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Introduction: Frommer's Favorite Experiences
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A Day (and Night) at Tivoli--These 150-year-old pleasure gardens are worth the airfare to Copenhagen all by themselves. They offer a little bit of everything: open-air dancing, restaurants, theaters, concert halls, an amusement park . . . and, oh yes, gardens as well. From the first bloom of spring until the autumn leaves start to fall, they're devoted to lighthearted fun. The gardens are worth a visit any time but are especially pleasant at twilight when the lights begin to glint among the trees.
Down on the Farm in Denmark--The best way to see the heart of Denmark and meet the Danes is to spend a week on one of their farms. Some 370 farms all over the country take in paying guests. Take a pin and stick it anywhere on a map of Denmark away from the cities and seacoast, and you'll find a thatched and timbered farm or perhaps a more modernized homestead. Almost anyplace makes a good base from which you can explore the rest of the country on day trips. You join the host family and other guests for meals. You can learn about what's going on at the farm--or even pitch in and help with the chores if you like. Activities range from bonfires and folk dancing to riding lessons, and even horse-and-buggy rides. To arrange a farm holiday, contact Danish Farmhouse Holidays (Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof), Sxndergade 26, DK-8700 Horsens (Tel. 75-60-21-20; fax 75-60-21-90). The experience is a great bargain too, since the cost may be as low as 200 DKK ($29.00) per person per night.
On the Trail of the Vikings--Renowned for three centuries of fantastic exploits, the Vikings explored Greenland to the north, North America to the west, and the Caspian Sea to the south and east from roughly A.D. 750 to 1050. Their legacy lives on in Denmark. Relive the age at the Nationalmuseet in Copenhagen, which displays burial grounds of the Viking period, along with the largest and richest hoards of treasure, including relics from the "Silver Age." Even Viking costumes are exhibited. At Roskilde, explore the Viking Ship Museum, containing five vessels found in a fjord nearby, the largest of which was built in Ireland around 1060 and manned by 60 to 100 warriors. At Jelling, see two enormous mounds (the largest in Denmark), one of which was originally the burial ground of King Gorm. And if you're in Ribe, check out the Museum of the Viking Age, where a multimedia room, "Odin's Eye," introduces the visitor to the world of the Vikings through a vivid sound and vision experience.
Biking in Denmark--Since Denmark is relatively flat, it's one of the best countries in Europe for touring on two wheels. Green hills, half-timbered villages, castles, manor houses, beech forests, and lakes provide the backdrop as you roll along on your own power. Cyclists are given high priority in traffic. Of course, you can set out on your own, but a company that's loosely affiliated with the Danish Tourist office is Bike Denmark, Eboulevard 1, DK-1635 Copenhagen (Tel. 35-36-41-00), whose offerings are depicted on their Web page www.bikedenmark.com. The company offers eight different bike tours of Denmark, some of which depart from Copenhagen, others of which cover parts of Jutland and in some cases, southern Sweden. Tours last between 5 and 10 days, and cover between 12 1/2 and 37 miles per day. Detailed maps and directions are provided to each cyclist, who proceeds at his or her own pace along itineraries specially routed to cover sites of historic interest or natural beauty. Luggage is transported ahead of time along the route, so that it's waiting for participants in their hotel rooms at the end of a long day of cycling.
In the Footsteps of H. C. Andersen--To some visitors, this storyteller is the very symbol of Denmark itself. The fairy tale lives on in Odense, on the island of Funen, where Andersen was born the son of a shoemaker in 1805. His childhood home, a small half-timbered house on Munkemxllestrfde, where he lived from 1807 to 1817, has been turned into a museum. You can also visit the H. C. Andersens Hus, where much of his memorabilia is stored (including his walking stick and top hat), and take a few moments to listen to his tales on tape. But mostly you can wander the cobblestone streets that he knew so well, marveling at the life of this man--and his works--that, in the words of his obituary, struck "chords that reverberated in every human heart," as they still do today.
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