Denmark Hotels

Denmark is home to breathtaking beaches, splendid palaces and handfuls of art galleries and museums. It combines old-fashioned charm with cutting-edge design and exudes a relaxed, inclusive feel. Wander around the historic centre of Copenhagen or the cobbled streets of Ribe, with its picture postcard jumble of crooked half-timbered 16th-century houses. Its flat or gently undulating terrain make it ideal for exploring by bike. You can also head for the beach and enjoy a range of water sports. Take a tour of the sites in the capital, made famous by TV series such as The Killing and Borgen, and experience the capital's vibrant nightlife.

Arts and culture

The National Gallery of Denmark is the country's largest and most important collection of art, and includes national and international work by artists including Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, Matisse and Picasso. The most visited museum in Copenhagen, however, is the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, which is located on the shores on the North Zealand coast. Besides offering wonderful ocean views, the museum houses work by artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Warhol, Bacon and Giacometti.

For a night at the opera, a ballet or a concert, the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen is the country's pre-eminent venue. Time your visit to coincide with one of the many festivals held in Denmark throughout the year. Every summer, bands and performers fill concert halls, clubs and town squares in Copenhagen for the International Jazz Festival. Other events include the al fresco Copenhagen Opera Festival and the Roskilde Music Festival.

Things to see and do

Discover more about some of the less welcome visitors to England's shores at the Viking Ship Museum, which has five ships from the 11th-century, as well as the Glendalough Sea Stallion.

Step back in time at the massive 16th-century Kronborg Castle in Helsingor, one of the most important Renaissance castles in north Europe, best-known as the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Take the family to attractions such as Djurs Sommerland in East Jutland, home to rollercoasters, an aqua park and more than 60 other rides, or watch lions being fed at Aalborg Zoo. Here you can experience the African savannah with zebras, giraffes and antelopes, and there's a petting zoo for younger children too.

Eating and drinking

Denmark is home to 13 Michelin-starred restaurants including the two-starred Restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. For something less pricey and more hearty, try Weis Stue, one of Denmark's oldest inns, or take a terrace seat at Kolvig and enjoy riverside views and seafood tapas, both found in Ribe.

For boutique beers, coffee and a good choice of wine, sample the unpretentious Falernum, which also serves tapas, or soak up the speakeasy ambience of the Union Bar, both in Copenhagen.

Nightlife

For great beer, make a beeline for Norrebro Bryghus, a microbrewery and eatery, while cocktail connoisseurs are directed to Ruby, both in Copenhagen. Catch a gig at Jazzhouse, Copenhagen's leading jazz venue, and dance the night away at Culture Box which hosts national and international DJs, or, for pop music, try Never Mind.