10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Denmark At Least Once

Denmark has a long list of museums and art galleries that cover various art movements and eras. From the Danish Golden Age and contemporary art to Vikings’ society and sailors’ lives, culture buffs certainly have much to add to their to-see list before visiting the coolest country in Scandinavia. Even though Copenhagen’s and Aarhus’ culture scene stand out, visitors will find museums or art galleries that display unique masterpieces in many Danish cities. They may not be as impressive as The National Gallery of Denmark or ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, but they will certainly captivate your interest.

The National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum for Kunst), Sølvgade 48-50, Copenhagen, +45 33 74 84 94

ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, Aros Allé 2, Aarhus, +45 87 30 66 00

Renaissance palaces and Baroque castles standing since the time mighty kings ruled the country and modern architecture buildings of the 21st century create Denmark’s elegant and diverse façade. Every corner presents the country’s long history through these remarkable buildings whose architectural style and interior design showcase the different eras and periods the country went through. Meanwhile, refined buildings with a modern-architectural style add a modern and stylized note. Check out the Frederiksborg Palace north of Copenhagen, Fredensborg Palace, and definitely don’t miss visiting Kronborg Castle, also known as Hamlet’s Castle and Shakespeare’s source of inspiration for the world-famous drama. For modern-architecture lovers, the Royal Danish Opera, the Royal Library in Copenhagen, and the peculiar apartment building known as The Iceberg (Isbjerget) in Aarhus are must-visits.

Frederiksborg Castle, Frederiksborg Slot 10, Hillerød, +45 48 26 04 39

Fredensborg Palace, Slottet 1B, Fredensborg, +45 33 40 31 87

Kronborg Castle, Kronborg 2C, Helsingør, +45 49 21 30 78

Copenhagen Opera House, Ekvipagemestervej 1, Copenhagen, +45 33 69 69 69

Royal Library, 1219 Copenhagen, +45 33 47 47 47

The Iceberg, Mariane Thomsens Gade 43, Aarhus

Denmark is one of the most ideal destinations for biking. Not only it is flat, but the country has a great infrastructure with long bike routes and special designed cycle bridges. Rent a bike while visiting, and explore the best sights and every hidden corner. Due to the country’s small size, it is also quite easy to make a bike trip and discover a neighboring city. With numerous campsites along the way, stop to take a break and mingle with other bike and nature lovers.

In the past few years, Scandinavian-style pieces have been dominating catwalks all around the globe while internationally-renowned Dane designers have been taking over the fashion world. Danes know style, period. With Copenhagen at top of the list, cities all over the country have a wide range of fancy-clothing stores with unique pieces that every fashionista would love to add to their collection. Aside from famous designers’—such as Mad Norgaard and Henrik Vibskov—boutiques in Copenhagen, the country brims with elegant shops for all styles and ages as well as secondhand and vintage stores.

Music aficionados should definitely visit Denmark during the summer when the country brims with music festivals. NorthSide in Aarhus, Nibe Festival in northern Jutland, and Copenhell Festival in Copenhagen are only some of the music festivals and events that take place throughout the summer. Moreover, one of the largest music festivals in Europe, Roskilde, takes place every summer and attracts thousands of locals and tourists. World-famous bands and emerging artists take the nine stages and for four days, music spills out from morning until night. For those visiting Denmark in the winter, events take place throughout the year, and winter travelers can always find a smoky-jazz bar filled with saxophone tunes.

Danes’ love for beer is an unquestionable fact. You’ll see them holding little cans while relaxing in a green-grass park, when riding their bikes, or while waiting for the next round to be served. Who could blame them? Denmark has a great beer industry with Carlsberg as well as many other microbreweries producing all types of the beloved drink. No matter the city, local bars serve such a great variety of beer that choosing the right one can sometimes turn out to be quite a difficult task.

Picturesque canals, lakes with white swans strolling around, and sandy beaches create the country’s beautiful and peaceful scenery. For locals, water has become a part of their daily habits year round. During the winter when lakes freeze, Danes grab their skates and practice their skills; and in the hot-summer days, they head straight to the canals for some refreshing dives. Those wanting to experience Denmark like a local, make sure to add in some water activities. Take a boat tour and explore a city from the water, rent a pedal boat and stroll around with swans, or find the best spot for a refreshing plunge.

For those who enjoy snowy landscapes and below-zero temperatures, Denmark is usually covered in snow, and locals snuggle up in cozy cafés and indulge in warm drinks during the wintertime (that to be honest, can sometimes last longer than it should). During Christmas, the atmosphere of the country becomes unique, and everyone gets into the Christmas spirit. Millions of colorful lights decorate the city, and Christmas markets serve the tasty Gløgg while snowflakes lazily fall on the ground.

The tranquil and peaceful atmosphere of the country is one of the reasons that Denmark is so special. Most visitors are surprised to notice that life in the city doesn’t necessarily mean traffic jams, car horns, and stressed people quickly moving. Here, life runs in a different rhythm. Danes strolling around on their colorful bikes as well as their hygge habit have managed to become a role model for countries around the world. It’s not without reason they have ranked first in the UN World Happiness Report (WHR) three times. So, get a glimpse of how it feels to live in one of the world’s happiest nations.

Travel to North Jutland and experience a unique-natural phenomenon. The Skagerrak and Kattegat Seas meet at Grenen, the northernmost part of Denmark. Millions of tourist head to the remote city to witness that unique phenomenon and observe the strong currents created from this union. The landscape of the place is stunning with seals swimming in the cold waters and rare species of birds crossing the blue sky, all while thousands of tourists strive not to miss capturing every single moment with their camera lenses.