The Best of Denmark

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1 The Best of Denmark

Denmark presents visitors with an embarrassment of riches—everything from exciting Copenhagen to historic castles, unusual offshore islands to quaint villages, and more. To help you decide how best to spend your time, we’ve com- piled a list of our favorite experiences and discoveries. In the following pages, you’ll find the kind of candid advice we’d give our close friends.

1 The Best Travel Experiences • A Week Down on the Farm: The • On the Road on a Bike: Den- best way to see the heart of Den- mark is relatively flat, making it mark and meet the Danes is to one of the best countries in Europe spend a week on one of their for touring on two wheels. You farms. Nearly 400 farms, all over pass green hills, half-timbered vil- the country, take in paying guests. lages, castles, manor houses, beech Stick a pin anywhere on a map of forests, and lakes as you roll along. Denmark away from the cities and Cyclists are given high priority in seacoast, and you’ll find a traffic. You can set out on your thatched and timbered farm, or own, but a company that’s loosely perhaps a more modern home- affiliated with the Danish tourist stead. Almost anyplace makes a office is Bike Denmark, Olaf good base from which to explore Poulsens Allé 1A, DK-3480 Fre- the rest of the country on day densborg (& 48-48-58-00; www. trips. You join the host family and bikedenmark.com). It offers eight other guests for meals. You can different self-guided bike tours of learn about what’s going on at the Denmark. Some depart from farm, and pitch in and help with Copenhagen; others cover parts of the chores if you like. Activities Funen and, in some cases, south- range from bonfires and folk danc- ern Sweden. Tours last for 5 to 10 ing to riding lessons or even horse- days, and cover 20km to 60km and-buggy rides. Although the (13–37 miles) per day. Detailed official agency that used to arrange maps and directions are given to such holidays is no longer in exis- each cyclist, who proceeds at his or tence, many visitors seeking this her own pace along itineraries kind of offbeat accommodation especially selected for their expo- often surf the Internet for farms sure to areas of historic interest or that advertise their willingness to natural beauty. Luggage is trans- receive guests. Or, decide which ported ahead of time and awaits part of Denmark you’d like to be participants in their hotel rooms at located in, then contact the nearest the end of a long day of cycling. tourist office to see which farms • A Day (& Night) at the Tivoli: are willing to accept paying guests. These 150-year-old pleasure gardens are worth the airfare to c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 5

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Copenhagen all by themselves. to 100 warriors. And if you’re in They’re a little bit of everything: Ribe, check out the Museum of open-air dancing, restaurants, the- the Viking Age, where a multime- aters, concert halls, an amusement dia room, “Odin’s Eye,” introduces park . . . and, oh yes, gardens. the visitor to the world of the From the first bloom of spring Vikings through an all-around until the autumn leaves start to sound and vision experience. See fall, they’re devoted to light- chapters 4 and 5. hearted fun. The gardens are • In the Footsteps of Hans Christ- worth a visit anytime, but are ian Andersen: To some visitors, especially nice at twilight, when this storyteller is the symbol of the lights begin to glint off the Denmark. The fairy tale lives on in trees. See chapter 4. Odense, on the island of Funen, • On the Trail of the Vikings: where the shoemaker’s son was Renowned for 3 centuries of fan- born in 1805. His childhood tastic exploits, the Vikings home, a small half-timbered house explored Greenland, North Amer- on Munkemøllestræde where he ica, and the Caspian Sea from lived from 1807 to 1817, has been roughly A.D. 750 to 1050. Their turned into a museum. You can legacy endures in Denmark. Relive also visit the H. C. Andersens Hus, the age at the Nationalmuseet in see the large store of memorabilia Copenhagen, which displays bur- (including his walking stick and ial grounds of the Viking period, top hat), and take a few moments along with the largest and richest to listen to his tales on tape. But hoards of treasure, including relics mostly you can wander the cobble- from the “Silver Age.” Even Viking stone streets that he knew so well, costumes are on exhibit. At and marvel at his life and works. In Roskilde, explore the Viking Ship the words of his obituary, they Museum. It contains five vessels struck “chords that reverberated in found in a fjord nearby, the largest every human heart,” as they still of which was built in Ireland do today. See chapter 5. around 1060 and manned by 60

2 The Best Scenic Towns & Villages • Dragør: At the doorstep of Ærø, lies 29km (18 miles) across Copenhagen, this old seafaring the water south of Svendborg. A town once flourished as a bustling 13th-century market town, it is a herring-fishing port. Time passed Lilliputian souvenir of the past, it by, however, and for that we can complete with little gingerbread be grateful. It looks much as it houses. You expect Hansel and used to, with half-timbered ocher- Gretel to arrive at any moment. and-pink 18th-century cottages— See chapter 5. all with thatched or red-tiled • Ribe: On the peninsula of Jut- roofs. The entire village is under land, this is the best-preserved the protection of the National medieval town in Denmark. It’s Trust. A 35-minute ride from the famous for its narrow cobblestone Danish capital will take you back lanes and crooked, half-timbered 2 centuries. See chapter 4. houses. An important trading cen- • Ærøskøbing: This is storybook ter during the Viking era, it’s Denmark. The little village on the known today as the town where country’s most charming island, the endangered stork—often the c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 6

6 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF DENMARK

subject of European myth and leg- Cathedral) in the city and nearby. end—flies back in April to nest. On the outskirts you can explore The medieval center of Ribe is everything from the 1554 Renais- protected by the National Trust. sance castle Egeskov to a 22m (72- From April until mid-September, a ft.) long 10th-century Viking ship night watchman circles the town, (at Ladby, 19km/12 miles north- spinning tales of its legendary days east of Odense). See chapter 5. and singing traditional songs. See • Ebeltoft: On Jutland, this well- chapter 5. preserved town of half-timbered • Odense: Thousands of Hans buildings is the capital of the Mols Christian Andersen’s fans visit the hill country. It’s a town of sloping storyteller’s birthplace every year. row houses, crooked streets, and Denmark’s third-largest city has a local handicraft shops. The Town medieval core, and you can walk Hall looks as though it were its cobblestone streets and admire erected for kindergartners to play its half-timbered houses, includ- in. In Ebeltoft you can also visit ing the H. C. Andersens Hus. the 1860 frigate Jylland, the oldest Odense is also a worthwhile desti- man-of-war in Denmark. See nation in its own right, with many chapter 5. attractions (including St. Canute’s

3 The Best Active Vacations • Biking: A nation of bikers, Den- Mosedalvei 15, DK-2500 Copen- mark has organized the roads to hagen (& 39-27-88-44). suit the national sport. A network • Fishing: For centuries, Danes of bike routes and paths is pro- relied on what fishers could pull tected from heavy traffic, and out of the sea for their diet. Since much of the terrain is flat. Bicy- then, no smørrebrød buffet has cling vacations are available as been complete without a selection inclusive tours that cover bike of shrimp, herring, and salmon. rental, ferry tickets, and accom- The preparation of plaice, cod, modations en route. Some deluxe eel, perch, and trout are culinary tours transport your luggage from art forms. The seas off Funen’s one hotel to the next. For more 1,095km (680-mile) coastline, information, contact the Danish especially within the Great Belt, Cycling Federation, Rømersgade have yielded countless tons of 7, DK-1362 Copenhagen (& 33- seafood, and that tradition has 32-31-21; www.dcf.dk). encouraged anglers and sport • Camping: There are a number of enthusiasts to test their luck in the pleasant, well-equipped camp- rich waters of the Baltic. Many grounds near Copenhagen and outfitters can introduce you to the elsewhere, and a total of 516 mysteries of fresh- and saltwater throughout the country. For infor- fishing. One of the most consis- mation about campsites and facil- tently reliable is Ole Dehn, Søn- ities, contact the tourist dergard 22, Lohals, DK-5953 information office in the town or Tranekær (& 62-55-17-00; www. region that appeals to you. You can oledehn.dk). Its most popular also write to a nationwide organ- offering involves half-day deep- ization devoted to marketing sea fishing tours on the Great Danish campgrounds to the rest of Sound, which cost 220DKK the world, the Campingraadet, ($29) per person. The 6-hour c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 7

THE BEST ACTIVE VACATIONS 7 Scandinavia

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A SWEDENS W E D E N a i FINLANDF I N L A N D UmeaUmea n h KokkolaKokkola TrondheimTrondheim ÖstersundÖstersundstersund t MoldeMolde o VaasaVaasa B ÅÅlesundllesundesund f KuopioKuopio

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u LappeenrantaLappeenranta TampereTampere HamarHamar G BergenBergen GävleGävlevle TurkuTurku HelsinkiHelsinki PorvooPorvoo FalunFalun n d OsloOslo i n l a f F UppsalaUppsala f o KarlstadKarlstad u l G StavangerStavanger StockholmStockholm ÖÖrebrorebrorebro ESTONIA

NorrkNNorrköpingorrköpingping KristiansandKristiansand a Gulf of North e GothenburgGothenburg Riga Sea GotlandGotland S RUSSIA AalborgAalborg c LATVIA DENMARKD E N M A R K ÖÖlandland i t ÅÅrhusrrhushus l CopenhagenCopenhagen MalmöMalmMalmö a YstadYstad B OdenseOdense LITHUANIA BornholmBornholm (Denmark)(Denmark) RUSSIA

POLAND BELARUS GERMANY

fishing experience, from 8am to island, Langeland, directly fronting 2pm, is conducted whenever busi- the Great Belt’s rich schools of fish. ness warrants it. Their headquar- • Golfing: In recent years, golf ters are not on the island of Funen has become quite popular in but on a long and skinny barrier Denmark. There are more than c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 8

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100 clubs throughout the country, ($14) for children ages 4 to 15. most of which welcome visitors— The stable is large, with 140 Ice- all you need is a membership card landic ponies, the sturdy, cold- from your club at home. Several resistant breed which, although clubs have a pro trainer, golf shop, small, are very sturdy with a com- clubroom, and restaurant. Con- fortable “seat.” As opposed to tact local tourist offices for a list of most other breeds, Icelandic the golf courses in the regions you ponies have five gaits—not only plan to visit. walk, trot, and canter, but a tilt • Horseback Riding: Riding and a “pass.” After you gallop past schools throughout Denmark salt marshes and birds, you can rent horses; local tourist offices stop from time to time to relax on can offer advice. Our favorite the beach. For more information, place for riding is the Isle of Læsø contact Krogbækgaard, Byrum, (off the northern coast of Jut- DK-9940 Læsø (& 98-49-15-05; land), which you can explore on www.rideferie.dk). Boats sail to the back of an Icelandic pony; a Læsø from the port of Frederik- 1-hour riding tour costs 130DKK shavn in North Jutland. ($17) for adults or 110DKK

4 The Best Festivals & Special Events • July 4 Festival (Rebild, near Aal- folk in colorful costumes fill the borg): This is one of the few places streets. Almost 10,000 people take outside the United States that cel- part in the celebration, honoring ebrates U.S. independence. Each the victory of spring over winter. year Danes and Danish-Ameri- The whole city bursts with joy. See cans gather for picnic lunches, chapter 2. outdoor entertainment, and • Copenhagen Jazz Festival: One speeches. See chapter 2. of the finest jazz festivals in • Fire Festival Regatta (Silkeborg): Europe takes place in July. Some This is the country’s oldest and of the best musicians in the world biggest festival, with nightly show up to jam in the Danish cap- cruises on the lakes and illumina- ital. Indoor and outdoor con- tion provided by thousands of can- certs—many of them free—are dles onshore. The fireworks presented. See chapter 2. display on the final night is with- • Viking Festival (Frederikssund): out equal in Europe, and Danish During this annual festival (June artists provide the entertainment 19–July 15), bearded Vikings at a large fun fair. Usually held the revive Nordic sagas in an open-air first week in August. See chapter 2. theater. After each performance, • Aalborg Carnival: Celebrated on there’s a traditional Viking ban- May 21, this is one of the coun- quet. See chapter 4. try’s great spring events. Happy

5 The Best Castles & Palaces • Kronborg Slot (Helsingør): here—the Bard has spoken, and Shakespeare never saw this castle, that’s that. Its cannon-studded and Hamlet (if he existed) lived bastions are full of intriguing centuries before it was built. But secret passages and openings for Shakespeare set his immortal play guns, and it often serves as the c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 9

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backdrop for modern productions costumes and royal memorabilia is of Hamlet. The brooding mythical unequaled in Denmark. See chap- hero Holger Danske is said to be ter 4. asleep in the dungeon and, • Frederiksborg Castle (Hillerød): according to the legend, the Known as the Danish Versailles, Viking chief will rise again to this slot (castle) with a moat is the defend Denmark if it is endan- most elaborate in Scandinavia. gered. See chapter 4. Built in the Dutch Renaissance • Christiansborg Palace (Copen- style of red brick with a copper hagen): The queen receives official roof, the castle’s oldest parts date guests in the Royal Reception from 1560. Much of the castle was Chamber, where you must don constructed under the direction of slippers to protect the floors. The the “master builder,” Christian IV, complex also holds the Parliament from 1600 to 1620. Now a major House and the Supreme Court. national history museum, the cas- From 1441 until the fire of 1795, tle was ravaged by fire in 1859 and this was the official residence of had to be completely restored. See Denmark’s monarchs. You can tour chapter 4. the richly decorated rooms, includ- • Egeskov Castle (Kværndrup): ing the Throne Room and banquet On the island of Funen, this 1554 hall. Below you can see the well- “water castle” is set amid splendid preserved ruins of the 1167 castle gardens. It’s the most romantic of Bishop Absalon, founder of example of Denmark’s fortified Copenhagen. See chapter 4. manors. Built in the middle of a • Rosenborg Castle (Copenhagen): moat, it’s surrounded by a 74- Founded by Christian IV in the hectare (30-acre) park. The best- 17th century, this redbrick preserved Renaissance castle of its Renaissance castle remained a type in Europe, it has many royal residence until the early 19th attractions on its grounds, includ- century, when it was converted ing an airplane museum and a into a museum. It still houses the vintage automobile museum. See crown jewels, and its collection of chapter 5.

6 The Best Offbeat Experiences • Calling on Artists & Craftspeo- husband-and-wife team of Asger ple: West Jutland has many open Kristensen and Inga Sørensen workshops where you can see directs the Havlit Stentøj studios, craftspeople in action; you can at Vesterballevej 1, Ho, DK 6857 meet the potter, the glassblower, Blåvand (& 75-27-95-93). Jointly, the painter, the textile designer, the couple produces charming and even the candlestick maker. ceramics, including hand-painted Local tourist offices can tell you replicas of birds—some rustic, which studios are open to guests some more detailed and refined. in such centers as Tønder, Ribe, The artists take their inspiration Esbjerg, Varde, Billund, Herning, from the rugged landscapes of Struer, and Skive. One of our West Jutland in their fabrication of favorite crafts studios lies in Jut- such additional objects as urns, land, 26km (16 miles) west of pots, and bas-reliefs. Hours are Esbjerg, near the town of Blå- from April to October, Monday vand, on a farmstead in the tiny through Friday from 10am to agrarian hamlet of Ho. Here, the 5:30pm; from November to c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 10

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March, Monday through Friday Copenhagen community at the from noon to 4pm. corner of Prinsessegade and Bads- • Making People-to-People Con- mandsstræde on the island of tacts: If you’d like to meet Scandi- Christianshavn. Founded in 1972, navians with interests and this is an anarchists’ commune backgrounds like yours, the best that occupies former army bar- “bridge” is Friends Overseas, racks; its current residents preach 68-04 Dartmouth St., Forest Hills, the gospel of drugs and peace. NY 11375 (& 718/544-5660). Christiania’s residents have even There’s a $25 fee for your organized their own government “hookup” in Scandinavia, but for and passed laws, for example, to many it’s worth the money to have legalize drugs. They’re not com- this close encounter with these plete anarchists, however—they bright, articulate people, who are do venture into the city at least among the most educated in the once a month to pick up their world. Know in advance that there social welfare checks. Today you isn’t any background investigation can wander about the community, of the people you’re going to be which has a theater, cafes, grocery matched with, and everything is stores, and even a local radio sta- very casual and free-form—basi- tion. See chapter 4. cally the Scandinavians listed in • Exploring Erotica: Denmark was the company’s handbook are who- the first country to “liberate” ever happens to fill out the proper pornography, in 1968, and today forms. But based on the instincts there’s a museum in Copenhagen of company founder Larry Eisner, devoted to the subject. In the and the natural friendliness of the Erotica Museum (at Købmager- Scandinavians, social encounters gade 24), you can learn about the usually work out happily, without sex lives of such famous figures as unpleasant incidents. Contact Nietzsche, Freud, and Duke information is grouped into sub- Ellington. Founded by a photog- categories that include families rapher of nudes, the exhibits range with children, couples, and singles. from the tame to the tempestu- For more information, see “People ous—everything from Etruscan to People,” in chapter 2. drawings to pictures of venereal • Journeying Back to the 1960s: If skin disease and sadomasochism you’re nostalgic for the counter- videos. See chapter 4. culture, it lives on in Christiania, a

7 The Best Buys • Danish Design: The simple but teak chairs, is now viewed as the elegant lines that became fashion- grand old man of Danish design. able in the 1950s have made a Younger designers have followed comeback. Danish modern chairs, in the footsteps of the “old mas- glassware, and even buildings have ters,” producing carefully crafted returned. “Old masters” such as items for the home—everything Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner, and from chairs, desks, and furnish- Poul Kjærhom are celebrated; ings to table settings and silver- their designs from the 1940s and ware. For the best display of 1950s are sold in antiques stores. Danish design today, walk along Wegner, noted for his sculptured the pedestrians-only Strøget, c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 11

THE BEST HOTELS 11

Copenhagen’s major shopping for these collectors’ items are street. The best single showcase Royal Copenhagen Porcelain, for modern Danish design may be Amagertorv 6 (& 33-13-71-81), Illums Bolighus, Amagertorv 10 and Holmegaards Glasværker, (& 33-14-19-41). Amagertorv 6 (& 33-12-44-77). • Crystal & Porcelain: Holme- • Silver: Danish designers have gaard crystal and Royal Copen- made a name for themselves in this hagen porcelain are household field. Even with taxes and shipping names, known for their beauty charges, buying silver in Denmark and craftsmanship. The items cost is about half as costly as doing so less in Denmark than in the in the States. If you’re willing to States, although signed art glass is consider “used” silver, you can get always extremely costly. To cut some remarkable discounts. The costs, you can shop for seconds, big name in international silver is which are discounted by 20% to Georg Jensen, Amagertorv 6, 50%—sometimes the imperfec- Copenhagen (& 33-11-40-80)— tion can be detected only by an and you can buy it at the source. expert. Copenhagen’s best centers

8 The Best Hotels • Phoenix Copenhagen (Copen- into a stellar inn with a top-quality hagen; & 33-95-95-00): The restaurant that rivals the very best Danish Communist Party used to in Copenhagen. See p. 137. have its headquarters here, but the • Hotel Dagmar (Ribe; & 75-42- “Reds” of the Cold War era would- 00-33): Jutland’s most glamorous n’t recognize this pocket of posh hotel was converted from a private today. It reeks of capitalistic excess home in 1850, and the building and splendor, from its dazzling dates to 1581. This half-timbered public rooms with French antiques hotel encapsulates the charm of to its bedrooms with dainty Louis the 16th century, with carved XVI styling. See p. 60. chairs, sloping wooden floors, and • Hotel d’Angleterre (Copenhagen; stained-glass windows. Many of & 800/44-UTELL in the U.S., or the rooms have antique canopy 33-12-00-95): Some critics rate beds. A fine restaurant that serves this the finest hotel in Denmark. It Danish and international dishes drifted toward mediocrity a few completes the picture. See p. 151. years back, before a massive invest- • Hotel Hesselet (Nyborg; & 65- ment saved it. Now the hotel is 31-30-29): This stylish, modern better than ever, and houses a hotel on Funen is set in a beech swimming pool and a nightclub. forest. The spacious guest rooms The service is among the finest in are artfully decorated, often with Copenhagen. See p. 60. traditional furnishings. A library, • Falsled Kro (Falsled; & 62-68- Oriental carpets, and an open fire- 11-11): Funen Island’s finest place add graceful touches to the accommodation is this quintessen- public areas. Many Copenhagen tial Danish inn, with origins going residents head here for a retreat, back to the 1400s. A Relais & patronizing the hotel’s gourmet Châteaux property, it has been ele- restaurant at night. See p. 129. gantly furnished and converted c524666 Ch01.qxd 4/17/03 9:14 AM Page 12

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9 The Best Restaurants • Era Ora (Copenhagen; & 32- both a meal and a view over the 54-06-93): The Golden Age (its lake across from the Hans Christ- English name) is the grandest Ital- ian Andersen Castle. The chefs ian restaurant in Denmark, and prepare the gardens’ most refined one of the best of its kind in cuisine, ranging from rack of northern Europe, even attracting Danish lamb roasted with garlic members of the royal family. The and sage to mousseline of lobster cuisine is based on the best recipes baked with turbot and served with of Tuscany and Umbria, using the asparagus spears. See p. 68. freshest of Danish produce when • Marie Louise (Odense; & 66-17- available. See p. 69. 92-95): Glittering with crystal • Kommandanten (Copenhagen; and silver, this dining room, & 33-12-09-90): A house built located on a pedestrian street, is by a Danish commander for his one of the finest on the island of family in 1698 accommodates this Funen. In an antique house, this restaurant. The menu reflects the Danish-French alliance offers finest Continental and Mediter- excellent cuisine, preparation, and ranean influences in such dishes as service. Seafood and fish are the foie gras with lobster and truffle favored dishes. See p. 133. sauce, and pigeon sautéed with • Falsled Kro (Falsled; & 62-68- bacon, cabbage, and cherries. 11-11): Even if you don’t stay Fresh seafood is served in every here, consider enjoying a meal. A conceivable way. The wooden favorite among well-heeled Euro- floors and beams date to the 17th peans, the restaurant produces century, but the Warhol art makes stellar French-inspired cuisine, the restaurant look trendy. See often using seasonal produce from p. 70. its own gardens. The succulent • Divan II (Copenhagen; & 33- salmon is smoked on the premises 12-51-51): This early-19th-cen- in one of the outbuildings, and tury slate house was constructed the owners breed quail locally. when the lush Tivoli Gardens Such care and attention to detail were being laid out. In this make this one of Denmark’s top romantic setting, you can enjoy restaurants. See p. 137.