Holiday in Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark is situated between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, forming a bridge between Central Europe and Northern Europe. A holiday in Denmark is a time out near the sea.
If you look at the Nordic countries, Denmark is the smallest country in terms of area. The Nordic countries, also known as Scandinavia, share linguistic and cultural similarities, among other things.
In total, the kingdom consists of 443 named islands, of which over 70 are inhabited. The vacation region of Denmark can be easily divided into its geographical parts:
- Jutland – rural mainland with the island of Vendsyssel-Thy
- Funen – third largest island in the centre of Denmark
- Zealand – largest Danish island with the capital Copenhagen
- Lolland, Falster, Møn – three smaller islands in the Baltic Sea
- Bornholm – island in the Baltic Sea
- The Faeroe Islands and Greenland also belong to Denmark politically, but are a good thousand kilometres away.
Each region in itself offers a varied holiday in Denmark.
With a coastline of over 7,000 kilometers, Denmark offers a large selection of beaches. These are not only popular with vacationers for various leisure activities. The country offers a variety of natural landscapes, including forests, lakes, rivers and seashores. This diversity allows for a wide range of outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, canoeing and bird watching.
Denmark has a rich history and culture. This can be discovered in the numerous museums, castles and historical sites throughout the country. In addition, Denmark is famous for its design and architecture, which can be seen in the many design stores and architectural highlights.
Food and drink play an essential role in Danish culture and offer another good reason to visit the country. Denmark is known for its “smørrebrød” culture, a kind of open sandwich on rye bread, topped with various toppings such as fish, meat or vegetables. The country also has a strong coffee culture and in the cities you will find many coffee houses offering a variety of coffee specialties.
In recent years, Denmark has also become a hotspot for gourmet food. Copenhagen, the capital, is home to some of the best restaurants in the world. Beer and schnapps also play an important role in Danish drinking culture. Carlsberg and Tuborg are the best-known beer brands, while aquavit and schnapps are often served at traditional celebrations.
Holiday in Denmark
Københaven, or Copenhagen, is the charming capital of Denmark and the country's largest urban centre. Anyone who has ever travelled to Copenhagen will be amazed by the city's flair.
Travel information about Denmark
Arrival
By plane
Copenhagen has the country’s largest international airport, Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport. Other international airports are located in Billund and Aalborg in Jutland.
Copenhagen-Roskilde Airport is used almost exclusively for short-haul flights within the Kingdom. This also applies to the airports in Aarhus, Bornholm, Karup, Esbjerg and Sønderborg.
By train
Coming from Germany, there are two international rail lines to Denmark. One railway line connects Hamburg with Copenhagen, the second connection goes from Flensburg to Frederica.
Trains run between Sweden and Copenhagen over the Öresund Bridge.
By bus
There is a direct bus connection from Flensburg to Aarhus, Kolding and Vejle.
By car
You can only reach the Danish mainland via Germany. A bridge leads from Sweden to Denmark. A toll is charged for driving over the Öresund Bridge.
The Danish North Sea coast is easily reached from the A 7 via Handewitt. Then take the B 199 and B 5 to the Danish border and then the B 11 or E 45 to the coast. The Baltic Sea coast is easily reached via the E 45 with a connection via the B 8 or E 20.
Speed instructions:
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- in town 50 km/h
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- outside built-up areas: 80 km/h
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- Motorway: 130 km/h
It is compulsory to drive with the lights on at all times. The blood alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille.
By ship
There are Scandlines ferries from Puttgarden to Rødy and from Warnemünde to Gedser.
The BornholmerFærgen sails from Sassnitz, from Køge and from Ystad to Bornholm.
In addition, other shipping companies offer ferry connections from North Jutland to Norway, Iceland and Sweden.
Those who like to take cargo ship trips will find several ports in Denmark for their journey.
By bike
The North Sea Coast Cycle Route connects Hamburg with Jutland. From Berlin, the long-distance cycle route leads to Copenhagen.
Entry regulations
Only random border checks are carried out between Germany and Denmark. The identity documents of all passengers are checked.
You need a valid identity card or passport that is valid for the duration of your stay.
Anyone wishing to travel to Greenland requires a passport, as Greenland is not part of the Schengen area.
Entry of nationals who are not from an EU member state
In principle, persons who are not nationals of an EU member state, an EEA state or Switzerland require a valid and recognized travel document to enter Denmark. This travel document, usually a passport, must be valid for at least three months after the planned departure from the territory of the member states and must have been issued within the previous ten years.
In addition, third-country nationals generally require a visa if this is required under Regulation (EC) No. 539/2001 (EU-VISUM Regulation). However, there are exceptions: Third-country nationals who are exempt from the visa requirement in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 539/2001 do not require a visa for visits of up to 90 days per 180-day period.
Unterwegs in Dänemark
By plane
Domestic flights are available within the Kingdom.
By train
Long-distance rail traffic is operated by Lyntog (lightning train) and InterCity trains. Jutland and the larger islands of Funen, Zealand, Falster and Lolland are connected to each other by bridges over which rail traffic also passes.
Regional transport is partly organised by regional providers.
By bus
Denmark has an extensive network of long-distance bus routes.
By car
Denmark also consists of many small and larger islands. Thus, there are some large bridges that make it possible to connect them.
The road network in Denmark is very well developed.
By bike
The bicycle is the everyday means of transport for many Danes. Especially in Copenhagen, people rely on the two-wheeler.
A holiday in Denmark by bike offers ideal conditions. There are 11 nationally signposted routes through the country and the cycle paths are for the most part excellently developed.
By ship
The connections between the individual islands are often provided by ferries. There are some islands that can only be reached by ferry, such as Bornholm, Fanø or Ærø.
Best time to visit
Denmark and the Faroe Islands have an Atlantic climate. Greenland has an extreme Arctic climate.
Denmark is characterized by long, bright summer nights from May to August (on 1 July, for example, sunrise is at 4.40 am and sunset at 10.06 pm, CEST).
Spring (March – May)
The average temperatures in these months are between 1 and 17 degrees Celsius. Precipitation reaches an average peak of around 130 mm in March.
Summer (June – August)
The peak season is mainly in July and August, i.e. in the middle of midsummer. Daytime temperatures reach up to 22 degrees and there are only a few rainy days. The sunniest month in Denmark is June, with an average of eight hours of sunshine per day. Daytime temperatures are usually between 19 and 23 degrees, while at night it cools down to 12 to 14 degrees. From June to September, Denmark is relatively wet with an average of around 11 rainy days.
Fall (September – November)
In the fall, rainfall drops to an average of 70 mm. Temperatures begin to drop and the landscape changes, resulting in beautiful autumn colors.
Winter (December – February)
In winter, snowfall is possible from January to April and in November and December. The average temperature during these months is below 3 degrees Celsius. Winter (November to March) is wet with 15 days of rain.
Language
The national language is Danish.
Currency
In Denmark, you pay with Danish kroner (DKK).
1 krone = 100 Øre
Banknotes in circulation are 1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50 kroner. Coins: 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 kroner and 50 Øre.
An exchange fee of DKK 20 to 35 is charged for each exchange.
Cash payments are now almost completely dispensed with. Even the smallest amount can be paid with VISA, MasterCard, Maestro or Vpay.
Goods and services in Denmark are always subject to 25% VAT. The prices shown always include VAT.
Many kiosks and supermarkets do not accept cash after 8.00 pm.
If you still need cash, you will find plenty of ATMs
Tip
Tipping in Denmark is called “drikkepenge”.
Danes give almost no tips. In restaurants, a so-called service charge is usually included in the bill. Danes tend to round up the bill amount, the 5% rule common in other countries is unusual. Generally, if you decide to give a tip in a restaurant, you leave the amount on the table.
Tipping is not customary in hotels. Taxi drivers have become accustomed to tipping “foreigners”. Here they round up the fare.
Telefon, WiFi
The country code for Denmark is +45. In Denmark, major cities such as Copenhagen, Arhus, Odense, Aalborg and Esbjerg have excellent 4G coverage.
Power Plug
Type E and K sockets are used in Denmark. If you live in Germany, you do not need a travel plug adapter in Denmark.
