Our first stop is Copenhagen. Situated on the east side of the Danish island of Zealand, this Scandinavian city is closer to Sweden then the mainland of Europe.
Copenhagen is the capitol of Denmark, Europe’s oldest Kingdom. Once the home of the dreaded Vikings, today Denmark is the very image of a civilized country, enjoying one of the world’s highest standards of living.
Copenhagen is steeped in history with its share of churches, museums, palaces and a Queen. If this seems a little bit stuffy don’t be fooled because the Danes also know how to have fun.
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Avoid the hassle of buying tickets for transportation, museums, and attractions with a Copenhagen Card. You can purchase yours on-line.
And for me, the fun starts with breakfast. This country has elevated a flaky, fruit filled pastry to such a high level of perfection it is known the world over as “A Danish.”
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Wandering into a bakery or cafe can be a challenge without a little help with the Danish language. You'll find a helpful "Danish Menu Reader" at guide.appetitenet.com.
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Find out all about touring Copenhagen's canals by boat at www.visitcopenhagen.dk.
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Take a quick on-line tour of Hans Christian Andersen's homes and temporary lodgings at www.astoft.co.uk.
Stroget Street & Hans Christiam Andersen
After your tour, head up Stroget Street, a pedestrian mall that leads from Nyhavn to the city center. Stroget is one of Copenhagen’s best places to shop, snack, or just to people watch.
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For a fun read on the state of Copenhagen fashion and shopping, check out the CPH Times. For the official version, visit Wonderful Copenhagen.
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For more information about Hans Christian Andersen, visit www.andersen.sdu.dk.
Perhaps you’ve noticed the Danes have a knack for design. Whether it’s in architecture like the Black Diamond addition to the Royal Library of Copenhagen, or in everyday things.
To see what a coffee pot SHOULD look like, spend an hour in the Danish Design Center, near the Tivoli gardens. The museum shows how Danish designers achieved international fame by producing furniture and everyday objects that are functional, graceful and comfortable.
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The Center conducts daily guided tours. Find out more at www.ddc.dk.
For our evening in Copenhagen, we’ve saved the best for last—Tivoli Gardens, a must-see destination. Tivoli is a one-of-a-kind amusement park-- right in the center of the city. For more than 150 years Tivoli has offered travelers an easy place to totally unwind. Here, you can relax over dinner, take a romantic stroll, dance the night away or cap your 24 hour adventure with a bit of pyrotechnics—a prefect end to a prefect day in Copenhagen.
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The summer of 2005 brings to Tivoli "A Tivoli Fairy Tale." This is a spectacular show featuring 15-foot puppets, music, lights, pyrotechnics and special effects. Don't miss it!