|
Come to Denmark...
Home to the Little Mermaid, Lego, and Carlsberg beer; ancient
home to the Vikings; gateway to Scandinavia....come to Denmark and
enjoy all this magical country has to offer.
Lying in northern Europe between
Scandinavia and Europe is the small country of Denmark. Occupying
an area of 42,930 square kilometers, the country is home to 5.2
million people. Denmark is a lowland of fertile farms, rolling hills,
beech woods and moors. The country can trace its linguistic and
cultural roots back to when the area was settled by the Danes, a
tribe thought to have migrated south from Sweden around 500 AD.
Despite its small size, Denmark ruled Norway for three centuries
and Iceland from 1380 until 1918. The Kingdom of Denmark still
includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands, but both are pretty much
self-governing. The Danes are a casual, relaxed people as is shown
in their enthusiasm for small cafés and pubs. Some famous Danes
include the fairy tale King Hans Christian Anderson and Karen Blixen
who wrote Out of Africa and Babette’s Feast. Both books have been made
into successful films.
Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, is
Scandinavia’s biggest and liveliest city. One of the oldest and most
beautiful of the European capitals, it is an important seaport, a
commercial hub and a seat of royalty. It boasts the world’s longest
pedestrian mall, the Amalienborg Palace (home of the royal family
since 1794), and the Little Mermaid statue which sits on the waterfront
just north of the city centre. The lively university town of Arhus,
in Jutland, boasts one of the country’s best music and entertainment
scenes. Near the town of Billund, in Jutland, lies Legoland - a
10-hectare theme park built from plastic Lego blocks. Denmark is one of
the most cycle-friendly countries in Europe. It is criss-crossed with
hundreds of miles of established cycling routes - making this an ideal
way to explore the country. Windsurfing, yachting, swimming, and fishing
opportunities abound. Sample some Danish specialities - gravid laks
(cured salmon marinated in dill and served with a sweet mustard sauce),
wienerbrod (the rich pastry known as a "Danish" in most other countries),
and floeskesteg (roast pork with crackling). And don’t forget to down a pint
of the country’s excellent beers - Carlsberg and Tuborg.
|
del.icio.us
Digg it
Yahoo MyWeb
Stumble It!
