Denmark Travel Guide

Denmark is a country that seems overwhelmingly content with itself. Its cities are modern, its transport and infrastructure are efficient, its countryside is picturesque, and it's people are well educated, well fed and generally happy. And in spite of all this there's not a smug face in the house. The Danish people are one of the most inviting and hospitable peoples in Europe with an often quirky, but very genuine sense of humour.

The country is comprised of around four hundred small islands, most uninhabited, and several large islands including Funen and Zealand (home to the capital Copenhagen) and Jutland, a large peninsular surrounded by the frigid North Sea. Denmark has a history strongly influenced by the sea and with nowhere more than about an hour's drive from the coast it's easy to see why.

Portions of Denmark have been inhabited for over fourteen thousand years but it's the Viking period of the eighth to eleventh centuries that is the most colourful with Viking warlords adopting names like Eric the Victorious, Sweyn Forkbeard and Ivar the Boneless. These Viking kings were responsible for much of the maritime trade in the Europe of the time. In later centuries the Danes were involved in many battles with their neighbours over territory and trading rites but eventually took the path of neutrality in many world affairs. This was of little help when they were defeated by the Germans in World War two in a matter of hours.

Nowadays Denmark is a peaceful and prosperous country with a high standard of living that is the envy of many other European countries. Beautiful Copenhagen is a blend of the old and the new with modern industry sharing space with historical buildings and cobble stone streets. It is also the home to two of the oldest amusement parks in the world: Tivoli, and Dyrehavsbakken which is said to have given Walt Disney inspiration for his own park. Billund is famously the home of Legoland, and Denmark's almost 7,500 kms of coastline have unblemished white sandy beaches. With a blend of interesting culture, picturesque countryside and a welcoming and friendly people Denmark is a wonderful destination that should be a part of any European holiday.