Denmark Highlights
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum, Copenhagen
Offers a grand art collection begun by the brewer Carl Jacobsen and maintained by the New Carlsberg Foundation. There are exquisite collections of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Etruscan sculptures, as well as some French masterpieces from Cezanne, Gauguin and Rodin.
Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen
Nationalmuseet is highly recommended for its collections of ancient "bog" finds from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. A fascinating and well-structured museum that takes days to cover, it also has an interesting section on Danish cultural history.
Louisiana Museum for Moderne Kunst, Humlebaek
Art lovers could easily spend an entire day at the Louisiana. A rich permanent collection is supplemented by frequent international exhibitions held in a breathtaking setting overlooking the Oresund to Sweden. Sculptures adorn the gardens and there is a children's wing.
Hamlet in Helsingor
Helsingor is best known for its massive Renaissance-style Kronborg, Hamlet's "Castle of Elsinore". It has provided a backdrop for many productions of Shakespeare's Hamlet with its richly decorated King's and Queen's chambers and the 62-metre long Great Hall.
The Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde
The Vikingeskibshallen is one of the great delights of Denmark. Its five ships were found in 1962 at the mouth of the Roskildefjord, where they had lain since the 11th-century defenders of Roskilde had sunk them to block the entrance of the fjord against enemy attack. The restored ships include an awe-inspiring longship, the dreaded Viking man o' war.
Skagen
Here the air shimmers with a certain light that was an irresistible lure to the Skagen painters. These artists (Anna and Michael Ancher, P.S. Krøyer, and Viggo Johansen) portrayed fisherfolk, local residents and each other with a true sense for light and colour. The Skagens Museum was bought by the Anchers in 1884.
Arhus
Jutland's capital city is Arhus, a lively "college town" known for its music, theatre, ballet, art and cafes, as well as its fun Festival Week every autumn. Denmark's second largest city - with a population of about 280,000, only a fraction of Copenhagen's - is noted for its nearby forests, beaches and castles.
Silkeborg
Silkeborg lies in one of the areas where the Danes go to spend their summer holidays. The country between Silkeborg and Skanderborg is as beautiful as can be. Criss-crossed by quiet rivers, it provides the ideal setting for canoeing or hiking trips, or just for lazy days spent in the sun with a picnic basket. A couple of first-class museums in Silkeborg finish the picture off.