Christiansborg Slot
Christiansborg Slot is home to Folketinget (the Danish parliament), the Prime Minister's office and the Supreme Court. Visitor highlights include the glorious royal reception rooms, 11th-century ruins and royal kitchen, all of which can be visited separately or as part of a joint ticket. The palace is free to visit and offers sweeping views of the Danish capital.
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Danish Museum of Art & Design
The 18th-century Frederiks Hospital is now the outstanding Denmark Design Museum. A must for fans of the applied arts and industrial design, its fairly extensive collection includes Danish textiles and fashion, as well as the iconic design pieces of modern innovators like Kaare Klint, Poul Henningsen and Arne Jacobsen.
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Det Kongelige Bibliotek
Scandinavia's largest library consists of two very distinct parts: the original 19th-century red-brick building and the head-turning 'Black Diamond' extension, the latter a leaning parallelogram of sleek black granite and smoke-coloured glass. From the soaring, harbour-fronting atrium, an escalator leads up to a 210 sq metre ceiling mural by celebrated Danish artist Per Kirkeby. Beyond it, at the end of the corridor, is the 'old library' and its Hogwarts-like northern Reading Room, resplendent with vintage desk lamps and classical columns.
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Freetown Christiania
Escape the capitalist crunch and head to Freetown Christiania, a hash-scented commune straddling the eastern side of Christianshavn. Since its establishment by squatters in 1971, the area has drawn nonconformists from across the globe, attracted by the concept of collective business, workshops and communal living. Explore beyond the settlement's infamous 'Pusher St' – lined with shady hash and marijuana dealers who do not appreciate photographs – and you'll stumble upon a semi-bucolic wonderland of whimsical DIY homes, cosy garden plots, eateries, beer gardens and music venues.
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Marmorkirken
Consecrated in 1894, the neo-baroque Marble Church (officially Frederikskirken) is one of Copenhagen's most imposing architectural assets. Its grandiose dome – inspired by St Peter's in Rome and the largest church dome in Scandinavia – offers an impressive view over the city. The church was ordered by Frederik V and drawn up by Nicolai Eigtved. Construction began in 1749 but spiralling costs saw the project mothballed. Salvation came in the form of Denmark's wealthiest 19th-century financier CF Tietgen, who bankrolled the project's revival.
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National Gallery of Art
Denmark's National Gallery straddles two contrasting, interconnected buildings: a late-19th-century 'palazzo' and a sharply minimalist extension. The museum houses medieval and Renaissance works and impressive collections of Dutch and Flemish artists, including Rubens, Breughel and Rembrandt. It claims the world's finest collection of 19th-century Danish 'Golden Age' artists, among them Eckersberg and Hammershøi, foreign greats like Matisse and Picasso, and modern Danish heavyweights including Per Kirkeby.
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Nationalmuseet
or a crash course in Danish history and culture, spend an afternoon at Denmark's National Museum. It has first claims on virtually every antiquity uncovered on Danish soil, including Stone Age tools, Viking weaponry, rune stones and medieval jewellery. Among the many highlights is a finely crafted 3500-year-old Sun Chariot, as well as bronze lurs (horns), some of which date back 3000 years and are still capable of blowing a tune.
You'll find sections related to the Norse and Inuit people of Greenland, and an evocative exhibition called Stories of Denmark, covering Danish history from 1660 to 2000. Among the highlights here are recreated living quarters (among them an 18th-century Copenhagen apartment) and a whimsical collection of toys, including a veritable village of doll houses.

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
Fin de siècle architecture meets with an eclectic mix of art at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. The collection is divided into two parts: Northern Europe's largest booty of antiquities, and an elegant collection of 19th-century Danish and French art. The latter includes the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of France and no less than 47 Gauguin paintings. These are displayed along with works by greats like Cézanne, Van Gogh, Pissarro, Monet and Renoir.

Nyhavn
There are few nicer places to be on a sunny day than sitting at an outdoor table at a cafe on the quayside of the Nyhavn canal. The canal was built to connect Kongens Nytorv to the harbour and was long a haunt for sailors and writers, including Hans Christian Andersen. He wrote The Tinderbox, Little Claus and Big Claus and The Princess and the Pea while living at number 20, and also spent time living at numbers 18 and 67.
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Rosenborg Castle
A 'once-upon-a-time' combo of turrets, gables and moat, the early-17th-century Rosenborg Slot was built in Dutch Renaissance style between 1606 and 1633 by King Christian IV to serve as his summer home. Today the castle's 24 upper rooms are chronologically arranged, housing the furnishings and portraits of each monarch from Christian IV to Frederik VII. The pièce de résistance is the basement Treasury, home to the dazzling crown jewels, among them Christian IV's glorious crown and Christian III's jewel-studded sword.

The Little Mermaid
New York has its Lady Liberty, Sydney its (Danish-designed) Opera House. When the world thinks of Copenhagen, chances are they're thinking of the Little Mermaid. Love her or loathe her (watch Copenhageners cringe at the very mention of her), this small, underwhelming statue is arguably the most photographed sight in the country, as well as the cause of countless 'is that it?' shrugs from tourists who have trudged the kilometre or so along an often windswept harbourfront to see her.
In 1909 the Danish beer baron Carl Jacobsen was so moved after attending a ballet performance based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Little Mermaid that he commissioned sculptor Edvard Eriksen to create a statue of the eponymous lady-fish to grace Copenhagen's harbourfront. The face of the famous statue was modelled after the ballerina Ellen Price, while Eline Eriksen, the sculptor's wife, modelled for the body.
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Thorvaldsen Museum
What looks like a colourful Greco-Roman mausoleum is in fact a museum dedicated to the works of illustrious Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844). Heavily influenced by mythology after four decades in Rome, Thorvaldsen returned to Copenhagen and donated his private collection to the Danish public. In return the royal family provided this site for the construction of what is a remarkable complex housing Thorvaldsen's drawings, plaster moulds and statues. The museum also contains Thorvaldsen's own collection of Mediterranean antiquities.

Tivoli Gardens
Dating from 1843, tasteful Tivoli wins fans with its dreamy whirl of amusement rides, twinkling pavilions, carnival games and open-air stage shows. Visitors can ride the renovated, century-old roller coaster, enjoy the famous Saturday evening fireworks display or just soak up the story-book atmosphere. A good tip is to go on Friday during summer when the open-air Plænen stage hosts free rock concerts by Danish bands (and the occasional international superstar) from 10pm – goearly if it's a big-name act.
Indeed, Tivoli is at its most romantic after dusk, when the fairy lights are switched on, cultural activities unfold and the clock tower of the neighbouring Rådhus soars in the moonlight like the set of a classic Disney film.
Each of Tivoli's numerous entertainment venues has a different character. Perhaps best known is the open-air Pantomime Theatre, built in 1874 by Vilhelm Dahlerup, the Copenhagen architect who also designed the royal theatre. Tivoli's large concert hall features performances by international symphony orchestras and ballet troupes, as well as popular musicians. While the numerous open-air performances are free of charge, there's usually an admission fee for the indoor performances – check the website for venue details, line-ups and prices.
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King's Garden
The oldest park in Copenhagen was laid out in the early 17th century by Christian IV, who used it as his vegetable patch. These days it has a little more to offer, including wonderfully romantic paths, a fragrant rose garden, some of the longest mixed borders in northern Europe and a marionette theatre with free performances The oldest park in Copenhagen was laid out in the early 17th century by Christian IV, who used it as his vegetable patch. These days it has a little more to offer, including wonderfully romantic paths, a fragrant rose garden, some of the longest mixed borders in northern Europe and a marionette theatre with free performances from mid-July to mid-August (2pm and 3pm Tuesday to Sunday).
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Zealand INFO
Denmark’s largest island offers much more than the dazzle of Copenhagen.
* North of the city lie some of the country’s finest beaches and most impressive castles. Here you’ll find dazzlingly ornate Frederiksborg Slot in Hillerød and the hulking Kronborg Slot at Helsingør, Shakespeare's Elsinore. Helsingør also features the excellent Maritime Museum of Denmark.
* West of Copenhagen awaits history-steeped Roskilde, home to a World Heritage–listed cathedral, Scandinavia’s classic rock music festival and a tremendous Viking Ship Museum. History also comes to life at nearby Sagnlandet Lejre, an engrossing, hands-on archaeology site.
* Further west stands the millennia-old Trelleborg ring fortress while Zealand’s southern assets include medieval charm in Køge and the World Heritage–listed cliff geology of Stevns Klint, plus a nearby Cold War fortress-museum.
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Copenhagen
While this 1000-year-old harbour town has managed to retain much of its historic good looks (think copper spires and cobbled squares), the focus here is on the innovative and cutting edge. Denmark’s overachieving capital is home to a thriving design scene, its streets awash with effortlessly hip shops, cafes and bars; world-class museums and art collections; intelligent new architecture; and no fewer than 15 Michelin-starred restaurants. This is also a royal city, home to the multitalented Queen Margrethe II and her photogenic family.
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Frederiksborg Slot
One of Denmark's most impressive buildings, this gigantic, Dutch Renaissance–styled fortress-palace rises proudly out of photogenic moat-lake Slotsø. Access is free to the impressive central courtyards and huge, beautifully tended park with baroque gardens. To visit the interiors (ticket required) you'll need around three hours to do justice to the 80-plus rooms overloaded with beautiful furniture, tapestries, endless portraiture and gilded decor of astonishingly pompous grandiosity. Copious info-cards, along with free audio guides in nine languages, add plentiful context

Helsingør
Fascinating Helsingør commands the narrowest point of the Øresund, the sound that separates Denmark from today's Sweden. In the 15th and 16th centuries the city became immensely wealthy by taxing shipping that had to pass this way between the Baltic Sea and the open ocean. For a sizeable town, Helsingør has done a pretty good job of maintaining mementoes of its medieval character, best appreciated by strolling through the grid of narrow cobbled streets between the harbour and the bustling shopping core. Here, half-timbered back-alley houses lean precariously behind towering hollyhocks and creeping ivy. The main sight, however, is the gigantic Kronborg Slot, made famous as Elsinore Castle in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, although the intimate psychological nature of the play is a far cry from the real-life military colossus.
Very frequent ferries shuttle to Helsingborg (Sweden), generally filled with Swedes on a mission to buy 'cheap' Danish alcohol (it's all relative).
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Køge
Pretty Køge (koo-e) is well worth a look if you're taking the ferry to Bornholm or driving via Stevns Klint towards Denmark's southern islands. The one-time medieval trading centre retains a photogenic core of cobbled streets flanked by some well-preserved 17th- and 18th-century buildings. At its heart, Torvet is claimed to be Denmark's largest square. Around 7km south, Vallø's moat-encircled Renaissance castle makes a great destination for a cycle ride along quiet, tree-lined avenues and country lanes. Either side of Køge bay there are passable beaches, though the semi-industrial backdrop of the modern commercial harbour detracts a little from some of the coastal scenery. Further beaches at Solrød and Greve (8km and 17km north of Køge respectively) are popular S-train escapes for Copenhagen city-dwellers.
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Roskilde
Most foreigners who have heard of Roskilde know it either as the home of one of northern Europe’s best outdoor music festivals, or the sight of several remarkable Viking ship finds, now housed in an excellent, purpose-built museum. To the Danes, however, it is a city of great royal and religious significance, as it was the capital city long before Copenhagen and is still the burial place of 39 monarchs stretching back several hundred years. Located on the southern tip of Roskilde Fjord, the city was a thriving trading port throughout the Middle Ages. It was also the site of Zealand’s first Christian church, built by Viking king Harald Bluetooth in AD 980.
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Vordingborg
Many Møn-bound visitors will need to change transport in Vordingborg. If you're doing that, it's worth stopping at least briefly to visit the site of the town's central, once-formidable castle that played a starring role in early Danish history. Today, all that remains are a few moated bastion ruins plus a single round tower, but the site forms an appealing park with views down across a pretty harbour. Danmarks Borgcenter brings the site's history vividly to life using an imaginative self-led tour guided by tablet-computer.

Møn INFO
One of Denmark's most magical islands, Møn's best-known drawcard is its sweeping stretch of white cliffs, Møns Klint. Crowned by deep-green forest, they’re a popular inspiration for landscape paintings, possibly explaining the island’s healthy artist headcount. But the inspiration doesn’t end there. Beautiful beaches span sandy expanses and small secret coves, there are haunting Neolithic graves, and several rural churches are adorned with whimsical medieval frescoes. Every year more stargazers come for what are said to be Denmark's darkest night skies, and now they're joined by hikers flooding in to walk the well-organised network of trails known as Camønoen, named with a punning nod to the classic Camino pilgrim trail.
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Møns Klint
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Bornholm INFO
The sunniest part of Denmark, Bornholm lies way out in the Baltic Sea, 200km east of Copenhagen (and closer to Sweden and Poland than to mainland Denmark). But it’s not just (relatively) sunny skies that draw the hordes each year. Mother Nature was in a particularly good mood when creating this Baltic beauty, bestowing on it rocky cliffs, leafy forests, bleach-white beaches and a pure, ethereal light that painters do their best to capture.
Humankind added the beguiling details, from medieval fortress ruins and thatched fishing villages, to the iconic rundekirke (round churches) and contemporary Bornholms Kunstmuseum. The island’s ceramic and glassware artisans are famed throughout Denmark, as are its historic smokehouses and ever-expanding league of food artisans, doing brilliant things with local harvests.
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Dueodde
Dueodde, the southernmost point of Bornholm, is a vast stretch of breathtaking beach backed by deep-green pine trees and expansive dunes. Its soft sand is so fine-grained that it was once used in hourglasses and ink blotters. There’s no real village at Dueodde – the bus stops at the end of the road where there’s a hotel, a steakhouse restaurant, a couple of food kiosks and a boardwalk across the marsh to the beach. The only beachside ‘sight’ is a lighthouse on the western side of the dunes; you can climb the 197 steps for a view of endless sand and sea. For more views, head 1km back to the main road to visit [**Bornholmertårnet**](http://www.bornholmertaarnet.dk/).
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Gudhjem
**Gudhjem** is the best-looking of Bornholm's harbour towns. Its rambling high street is crowned by a squat windmill standing over half-timbered houses and sloping streets that roll down to the picture-perfect harbour. The town is a good base for exploring the rest of Bornholm, with cycling and walking trails, convenient bus connections, plenty of places to eat and stay, and a boat service to Christiansø. **Melsted** blends into Gudhjem just a short walk southeast of the town centre.

Rønne
Rønne is Bornholm’s largest settlement and the main harbour for ferries. The town has been the island’s commercial centre since the Middle Ages, and while the place has expanded and taken on a more suburban look over the years, a handful of well-preserved quarters still provides pleasant strolling. Especially appealing is the old neighbourhood west of Store Torv with its handsome period buildings and cobblestone streets, among them Laksegade and Storegade.
* Built around 1150, Nylars Rundkirke is the most well-preserved and easily accessible round church in the Rønne area. Its central pillar is adorned with wonderful 13th-century frescoes, the oldest in Bornholm. The works depict scenes from the creation myth, including Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The cylindrical nave has three storeys, the top one a watchman’s gallery that served as a defence lookout in medieval times.

Sandvig
Sandvig is a genteel seaside hamlet with story-book older homes, many fringed by rose bushes and flower gardens. It’s fronted by a gorgeous sandy bay and borders a network of walking trails throughout the Hammeren area and southwest to Hammershus.
Allinge, the larger and more developed half of the Allinge-Sandvig municipality, is 2km southeast of Sandvig. Although not as quaint as Sandvig, Allinge has the lion’s share of commercial facilities, including banks, grocery shops and the area’s tourist office.

Funen INFO
Funen (Fyn in Danish) is Denmark's proverbial middle child. Lacking Zealand's capital-city pull or Jutland's geographic dominance, it's often overlooked by visitors, who rarely do more than make a whistle-stop visit to Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace, Odense.
Certainly the master of fairy tales makes a worthy favourite son and Odense is a lively cultural and commercial centre. But there is much more to Funen. Thatched farmhouses, picture-book coastal towns and grand Renaissance castles dot the island’s patchwork of fields and woodlands. There's a remarkable Viking-era ship grave near Kerteminde. Rolling southern pastures and orchards grow some of the country's best produce. Curiously minimalist shelters are set up for cyclists and kayakers. And handsome harbour towns give access to a yacht-filled archipelago of idyllic seafaring islands. All in all, if you take the trouble to explore, you'll find Funen is a microcosm of the very best of Denmark.

Egeskov Slot
Egeskov Slot is a fairy-tale 16th-century castle, complete with moat and manicured gardens. And that's just the start, as the extensive grounds also include a remarkable series of museums (mostly vehicle based), an array of play-activities and a roster of seasonal events including a rock festival Christmas market and major midsummer-night celebration. You'll need several hours to do the place justice.
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Faaborg
Faaborg first appears in Danish historical documents in 1229, but its heyday was the 17th century when the town claimed one of the country's largest commercial fishing fleets. While sleepier these days, the port still has island-hopping ferries, and vestiges of Faaborg's former golden years live on in cobblestone streets lined with crooked cottages, as on Adelgade, Tårngade, Feltens Rist and dog-legged Holkegade. You'll also find galleries, statues and museums (including a free one in the bus station), plus one of the oddest public sculptures for miles around.

Ladbyskibet
Captivating Ladbyskibet (the Ladby Ship) is Denmark’s only known Viking Age ship grave. Around the year AD 925, a Viking chieftain was laid to rest in a splendid 21.5m warship, surrounded by weapons, jewellery, clothing and other fine possessions. Archaeologists have ascertained that not long after his burial the grave was plundered and the chieftain's body was removed. But what was left behind is still utterly intriguing. All the wooden planks from the ship decayed long ago, but left a perfect imprint of the hull moulded into the earth, along with 2000 rivets, an anchor, iron curls from the ship’s dragon-headed prow, and countless bones of sacrificed dogs and horses.
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Odense
Pronounced o-thn-se (or ohn-se if you're local), Funen's millennium-old hub is Denmark's third-biggest city, a buzzing place undergoing a very major revamp. The birthplace of fairy-tale writer extraordinaire Hans Christian Andersen, there’s a profusion of Andersen-related attractions, including museums, a children's centre and sculptures interpreting his most famous stories. Even the lights at pedestrian crossings feature Andersen in silhouette. Yet there's much more to Odense than top-hatted storytellers, including several great museums, imaginative art galleries, Denmark's best zoo, a superb 'village' museum of historic houses, and a fizzing bar and cafe scene. With dozens of parks, the city is also a family-friendly destination that lives by its motto: at leger er at leve (to play is to live).
*Odense is Funen's transport hub and has a small but impressive choice of budget accommodation.*
- If you are visiting several museums in a day, the tourist office's 24-hour City Pass might save you money – it gives free admission to most sights plus 50% off zoo entry and free bus travel. Alternatively, you can save 30% on some museums by showing the entry ticket to another museum (within one week), and a few are free on Thursday evenings. Most museums are closed on Mondays from September to May.
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Svendborg
Gateway to Funen's beautiful southern archipelago, Svendborg is the darling of the Danish yachting fraternity, with a harbour packed with yachts and older wooden boats and schooners. Although it has its modern light-industrial sectors, Svendborg has wooded cycling areas, popular beaches, cafe-dotted streets and a summer ferry service that putters south through the island-dotted estuary to Valdemars Slot.

Langeland
Great for cycling or bird-watching, Langeland is a long, mainly agricultural island dotted with windmills and farming villages, and fringed by the odd beach. Apart from sometimes frenetic traffic on the main spine road, everything moves at an unhurried pace.
Connected by bridge to Svendborg via Tåsinge, Langeland’s major town is gently attractive Rudkøbing. Greater attractions lie north at Tranekær with its castle and sculpture park, and around Bagenkop on the southern tip, where the former NATO military stronghold of Langelandsfort gives intriguing insights into the paranoia of the 20th-century Cold War era.
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Marstal
Marstal's charm is still as a seafaring town with a busy if apparently doomed shipyard, marina and excellent [nautical museum](www.marmus.dk). Across a lagoon-like stretch of water, photographers adore the site of a thatched beach hut on Erikshale Strand. On Sølvgade, a few trees with knitted trunk warmers form one of the island's more offbeat artistic ventures.

Tåsinge
Administratively part of Svendborg, the island of Tåsinge is connected to Funen and Langeland by road bridges. Its main sights, all in the northeast, are the pretty sea captain's village of Troense, palatial 17th-century [Valdemars Slot](http://www.valdemarsslot.dk/), the museum and (view from the) church at Bregninge.
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Ærø,
Just 30km long and 9km wide, Ærø (pronounced 'with difficulty', or air-rue) is the front runner for the title of Denmark's loveliest – and friendliest – island.
Country roads roll through gentle countryside peppered with thatched-roofed, half-timbered houses and old windmills. There's a rich maritime history, beaches with photogenic bathing huts and the little town of Ærøskøbing is a picture-book beauty.
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Aalborg
Things are on the way up for Aalborg, Denmark’s fourth-largest city. It sits at the narrowest point of the Limfjord (the long body of water that slices Jutland in two), and recent developments have seen the waterfront become the focal point of the town. A concerted effort is being made to rejuvenate the central industrial areas and turn neglected spaces into something far more appealing.
Traditionally, Aalborg has flown under the traveller’s radar, but that could easily change. There are enough low-key diversions here to occupy a few days for most visitors, from architecture fans to families, and party animals to history boffins
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Aarhus
Aarhus (oar-hus) has long laboured in the shadow of consummate capital Copenhagen, but transformation is afoot. Denmark's second-largest city is busy staking a claim for visitor attention, and building a reputation as an emerging European destination for savvy city-breakers, festival-goers, art and food fans, and those looking beyond the capital-city conga.
This Viking-founded, student-filled hub has accrued some weighty accolades to shore up its appeal, too: in 2017 its titles included European Capital of Culture and European Region of Gastronomy (the latter was awarded to Aarhus and the larger central Denmark region). The ever-expanding menu of architectural landmarks, lauded restaurants, bars, festivals and boutiques is a mark of a vibrant city on the rise. It's a great place to explore – compact, photogenic and friendly (its local nickname is 'the city of smiles'). Here you'll be left in little doubt why Denmark scores so highly in those liveability lists.

Esbjerg
Esbjerg (roughly pronounced ess-be-air) has a touch of the ‘wild frontier’ about it – a new city (by Danish standards) that's grown big and affluent from oil, fishing and trading. Its business focus lies to the west, to the oilfields of the North Sea, but its ferry link with the UK ceased in 2014.
Esbjerg fails to pull heartstrings on first impressions – its silos and smokestacks hardly compete with the crooked, story-book streets of nearby Ribe. In the harbour you may see offshore drilling rigs being repaired. Away from the industrial grit, however, Esbjerg redeems itself with some quirky attractions and its easy access to the beautiful, time-warped island of Fanø, just a 12-minute ferry ride away.

Fanø
The island of Fanø holds more charm than the larger, more-popular island of Rømø, further south. It may have something to do with the means of arrival (is it just us, or is a boat more romantic than a 10km-long causeway?). And this island backs it up with two traditional seafaring settlements full of idyllic thatch-roofed houses, blooming gardens, and cobblestone streets lined with boutiques and cafes.
Beach-goers are blessed with wide, welcoming strips of sand on the exposed west coast, and a lively summer-season atmosphere. All this, and it’s just 12 minutes from Esbjerg – too easy.
- The main villages of Nordby and Sønderho lie at each end of the 16km-long island; ferries from Esbjerg arrive at Nordby. Sønderho in particular is one of Denmark’s most charming villages. It dates from the 16th century and has more than a hint of Middle Earth to its jumble of thatched houses.
- The tourist office can provide brochures and maps outlining on-foot exploration. The villages are home to a few low-key museums detailing Fanø’s rich maritime history. Fanø’s golden age peaked in the late 19th century, when it boasted the largest fleet outside Copenhagen; over a period of 150 years it was the site for the construction of more than 1000 vessels.
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Frederikshavn
A transport hub rather than a compelling destination, Frederikshavn shuffles more than three million people through its port each year, making it Jutland’s busiest international ferry terminal. The majority of visitors are Scandinavians raiding Denmark’s supplies of relatively cheap booze and meat.
The town itself lacks the historical glamour of its coastal neighbours but can successfully entertain you for a few hours with its feature attraction, [Bangsbo](www.kystmuseet.dk), an old country estate with an interesting mix of exhibits, including the reconstructed Viking Ellingå ship. It's also the jumping-off point for visits to the charming island of Læsø. Still, Skagen or even Sæby make for more appealing overnight options.
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Hirtshals
Frequented by discount-hungry Norwegians and largely inhabited by hardened Hirtshals seafarers, this modern town makes a reasonable base for sightseeing, but its appearance won’t take your breath away. It has ferry connections to points further north (way north, such as Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway). Beaches, bunkers, lighthouses and an impressive show of sea life may add to the appeal.

Jelling
A sleepy town with a big history, Jelling is revered as the birthplace of Christianity in Denmark, the monarchy and all that is truly Danish. The town served as the royal seat of King Gorm during the Vikings’ most dominant era; Gorm the Old was the first in a millennium-long chain of Danish monarchs that continues unbroken to this day. The site of Gorm’s ancient castle remains a mystery, but other vestiges of his reign can still be found at Jelling Kirke.
The town is a kind of spiritual touchstone for the Danes. Virtually all of them will visit at some point, to pay homage at the church, inspect the two rune stones and climb the burial mounds. The area became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994.

Ribe
The crooked cobblestone streets of Ribe (ree-buh) date from the late 9th century, making it Denmark’s oldest town. It’s easily one of the country’s loveliest spots at which to stop and soak up some history.
It’s a delightfully compact chocolate-box confection of crooked half-timbered 16th-century houses, a sweetly meandering river and lush water meadows, all overseen by the nation’s oldest cathedral. Such is the sense of living history that the entire ‘old town’ has been designated a preservation zone, with more than 100 buildings registered by the National Trust.
- For a leisurely stroll that takes in some of Ribe’s handsome half-timbered homes and idyllic cobbled lanes, head along any of the streets radiating out from Torvet (note that the night-watchman walks.
- To help you appreciate the surrounds, drop by the tourist office and pick up a copy of the free Town Walk in Old Ribe brochure; it’s available in Danish, English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and French.

Ry
Mellow, rural Ry lies in the heart of the Lake District. It has a pretty duck-filled marina, where you’ll find canoe hire and tourist boats to Himmelbjerget, which rises 147m above sea level. It's surrounded by lovely landscapes and quaint villages perfect for exploring.

Silkeborg
In a flat country, the modern town of Silkeborg is something of a black sheep, surrounded as it is by hills, sitting on an expansive lake and spaciously laid out. Modern-art lovers and history boffins will find cause to stop here, but nature lovers have the most to celebrate. It’s Silkeborg’s surrounding landscapes that draw tourists – not thrillseekers but rather families and outdoorsy folk drawn to the lush forests and waterways that are perfect for cycling, rambling and, especially, canoeing.

Skagen
Located at Jutland's northern tip where the Baltic meets the North Sea, Skagen (pronounced 'skain') features a rich art heritage, fresh seafood, photogenic neighbourhoods and classic character that combine to create a delicious slice of Denmark.
In the mid-19th century, artists flocked here, charmed by the radiant light’s impact on the ruggedly beautiful landscape. Now tourists come in droves, drawn by an intoxicating combination of the busy working harbour, long sandy beaches and buzzing holiday atmosphere. The town gets packed in summer but maintains its charm, especially in the intimate, older neighbourhoods filled with distinctive yellow houses framed by white-picket fences and red-tiled roofs. Catering to the tourist influx are numerous museums, art galleries, bike-rental outlets, icecreameries and harbourside restaurants. Come and see why half the Danish population lights up whenever the town’s name is mentioned.

Viborg
Rich in religious history and bordering two idyllic lakes, Viborg is a sweetly romantic getaway. During its holiest period (just prior to the Reformation), 25 churches lined the streets. Nowadays, only two can be found in the town centre.

Jutland
Denmark doesn't have a north–south divide; culturally, spiritually and to a great extent politically, it is divided into Jutland…and all the rest. You'll find an old-fashioned hospitality here and an engaging frankness – Jutlanders stem from hardy fishing and farming stock, and they're proud of their points of difference from big-city Danes.
Then there are those picture-book Jutland landscapes, an incredible melange of windswept sand dunes, boat-filled harbours, glittering lakes and thatch-roofed villages. These are the scenes that have inspired centuries of great Danish art – visit Skagen for a brilliant introduction.
Add to this top-notch museums, ample outdoor adventures, Denmark's oldest town, endless family attractions and the understated cool of 'second city' Aarhus, and you'll come to understand why Copenhagen isn't the only Danish destination to put on your itinerary.

Faroe Islands INFO
The far-flung Faroes (Føroyar) may be under Danish sovereignty, but this self-governing slice of Scandinavia is a universe unto itself. Midway between Iceland and Scotland, it’s an 18-piece jigsaw of majestic rocks jutting out of the frothing North Atlantic swells, a place where multicoloured cottages and grass-roofed wooden churches add focus to grandly stark, treeless moorlands. It’s a curiously bewitching place, infused with ancient Norse legends and tight-knit rural communities alive with art and music.
- Running the show is capital-city Tórshavn (Thor’s Harbour), its transport links, solid restaurants and hotels making the place an excellent base from which to explore the rest of the country. Take a day or two to explore the turf-roofed cottages of its historic Tinganes district, as well as the islands’ idiosyncratic culture at museums such as Føroya Fornminnissavn (www.savn.fo) and Listasavn Føroya (www.art.fo).
- The Faroes’ ethereal pull, however, lurks beyond the city limits. Sharing the island of Streymoy with Tórshavn is tiny Vestmanna, from where tour boats reach the inspirational Vestmanna Bird Cliffs, bobbing beneath towering cliff faces, passing spiky rock pinnacles and squeezing through tight stone arches. You’ll spy the breeding areas of guillemots and razorbills as screeching fulmars and kittiwakes soar above like thousands of white dots.
- Another bird-watchers’ paradise is the far western island of Mykines. Its hiking trail to the 1909 Mykineshoĺmur Lighthouse leads through densely packed puffin burrows and across a 35m footbridge over a sea gorge brimming with birdlife, including the Faroes’ only significant gannet colonies.
- Long and thin, the northeast island of Kalsoy delivers a surreal succession of abrupt peaks and swales. Nicknamed the ‘flute’ for its many tunnel holes, the scenery glimpsed all too briefly between them is nothing short of majestic.
- Arresting scenery is something the island of Eysturoy does especially well. Wedged between Kalsoy and Streymoy, it’s here that you’ll find the country’s grandest fjords and highest peaks. Northern Eysturoy serves up especially spectacular scenery at every turn, and travelling between its criminally cute villages makes for one of the most magical experiences in the country.
- Facing Kalsoy’s jagged northern tip, the petite village of Elduvík is a dreamily cute snaggle of tar-blackened traditional cottages divided into two photogenic clumps by the meandering mouth of the Stórá stream.
- Then there’s Gøta. Caught in a fjord end between two jagged mountain arms, this sprawling three-villages-in-one wakes the neighbours in July with the Faroes’ foremost rock festival, G! (www.gfestival.com), improbably held on a sandy little beach.
While July and August cover the main tourist season, consider visiting in June, when the days are dreamily long, most hotels and museums are open, yet tourist numbers are low. From September to May, rain abounds, and much infrastructure is shut, though the brooding skies, pounding ocean and haunting landscapes will speak to more meditative travellers.

Elduvík
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Mykines

Norðragøta
Caught in a fjord end between two jagged mountain arms, this sprawling three-villages-in-one wakes the neighbours in July with the Faroes’ foremost rock festival, [G!](www.gfestival.com), improbably held on a sandy little beach.
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Tórshavn
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Vestmanna