some trendy fashion shops.

Outside Copenhagen
Go to Helsingør to see Kronborg - an impressive, historic castle. For great nature sights go 137 kilometers south of Copenhagen to see Moens Klint.

So you've been to our capital and still have some days left?

Funen - H.C. Andersen, zoo and Egeskov Slot
Well you could stop in Odense to get some background info on Hans Christian Andersen who was born here - although he couldn't wait to leave for Copenhagen :) You could also visit the small zoo present in the city and for an excursion you should definitely see Egeskov Slot which is one of the most beautiful castles in Denmark.

Jutland - The old city of Aarhus, beaches, Himmelbjerget and Skagen
In Jutland Aarhus is definitely worth a visit with Tivoli, nice atmosphere and the historic, old part of the city. Also the harbor front is a great place. From Aarhus you should head for the Himmelbjerg (Sky Mountain) which is a typical example of Danish megalomania (or humour?) since the "mountain" is only 147 meters above sea surface. The surroundings near Silkeborg are beautiful.

Now if you have some time for relaxing on the beach you should head west to go to the beaches of the west coast which are very popular with both Danes and Germans. Popular spots include Hvide Sande, Løkken and Blokhus.

Finally you should head north to see Aalborg which is a prosperous industrial city with a nice shopping street and harbour front. From there go further north to Skagen, which is the northern most point in Denmark. Here two oceans meet each other and you can actually see the two streams run together - not something you wanna miss. The old houses in Skagen are also a nice attraction.

Of course your choice of accommodation depends on your budget so I have tried finding some examples of options within variuos price groups:

In Copenhagen

Hotel D'Angleterre - is a classical hotel located in the finest part of town with views to Kgs. Nytorv and Nyhavn. It is highly priced and according to some run down and in need of a more serviceminded personnel.

Marriott Hotel - one more high end choice exclusively located at the waterfront in the central Copenhagen. A good all-round hotel.

Radisson SAS Royal Hotel - this one is also expensive but top rated among its visitors. It is located right in the center of things.

Cheap hotels in Vesterbro - in this part of town prices are lower than in the center and you are still not far away from the city. Top lower budget picks include Scandic Sydhavnen, Axel Hotel Guldsmeden, and Comfort Hotel Excelsior.

Cheapest option: Sleep in Heaven - Sleep in Heaven is an excellent hostel located just out of the city central and close to Nørrebro where a lively boheme-atmosphere is happening.

In Aarhus

Top Choice in hotel: - For high budget travellers Helnan Marselis Hotel is an excellent choice overlooking the ocean just outside of the center.

Lower budgets: - for a cheap hotel one bid is Cabin Inn Aarhus with rates at $42 per night and if your looking for a hostel theres City Sleep-In.

Family vacations

If you are planning a different kind of vacation where you just want to stay in one spot and enjoy activities with you family there are plenty of excellent choices mainly in Jutland:

Rent a summer house - there are thousands of nice houses for rent along the coast lines of Denmark. You can search for one that suits your need at Cofman, Novasol, DanCenter, or at Feline.

Holiday resorts: - there are also a lot of great holiday resorts to choose between. A group of resorts that are great for families looking for activities, wellness and great nature surroundings are Strandhotellerne. They have 5 different resorts located near the ocean in Jutland - each one with some unique attributes.