When in Copenhagen
With attractive surroundings and even more beautiful people, Copenhagen offers a relaxing, distinctly Scandinavian retreat. While not obviously at the top of many travellers' "must-see" lists, the Danish capital is well worth a visit, not least by those looking for a tolerant, clean retreat, which still offers plenty in the way of nightlife and culture.
Copenhagen was founded in 1000 AD but was little more than a fishing village until the 12th century. It has benefited greatly from its harbour and soon flourished into an important centre of commerce. Unlike much of occupied Europe, its medieval centre escaped relatively unscathed from World War II and the city went on to expand during the 20th century, become a fresh and thoroughly appealing place to live and visit.
Danish newspapers consistently rank Copenhagen among the world's best cities to live and many of the benefits enjoyed by residents also attract visitors. Denmark is one of the richest nation's in the world, although displays its wealth less ostentatiously than most, making for a clean and highly efficient city.
Copenhagen sits on the island of Zealand, the largest in Denmark, although it is also beginning to spread onto Amager. To the east it faces the stretch of water separating Denmark from Sweden and it is here that you will find Copenhagen's historic harbour, one of the few in the world which is actually clean enough for people to swim in. Copenhagen takes its name from the Danish for "merchant's harbour" and the watery hub is still in many ways the centre of the city, providing many waterside attractions.
Moving northeast, visitors will discover the Tivoli gardens. Hugely popular with both Danes and tourists, the gardens are known for their almost magical quality and are said to have provided the inspiration for Walt Disney's Disneyland. The importance placed on the gardens by locals may be difficult to understand by those who haven't visited, so the only advice is to make a visit one of your first priorities and see what all the fuss is about.
Nearby Stroget is the world's largest shopping mall, taking over an imposing five streets. It is something of a shoppers paradise, although even those without a lust for consumerism will be satisfied, with the area also home to much of Copenhagen's street entertainment, particularly theatre.
A compact city, Copenhagen has an extensive network of pedestrianised areas, making it ideal for exploring on foot. The city also has a massive cycling culture and is regarded as one of the most bike-friendly in the world with well-laid out, safe cycle lanes. Cycling isn't just for locals, as bikes can be cheaply rented downtown and then left at depositories. Public transport is adequate, with an extensive network of commuter trains. However, prices are high and the system is less well used than in other countries, with many residents opting for self-powered options.
Although lying on the same latitude as Moscow, Alaska and central Scotland, Copenhagen is around ten degrees warmer than you may expect, but the constant cloud cover may make that hard to believe. Nevertheless, temperatures struggle to get above freezing during January and February and travellers are better advised to visit from June to September.
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Introduction
