6 reasons to visit Copenhagen

There is something for everyone in the Danish capital. Copenhagen has culture, delicious food, festivals, happy locals and fun for all. Anyone who visits Copenhagen will feel their spirits lifted in this city which is frequently listed as one of the world’s happiest cities. There are many reasons to visit Copenhagen, here are some of them.

Travelling around Copenhagen to visit the city’s different tourist attractions is really easy. Many sights are in walking distance from each other and if you want to crisscross your way through the city you can make use of the city’s excellent public transport or get a ticker for the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, which will get you where you want to go while informing you about everything you see along the way.

Denmark has one of the highest levels of proficiency in English for non-English speaking countries in the world. So you don’t have to worry about being able to talk with the locals if you don’t speak a single word of Danish. Every local, whether they work in the tourism sector or not, is likely to be helpful, polite, greeting you with a big smile and perfect English.

Denmark claims the most Michelin Stars in Scandinavia, with 13 restaurants in Copenhagen alone having been awarded the culinary price. The top of the top is Geranium with three Michelin Stars to its name, yet Noma is better known around the world and has been awarded the title Best Restaurant in the world four times.

Luckily Copenhagen's food scene offers plenty of other great food options if your budget isn’t quite up to the challenge of a Michelin Starred restaurant. Copenhagen has some of the best street food markets around. Reffen is a great place to start your evenings in the city, with many worldly and unique stalls selling everything from juicy steaks to Japanese food. Other street food options include Torvehallerne, the Bridge Street Kitchen and Malmö Saluhall.

Copenhagen is home to many great museums, from art to history and from nature to science, there is something for everyone. Together they tell the story of Danish culture and society. The National Museum of Denmark, Nationalmuseet, is a great place to start you visit to Denmark. It has collections and exhibitions on Denmark’s history, people and culture.

Some of the city’s best art museums include the National Gallery of Denmark (SMK), which is Denmark’s largest art gallery; the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, with art and archaeological objects from the ancient world; and Kunsthal Charlottenborg, which is one of the largest exhibition spaces for contemporary art in northern Europe.

Denmark is home to one of oldest monarchies in the world with a history tracing back to the Viking Age. You can see this history everywhere in Copenhagen, with its cobblestones, statues and monuments but especially in the castles, palaces and royal gardens. There are four royal castles and palaces within the Copenhagen city limits alone.

The 800 year old Christiansborg Palace was once the home of kings and Queens, today it houses the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court and Ministry of State. Amalienborg Palace is the official winter residence of the Danish royal family and the location of the daily changing of the guard. Rosenborg Castle and the King’s Garden are the most accessible of the royal locations in Copenhagen. Here you can see the crown jewels, crown regalia and coronation thrones.

Copenhagen loves music. The city’s many venues ensure that there is a concert in the city every day of the year. Along with concerts, Copenhagen also hosts live music events and week-long festivals throughout the year, with summer the busiest season. No matter what your taste in music is, Copenhagen has a festival for you.

Roskilde Festival is often considered the greatest cultural and music festival in northern Europe, with over 180 bands taking the stage during the 8 day festival. During Distortion the city becomes a huge street party with music stages set up in every corner of Nørrebro and Vesterbro. The Copenhagen Jazz Festival is the largest of its kind in Europe. Other music festivals in the city include the Copenhagen Opera Festival, the Copenhagen Summer Festival and Frost Festival.

Copenhagen is one of the most child friendly cities in the world. With plenty of space, 125 public playgrounds and many child friendly attractions, Copenhagen offers a good time for kids of all ages. Here you can discover what inspired Hans Christian Andersen to write his many world-famous fairy tales, and visit the statue of the Little Mermaid which has become the city's most iconic symbol, forever linking the city to fairy tales and children.

Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens is the second oldest amusement park in the world and inspired Walt Disney to build Disney World. Den Blå Planet is norther Europe’s largest aquarium and home to thousands of animals, allowing kids to get lost in the wonders of the oceans. While at the Experimentarium, Copenhagen’s science centre, the whole family can gain knowledge through play.

One of the newest attractions in Copenhagen which is great for kids is The Tube. Set inside Copenhagen's Central Station, this attraction is filled with fun rooms to discover and challenge your senses. Your balance, your sense of depth and direction, your sense of space and time, none of them will feel quite the same after your visit to The Tube Copenhagen.

There are many more reasons to visit Copenhagen, as the city seems to have it all. Copenhagen has something for couples, solo travellers, students, families and groups. You can visit for a day or for a week, there is always something more to discover, as there are lots of fun attractions in Copenhagen.