Copenhagen: Where Fairy Tales Are Born

I attended a two-week family reunion in Central Europe and found myself with three days to spare in my schedule. I wanted to cross off every European possibility, but I was running out of countries … And Denmark was one of them.

Having been around Europe several times,I was running out of options and to be honest, Denmark wasn’t high on my list. So I decided to go and visit for three days so that I could simply say I’d been and cross it off.

Within just a few hours of arriving, I realized I had been wrong all along. Copenhagen was such a charming city. It’s definitely a city for walking and everywhere you turn, the streets are filled with interesting architectural landmarks. For a photographer, it’s heaven.

If you’re a foodie, then you’re in for another sensory feast. Tucked gently between the charming buildings throughout Copenhagen you’ll find some big stars, too. Not Hollywood stars, but Michelin Star restaurants. There are well over a dozen Michelin Star restaurants in Copenhagen and Noma is one of them, and you may have heard of it: Noma has been named the World’s Best Restaurant three times. (Looking for a seat? You’ll need to make your reservations months in advance.)

I don’t know if it has anything to do with the food, but Denmark was rated #1 in rankings of The World Happiness Report 2016. (Yes, it is a real thing! It is in fact published by the United Nations). Denmark is followed by Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Finland.

Why are its people so happy? Perhaps it’s because most vegetables served in Denmark are organic? Is it because most Danish people cycle to work every day as opposed to drive? Is it the wonderful food? Is it the
posh designer stores? Their consciousness about living “green”? Is it because it’s home to Tivoli, the second-oldest amusement park in the world? You should definitely make plans to go and ask for yourself, because the people there are as friendly as they are happy.