Why Visit Copenhagen

To read my full guide to Copenhagen click here.

Copenhagen is the capital of the second happiest country in the world, and some of that happiness is bound to rub off on you if you stay a while. Maybe don't go in the winter though if you're someone who suffers with Seasonal Affective Disorder as you wont see much of the sun that time of year. That said I gather the Copenhagen Christmas Market is a sight to behold, so maybe that would cheer you up anyway. Don't worry if you can't go over Christmas though as the gorgeous Tivoli Park lights up like a Christmas tree every night anyway.

Copenhagen is one of my favourite cities. There's absolutely loads going on, and while the food and drink aren't cheap the flights and hotels are very reasonable. Plus it's all worth the money. This is one of those cities with something for everyone, great bars, some of the best castles you'll ever see, the best theme park in the world, art galleries, a beach, and a flamethrower. It's also a city that loves people paying by card, which suits me as I really don't like carrying cash around. In fact when you go to a bar they automatically bring the card reader over and look at you as if you've gone mad when you produce cash, not that they'd ever say anything about it. The Danes are far too polite for that. ​When you go to Copenhagen make absolutely sure you get a Copenhagen Card. It'll honestly save you a fortune.

Danish Castles

Other than been unbelievably polite and friendly the Danes are also master castle builders, and plenty of them are in and around Copenhagen. Kronborg Castle, also known as Hamlet's Castle, is believed to be the inspiration for the Shakespeare play of the same name. It's a proper castle near the sea with cannons and turrets fit to keep out almost any invader. Meanwhile Frederickborg and Rosenborg castles are absolutely gorgeous castles come palaces. While I'm not convinced they would survive a full on assault they are absolutely stunning. The exteriors with lavish gardens and intricate facades entice you into some of the most ornate rooms you'll find anywhere in the world. Copenhagen really is a must for any castle lover, and I know there's plenty of you out there.

Danish Beer

Thankfully there's more to Danish beer than Carlsberg, although while I don't recommend the almost completely tasteless lager I do recommend going to Visit Carlsberg and doing the excellent brewery tour. It's probably the best in the world. Or maybe that's just the adverts influencing me. The undoubted star of the Danish beer world is Mikkeller, just think of them as the Danish Brewdog. They are taking over the world of craft beer, and quite clearly the Danes can't get enough of them. In the airport alone there's two Mikkeller Bars, and they're all over the city. Mikkeller caters for pretty much every taste bud with everything from lagers to imperial stouts. They don't mind giving their beers a bit of a kick either, one I had was 15% which is enough to give anyone a bad head in the morning if you have a few. You'll also find an excellent selection of bars in Copenhagen, but for the most part you're better off buying a couple of bottles of Mikkeller's finest and sitting out with the locals in the Nyhavn area.

Danish Art and Parks

Tivoli Park is one of the prettiest places you'll ever visit in the daytime, and it's even better at night. This is what a theme park should be like. It's not got the biggest or fastest roller-coasters, in fact I didn't even bother going on any of the rides. That's not why you visit Tivoli Park, you visit just to walk around and gaze at its beauty. I'm not saying you shouldn't go on the rides, I'm just saying I didn't feel the need once I was there. There's just a nice atmosphere about the place, everyone is having fun, and it's not about queuing to go on the next thrilling ride, it's just about taking it all in. 

The Danish art scene in Copenhagen is similarly wonderfully understated. From the beautiful graffiti in Christiania, the free town on the edge of the city where almost anything goes, to the Glyptotek with its fantastic sculpture collection including 'The Thinker' by Rodin there's something for every art lover in Copenhagen. There's even a flamethrower in the Cisterns, which is an amazing work of modern art you really wont want to miss.

Copenhagen really is a special city in one of the most welcoming countries in the world. For a full comprehensive guide just click here.