Copenhagen, Denmark

Denmark may be part of Scandinavia, but this idyllic oasis to the north of Germany has a character entirely its own. Danes have more in common with Germans than with the rest of Scandinavia, and are proud of their relaxed attitudes on subjects like alcohol and smoking. There is, however, one element of Danish culture that is utterly unique: Jante Law, which to some extent governs Danish behavior. In a nut shell, Jante Law is: "Nobody is anything special. Don't try and stand out or pretend that you are better than anybody else at anything". Danes were always great storytellers, and fairytales are a particular specialty. Amid the gentle Danish landscape you will find countless treasures: ancient monuments and the remains of ancient civilizations; glorious castles and fine manor houses, and, of course, the dark impenetrable forests - all of which inspired the fairy stories of the most famous Dane of all, Hans Christian Andersen.

"Hygge" is an often-used, uniquely Danish and untranslatable term. It is most often described as a kind of cosiness or homeliness to be found at the heart of Danish life.

Danish cuisine features the products suited to its cool and moist northern climate: barley, potatoes, rye, beetroot, greens, berries, and mushrooms are locally grown, and dairy products are one of its specialties. In other words, fairly similar to Finnish cuisine. They even have salmiakki in Denmark, in fact, some of the world's strongest liquorice is produced there.

• Official language: Danish, although English is widely understood and spoken
• Currency: Danish krone (1 € = 7.5 DKK)
• Railway info: InterRail passes are valid on the DSB (Danske Statsbaner) and also DSB S-Tag, DSB-FIRST and Arriva
  

It seems like the easiest way to get to Copenhagen from Sweden is by taking a train from Malmö - there is a train every 20 minutes and the trip should only take 35 minutes. There is also a high-speed train from Stockholm (X2000) but tickets would need to be reserved in advance and there is a reservation fee.

And now for some info about Copenhagen.

Denmark has only one major city - Copenhagen - home to just over 1.5 million people, almost a third of the population. Copenhagen is the most vibrant capital city in Scandinavia. The city is uncommonly user-friendly, with many of its attractions within easy walking distance. Getting around the city shouldn't be a problem - if we get tired of walking, public transportation is supposed to be reliable and there are city bikes in the city center. Copenhagen is strewn with castles, churches and other historic monuments. All this is enlivened, particularly in the summer, by a vibrant street life, with outdoor cafes, restaurants and entertainers everywhere, especially along Stroget.

Places to see:

• We definitely have to see the palaces in the old town: the Amalienborg Palaces, the Christiansborg Palace and the Rosenborg Castle

The Rosenborg Castle

• There are many interesting buildings in the old town besides the palaces, like the Frederick's Church (also known as the Marble church) and the Round tower, which has an observation deck at its 35-m summit with a view over the city
• St Peter's Church: the oldest building in central Copenhagen. It is Gothic with Baroque features and Rococo spire.
  
• We should also pay a visit to the Christianshavn (artificial island not far from the old town) and climb the top of the very tall church - Vor Frelsers Kirke (according to Wikipedia, there is "an external winding staircase that can be climbed to the top, offering extensive views over central Copenhagen" - One word: Yikes.) The self-governing community, Christiania, is also found in Christianhavn. It was founded in 1971 when New Age squatters took over a disused army barracks. We should check it out at least from the distance, if we don't dare go in. :D

Vor Frelsers Kirke

• Those were just some of the places that caught my attention, but there are also many beautiful parks and churches that we'll definitely have to visit if we have the time.
  

And, naturally, you can't go to Copenhagen without visiting Legoland! Going there was one of my dreams when I was little, and now it's finally going to come true. What can I say, I am excited and I just can't hide it. I'm still a bit unsure about what's the best way to get there from Copenhagen, because it looks like there are no direct trains OR buses, but I could be wrong.. I did read somewhere that it's possible to take a train to Vejle and from there a bus to Billund, which is where Legoland is located (I don't get why it has to be so far away from the capital!) I'm pretty sure we'll figure it out when we're there at the latest though.

And finally, where to sleep:

• Overall, hostels seem to be quite expensive in Copenhagen, so I think camping might be a better option there. BUT the Sleep-in-Green hostel seems quite nice, and eco-friendly.
• I also found two camping sites: City Camp is very close to the city center and Bellahoj Camping is only 4,5km from the central station (can easily be reached by bus)

So that's about all the information I have about Copenhagen, but it should be enough for starters.

I got most of the information from Wikipedia and "Thomas Cook Travellers Denmark" by Martin Symington (2007)