Copenhagen is full of bright colours

Text: Martiina Made Photos: Anders Bøgild / Copenhagen Media Center, Nick Karvounis / Unsplash Published: 17 / June / 2018

COPENHAGEN is both historic and modern, traditional and innovative. It is a great destination for a city holiday and many important sights here are within walking distance. The museums, colourful houses, lively city streets, fairy-tale parks, trendy design meccas and first-class cuisine are inviting reasons to visit the city.

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The Danish capital, which was founded on water and is laced with picturesque canals, will not leave you feeling indifferent. Historic attractions include the Little Mermaid, the royal palace of Amalienborg, Rosenborg Castle with its beautiful view, and the Kronborg Castle, which is known as the setting for the William Shakespeare's play “Hamlet”. Art lovers can see works by Rembrandt, Picasso or Matisse in the National Gallery. In the Nyhavn harbour area, colourful Danish-style houses rise along the canal. Christiania and the Nørrebro districts bring out the bohemian and multicultural sides of Copenhagen.

Despite its long history and tradition, Copenhagen is young and vibrant. While during the daytime you can explore the clever designs in the city's shops and galleries, during the night you can party in the modern pubs and clubs. For music enthusiasts, it is recommended to visit the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, which will take place from 6th to 15th July this year.

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THIS IS NOT A FAIRY TALE – THIS IS REALITY

Copenhagen is one of the few capitals where there are plenty of activities for families with children. Tivoli, which is the oldest amusement park in Europe, opened in 1834 and offers excitement for a preschooler, a moody teenager, and an adren - aline-seeking adult. Tivoli is so full of fantasy, that in its time it was the source of inspiration for world-famous writer Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Nightingale". Next to the world's oldest wooden roller coaster, carousels, and other attractions, you will find stylishly decorated cafes and restaurants in the wonderful park. The park is most beautiful in the evening when the fountains and green park trails glow in the colourful lights. The entrance fee for the amusement park starts at 120 DDK, or approximately 16 EUR, for visitors of 8 years and older.

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The Danish national aquarium, Den Blå Planet, will wake up your imagination with its vast underwater world. Engineers have designed the viewing passages so that everyone there feels like they are walking among sharks, rays and other marine life. Den Blå Planet, the largest aquarium in the Nordics, is in the immediate vicinity of Copenhagen Airport. You can also explore the exotic animal kingdom in the city centre at Copenhagen Zoo, where the lions, tigers and polar bears are the most interesting animals for children. The tickets for both attractions are about 180 DDK for adults and 100 DDK for children.

Every parent's dream is the modern worldclass science centre Experimentarium. Interactive displays and science exhibitions give the impression of a large exploratory playground. Happy and brighteyed children run from one exhibition to another, study the soap bubbles, learn how hearing, vision, smell and taste work, and practice steering a ship or playing a laser harp. The ticket for the centre, located in the suburb of Copenhagen Hellerup, costs 195 DDK for adults and children of 12 years and older, and 115 DDK for younger children.

"TAKE A BITE OF THE BREAD!"

Danish food culture has flourished in recent years, and is fast becoming legendary in the world. There are fifteen Michelin-starred restaurants in the city centre. The triple-star Geranium, the double-star AOC, and one-star rated restaurants 108, Kong Hans Kælder, Marchal, Clou and Studio are just a few examples. To enjoy coffee and cake, just take a seat in a cozy cafe like The Living Room, Café Bopa or Granola.

Wienerbrød, or Viennese bread rolls, are perfect for starting your work day on Friday, as well as for pampering yourself on a Sunday morning

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A rich selection of bakery products is a part of Danish cuisine. Bread, buns and cakes of different shape, size and texture may even cause some confusion at first. But as the Danes say "Spis brød til!" (“Take a bite of the bread”), meaning take it easy/don't overreact, there is no reason to worry. Even Caroline Boutrup Nielsen describes in the article "The Danes and Their Bread" how bread in Denmark is not just bread. There is a certain type of bread for every event or meal. For centuries, rugbrød, or rye bread, has had an important place in Danish cuisine. It is served with warm supplements on Christmas Eve or as a part of a nutritious smørrebrød for lunch. On special occasions, French bread made of wheat, called franskbrød, is served. The fuldkornsbrød, or whole wheat bread, is a healthier option and has gained popularity in recent years.

The appetising smell coming from the bakeries however, is the smell of freshly baked rolls. Wienerbrød, or Viennese bread rolls, are perfect for starting your work day on Friday, as well as for pampering yourself on a Sunday morning. If you have a sweet tooth then the selection of creamfilled cakes – flødekager – is perfect for you. Tasty cream-filled pastry covered with marzipan, fruit or chocolate, known as kartofelkage, gåsebryst or jordbærkage, are always perfect additions for celebrating a festive event. You really shouldn't bother counting calories in Copenhagen: just enjoy life!

Article was published in Nordica´s in-flight magazine Time Flies  (spring-summer 2018).