“Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen,” goes the old Danny Kaye song – but there’s a lot more to Denmark than just its capital, although it certainly does live up to the lyrics.
Car rental in Denmark will allow you to explore a nation that’s thoroughly modern but also embraces its long history and traditions. In other words, it offers the best of both worlds.
The modern East
Copenhagen sits across the water from Sweden, standing as a proud bastion of Danish culture and design. Its pretty canal-lined streets and closeness to the coast give it an open feel, while its lovingly preserved buildings add tons of character.
As modern as the city is, it’s surrounded by ancient beauty. Getting in your rental car and out into the suburbs, then on to the surrounding towns and villages will open your eyes to the nation’s rich heritage and love of beautiful simplicity.
North-west from Copenhagen is North Sealand (or Zealand), known as the Danish Riviera. A popular holiday area, it’s a place of serene waters lying next to deep green woodland and tranquil lakes. A coastal drive is a thing of joy here, taking you past gorgeous, gilded castles.
The joys of Jutland
Jutland is a large area that comprises the entire western peninsula of Denmark, and its various regions all have their own qualities.
North Jutland, surrounded by sea, combines soft sand beaches with more rugged wind-blown landscapes, and the light here makes it a place that was just destined to be photographed. If you’re looking for a place to stay, head to Aalborg. Known as ‘The Happy City’, it’s a lively town complete with cobbled streets and plenty of quirky culture.
The west of Jutland is even windier, drawing in a lot of windsurfers, and is popular for active holidays and nature walks. The wind is much calmer in East Jutland, home of fjords and Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus.
A Viking Valhalla
A short drive west from Copenhagen lies Roskilde. The area’s annual music festival attracts over 100,000 people and has been running since 1971. The city itself dates back to the Viking age, a fact that’s celebrated at its Viking Ship Museum.
Here you’ll find five ancient boats found in the Roskilde Fjord, dating back to between 1030 and 1042. It’s not all about the past though – you’ll find craftspeople here still building ships using tried and tested techniques.
Danish dining
While the ‘New Nordic Cuisine’ has been making waves over the last few years, with Copenhagen’s Noma being voted the world’s best restaurant and throwing up a horde of imitators, you can still eat traditional Danish food everywhere you go.
Luscious pastries known as Wienerbrød are a great way to start the day, while the frikadeller meatballs are ubiquitous. You’ll also see herring, open sandwiches called Smørrebrød and the new national dish of Stegt Flaesk – pork belly fried until crisp and served with potatoes and parsley sauce. Filling but fabulous.
If you fancy some street food that might remind you of home, you’ll find Rød pølse stands everywhere. Huge hot dogs topped with mustard, remoulade, pickles, onions or all of the above, they’re a serious dog for a big appetite.
From Viking history to modern cities, Denmark has it all. You can visit here and discover the Danish concept of ‘hygge’ – a byword for small pleasures and coziness – and then experience it for yourself.
Car rental in Denmark makes getting around this country’s breathtaking landscape a real pleasure, helping you make the most of your time in a nation that seems to always wear a smile on its face.