Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for denmark
Denmark’s Sunny Isle
By Linda Tancs
The sunniest part of Denmark is Bornholm, the nation’s easternmost island in the Baltic Sea. Its charms include round churches and arresting granite cliffs, great fodder for painters who are perennially attracted to this popular resort area thanks to its dreamy natural light. Historically a fishing village, be sure to try Sol over Gudhjem (“sun over Gudhjem,” a local fishing port), an island dish featuring an open sandwich with rugbrød, smoked herring, chives and a raw egg yolk on top. Book your summer rental now so you don’t miss their food and crafts festivals.
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Community Art in Denmark
By Linda Tancs
Helsingør, also known as Elsinore, is a port city in eastern Denmark and home to Kronborg Castle, the purported setting for Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” These days it also serves as the locale for a community art project at King’s Quay known as “Life in the Sound.” In addition to colorful street murals around town, there’s a curious large fish made entirely of marine waste and miscellaneous garbage. Designed by the Japanese artist group Yodogawa Technique, the fish is designed to raise awareness of environmental issues.
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Man Meets the Sea
By Linda Tancs
Located on a shoreline a few miles from Esbjerg in southwestern Denmark is a colossal sculpture known as “Man Meets the Sea.” The “man” in this case is a series of four nondescript, white alabaster male figures measuring 30 feet in height. Their outsized lower legs are designed to resemble the columns of a Greek temple. Created by sculptor Wiig Hansen to celebrate Esbjerg’s 100th anniversary as an independent municipality in 1994, the ghostly figures gaze out towards Skallingen and the entrance to the harbor. On a clear day they can be seen over six miles away. You can access the site via bus from the train/bus terminal or the central square.
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The 2017 European Capitals of Culture
By Linda Tancs
For over 30 years now, the European Union has designated a couplet of cities as cultural capitals for the calendar year. This year’s honorees are Aarhus in Denmark and Pafos in Cyprus. The Danes are celebrating their heritage and what it means for the future of tourism in Central Denmark in a campaign titled “Let’s Rethink.” They’ll be examining their contributions to art and culture and strengthening the identity of their region. Highlights include a unique collaboration with the Royal Danish Theatre and Moesgaard Museum to present Red Serpent – a spectacular outdoor performance of a captivating tale of a hero from the Viking Age. The year will also feature the Danish National Opera’s premiere of Janne Teller’s prize-winning Danish novel for young people, “Nothing.” The ambitious agenda in Pafos (birthplace of Aphrodite) is to open every nook and cranny of the ancient coastal city into an outdoor cultural hall—an open-air exhibition of sorts. But that’s not to diminish the indoor venues, especially in the cooler months. Look for a variety of activities in the archaeological museum, the old Othello cinema, the Markideio Theatre and the art gallery.
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World’s Oldest Amusement Park
By Linda Tancs
Amusement gardens are nothing new in Denmark, but if the prices at Tivoli in Copenhagen put too much of a dent in your wallet, then head for the forest. Just 10 minutes outside Copenhagen in the beautiful woods of Dyrehaven is Bakken, the world’s oldest operating amusement park. Founded in 1583, the locals’ best kept secret has plenty of rides, arcades, entertainment and dining to rival its beloved competitor. But one thing it doesn’t have is a price: admission is free! The park is open until August 30.
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The Sandwich Queen
By Linda Tancs
Ever wonder what the longest menu is to enter the Guinness Book of Records? That would be the 55-inch-long ode to the open sandwich at Copenhagen’s Restaurant Ida Davidsen. Boasting over 250 varieties of smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches), there’s something for every palate in this sandwich palace run by Ida Davidsen, the great-grandchild of founder Oskar Davidsen. The shop is open for lunch on weekdays only, excluding holidays.
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Timeless Elegance
By Linda Tancs
A grand dame of European hotels, Copenhagen’s five-star d’Angleterre retains its timeless elegance following a two year renovation. Dating to 1755, the palatial icon’s first iteration on Kongens Nytorv arose from the culinary and servile aptitudes of a royal servant and the daughter of a royal chef. The founders’ culinary talents and exceptional service are a hallmark of this grand hotel still today. Prepare to be pampered.
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Copenhagen Rocks
By Linda Tancs
Roskilde Festival is the largest North European culture and music festival since 1971. From 30 June to 8 July Roskilde will be the new Woodstock, offering beginner and experienced festival goer alike the opportunity to eat, sleep and jam under a lingering summer lighted sky outside Copenhagen. The lineup is always spectacular, and this year is no different, with acts like Björk, The Cure, Springsteen, Dr. John and a host of Danish bands. All profits from Roskilde Festival are donated to humanitarian and cultural work. Get there via train from Copenhagen airport to Central Station and switch to a train that leaves for Roskilde. Direct shuttle buses and trains departing from Roskilde station will get you to the field.
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The Best Restaurant in the World
By Linda Tancs
The folks at Restaurant magazine voted Copenhagen’s Noma the best restaurant in the world. Now you might be envisioning wine-infused sauces or layers of thinly shaved beef or fish decorated with a variety of green leaves and truffle emulsions. Well, that’s hardly the case. In fact, Noma’s website will inform you that they’re not about olive oil, foie gras, sun-dried tomatoes and black olives. Instead, they bring the Nordic regions to your palate with fare like Icelandic skyr curd, halibut, and Greenland musk ox. Pure and simple.
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The Treasures of Tivoli
By Linda Tancs
Today marks the 168th opening of Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. Although it’s more than just a garden (consider the bone chilling Demon roller coaster or its stately wooden counterpart built in 1914), the hallmark of this respite in the dead center of the city is its 15 gardens. Among the Chinese and Japanese inspired gardens are 80,000 tulip bulbs to usher in the season. The tulips border Tivoli Lake, the end of which presents the Parterre, a beloved garden with a view of the town clock. All the better to remind you of the time you’ve likely spent getting lost in its charms.
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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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