We Danes consistently rank at the top of any happy polls. In fact, our national symbol is a heart. You’ll find the cute little sign everywhere, even stamped on money. Want to find out why we’re so content? Take a trip to Denmark.

COPENHAGEN
Whether you’re flying or cruising in to port, this is the city you’ll likely arrive at. My city of birth is the largest city in Scandinavia. It’s a great place to explore on foot or by bicycle, because it’s flat.

 

Tivoli Gardens
Make Tivoli Gardens your first stop. It’s the most popular tourist destination in the country, and reputed to be an influence for Walt Disney when he was designing his theme parks.

While this is a theme park, this isn’t Disneyland. It feels like a less commercial, more community oriented gathering place. There are amusement park rides and games, to be sure, but there are also dozens of multi-starred, non-cafeteria food restaurants, as well as areas to sit and people-watch.

Go in the afternoon and stay till at least early evening, when more than 100,000 colored lanterns light up the gardens.

Little Mermaid statue
The wistful Little Mermaid has become synonymous with Denmark’s capital city. She sits close to the shore of Langelinie on a bolder, looking at the harbor entrance. While many people think of Disney’s happy cartoon mermaid, the original story by Hans Christian Andersen had a more somber ending. Created by sculptor Edward Eriksen, it was presented to the City of Copenhagen in 1913 by the famous brewer of Carlsberg beer, Carl Jacobsen.

Nyhavn
Upscale and sophisticated, the Nyhavn area was once the stomping ground of sailors and the home of many a tattoo parlor. Now, tourists and locals alike frequent the many restaurants and shops that line the canal.

Denmark’s beloved storyteller Hans Christian Andersen lived in three of these brightly painted 18th century houses (numbers 18, 20, and 67). At the harbor end of Nyhavn you can catch boat rides to Norway or Sweden, but we stayed closer to home, with a short boat tour around the harbor. If you do, make sure you take a coat. Even if it’s summer, there’s a chill on the water.  

Stroget mall
Something vaguely like Fort Street Mall in Honolulu, the pedestrian street "Strøget" is a must-see for many visitors. It’s the world largest and oldest walking street and features many an upscale retail store and attractive eating establishment. Developed in 1962, it’s a popular place for locals to hang out, too. There’s always something going on, day or night.

Rosenborg Castle
I will preface this section with the revelation that my country is replete with castles. Old, damp, cold, but refurbished castles that are set up as tourist spots. Practically every city has a castle.

Rosenborg Castle is the home of the monarchy’s crown jewels, some dating to Christian III's sword of state from 1551. Most people enjoy seeing the Crown Jewels still worn by Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark. If you like bling, this is your thing.

KOLDING
Koldinghus
I told you there are castles galore. Next up, a castle in Kolding. I wouldn’t advise you to go out of your way to check out this town. I went because my parents moved to Kolding when I was a young child, and have never left. When I visit, I have to stop in Kolding. It’s a nice place to live, but there are other cities that are more interesting for tourists.

Koldinghus is a Danish royal castle, founded in the 13th century. Like so many other castles, the function has changed over time from fortress, monarch’s house, abandoned property, wartime meeting spots, and now, museum.

Pedestrian street

The one and only strip mall in town is a pedestrian street, with new stores side by side with old houses. The oldest one dates back to 1589, a half-timbered house previously used as the town's tourist office. Take a stroll, enjoy coffee at a café, people-watch, and browse the stores.

AARHUS
The second largest city in Denmark is considered the country’s college town, and it’s the city I spent most of my formative years in, at a boarding school. Because of this, I consider Aarhus my Danish hometown. It has beautiful beaches and parks, and a charming but sophisticated community vibe to it, very comparable in size and feel to Honolulu.

The Viking Museum
This Viking Museum is at the site where the Vikings actually founded Aarhus. An archaeological dig turned up a structure and remains dated to about 1200. Plan to spend at least half a day there- more, if you’re a history buff.

The Old Town (Den Gamle By)
A lot of cities have a recreation of their ancestral villages. Oahu has the Polynesian Cultural Center and the Mission Houses Museum, New England has Old Sturbridge Village, and Aarhus has Old Town, a living experience of old Denmark.

Visitors can stroll among 75 historical houses, gardens, exhibitions, houses, shops, and workshops. Watch a candle maker, see inside a Danish home of that era, play children’s games, and buy historical products. It’s a wonderful way to spend a half day.

ODENSE
Most people make the day trip to Odense for one guy: Hans Christian Andersen. The 19th century storyteller whose writings have become world famous is so well loved by the Danes, we have shortened his name to H.C. when we refer to him.

Hans Christian Andersen Museum (H.C. Andersen Hus)
You probably know the story of The Ugly Duckling, The Princess and the Pea, and The Little Tin Soldier. They are just a few of the many stories – some quite depressing, actually – that sprang from the imagination of Hans Christian Andersen.

He was believed to have been born in 1805 in a sparse, single-story wood house. That house is now the central point of the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, which was established a century after his birth. You can look at and read about (with surprise and sadness, as my wife did) the environment in which he grew up, or peruse some of his manuscripts and books.

ELSINORE
Shakespear’s Hamlet might have thought something was rotten in the state of Denmark, but it isn’t Kronborg Castle! This castle dates back to the 1420s, built by Danish king Erik of Pomerania. It’s at the tip of a sound, and was first used as a tollbooth for ships that wanted to pass through. Its evolution includes use as a Renaissance castle, a slave prison, barracks, and for a time, Swedish ownership. (Danes and Swedes warred a lot.)

The barracks closed in 1922, and the castle was restored to its 16th century appearance for visitors. You can look at the royal quarters, the Great Hall – one of the longest in not just Denmark, but Scandinavia!)- and the dark basement, where a statue of Viking chief Holger Danske keeps guard over the premises. It’s open year round and worth a visit.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all details directly before planning your trip.

CELEBRITY SUITCASE

Marisa Miller, supermodel

1. Ipod "with everything loaded on to it!"
2. Victoria's Secret Very Sexy lipgloss
3. A cashmere blanket, "because I get very cold on the plane."

When asked how many countries she's been to, she laughed. "Gosh. I had to get extra pages on my passport. I've been all through Europe, the South Pacific... just about everywhere for modeling jobs," she said. "But I haven't been to the Maldives, and I'd love to go there before it gets flooded. I'm such a beach girl. I love the water. I always like ocean destinations."

This Santa Cruz, California native says she tries to get home as often as possible, where she likes to catch waves. Favorite spots for surfing: Manresa and Pleasure Point. Fun fact: her parents met at Privates beach.

In Hawaii, it's Waikiki and beaches on Kauai. She owns some six footers and some long boards, but her latest fad is stand up paddle boarding.

So keep a look out! Maybe the next time you're on the south shore you'll see a very thin, leggy blonde ripping it up.