96 Best Sights in Denmark

The four identical rococo buildings occupying this square have housed royals since 1784. It's still the queen's winter residence. The Christian VIII Palace across from the royals' wing houses the Amalienborg Museum, which displays the second part of the Royal Collection (the first is at Rosenborg Castle) and chronicles royal lifestyles between 1863 and 1947. Here you can view the study of King Christian IX (1818–1906) and the drawing room of his wife, Queen Louise. Rooms are packed with royal heirlooms and treasures.

On Amalienborg's harbor side is the garden of Amaliehaven, at the foot of which the queen's ship often docks. In the square's center is a magnificent equestrian statue of King Frederik V by the French sculptor Jacques François Joseph Saly. It reputedly cost as much as all the buildings combined. Every day at noon, the Royal Guard and band march from Rosenborg Castle through the city for the changing of the guard. At noon on April 16, Queen Margrethe's birthday, crowds of Danes gather for a special treat: their monarch stands and waves from her balcony at Amalienborg and the Danes cheer her on with many a "Hurra!" Queen Margrethe has been on the throne since 1972.

This peaceful, leafy cemetery in the heart of Nørrebro is the final resting place of numerous great Danes, including Søren Kierkegaard (whose last name actually means "cemetery"), Hans Christian Andersen, and physicist Niels Bohr. In summer the cemetery takes on a cheerful, city-park air as picnicking families, young couples, and sunbathers relax on the sloping lawns amid the dearly departed.

Occupying a former textile factory, this four-story artist compound houses the Museet for Fotokunst (Museum of Photographic Art), Denmarks Mediemuseum (Danish Media Museum), and Kunsthallen (Art Gallery). National and international exhibits shown here vary widely, but the photography museum and the art gallery gravitate toward especially experimental work.

En route from Christianshavn to Refshaleøen is Copenhagen's legendary freetown Christiania, which was founded in 1971, when students occupied army barracks. It's now a peaceful community of nonconformists, consisting of 630 adults and 130 kids, where wall cartoons preach drugs and peace. There are a number of businesses here, including a bike shop, a smithy, a rock-music club, and several good organic eateries. When exploring Christiania, make sure to leave the central, busy part of the community to walk around on the idyllic, pedestrian paths that run through the forest, past the riding school, along the lake, and between the imaginative self-built houses.

A group of residents recount their experiences as well as the history of Christiania on daily English-language tours, which are a great way to discover the nooks and crannies of this quirky community.

Many inhabitants are not fond of cameras, and picture taking is forbidden on Pusher Street.

Surrounded by canals on three sides, the massive granite Christiansborg Palace is where the queen officially receives guests and from where the Parliament---and the prime minister---rules the country. From 1441 until the fire of 1795, it was used as the royal residence. Even though the first two castles on the site were burned, Christiansborg remains an impressive neobaroque and neoclassical compound. Several parts of the palace can be visited, including the Royal Reception Chambers, Ruins of Bishop Absalon's Castle, the Royal Kitchen, and the Royal Stables, all of which have separate admission fees unless you buy a combination ticket. The tower, which is free to access, offers wonderful views over Copenhagen. While Christiansborg was being rebuilt around 1900, the National Museum excavated the ruins of Bishop Absalon's castle beneath it. The resulting dark, subterranean maze contains fascinating models and architectural relics.

At the Kongelige Repræsentationslokaler, you're asked to don slippers to protect the floors in this impossibly grand space.

Herds of deer roam freely in the verdant, 2,500-acre Dyrehaven. Once the favored hunting grounds of Danish royals, today the park has become a cherished weekend oasis for Copenhageners. Hiking and biking trails traverse the park, and lush fields beckon nature-seekers and families with picnic baskets. The deer are everywhere; in the less-trafficked regions of the park you may find yourself surrounded by an entire herd of deer delicately stepping through the fields. The park's centerpiece is the copper-top, 17th-century Eremitagen, formerly a royal hunting lodge. It is closed to the public but is sometimes rented for private events. Dyrehaven is a retreat for hikers and bikers, but you can also go in for the royal treatment and enjoy it from the high seat of a horse-drawn carriage. The carriages gather at the park entrance near the station.

The Danish royal family's castles are a motley lot, and Hillerød's Frederiksborg Castle is one of the few that can be called a true beauty. Danish builder King Christian IV tore down a previous castle on the site and built this Dutch Renaissance version in the early 1600s. The building is enclosed by a moat, covers three islets, and is topped with dozens of gables, spires, and turrets. Devastated by a fire in 1859, the castle was reconstructed with the support of the Carlsberg Foundation and now includes Denmark's Nationalhistoriske Museum (National History Museum), which contains the country's best collection of portraits and historical paintings. It also has an activity area where kids can dress up as historical figures.

Don't miss the gorgeous castle chapel Slotskirke, with its lacy ornamentation: Danish monarchs were crowned here for more than 200 years, and the house organ dates from 1610. The Baroque Gardens, rebuilt according to J. C. Krieger's layout from 1725, include a series of wide waterfalls that make the neatly trimmed park a lovely place for a stroll. Don't miss the floral sculptures of the current royals' official monograms.

This museum is in the elegant, airy manor of Baroness Karen Blixen, who wrote Out of Africa under the pen name Isak Dinesen. The manor house, to which she returned in 1931 to write her most famous works, now displays Blixen's manuscripts, sketches, photographs, and memorabilia documenting her years in Africa. Leave time to wander around the gorgeous gardens, which also function as a bird sanctuary.

The first settlers in the Tórshavn area, believed to be Irish monks, settled on the southernmost tip of the island at Streymoy, just 10 km (6 miles) outside of the capital. Although the cathedral, built around 1300, remains unfinished, it's still the largest medieval structure on the islands. Next door is one of the world's oldest inhabited wooden houses, the Roykstovan farmhouse, which dates to the 11th century and has been occupied by the same family since 1550.

Kronborg Slot dominates the city of Helsingør. Built in the late 1500s, it's the inspiration for Elsinore castle in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1601). Shakespeare probably never saw the castle in person, but he managed to capture its spirit—it's a gloomy, chilly place, where it's clear that an ordinary person today lives much better than kings once did. The castle was built as a Renaissance tollbooth: from its cannon-studded bastions, forces collected a tariff from all ships crossing the sliver of water between Denmark and Sweden. Well worth seeing are the 200-foot-long dining hall and the dungeons, where there is a brooding statue of Holger Danske (Ogier the Dane). According to legend, the sleeping Viking chief will awaken to defend Denmark when it's in danger. (The largest Danish resistance group during World War II called itself Holger Danske.)

At Legoland just about everything is constructed from Lego bricks—more than 50 million of them. Among its incredible structures are scaled-down versions of cities and villages from around the world (Miniland), with working harbors and airports; the Statue of Liberty; a statue of Sitting Bull; Mt. Rushmore; a safari park; and Pirate Land.

Some of the park's other attractions are more interactive than the impressive constructions. The Falck Fire Brigade, for example, allows a family or group to race eight mini fire engines. The Power Builder Robots allow children and adults to sit inside robots as they program their own ride.

Back in the Iron Age, Lejre was the capital of the Lejre Kingdom; some scholars believe it's mentioned in Beowulf. These days it's best known as the home of the 50-acre Lejre Forsøgscenter, a pioneer in the field of "experimental archeology." In summer a handful of hardy Danish families live here under the observation of researchers; they go about their daily routine grinding grain, herding goats, and wearing furs and skins, providing a clearer picture of ancient ways of life. You can experience a Stone Age camp, a Viking market, and 19th-century farmhouses, and there's a large children's area.

The must-see Louisiana is a modern-art museum with fresh, often-witty temporary exhibitions and an impressive permanent collection that includes Picasso, Giacometti, and Warhol. Even if you're not an art lover, it's well worth the 30-minute trip from Copenhagen to see this beautiful combination of a 19th-century villa and modern Danish architecture, with its large sculpture garden and dramatic view of the Øresund waters. There's a children's section as well, where kids can draw and paint under the supervision of museum staff. To get here from the station, walk north about 10 minutes.

Officially the Frederiks Kirke, this ponderous baroque sanctuary of precious Norwegian marble was begun in 1749 and remained untouched from 1770 to 1874 due to budget constraints. It was finally completed and consecrated in 1894. Around the exterior are 16 statues of various religious leaders from Moses to Luther, and below them stand sculptures of outstanding Danish ministers and bishops. You can can scale 273 steps to the outdoor balcony on the top of the church for great views of the queen's palace and the Opera, across the canal. Afterward, continue along Bredgade to the exotic gilded onion domes of the Russisk Ortodoks Kirke (Russian Orthodox Church).

One of the best museums of its kind in Europe, the National Museum sits inside an 18th-century royal residence that's peaked by massive overhead windows. Extensive permanent exhibits chronicle Danish cultural history from prehistoric to modern times. The museum has one of the largest collections of Stone Age tools in the world, as well as Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities. The exhibit on Danish prehistory features a great section on Viking times. The children's museum, with replicas of period clothing and a scalable copy of a real Viking ship, makes history fun for those under 12. Displays have English labels, and the do-it-yourself walking tour "History of Denmark in 60 Minutes" offers a good introduction to Denmark; the guide is free at the information desk.

Exquisite antiquities, a beautiful winter garden, and a world-class collection of Impressionist masterpieces make this one of Copenhagen's most important museums. The neoclassical building was donated in 1888 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery. Surrounding its lush indoor garden, a series of rooms house works by Pissarro, Degas, Monet, Sisley, Rodin, and Gauguin. The museum is also renowned for its extensive assemblage of Egyptian and Greek pieces, not to mention Europe's finest collection of Roman portraits and the best collection of Etruscan art outside Italy. A modern wing, designed by the acclaimed Danish architect Henning Larsen, provides a luminous entry to the French painting section. From June to September, guided English-language tours start at 2. The café Picnic, overlooking the winter garden, is well known among Copenhageners for its delicious small dishes.  The museum's permanent collection is free on Tuesday.

This pretty harborfront neighborhood, whose name means "new harbor," is perhaps the most photographed location in Copenhagen. It was built 300 years ago to attract traffic and commerce to the city center. Until 1970, the area was a favorite haunt of sailors. Though restaurants, boutiques, and antiques stores now outnumber tattoo parlors, many old buildings have been well preserved and retain the harbor's authentic 18th-century maritime character. You can even see a fleet of old-time sailing ships from the quay. Hans Christian Andersen lived at various times in Nyhavn houses at numbers 18, 20, and 67.

Temporarily closed for renovation until late 2020, Ordrupgaard is one of the largest museum collections of French impressionism in Europe outside France itself. Most of the great 19th-century French artists are represented, including Manet, Monet, Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir, Degas, Gauguin, Sisley, Delacroix, and Pissarro. Ordrupgaard also has a superb collection of Danish Golden Age painters and spectacular works by Vilhelm Hammershøi, whose deft use of light and space creates haunting settings for his mostly solitary figures. The paintings hang on the walls of what was once the home of museum founder and art collector Wilhelm Hansen. The interior of this manor, dating from 1918, has been left just as it was when Hansen and his wife Henny lived here. In 2005 a black, curvaceous addition, designed by the acclaimed Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, joined the main building. In addition to extra exhibition space, the new structure made room for a spacious café that overlooks the park. There are labels in English.

This cultural and culinary hub used to be an artificial island home to a historical shipyard, but the island has been annexed with the rest of Amager, and the shipping industry is long gone. Instead, Refshaleøen’s former factories are being turned into art galleries, not-so-micro-breweries, busy beach bars, music venues, and gourmet restaurants. It's the perfect place to while away an afternoon and evening.

The Dutch Renaissance Rosenborg Castle contains ballrooms, halls, and reception chambers, but for all of its grandeur, it has an intimacy that makes you think the king might return at any minute. Thousands of objects are displayed, including beer glasses, gilded clocks, golden swords, family portraits, a pearl-studded saddle, and gem-encrusted tables. The underground treasury contains the crown jewels. The castle's setting is equally welcoming. It's in the middle of King's Garden, amid lawns, park benches, and shady walking paths.

King Christian IV built Rosenborg Castle as a summer residence but loved it so much that he ended up living here until his death. In 1849, when the absolute monarchy was abolished, all the royal castles became state property except for Rosenborg, which is still passed down from monarch to monarch.

The lush island of Rømø, 35 km (22 miles) southwest of Ribe, has one of Denmark's widest beaches, which unfurls along a sunny western coast and has protected areas for windsurfers, horseback riders, nudists, and dune-buggy riders—space for everyone, it seems. Rømø has fewer than 600 permanent residents, but masses of vacationing German and Danish families increase this number tenfold in summer. It's a haven for campers, cyclists, and budget vacationers. A causeway crosses green fields and marshy wetlands to connect Rømø to the mainland. Many birds live here, feeding off the seaweed and shellfish washed up by the tides. Summer houses dot the island; most of Rømø's services and accommodations are in and around the village of Havneby, 8 km (5 miles) south of the causeway, and in the camping and shopping complex of Lakkolk, in the west.

The 19th-century Danish artist and poet Holger Drachmann (1846–1908) and his friends, including the well-known P. S. Krøyer and Michael and Anna Ancher, founded the Skagen School of painting, which sought to capture the special quality of light and idyllic seascapes here. They and their contemporaries depicted everyday life in Skagen primarily from the turn of the 20th century until the 1920s, and you can see their efforts on display in the Skagens Museum. It's a wonderful homage to this talented group of Danes, and you'll become mesmerized by some of the portraits, which seem more like a photographic collection of days gone by. The light and the landscape, however, remain the same, and it's a magical experience to recognize scenes from the paintings when you walk on the beach or in the dunes. The museum store sells posters, postcards, and other souvenirs depicting the Skagen paintings.

Old Master paintings—including works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian, El Greco, and Fragonard—as well as a comprehensive array of antique and 20th-century Danish art make up the National Art Gallery collection, the biggest art museum in Denmark. Also notable is the modern art, which includes pieces by Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch, Henri Laurens, Emil Nolde, and Georges Braque. The space also contains a children's museum, which puts on shows for different age groups at kids' eye level. Wall texts are in English. The bookstore and café, which was recently taken over by Frederik Bille Brahe, one of Copenhagen's most hyped chefs, are also worth a visit.

Denmark's most northern point is so thrashed by storms and roiling waters that the 18th-century Tilsandede Kirke, 2 km (1 mi) south of town, is covered by dunes, except for its tower.

A postcard favorite, this rocky promontory dividing the harbor has been the home of the Faroese parliament for more than 1,000 years. It also hosts a bundle of red sod-roofed cottages built in the 16th and 17th centuries that are cute enough to pinch. The prime minister's office is in the last building, but the marks of Viking chieftains long gone are still visible in the rocks to practiced eyes. A guide is recommended.

Tivoli is not only Copenhagen's best-known attraction, but also the most charming one. The amusement park, the second-oldest in the world, is located conveniently next to the city's main train station and attracts an astounding 4.4 million people from mid-April to mid-September. Tivoli is a pleasure garden as well as an amusement park. Among its attractions are a pantomime theater, an open-air stage, several dozen restaurants (some of them very elegant and with Michelin stars), and frequent concerts—from classical to rock to jazz. Fantastic flower exhibits color the lush gardens and float on the swan-filled ponds. The park was established in the 1840s, when Danish architect George Carstensen persuaded a worried King Christian VIII to let him build an amusement park on the edge of the city's fortifications, rationalizing that "when people amuse themselves, they forget politics." Try to see Tivoli at least once by night, when 100,000 colored lanterns illuminate the Chinese pagoda and the main fountain. Tivoli is also open select hours around Halloween and in the winter season.

The Aalborg Historical Museum contains the well-preserved underground ruins of a medieval Franciscan friary, including a walled cellar and the foundations of the chapel. Enter via the elevator outside the Salling department store. Another favorite attraction is the Renaissance chamber Aalborgstuen, which features furniture and glassware from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Aalborg Maritime Museum includes a visit aboard the submarine Springeren or the torpedo boat Søbjørnen, and a look at Queen Margrethe's Prinsesse-jollen, a dinghy she learned to sail when she was still a crown princess. All the exhibits depict what life is like at sea, in the port of Aalborg, and at the shipyard.

Rising gracefully over the center of town, the Aarhus Cathedral was originally built in 1201 in a Romanesque style but was expanded and redesigned into a Gothic cathedral in the 15th century. Its soaring, whitewashed nave is one of the country's longest. The cathedral's highlights include its chalk frescoes in shades of lavender, yellow, red, and black, which grace the high arches and towering walls. Dating from the Middle Ages, they depict biblical scenes and the valiant St. George slaying a dragon and saving a maiden princess in distress. Also illustrated is the martyrdom of St. Clement, who was drowned with an anchor tied around his neck. He became a patron saint of sailors. Climb the tower for bird's-eye views of the rooftops and streets of Aarhus.

Michael and Anna Ancher are Skagen's—if not Denmark's—most famous artist couple, and their meticulously restored 1820 home and studio, Anchers Hus, is now a museum. Old oil lamps and lace curtains decorate the parlor; the doors throughout the house were painted by Michael. Anna's studio, complete with easel, is awash in the famed Skagen light. More than 240 paintings by Michael, Anna, and their daughter, Helga, grace the walls.