What is it about the Danish way of living that keeps the Danes smiling all year long, even though they apparently get 170 days of rain each year?

There are many reasons why people love living in Denmark and visiting Denmark. Here are a few of my favourite ones.

My Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Denmark

1. Hygge

Hygge, pronounced hoo-ga, is the Danish way of living well. It can’t really be translated into a single word but encompasses a feeling of cosy contentment and well-being from enjoying the simple things in life.

If you’ve ever enjoyed reading a good book indoors on a rainy Sunday or enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day with your favourite person, you’ve experienced hygge without even knowing it.

The Danes take this concept very seriously and I think they’re onto something amazing. I’m sure many other nations could learn from this way of living.

They have mastered the concept of really stopping and taking the time to appreciate the small things in life. Hygge would be my number 1 reason to visit Denmark.

2. Demark is a clean country

Denmark is an incredibly clean country. You won’t find people littering and they take recycling very seriously.

The cities are very tidy, the countryside is green, the air is fresh and the rivers are super clear. 

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3. A great social system that offers free education and free healthcare

In Denmark, social policy in areas like education, child care, health care and protecting the unemployed are part of a solidarity system. The idea of this is to ensure that nobody declines into economic despair.

The Danish pay high taxes, but in return, they enjoy a very high quality of life. Education is free and higher education is free for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland.

Health care is free of charge and of high quality. Prescription drugs are inexpensive and free for those under 18 years of age. Every worker in Denmark is entitled to 25 days (5 weeks) of paid holidays. Every employee is also entitled to 11 paid public holidays.

Of course, this makes it more of a reason to visit Denmark as well as to consider moving here to live.

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4. The food in Denmark is so fresh

The Danish enjoy good food, and most will spend the money to nourish their bodies daily. They live a good life here, and fresh food is important to them. The markets are full of freshly baked bread, which many Danes consume each day. The food is a very good reason to visit Denmark.

They eat lots of fish and salmon, and the fruit and vegetables here are seasonal and flavourful. The Torvehallerne food markets are fantastic for discovering local food, and you can find it in Copenhagen. Over 60 stalls sell the best ingredients and dishes around.

My favourite reason to visit Denmark is being a massive foodie.

If you love good food, another option to include in your itinerary in Copenhagen is the Reffen Island street food market. To get there, take bus 9A from the city centre. It goes every 10 minutes and takes about 10-15 minutes.

Perhaps join this half-day sustainable bike tour of Copenhagen?

You can also take a canal cruise to Refshaleoen, however, this is the more expensive option and only really worth it if you purchase the hop-on, hop-off ticket for your day in Copenhagen.

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5. Denmark is an active nation

Denmark is a flat country, which makes it ideal for cycling. Roads are built with the cyclist in mind, and there are dedicated bicycle lanes for people who commute by bicycle each day. These lanes are used by more than just cyclists; you’ll also find people pedalling their pets around the cities and their babies in custom-built buggies.

Once you visit, you’ll notice this is an active, clean-eating nation.

6. Smorbrod

This is a hearty open-faced sandwich on rugbrod or rye bread. This dish, a Scandinavian tradition, is topped with savoury flavours, and some of the smorbrod we’ve eaten are like pieces of art!

Seriously, take a wander through Torvehallernefood market. If you disembark at the metro station of the same name, I highly recommend you get yourself a beautiful smorbrod here.

The fancy ones will cost you between 60-90 DKK (about US $9-13), however, the ingredients used are super fresh and the flavours are fantastic.

I highly recommend this Walking Tour with Food Tasting in Copenhagen to try smorbrod and local delicacies.

7. Incredible restaurants

Some of the best restaurants in the world can be found in Denmark. Copenhagen, the capital city, has many of them, with around 27 Michelin-starred restaurants. The three most popular in Copenhagen are Noma, AOC and Geranium.

If you want to dine at the popular restaurant, Noma, be sure to make your reservation at least six months in advance to secure a booking.

TOP TRAVEL TIP: Purchase a Copenhagen City Card (choose from 24, 48, 96 or 120-hour validity), you will receive great discounts on tours, plus save money at museums, restaurants, cafes, and more. Get free and unlimited access to Copenhagen’s train, bus and Metro networks too.

8. Great coffee

The Danish are avid coffee drinkers, they love the stuff. Lucky for coffee lovers like me, it’s not hard to locate a coffee here. You can purchase a cup of coffee from a simple supermarket such as ALDI for as little as 10 DKK (USD $1.35). Alternatively, pay up to 45 DKK ($6.75) for a fancier coffee from one of the many cool cafes.

Although you can find amazing coffee in Copenhagen, we never leave home without our portable espresso machine, easily our favourite travel accessory. See what else is on our ultimate packing list for travellers.

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9. Design and fashion

They take pride in the way they dress in Denmark. Tailored, well-fitted clothing and nice footwear are the norm for Danish men.

The women look like they’ve just stepped off the pages of a clothes catalogue, dressed with style and colour.

10. Friendly people and they speak amazing English

Learning to speak English has been compulsory in all schools in Denmark since the 1930s. It’s rare to find a Dane that doesn’t speak fantastic English.

It is one of the reasons why you should visit Denmark, as you will never be lost in translation.

This also applies to the other Scandinavian countries, which makes travelling through this part of the world much more manageable for visitors.

And there you have it. 10 reasons why you should visit Denmark. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below.

Travelling further around Scandinavia? You may also enjoy discovering the 10 best cafes in Stockholm, and these Top 10 things to do in Helsinki will keep you busy.

Travel Tips for Europe

We have many travel guides and tips for Europe— an incredible continent!

Are you travelling on a budget? These ten cheapest European countries will help you plan an itinerary that lets you see as much as possible while there.

Furthermore, if you plan to travel long-term (or at least until the money runs out), these 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you make your hard-earned dollars stretch a bit further.

Delicious cuisine can be enjoyed across Europe, and our food map of Europe will inspire your culinary journey.

For food lovers, don’t miss our top 10 best countries for foodies, a couple of them are located in Europe.

Here are 8 things to know about travelling to Eastern Europe and it’s good to know these 7 misconceptions about Eastern Europe too.

These top 6 travel hacks to save money are great to read when planning your travels.

You’ll need to stay connected while travelling in Europe. We recommend eSIM. It’s easy, reliable and affordable. View eSIMs for individual European countries, or consider a regional eSIM for Europe (which covers 39 countries).

If your travels in Europe are part of a much larger global adventure, then a Global eSIM may be the answer. It connects you in 124 countries, offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text eSIM. The Global eSIM has been a game-changer; we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.

If you want to travel with like-minded travellers, consider joining a group tour. Check out our Group Tours first for any upcoming European departures, or view Tourradar for great deals on group tours in Europe.

Check out our best-ever travel tips compiled from more than twenty years of experience.