Travel the World with Eastant Series – Denmark (Copenhagen)

Due to Hans Christian Andersen, the impression of Denmark in the world’s eyes is that of a dreamlike fairy tale, whether it be reminiscing about mermaids with resentment, recalling ugly ducklings with a sense of sorrow, or pondering upon the dreams of the little match girl, but instead of holding these thoughts in our illusions, let’s face them together in the country in which they live. Hej, Copenhagen (København)!

The calmness of Scandinavia and the past adventures of the Vikings have made the efforts of Copenhagen’s Millennium Harbour to maintain its historical originality while also breaking through tradition and unconventionality even more spectacular. The spires of the gothic buildings and the colorful granite plazas make the city burst full of life. Nyhavn is definitely the most business-like area, however between the canal and the harbour, a sense of calming serenity can be found as the colorful cottages are spliced in the water. The intertwined lines form a safe haven waiting for the descendants of Vikings to go home or for tired wanderers to be entertained, as evidenced by the Michelin quality restaurants as well as the more traditional Nordic style eateries.

Royal Danish Guard

Wish to relive history? The Queen of Denmark lived in the royal palace of Amalienborg, which is an outstanding model of Rococo architecture. The daily changing of the Royal Guard ceremony is eye-catching, as the bravery of Nordic men is well known. Perhaps a trip to the Rose Palace in Kings Park (Rosenborg) would also be to your liking, in this Renaissance-style castle full of Danish royal treasures, marble painting domes, Rosenberg Dutch tapestry and gold mirror silver lion decorations, it truly is a highlight that should not be missed, a very haunting experience to match the gloomy castle atmosphere.

The Christine royal family resided here, in fact, it was Christine IV who built the castle, he also supported the construction of one of the oldest observatory round towers in Europe (Rundetaarn). The center of the glass floor and the library, that Andersen himself also often went to, when arriving at the rooftop, the panoramic 360° view of the city, especially when the sunset is still strong, gives the viewer a kind of “high city look” encompassing the aftertaste of the evening.

To discover more about the area, the National Museum of the Prince’s Palace is a great place to go, as periods prior to the Stone Age, the Viking Age, the Medieval Times, The Renaissance and modern Danish artifacts, are all represented here and all encompass the national culture of this small area.

Do you wish to feel a touch of modernity? Copenhagen, is a city suitable for all ages. With nearly 200 years of history, Tivoli is the second oldest playground in the world, although not as popular as Disney Land, Universal Studios or Legoland, it is still full of childlike wonder. Experience the speed of the rollercoaster or play a beat in the oriental dragon boat, enjoy live rock music on the lawn, or eat some takeaway food & watch the fireworks on a rotating tower, there is never any shortage of surprises and fun. The National Museum of Art and the New Carlsberg Art Museum have fascinating art masters on display such as Gauguin, Rodin and examples of Danish art, such an activity is especially suitable for rainy days.

The Blue Planet is the largest aquarium in Northern Europe, the highlights of which include the oversized Ocean Tank aquarium where you can watch the hammerhead sharks swim in close proximity. Don’t forget to walk to Denmark’s most popular pedestrian street (Strøget), the largest commercial street in Northern Europe, with internationally renowned brands amid many small local handmade gifts. Interestingly, located at the intersection at the corner of the fountain, it is very common to find street performers at any time of the day,  which goes to show that there will always be countless fairy-tale surprises in this old town.

It is easy to get to the surrounding towns by train, such as a day trip visiting the Andersen’s house in Odense or the cathedral of Roskilde or the Viking Ship Museum. In terms of personal preference, I would go Helsingør, not only is it located across from the Øresund, but also Sweden’s Helsingborg.  The famous rumor is that the North Sea and the Baltic Sea could not break down here, as the salt density is different, similar to when one current is westward and another is eastward, the current will be unpredictable, much like a person with multiple personalities, they can never effectively communicate.

Kronborg, a castle named after the Strait, was once the checkpoint for taxing ships, and it is striking as it is home to Shakespeare’s most famous indecisive vengeful hero, the Danish prince Hamlet (Classically known as located in Hamlet’s hometown of Elsinore). Today, the castle is a paradise for Shakespeare’s fans, in addition to looking for secret passages in the castle, the structure overlooks Helsingor and Helsingborg, it is also a  lot of fun to witness a daily impromptu “Hamlet” fragment read by students of the Theatre Academy. “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players”

Copenhagen is truly the home of the fairy tale world, however in this creative city, in addition to artistic edification, of course, there is also a lot of food to feast upon, examples include the many Michelin star restaurants and signature New Nordic cuisine. The Noma restaurant, which is red-fried, is a fine representation. It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford such high standards,  any good restaurant on the roadside can also provide fresh and delicious Nordic cuisine, including salted curry herring, tartar beef, pork balls. (Frikadeller), mustard squid (Kogt Torsk), etc., there is also the hand-rolled open sandwich (Smørrebrød) and the best-selling Danish blue jar cookies (Kjeldsens).

Danish dessert lovers are recommended to visit Conditori La Glace, one of Denmark’s oldest cake shops, the location is constantly crowded with people lining up but always worth it. Alternatively, visit the Torvehallerne Food Court, a favorite of the locals, and have a cup of Coffee Collective to light up the fairy kaleidoscope. Tak!