Denmark
Copenhagen's Little Mermaid, Tivoli Gardens and Hans Christian Andersen heritage
Best Deal of Denmark
Overview
Things To Do
Deals
Travel Guide
Denmark is one of Scandinavia's most charming and accessible holiday destinations, located in northern Europe just under two hours from the UK. Bordered by Germany to the south and connected to Sweden via the Øresund Bridge, Denmark blends historic charm with modern Nordic design, world-class cuisine and exceptional family attractions. The capital Copenhagen offers the iconic Little Mermaid statue, the colourful Nyhavn harbour, the world-famous Tivoli Gardens and the royal Amalienborg Palace. Beyond Copenhagen, visitors can explore Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace Odense, the original LEGOLAND theme park at Billund, Aarhus's ARoS art museum and Kronborg Castle (Shakespeare's Hamlet setting). With 7,000km of coastline, North Sea beaches, Viking heritage and direct flights from over 15 UK airports, Denmark is ideal for city breaks, family holidays, couples holidays and Nordic cultural escapes. Johnson Holidays offers ATOL-protected Denmark holidays and Scandinavian package holidays from multiple UK airports.
✨ Why Visit Denmark
- Tivoli Gardens — the world's second-oldest amusement park (1843) sits in central Copenhagen and inspired Walt Disney's Disneyland.
- The original LEGOLAND — opened 1968 at Billund (the LEGO Group's home town), 65 rides and Miniland built from 50 million LEGO bricks.
- Hans Christian Andersen heritage — the Little Mermaid statue (Copenhagen), Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace museum (Odense) and the fairy-tale fishing villages of Funen.
- Copenhagen consistently ranks among the world's most liveable cities — 390km of cycle lanes, world-class Nordic restaurants (René Redzepi's Noma) and pioneering modern Scandinavian design.
- UNESCO Kronborg Castle — the 16th-century Renaissance fortress at Helsingør that inspired Shakespeare's Hamlet, with daily summer Shakespeare performances.
- Direct UK flights from over 15 airports — easyJet, Jet2, British Airways, Ryanair, Norwegian and Scandinavian Airlines into Copenhagen (CPH) and Billund (BLL), 1hr 50min from London.
? What Makes Denmark Special
Unlike Sweden or Norway, Denmark is geographically compact and flat, making the entire country drivable in 4–5 hours — Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Billund, Helsingør and Skagen can all sit within a single 7-day itinerary. Unlike most short-haul European destinations, Denmark pairs world-class urban culture with the original family-attraction circuit — LEGOLAND Billund, Tivoli Gardens, LEGO House (Billund's interactive LEGO experience centre) and Hans Christian Andersen Odense are unique to Denmark. And unlike anywhere else in Europe, Denmark consistently ranks among the world's happiest countries (UN World Happiness Report top 3 for the past decade), with hygge (Danish cosiness), Nordic design, smørrebrød open sandwiches and pioneering cycling infrastructure shaping a holiday character that feels genuinely Scandinavian. The combination of Copenhagen's UNESCO heritage, LEGO heritage, Hans Christian Andersen and direct UK access makes Denmark Europe's most distinctive short-break destination.
? Key Areas to Explore
- Copenhagen — The capital, with Tivoli Gardens, the Little Mermaid, Nyhavn, Christiansborg Palace and the Rosenborg Castle crown jewels.
- Nyhavn — The 17th-century painted-townhouse harbour district, Copenhagen's most photographed area.
- Christianshavn & Freetown Christiania — The 17th-century canal district and the famous Freetown autonomous community founded in 1971.
- Helsingør — The harbour town north of Copenhagen with UNESCO Kronborg Castle (Hamlet's Elsinore).
- Roskilde — The medieval cathedral city west of Copenhagen, with the UNESCO Roskilde Cathedral (Danish royal burial site) and the Viking Ship Museum.
- Odense (Funen Island) — Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace and the country's third-largest city.
- Billund (central Jutland) — The home of LEGO, with LEGOLAND Billund Resort and the LEGO House.
- Aarhus (eastern Jutland) — Denmark's second city, with the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum and Den Gamle By open-air heritage village.
- Skagen (northern Jutland) — The fishing port at Denmark's northern tip where the North Sea meets the Baltic Sea.
- Bornholm — The Baltic island east of mainland Denmark, with round 12th-century churches and granite cliffs.
A compact Scandinavian country that pairs Copenhagen's UNESCO heritage with LEGO theme parks, Hans Christian Andersen and 7,000km of North Sea coastline — broken down by category below.
?️ Nature & Outdoor Activities
- Cycle Copenhagen's 390km cycle-lane network
- Walk the Skagen sand-spit where North Sea meets Baltic
- Hike Møns Klint white chalk cliffs (south Zealand)
- Sail the Roskilde Fjord on a replica Viking ship
- Wadden Sea UNESCO tidal-flat walks (south-western Denmark)
?️ Beaches
- Skagen — Denmark's headline beach at the northern tip where two seas meet
- Tisvildeleje — north-Zealand sandy beach popular with Copenhageners
- Marielyst (Falster Island) — Denmark's longest sandy beach at 20km
- Henne Strand (West Jutland) — wild North Sea beach with dunes
?️ Food & Drink
- Order smørrebrød (open-faced rye-bread sandwiches) at Restaurant Schønnemann (Copenhagen, since 1877)
- Try frikadeller (Danish pork meatballs) at Café Dyrehaven in Copenhagen
- Sample wienerbrød (Danish pastry) at Lagkagehuset bakery
- Order new-Nordic tasting menu at Noma (Copenhagen, 3 Michelin stars under René Redzepi)
- Sip Carlsberg or Tuborg at Mikkeller Bar (Copenhagen craft-beer pioneer)
? Nightlife & Entertainment
- Tivoli Gardens evening illuminations and concert programme
- Live music at Vega and Pumpehuset (Copenhagen)
- Roskilde Festival (late June to early July, Northern Europe's largest music festival)
- Late drinks in the Meatpacking District (Vesterbro, Copenhagen)
- Copenhagen Jazz Festival (early July, 1,200+ concerts citywide)
? Instagram-Worthy Spots
- The painted townhouses of Nyhavn harbour at golden hour
- The Little Mermaid statue at Langelinie
- The colourful LEGO buildings at LEGO House Billund
- Kronborg Castle (Hamlet's Elsinore) from across the Øresund
- The Cycle Snake bridge winding through Copenhagen harbour
Best Value Deals
? All-Inclusive Holidays
Denmark's all-inclusive market is virtually non-existent — the country runs on B&B city stays, half-board hotels and self-catering holiday villages rather than mass-market AI. The Marienlyst Resort in Helsingør and the Comwell hotel chain lead the half-board options. LEGOLAND Holiday Village (Billund) offers theme-park-attached family stays with meal-inclusion packages. Shoulder-season weeks with UK flights typically open from £329pp in February-March or October-November, climbing to £799pp at peak summer (July-August) and Christmas-market weekends (late November to December).
???? Family Holidays
Denmark is one of Europe's leading short-break family destinations. LEGOLAND Billund Resort is the original LEGO theme park (1968), with 65 rides and the on-site LEGOLAND Hotel, Hotel LEGOLAND and LEGOLAND Holiday Village. The neighbouring LEGO House (opened 2017) is an interactive LEGO experience centre. In Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens, The Blue Planet aquarium, Copenhagen Zoo and the Experimentarium science centre round out family attractions. Hotel LEGOLAND (Billund) and the Tivoli Hotel (Copenhagen) lead the family-attraction inventory.
? Luxury Holidays
Copenhagen holds Denmark's deepest five-star inventory. Hotel d'Angleterre (since 1755, Forbes 5-Star) and Nimb Hotel (located inside Tivoli Gardens, Relais & Châteaux) are the headline addresses. Hotel Sanders (boutique Royal Theatre district), Skt. Petri and the Villa Copenhagen (in the former 1912 Central Post Office building) round out the boutique-luxury inventory. Outside Copenhagen, Kokkedal Castle Copenhagen (a 1746 baronial estate north of the city) and Hotel Skovshoved (a converted 1880 coastal inn) deliver heritage alternatives.
⏰ Last-Minute Deals
Denmark carries solid late-availability stock outside the peak July-August summer window and Christmas-market period. The strongest savings appear in mid-January to early March and from late October to mid-November — discounts of 20–30% inside three weeks of departure are realistic on Comwell, Scandic and Radisson Blu properties. Unlike Mediterranean destinations, Denmark works year-round — winter Christmas markets, spring Tivoli reopening (April), summer cycling and autumn Nordic-food festivals keep inventory active. Copenhagen Hot Hotel Deals (last-minute weekend bookings) often deliver 30–40% discounts inside 7 days of departure.
Why book with us:
? Low deposits from £49pp
? Flexible payment plans with balance due 6 weeks before travel
?️ ATOL Protected — your money and flights are safeguarded
✅ Free amendment window on selected packages
? UK-based customer support, 8am–11pm every day
? Best Time to Visit Denmark
Denmark runs four distinct seasons. June to August is the peak summer-tourism window, with daytime highs of 19–23°C, long Nordic daylight (sunset after 10pm in late June), and Tivoli Gardens, LEGOLAND, Skagen beaches and the Roskilde Festival at full capacity. April-May and September-October are the value-strong shoulder months at 12–18°C, with cheaper hotel rates and the city-break scene at its best. Mid-November to early January delivers the Christmas-market window — Copenhagen's Tivoli Christmas market (mid-November to early January), the Nyhavn Christmas market and the Hans Christian Andersen Christmas in Odense are the headlines. December to February sits at 2–6°C with limited daylight (only 7 hours in late December).
? Where to Stay
- Families: Hotel LEGOLAND (Billund), Tivoli Hotel (Copenhagen), Scandic Front (Copenhagen waterfront)
- Couples: Nimb Hotel (inside Tivoli Gardens), Hotel d'Angleterre, Sanders Hotel
- Luxury travellers: Hotel d'Angleterre (Forbes 5-Star), Nimb Hotel, Villa Copenhagen, Hotel Sanders
- Budget travellers: Wakeup Copenhagen Carsten Niebuhrs Gade, Cabinn Express, Generator Copenhagen
- City-break first-timers & culture lovers: Hotel d'Angleterre, Skt. Petri, Hotel Skt. Annae
? Getting Around
Denmark's compact size makes it one of Europe's easiest countries to travel around. DSB (Danish State Railways) connects Copenhagen to Aarhus in 3 hours (from DKK 290), Copenhagen to Odense in 1hr 15min, and Copenhagen to Helsingør in 45 minutes. The 8km transfer from Copenhagen Airport (CPH) to the city centre takes 13 minutes on the Metro (DKK 36) — Europe's most efficient airport-to-city link. Within Copenhagen, the Metro, S-train and bus network covers the city for DKK 24 single or DKK 90 day-pass. DonkeyRepublic and Swapfiets rent bikes from DKK 75–120 a day. Hertz, Sixt and Europcar rent cars from CPH at DKK 350–500 a day. The Øresund Bridge (DKK 500 single toll) connects Copenhagen to Malmö (Sweden) in 30 minutes.
? Travel Tips
- Denmark runs Central European Time — one hour ahead of the UK year-round.
- The currency is the Danish krone (DKK), pegged to the euro at roughly 7.45 DKK to €1; the euro is not used despite Denmark being in the EU.
- Denmark's standard VAT (moms) is 25%, included in displayed prices — one of the highest in Europe.
- Plug type is European Type F (Schuko, two-pin) at 230V — bring a universal European adapter.
- Tap water is excellent quality across Denmark — never buy bottled.
- Cycling is the Danish way to travel — Copenhagen has 390km of cycle lanes and more bikes than cars. Rent a bike via DonkeyRepublic or Swapfiets to experience the city like a local.
- Tipping is not expected — service is included by law; round up the bill only for exceptional service.
- Denmark is one of the world's most cashless countries — cards (including contactless and Apple/Google Pay) are accepted everywhere, even at street markets.
- The Copenhagen Card (DKK 619 for 24 hours, DKK 1,029 for 48 hours) covers entry to 80+ attractions, unlimited public transport and the airport train — useful for first-timers visiting Tivoli, Rosenborg Castle and the Little Mermaid.
- Tivoli Gardens opening is split by season — Summer (early April to late September), Halloween (mid-October to early November) and Christmas (mid-November to early January); the park is closed at other times.
- LEGOLAND Billund is closed from late October to late March — check operating dates before booking.
- Copenhagen restaurants book out 4–6 weeks ahead in peak summer — reserve early at Noma, Geranium and Alchemist.
- Danish efficiency means business hours are short — most shops close by 6pm weekdays, 4pm Saturdays, and many close Sundays entirely.
- The Christmas markets at Tivoli, Nyhavn and Hans Christian Andersen's Odense are atmospheric — book hotels 4–6 months ahead for prime December weekends.
Map Of Denmark
Top Experiences
Visit Tivoli Gardens
The world's second-oldest amusement park (1843) inspired Walt Disney; DKK 175 entry, with the wooden Rutschebanen roller coaster (1914) the headline ride.
See the Little Mermaid statue
The 1.25m bronze statue (1913) of Hans Christian Andersen's mermaid sits on a granite rock at the harbour; free to visit, with the dawn hours the quietest time.
Walk the colourful Nyhavn waterfront
The 17th-century harbour lined with painted townhouses, restaurants and historic ships; free to wander, with Hans Christian Andersen's home at No. 67 marked.
Cycle the Copenhagen city
Denmark's capital has 390km of dedicated cycle lanes and more bikes than cars; bike rentals from DKK 110 a day, with the Cycle Snake route a favourite.
Visit LEGOLAND Billund
The original 1968 LEGO theme park holds 65 rides and Miniland (50 million LEGO bricks); DKK 549 adult, with the on-site Hotel LEGOLAND for stays.
Sail to Kronborg Castle (Hamlet's Elsinore)
The UNESCO 16th-century Renaissance castle that inspired Shakespeare's Hamlet; DKK 145 entry, reached in 45 minutes by train from Copenhagen Central.
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Travel Information
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