Travel to Denmark — everything you need to know
When to go to Denmark?
- June – August — Danish summer : Best time to go: 18–23°C in Copenhagen, long bright days, festivals (Roskilde Festival), terraces, markets and archipelagos. The Danish summer is short but intense.
- December — Scandinavian Christmas : Some of Europe's most beautiful Christmas markets, Tivoli lit up, hygge in cafés, mulled wine (gløgg) and æbleskiver. Cold temperatures (0–5°C), but a truly unique atmosphere.
Weather in Denmark
Check the weather city by city, starting with Copenhagen.
- Copenhague: daytime highs from 3 to 22 °C depending on the season, 54 mm of rain per month on average.
- Aarhus: daytime highs from 4 to 21 °C depending on the season, 56 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Denmark?
Denmark is the land of hygge (cosy wellbeing), Scandinavian design, Noma (several times named the world's best restaurant), and Hamlet (Elsinore Castle). Copenhagen is Europe's cycling capital, with the Nyhavn canals, Reffen's street food markets, design museums and Tivoli Gardens. Denmark also includes the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Copenhagen — Bikes and canals
Copenhagen is regularly ranked the world's most bike-friendly city (400 km of cycle lanes). Nyhavn, with its colourful 17th-century waterfront houses, is the city's signature image. The Little Mermaid (Andersen's sculpture), the lanes of Christiania (a self-governing free town), and the food scene (Noma, Geranium, Kadeau) make Copenhagen a top-tier European capital.
Highlights : Nyhavn — colourful houses and historic boats, Tivoli Gardens — amusement park since 1843, National Museum and Statens Museum for Kunst, Christiania — free town and alternative culture.
Kronborg Castle — Hamlet's Castle
Kronborg Castle in Helsingør (45 minutes by train from Copenhagen) is a UNESCO site: it is Elsinore Castle from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Built in 1574, it overlooks the Øresund strait between Denmark and Sweden. Its underground casemates house the statue of the legendary Viking Holger Danske, asleep until the day Denmark needs him.
Highlights : Kronborg Castle — the setting of Hamlet (UNESCO), Casemates with the statue of Holger Danske, Views over the Øresund and Sweden just 4 km away, Danish Maritime Museum (M/S Museet for Søfart).
Legoland & Jutland — Dunes and heritage
Billund is home to the original Legoland (created in 1968) — the world's largest Lego park. But Jutland has many other treasures: the dunes of Råbjerg Mile (the migrating dune), the wild North Sea beaches, and the Viking burial mounds of Jelling (10th-century royal runestones, UNESCO) — the cradle of Danish Christianity.
Highlights : Legoland Billund — the original Lego park (since 1968), Jelling burial mounds — 10th-century royal runestones (UNESCO), Råbjerg Mile migrating dune — a sandy desert in Scandinavia, Skagen's wild beaches — the northern tip of Jutland.
Bornholm — Island of smoked herring
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea (closer to Sweden and Poland than to Denmark): its roundkirker (12th-century round fortress churches, unique in Europe), its smoked herring smokehouses in Hasle and Nexø, its white sand beaches, and its granite cliffs make it one of Scandinavia's hidden gems.
Highlights : Roundkirker (round fortress churches) — unique in Europe, Hammershus — the ruins of Scandinavia's largest castle, Dueodde's white sand beaches (south coast).
Travel budget for Denmark
Denmark is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. Taxes (25% VAT) are high, but they are included in displayed prices. Copenhagen rivals Zurich and Oslo in terms of cost of living. Cycling helps save money on transport.
- Backpacker : 110–170 €/j — Hostel + smørrebrød + supermarket + bike
- Comfort : 190–320 €/j — 3★ hotel + restaurants + museums + excursions
Practical tips for travelling to Denmark
- Flight from Paris : ~2h (SAS, Air France, EasyJet direct CDG–Copenhagen CPH). Many daily flights.
- Visa : No visa required — Schengen area. A French national ID card is sufficient.
- Currency : Danish krone (DKK). Cards are accepted everywhere. Euros are sometimes accepted (with poor exchange rates). Cash is almost unnecessary.
- Language : Danish. English is nearly universal — Danes generally speak excellent English.
- Electricity : Type C/F/K (European + Danish type K with 3 round pins) — 230V. Most French plugs work directly.
- Health : No special precautions. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid. The healthcare system is among the best in the world.
- Cycling : Copenhagen is the cycling capital of the world: 380 km of bike lanes and absolute priority for cyclists. Renting a bike is the best way to explore.
- Hygge : Hygge is the Danish art of cosy wellbeing: candles, blankets, hot coffee and good company. It is a way of life, especially in winter.
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