Danmark AKA Denmark

Why visit Denmark… 

• Beaches – Choose from a coastline collection formed from islands and a main peninsula ending in a crescendo of two seas.

• Vikings – Uncover a treasure chest of pirate history and Norse mythology.
• Fancy Food – Twinkle, twinkle Michelin star, 28 restaurants set the bar. This combined with the New Nordic Food trend keeps the foodie senses tingling.

• Fairy Tale Endings – Once upon a time Denmark enchanted the world with the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the inspiration for the Disney castle, and the creation of Lego architecture, and we all lived happily ever after.
• Mood Enhancement – Crisp air, cold water, and bicycle rides without hill exertion assist the Scandinavian scratchout on anxiety and stress.

Denmark is a struggle country for….

• Penny Pinchers – Prepare yourself for this pricey place.
• Passerby Pleasantries – Don’t expect a return smile or head nod from street walkers as accidental eye contact will quickly dart towards averted eyes (Does not apply post introduction).
• Shoobies – Leave your shoes at the door (Does not apply to restaurants & shops).
• Sunshine Daisies –  At some point or another it will rain and chill your petals.

Entry Requirements for Denmark

Requirements are dependent on citizenship. 

Denmark is part of the Schengen region, a region which allows border crossing between numerous European countries. 

Some countries, excluding the US, require a visa for entry. The visa (~80 euro) is generally valid for 90 non-consecutive days within the Schengen region over a 180 day period. If you are traveling visa-free, including the US, the same time limit applies. 

Additionally, the US among some other countries can remain specifically in Denmark for a total of 90 non-consecutive days over a 180 day period regardless of days spent in other Schengen countries. 

Click the links below for visa information. 

There are currently no covid-19 related restrictions for entry into Denmark. 

Remember to check your entry requirements for returning home.

Danish Language

Learning a new language can be quite the undertaking. Personally, I always try to make an effort to at least learn a few common words while traveling to a new country as the locals tend to appreciate the effort. See below for a Danish starter word pack.

Looks can be deceiving and although the alphabet appears familiar, the pronunciation does not. The Danish alphabet includes 3 additional quirky letters amongst the rest: 

ø=uh æ=ah å=oh

Almost everyone from child to adult seems to speak English but still expect some occasional games of charades. 

English	Danish	Pronunciation
Hi	Hej	hi
Bye	Hej hej	hi hi
Yes	Ja	yeah
No	Nej	nigh
Thanks	Tak	tahk
You’re welcome	Det var så lidt	de war sa lid
Please	Venlig	ven lee
Excuse me	Undskyld	oonskool
One	En	een
Two	To	toe
Water	Vand	van
Beer	Øl	oorl
Wine	Vin	veen
Cheers	Skål	skahl

WiFi in Denmark

Free wifi is available within the international airports. Otherwise just about everywhere has wifi as long as you do not mind asking for the password.

Currency in Denmark

• Banknotes: Danish Krone (DKK) comes in 50, 100, 200, 500, & 1000
• Coins: Danish Øre comes in 50; 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 DKK
• Card is accepted practically everywhere in cities, but it never hurts to carry some cash especially for the smaller towns.
• ATMs are limited outside the cities, so be sure to stock up. 

Transportation in Denmark

Attempting to coordinate a Danish trip using public transport? Try using the Rejseplanen app or website.

Quick Facts

• Taxis are available
• Bus
• International Airports: Copenhagen & Billund
• Train
• Tram / Metro
• Bicycles
• Hitchhiking
• Border Crossing: Sweden, Germany

Buses in Denmark

Just about every city and suburb has a local bus route. There are also plenty of bus options for those traveling between cities, sinking South to Germany, or sailing East to Sweden. 

FlixBus is always a classic (and sometimes fairly affordable) choice for moving about cities and border countries. Although FlixBus lists free wifi, consider it to be false advertising that occasionally successfully surprises its patrons. 

While in Århus & Central Denmark take advantage of the Midttrafik app.

Trains in Denmark

Trains tend to be more spacious than both a bus or a plane. Stretch out and consider hopping aboard for a ride around Denmark or onwards to Germany or Sweden.

Use the dsb.dk website to chug along.

Trams and Metros in Denmark

A subunit of trains, these traction types are limited to the main cities. Copenhagen hosts the only metro which provides connection to its international airport whereas passengers can opt for tramway travel within Copenhagen, Odense and Århus.

Thankfully the ticket kiosks have an english option, so there is no need to be lost in translation. Simple enough to operate, one only needs to enter their desired destination for the single ticket. Confusion may strike upon being asked how many passengers followed by how many seats… one would think these synonymous. Disregard your reservations and opt for zero for the latter that is unless you require a seat reservation.  Cards are accepted. 

For the rebellious, ticketless types, no one will stop you from boarding, but be watchful of the guardians as you will face a fine.

Bicycles in Denmark

Don’t worry you aren’t seeing double and your depth perception isn’t off either. There are in fact 2 sidewalks and the one bordering the road is a slight step lower. This middle ground is the bike path and an important concept to remember if you want to avoid an accident.

Few have a flatter chest than Denmark. Combine the terrain with expensive car taxes and it comes as no shock that bikes are EVERYWHERE. These two wheeled cruisers follow the same traffic patterns as cars but typically stay in their own lane. This means bikes ride the right. With that being said, prevent a rebel yell by always looking both ways before stepping off the pedestrian sidewalk.

Ensure you are a Lawful Biking Tourist…

• Helmet hair is not required
• Pedestrian paths require feet so dismount
• Put your hands in the air as signals are required for turning & stopping
• Light it up in the front & back at night – required
• You can ring my bell, but ring your own first as they are required
• Take some time to reflect by adding one to the front, back, wheels & pedals – required

Assuming you didn’t pack a bike as your carryon, the above checklist should already be sorted if you decide to rent a bike. For those with wifi (aka a functional SIM card), check out the app Donkey Republic for an easy on the go rental. For those without, rest assured it is hardly a challenge to locate a bike rental shop in Denmark.

Hitchhiking in Denmark

Hitchhiking is illegal on highways but is otherwise an easy form of transportation. Most highway entry ramps include space for a gracious car to pullover for pickup. It is recommended to use a sign. 

I hitched it from Århus to Esbjerg (~170 km). It took 4 conversationally cordial strangers to get there, but I never had to wait longer than 10 minutes. 

Food in Denmark

• New Nordic – Highlights natural and ethical food production by using local in season ingredients to add a twist to tradition.
• Stegt Flæsk Med Persillesovs – Fried pork belly with potatoes and parsley sauce

• Frikadeller – meatballs; Dress this up as boller i karry (meatballs in curry sauce over rice)
• Fiskefrikadeller – flattened fish meatballs
• Smørrebrød – open face sandwiches
• Wienerbrød – Danish pastries (that are actually from Austria)

• Pølser – hot dog with all the fixings & a street food top choice; Red dogs are the standard but are boiled. Opt for brown if you want it grilled.
• Leverpostej – Liver pate
• Tarteletter – Chicken & asparagus pastry cups
• Koldskål med kammerjunker – cold buttermilk soup with biscuits

Alcohol in Denmark

Beer

Carlsberg and Tuborg are the mainstream classics although both are owned by Carlsberg – the Danish monopoly brewer and creation of lager revolutionary J.C. Jacobsen. There are plenty of microbreweries still holding out against this powerhouse though.

Here’s a breakdown on description for those looking to satisfy a particular craving… white-beer (Hvidtøl), strong (stærk), IPA, pilsner, pale (Guld, Klassik, Grøn – all buzz key words). For the seasonal selection consider a Christmas beer (Julebryg) or Easter beer (Påskeøl). 

Wine

Denmark is part of the EU and as such is subject to the preposterous regulations that require countries to first be certified as wine-making nations. This bacchanal degree was only just granted back in 2000, but do not let their freshman status deter you.