Jutland and its 400 surrounding islands form one of Europe’s smallest countries.
Denmark has an abundance of
picturesque villages and towns,
historic castles and monuments, and a
coastline that varies from broad
sandy beaches to small coves and gentle fjords.
Throughout the country, low
rolling hills provide a constant succession of attractive views; there are cool and shady
forests of beech trees, extensive areas of
heathland, a beautiful
lake district, sand dunes and white cliffs resembling those of Dover; nor should
one forget the Danish
islands, each of which has its own unique attractions.
The Danes have taken strong measures to keep their coastline clean and tidy, keen for visitors to sample the many
unspoilt beaches. Inland from the 4,800km (3,000 miles) of beaches and unspoiled islands, you’ll find a landscape eminently suitable for
cycling. Ferries ply between the mainland and the islands, competing with
awesome bridges like the 16km (10 miles) Øresund link to Sweden. Ranks of huge white wind turbines are a feature of the modern Danish landscape.
Amidst such tranquility, it now seems almost surreal to consider that this country once spawned a notoriously violent seafaring race of people, the
Vikings, feared throughout northwest Europe. Today, visitors to Denmark find a country that is peaceful, introspective, neutral and egalitarian. Its hallmarks are
world-class design and uniformly high standards that apply equally to its accommodation and transport.
Cuisine is excellent, especially in the realm of dairy products and scrumptious pastries. Add to this a people both amiable and helpful, with a facility for languages, and the result is an overwhelming sense of welcome.
Copenhagen is a wonderful cobblestoned city with many quaint medieval streets and buildings, but there is more to Denmark than its capital, and any visitor to the country is strongly advised to explore elsewhere too.
GeographyDenmark is the smallest Scandinavian country, consisting of the Jutland peninsula, north of Germany, and over 400 islands of various sizes, some inhabited and linked to the mainland by ferry or bridge. The landscape consists mainly of low-lying, fertile countryside broken by beech woods, small lakes and fjords. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are also under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, although both have home rule. The Faroe Islands is a group of 18 islands in the North Atlantic inhabited by a population of 46,962 (2005), whose history dates back to the Viking period. Fishing and sheep farming are the two most important occupations. Tórshavn, population 19,282 (2004), the capital of the Faroes, is served by direct flights from Copenhagen. During the summer months, there are direct flights from Aberdeen and Glasgow, plus a ferry connection from Lerwick.
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