DiAblo

First I’m not a travel snob. I’ll go about anywhere within reason. It may or may not happen, but as of now it looks like we’ll have a chance to visit my spouse's cousin in Denmark later this year or early 2004.<BR><BR>Here’s the deal: I've never had the SLIGHTEST urge to go to Denmark. None, zippo. Frankly, I’m not even interested in that part of the world.<BR><BR>Sure, I’m going (if the chance comes through) but I would like to hear from some of you of why I should be excited about it. The people we’re visiting are strangers to me, but they are “family,” they’ve lived in Denmark for more than a decade so they know the ropes, they have a large home (they had four kids but now it’s an empty nest) and they insist that we spend as much time there as we please. I looked at Denmark here on Fodor's and, unfortunately, there weren’t that many posts and most of them seemed to be about getting from Denmark to somewhere else. Naeslved is the city, I believe.<BR><BR>If it happens I will be grateful for the opportunity and, far from whining I’ll go in a minute, I just wish I could be excited about it, eh?<BR><BR>Any thoughts?<BR>

Snoopy

If you are talking about Naestved, yes, it's a fairly forgettable city. Sorry to the Naestvedians. There's a river that seems to be jam packed with canoes -- at least when I was there for a couple of beautiful days in mid-July. But the town square and the two large churchs near the town square are interesting, but not worth crawling on your hands and knees to visit.<BR><BR>However, Copenhagen, which is about an hour NNE of Naestved, is one of the great European tourist cities. And the area within a 30 mile radius of Copenhagen has some fantastic castles that rival any on the Continent. Kronborg and Fredericksburg are outstanding.<BR><BR>There's not much geographic drama in Denmark. The coastline is pretty tame, the forests, except those around Fredensborg in the summer, are kinda ho-hum, and the interior has about the same appeal, scenery-wise, as Kansas.<BR><BR>There's a big &quot;to do&quot; made over the Viking Museum . . . which could be used as a legal sedative . . .and Louisiana, just another museum. Same to be said for the Workers Museum . . . <BR><BR>Having said all that, you cannot go to Copenhagen without leaving thinking that you've been in one of the greatest cities in Europe. I prefer summer there because the outdoor cafes and temperate climate and 10:00pm sunsets. But winter there, though the days are very short, is just as much fun; people there aren't much bothered by the climate. You'll see just as many people on bicycles and on foot in mid-January as you will in mid-July.<BR><BR>The tourists have pretty much scared off the nude sunbathing in the city parks . . . but unless you are there in the summer there's not much nude sunbathing anywhere.<BR><BR>Wanna know more? I'll tell you more.

helen

Be sure to visit M&ouml;n southeast of Neastved and its closer than Copenhagen. Visit M&ouml;ns Klint and walk the 400-500 steps down to the beach. Best to visit during Low tide. Liselund Castle is also worth visiting. It's turned into a hotel, but there are also guided tours of the park or just walk through.<BR>http://hem.passagen.se/levinsen/moenia/monframe.htm<BR>

DiAblo

Yay! Thank you both! And, yes, Snoopy, more is welcolmed. Why will I feel I've been in one of the great European cities? What is the &quot;mood&quot; of Cope, for instance London is &quot;cultured,&quot; Paris is (supposedly) romantic...how would you describe Copenhagen?

Rebecka

DiAblo,<BR>I would describe Copenhagen as a city of fun. First of all, it is the only great city I know of that has a grand old amusement park called Tivoli right near its center. And if you're a history buff, there are many old palaces and buildings that are hundreds of years old, not to mention several fine museums for art lovers. Be sure to also check out the beautiful, scenic harbor called Nyhavn and the huge shopping boulevard called Stroget (the longest of its kind in Europe I believe). And did I mention that the happy Danes all love good food? Do sample some smorrebrod (fancy open-faced sandwiches) and polser (hot dogs). And make sure to try some pastries, especially a real Danish - they are to die for! <BR><BR>Copenhagen is not only fun, but also quite lovely. It really has something for everyone!<BR><BR>Enjoy!

GreenDragon

I was born in Copenhagen (don't remember it though!). My mother said that Copenhagen was like a little fairy village, even in the summer, and magical in the winter. She said every city should have a Tivoli Gardens, which is an amusement park/tourist area in town. <BR><BR>You can see the statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen harbor, take bicycle rides for picnics, and if you're there in the summer, during June 21, I understand there are bonfires on the beaches for St. John's Day.<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Rick

I had the same opinion as you about visiting Denmark or Copenhagen until I tagged along with my wife as she attended a large international nursing conference. We were there for a week and I had a grand time.<BR><BR>Frilandsmuseet in Lyngby, open air folk museum.<BR><BR>Copenhagen is known for it's pedestrian shopping street &quot;Frederickberggade&quot; which runs for about 1 mile thru the heart of Copenhagen. Everything is here from 7-11 to Versace and everything in between.<BR><BR>Trinitatis Kirke (church) and the Rundetarn or Round Tower.<BR><BR>Nyhavn canal.<BR><BR>Vor Freiser Kirke in Christianhavn. This church is nice and worth a visit but the big attraction is the church bell tower, you can climb the 400 steps to the top. What makes this climb unusual is that the final 40% of the steps spiral up the outside of the tower.<BR><BR>Roskilde for the Roskilde Domkirk (Cathedral) and the Viking Ship Museum. <BR>Hillerod castle/palace.<BR><BR>Ny Carlsberg Glypotek fine art museum next door to Tivoli Gardens.<BR><BR>The Medieval Center in Sunby has working Trebuchet's that they shot off at noon and 3 PM.<BR><BR>Helsinger and Kronborg Castle.

Snoopy

&quot;Why would I feel . . .&quot; I would argue that square meter for square meter Copenhagen has more Old Europe atmosphere than any other large city in Europe. There are only a handful of tall buildings, there are canals lined with 16th, 17th and 18th century architecture, exquisite squares lined with al-fresco restaurants, a mile-long pedestrian only shopping street, and people everywhere . . . this is all within a one square mile area . . . There's a Changing of the Guard at noon (not quite the pomp and circumstance of London), fireworks every night during the summer at Tivoli Gardens, wild deer running through the parks at Bakken, and you'll almost certainly see one of the most bizarre bachelor parties in the world: the groom-to-be is dressed in a diaper (only) and wearing (Im told this part is relatively new and not necessarily traditional) a device strapped to his arm like a cast that has a cup form fitted into the hand that when activated bends the elbow and moves the cup to his mouth dumping the contents of the cup either down his throat or all over his face depending on the willingness and liquored state of the wearer. . .<BR><BR>The &quot;mood&quot; of the Danes is hard to put a finger on, at least for me. I've never been one to generalize about a population . . .however, what can you say about a country of 5+ million that's just about 100% cradle-to-grave Danish? Allows the sale of soft porn, soft drugs, and tolerates prostitution? Has an amusement park right smack dab in the center of the city? Supports the US strongly? <BR><BR>You can buy pot, get a tatoo, go to church, eat at Dong Jaun's, purchase a sex toy (animate or inanimate), watch fireworks, and see a magic show all without moving more than about 50 feet. It's kind of like a &quot;right wing&quot; Laguna Beach, conservitism marbled with liberalism . . . all in a very small package.<BR><BR>Im not a big Tivoli Gardens fan; you shouldn't miss it (especially just before Christmas) but it's a little too &quot;touristy&quot; for my liking.<BR><BR>I'm not necessarily recommending

Snoopy

Oops! I hit &quot;post&quot; a little too soon.<BR><BR>Im not necessarily recommending sex or pot purchase, or getting a tatoo, or spending your entire visit in a church. But Copenhagen has pretty much whatever trips your trigger.

hleesa

Copenhagen accidently became my favorite city. I was in Norway for a summer around 5 years ago, and the group I was with wanted to take a trip to Copenhagen. I wasn't thrilled, but loved it so much, the make the 8 hour journey back the following weekend. It's a very clean and vibrant city. There are fantastic sites to see outside of the city that are accessible by their easy-to-use bus (Grunvig's Kirke (church) is one the most incredible sites I've seen in all of Europe. I find that when you have no expectations, you find pleasant surprises.

Surfergirl

Everything Snoopy said is right (IMO). Snoopy, you must live there! One more thing, the people are very hip. Where else can you see beautiful girls in short skirts riding bikes and talking on their cells phones at the same time with such skill?! Where else can you see very artsy and interesting looking men who are nice? Where else can you buy a dozen roses at an outdoor stand for $2.00? Even when the weather is dreary (and it IS), walking down the Stroget in Copenhagen, or sitting in a cafe along Nyhavn (unbelievably pronounced &quot;new houn&quot; (like hound without the &quot;d&quot, you feel like your part of it, rather than just outside looking in. Great feel!