World Guide

Denmark

Country · Europe, Northern Europe

Denmark
Photo: Per Palmkvist Knudsen, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Denmark is a country in Northern Europe that shares borders with Germany, Norway, and Sweden. It covers 42,925 square kilometers and has a population of about 6 million people. The capital city is Copenhagen.

Highlights

There are 23 sights covered here. Copenhagen features urban areas such as Nørrebro, Østerbro, and Christianshavn, as well as the Freetown Christiania. Historic sites include palaces like Amalienborg, Rosenborg Castle, Christiansborg Palace, and Fredensborg Palace. Other landmarks include The Little Mermaid, the Rundetaarn, Kastellet, and churches such as Frederik's Church and Grundtvig's Church. The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek houses art collections. Outside the capital, visitors can see UNESCO-listed sites including Kronborg and Roskilde Cathedral, as well as the Jelling stones and the highest point, Møllehøj.

Food and drink

Danish cuisine includes Smørrebrød, Frikadelle, and various cheeses such as Danish Blue Cheese, Havarti, Esrom, and Danbo. Sweet options include Danish pastry, Rødgrød, Kransekage, Risalamande, and butter cookies. There is also a dish listed as Passover sacrifice.

When to go

This assessment is based on the climate at the capital. Winters are cold, with temperatures between -1 °C and 4 °C from December to February. Spring warms up, with highs reaching 15 °C in May. Summer, from June to August, provides the warmest weather, with daily highs around 18 °C to 21 °C and lows around 11 °C to 14 °C. Autumn brings cooling temperatures, dropping from 16 °C in September to 7 °C in November. Rain occurs throughout the year, with the most frequent rainy days occurring in October, November, December, and January.

Practical notes

The currency is the Danish krone. The official language is Danish. Plugs used are types C, E, F, and K, with a voltage of 230 V. Driving is on the right side of the road. The time zone is UTC+01:00. The calling code is +45.

Cities

Food and drink to try in Denmark

  • Smørrebrød
  • Danish Blue Cheese
  • Danish pastry
  • Frikadelle
  • Rødgrød
  • Havarti
  • Kransekage
  • Risalamande
  • Danbo
  • Butter cookie
  • Esrom
  • Passover sacrifice

Top sights in Denmark

  1. Freetown ChristianiaFreetown ChristianiaCopenhagen
  2. The Little MermaidThe Little MermaidCopenhagen
  3. NørrebroNørrebroCopenhagen
  4. KronborgUNESCOKronborg
  5. Christiansborg PalaceChristiansborg PalaceCopenhagen
  6. NyhavnNyhavnCopenhagen
  7. Roskilde CathedralUNESCORoskilde CathedralRoskilde
  8. AmalienborgAmalienborgCopenhagen
  9. Jelling stonesJelling stonesJelling
  10. Rosenborg CastleRosenborg CastleCopenhagen
  11. Ny Carlsberg GlyptotekNy Carlsberg GlyptotekCopenhagen
  12. Frederik's ChurchFrederik's ChurchCopenhagen
  1. Kastellet, Copenhagen · Copenhagen
  2. Møllehøj · Skanderborg
  3. Grundtvig's Church · Copenhagen
  4. Frederiksborg Castle · Hillerød
  5. Østerbro · Copenhagen
  6. Rundetaarn · Copenhagen
  7. Fredensborg Palace · Fredensborg
  8. Christianshavn · Copenhagen
  9. Saltholm · Copenhagen
  10. Møns KlintUNESCO
  11. Aarhus Cathedral · Aarhus
  12. Stevns KlintUNESCO
  13. Viking Ship Museum · Roskilde
  14. Marselisborg Palace · Aarhus
  15. Den Gamle By · Aarhus
  16. St. Canute's Cathedral · Odense
  17. Gråsten Palace · Sønderborg
  18. Hans Christian Andersen Museum · Odense
  19. Lindholm Høje · Aalborg
  20. Sønderborg Castle · Sønderborg
  21. Aalborg Zoo · Aalborg
  22. Utzon Center · Aalborg

UNESCO sites in Denmark →

Weather by month

The warmest month is July, with an average high of 21 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high, °C3361015182120161274
Average low, °C-1-103811141411730
Rainfall, mm503442345067657761655555
Rainy days14111181010131311141414

Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Copenhagen (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.

Also worth a look

Neighbouring countries and territories