Welcome to Denmark
Yvonne Hawley | Journeys by Yvonne
Denmark is world famous for its Danish Design for its fashion, furniture and architecture. But within the last 10 years Denmark is a haven for foodie travel, with 36 Michelin stars combined.
This is a sober place. For many years, the Danes lived off what they could catch, grow, and farm. They created traditional meals that would suit their lifestyle as well as the landscape around them.
Today, tourists travel to Denmark to experience the world-famous New Nordic cuisine, which is rich in flavor, using traditional processing methods with new ideas, and seasonal fresh and local ingredients. It, is also home to the greatest furniture designs and architecture making a destination with lots to explore, including beautiful parks, wonderful castle and home to the Lego City and of the famous fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen with the Little Mermaid.
Denmark is the smallest of the Scandinavian countries, consisting of 400 islands. A country much smaller than Texas making it easy to drive to the 4 major cities of Odens, Aarhus and Aalborg, and Copenhagen being the capital which officially was a small fishing village, and home to one of the oldest royal families in the world with the reigning monarch, Queen Margrethe II, being able to trace her ancestry back to the Viking Age.
Copenhagen truly is an all-year-round destination with a wide array of unique offerings in all four seasons. This is key for promoting sustainable tourism!
A winner when it comes to adopting sustainable solutions, Copenhagen has one of the world’s most ambitious climate policies intending to be the first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. It is also one of the most livable cities of the world. The city has more bikes than cars.
Another interesting fact is that winter in Copenhagen is milder than winters in NYC, and summers are so hot you can take a dip in the ocean or the crisp canals.
When in Copenhagen riding a Bike is a must to blend with the locals. If you prefer public transportation is fabulous as well. You can possibly spot one of the chefs testing new menu ideas form street food cart around the city.
Visiting the neighborhoods located just outside the old city fortification is a great way of getting to know and live the atmosphere of the city. Vesterbro, Nørrebro, and Østerbro all share the same suffix “bro”, which refers to the old city gates of Copenhagen. Besides this, the three neighborhoods also have bustling streets, creativity, and great dining options in common, yet each of them is so different and unique from one another.
Aarhus, second largest city, the university city is the highlight for art and food devotees. A famous and Insta-worthy sight is “Your rainbow Panorama”, situated on top of the ARos Aarhus Art Museum, where you can walk with a 360 view of Aarhus, where entrance into the celebrated gallery also includes entry to the Café and Orangery on-site, with its sustainability and organic quality. It's not hard to find a trendy spot to grab a bite or a drink in Aarhus.
Straight out of a fairy-tale, Odense is the birthplace of Denmark’s most famous fairytale writer, Hans Christian Andersen. Wandering the same cobblestone streets that inspired his most famous stories, I can easily picture Mr. Andersen walking down the cobbled strrrt and sitting at a courtyard table in Odense’s oldest and most beautiful cafes, in a well-preserved, half-timbered 17th-century building.
On the Northern top or Denmark is North Jultland, called the Land of Light. Throughout centuries, painters from all over the world have journeyed there to paint because of the beautiful light around Skagen. The nature in North Jutland is famous for wide beaches and its wild and wonderful nature. The region boats some of the best seafood in Denmark.
Imagine taking an Oyster Safari in South Jutland, As a foodie, you would love to collect Pacific and European flat oysters, learn how to shuck and cook them with traditional Danish recipes.
Or as a nature lover, you can learn about the marine park where wildlife is plenty, including playful looking seal colonies and an array of migratory birds. Finish the day with a fresh catch prepared for you at one of the local restaurants paired with a bottle of champagne.
Bornholm is the Baltic city if beauty with a thriving art scene, gastronomy scene and relaxing hotels, where you can enjoy a seaside view. Visit Kadeau to experience the contemporary gastronomy scene on the island, sample some smoked fish from smoking houses only found on Bornholm. Every year, chefs from all around Denmark come together for a one-day cook-off for the absolute best Sol over Gudhjem, made from delicious and fresh local produce.
As always Denmark has lots to do and to explore, it is great for All. Having tons of activities all year round, from hiking, kayaking, SUP, kitesurfing, Island Hopping, visiting the multiple National Parks, riding a bike, or even watching the start of the tour de France held in Copenhagen this year. Exploring Denmark is a great adventure for the whole family.
Yvonne Hawley
Yvonne.hawley@protravelinc.com
713-805-4247