Copenhagen ~ A City in the World's Happiest Country

I visited Copenhagen, a city in Denmark listed as the happiest country in the world.  I agree because I have seen it.  In my short stay in the city, I have witnessed how Danes like what they are doing and how they love their work. 

Nyhavn - COPENHAGEN

The picturesque city of Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and the biggest city in Scandinavia. It is situated on the entrance to the Baltic Sea and is located partially on Denmark's largest island, Zealand, and partially on Amager, another island located in the Øresund, a busy channel of water that separates Denmark from Sweden. Copenhagen is considered to be in the ranks of cities that offer the best quality of life. It offers incredible architecture, excellent shops and restaurants, exciting nightlife and cultural events.

Little Mermaid - COPENHAGEN

Enjoy your stay and be happy the way the Danes do in Copenhagen.  Stay near Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn as the area is traversed by a central canal and century-old buildings.  Mid-range hotel to discount and budget accommodations are aplenty here.  I stayed for 3 nights near Rådhuspladsen and Tivoli Gardens.  Most of Copenhagen’s luxury hotels are located in the area around the city’s Town Hall Square( Rådhuspladsen) ,Tivoli Gardens and the Central Railway Station. This area is a highly coveted destination in the city as it is close to all public transportation and various attractions. It was an easy walk to my hotel from the Central Railway Station where I alighted from a close to 5 hours train trip from Hamburg, Germany.

Entrance to Tivoli Gardens

As my hotel is also close to the Tivoli Gardens, it was the first attraction that I intended to see. History tells us that it is one of the world's oldest amusement parks, which dates back to 1843. The park is equipped with theatres, band stands, restaurants, bloom-filled gardens and old world rides including an ancient wooden roller coaster called Rutsjebanen, which is still operational until today. This enchanting and magical park is also home to the world's tallest carousel and hosts various attractions like open-air stage and a concert hall where free music concerts are held when the park is open during the year.

Danes going to work - Courtesy of Wikipedia

The following morning, I did not waste time; left the hotel, walk on the street and go around the city centre.  It was amazing to see the local people have a separate lane for bicycle.  It was rush hour. I see hundreds of cyclists headed to work and to their study places. The streets are real busy.  In the early evening, at around 7:00pm., the street is so quiet.  The locals should be in their houses spending time with their family.  In the heart of the city, streets have been merged to provide the world's longest pedestrian mall, running between Rådhuspladsen and Kongens Nytorv, which are packed with historic gabled buildings, dynamic department stores, stunning shops, restaurants, pavement cafes, theatres, and world-class museums and galleries.

City Hall - COPENHAGEN

You wouldn't want to miss the Little Mermaid.  It sits on a rock in the Langelinie Harbour is Copenhagen’s most famous attraction. You will have a glimpse of the symbol of a fairy tale about a young mermaid who come up to the shore to look for her love.  It is not a very happy story though.  Another attraction I did not fail to see is the Amalienborg Palace which is famous for its Rocco design.  It is open to the public on certain schedule. Other attractions you may want to visit while you are in the city are the Rosenborg Castle and the numerous museums and galleries which offer its rich heritage. Some of the museums are: Museum of Decorative Arts, Louisiana Museum of Modern art, National Gallery and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.

The city of Copenhagen is served by Kastrup International Airport, situated five miles from the city centre. It is linked via an Air-rail train link to the Central Railway Station that is located in the heart of Copenhagen. The airport is also served by buses and taxis, which provide convenient connections to the city. Copenhagen is in fact served by an excellent and inexpensive public transport system that is made up of the metro, buses, communal bikes and cycle taxis.

Nyhavn - COPENHAGEN

As the city’s main tourist attractions are situated within the city centre, there is no point of renting a car, go walk instead. This is exactly what we did. Walking is to a tourist advantage as the city centre is quite congested and parking is a bit complicated and expensive.

I must tell you that Copenhagen is an excellent shopping destination. Find silver, porcelain and furniture creations in Strøget, the famous pedestrian street in the city. The area is packed with historic buildings, department stores, restaurants, theatres, al fresco cafes, museums and galleries.

Slægt Løfter Slægt

Copenhagen has an extremely lively nightlife scene bars, dance clubs, jazz clubs, traditional beer houses and wine cellar rocks late into the night. Strøget and Nyhavn are the main party areas in the city where revelers congregate for a night out. See you there!

If you have extra days to spend in Copenhagen, you may want to go on a day-tour of the neighbouring country of Sweden.  Get the details from the Visitors Information Centre and make a reservation a day before the trip.  

Enjoy your stay in Copenhagen, the city of happy people!