RoryMcDyerTravel

Denmark

SHORTBREAKS IN COPENHAGEN

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One thousand years of history awaits you on the medieval streets of Copenhagen. These are the same streets walked on by every generation of the world's oldest royal family, the same streets and canals which have inspired artists for centuries and been home and workplace to meticulous craftsmen and famous designers.

From its humble origins as a fishing village to its heyday as the glittering capital of the Danish Empire, to its current position as one of the world's premier design capitals and Scandinavia's pre-eminent city, the stories and characters of Copenhagen's history can be discovered in its sumptuous palaces, copper-roofed town houses and atmospheric cobbled squares.

As the largest city in Scandinavia, the travel hub of the region and a lively centre for culture and the arts, there is something happening virtually every day of the year in Copenhagen. Most of the main shopping areas are within easy walking distance of each other, and you will often find that similar types of shops are located near one another, often lending entire streets a unifying theme.

Though you will find most of the major international retail names on Copenhagen's main pedestrian shopping street, 'Strøget', the beauty of shopping in Copenhagen really lies in its small neighbourhood shops, many of them quirky and unique. Most charming of all, you will find that many of Copenhagen's shops are located in beautiful historical buildings and medieval streets.

Gourmet Copenhagen: From marinated reindeer to freshly caught lobster, from red hot Thai curries to traditional 'frikadeller' (Danish meat balls), from sushi to smørrebrød - if you love food, be prepared to leave Copenhagen happier, but perhaps slightly heavier. In the last few years a mouthwatering array of inventive, modern and stylish new restaurants has opened in the city, many of them with French, fusion or modern Italian influence, transforming Copenhagen into a major gourmet destination.

Copenhagen's cafés and bars, many of them half submerged in cellars or located in picturesque historical buildings, range from traditional to trendy and serve everything from gourmet food to Danish staples such as 'frikadeller' (meat balls) and smørrebrød (open sandwiches), usually at very reasonable prices. Virtually all cafés and bars serve alcohol and food (brunch is especially popular here), and most stay open until very late, while some even transform into clubs with DJs playing on Friday and Saturday nights.

Copenhagen’s Discos and Clubs do not tend to get really going until after midnight, so many clubbers choose to spend time in the city's super-hip pre-club bars, such as Stereo Bar and Ideal Bar. On top of this, many of Copenhagen's venues develop as each evening progresses, from bar to restaurant to club. We call them hybrids.
The Copenhagen jazz scene has an enviable international reputation, and there are also several excellent blues and rock clubs in the city.

Hans Christian Andersen first published the beloved fairy tale of The Little Mermaid in 1837. It is the story of the Little Mermaid who saves the life of a shipwrecked prince and sets off on a perilous quest to win his love. She pays a heavy price. To become human she must give up her lovely voice as well as her mermaid's tail, and if the prince should wed another, she will turn into foam on the waves and disappear forever... In 1909 the Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen attended Hans Beck's ballet The Little Mermaid. He was so thrilled by the performance that he ordered a statue erected in its honour. The sculptor Edvard Eriksen was commissioned to create the statue and Carl Jacobsen presented her to the city of Copenhagen on August 23, 1913. Every year on this date a birthday ceremony takes place by her statue. In the years between 1961 and 2003, she has had a turbulent life!

She was painted three times, decapitated three times, her right arm was cut off and she was removed from her stone and pushed into the water. Despite all this, she has survived!

COPENHAGEN

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