Photo: Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral

MOVIES SHOT ON LOCATION IN HELSINKI:

1. Doctor Zhivago – USA 1965, dir. David Lean
2. Man without the Past (Mies Vailla Menneisyyttä) - Finland 2002, dir. Aki Kaurismäki
3. Night On Earth – France/UK/Germany 1991, dir. Jim Jarmusch
4. Reds – USA 1981, dir. Warren Beatty
5. Gorky Park - USA 1983, dir. Michael Apted

HELSINKI remains copyright of the author Eleritz, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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It is impossible to talk about Gothenburg without talking about Stockholm.

Because Gothenburg, created as an opposition or rather counterbalance to Stockholm, is everything Stockholm is not.

It is, simply, a response to Stockholm’s weaknesses.

Which are, as any Gothenburger knows, quite a few.

First, Stockholm is too cold. Its winters are freezing. In response to this inconvenience, Gothenburg offers a much milder and human-friendly climate.

Second, Stockholm is too eastern. Its eastern exposure may have been an excellent idea in times when Sweden’s priorities were competing with Russia for influence in the Baltic Sea basin, invading Finland and waging wars with Poland.

But as the world grew bigger Swedes realized that Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga should be their priorities no more. Instead they needed a city that would be a convenient post for trade with Asia and the Americas as well as for contacts with financial centres of the world, like London and New York. For these purposes Gothenburg was as good as it got.

Third, Stockholm is too royal. Over the centuries the world not only got bigger but also somewhat republican. Sweden needed a city that would be more in line with new political tendencies of the world. A city that would be diligent, unpretentious and practical. That would take no notice of royal lavishness, show-off and decadence. For this purpose Gothenburg, located hundreds of km away from any of the residences of the Swedish royal family, was just fine.

So this is Gothenburg. Sweden's gateway to the west. Focused on trade, fishing industry and hard work. Not exactly a dream tourist destination, but maybe worth taking a look if you happen to be around.

Photo: Landshövdingehusen in Haga district

SIGHTS:

Gothenburg canals (Göteborgs kanaler)
Gothenburg was planned and built by the Dutch, so no wonder that it is crisscrossed with canals. The most important of them is called Stora Hamnkanalen (Big Harbour Canal). Stora Hamnkanalen is lined with many of Gothenburg’s most interesting buildings, like the German Church (Tyska Kyrkan) a.k.a. Christinae Church, the Town Hall and the Stock Exchange.

Photo: The German Church (on the left) and the Town Hall (on the right) as seen from the other side of Stora Hamnkanalen

Gustav Adolf Square (Gustav Adolfs Torg)
Located by Stora Hamnkanalen, Gustav Adolf Square is the administrative and political centre of Gothenburg. In the midst of the square stands the statue of Gustav II Adolf, who founded Gothenburg in 1621. It is here where the the Town Hall and the 19th century Stock Exchange (Börsen) are located. Börsen is my favourite building in the centre of Gothenburg.

Photo: Gustav Adolf Square with the statue of Gustav II Adolf and Börsen

Kungsportsavenyn a.k.a. Avenyn
Many European cities claim to have their own local Champs-Élysées. Gothenburg is one of them. Its Champs-Élysées is called Kungsportsavenyn (King’s Gate Avenue) or just Avenyn. Lined with fashionable shops, nightclubs, bars, restaurants and cafés, Avenyn is Gothenburg's major avenue and Sweden's most famous street. As far as architectural beauty is concerned, I found Avenyn quite forgettable.

Gothenburg Cathedral (Göteborgs Domkyrka)
Gothenburg Cathedral is an unassuming but pleasantly harmonious neo-Classical church located in the centre of the town. Its interior, like most Lutheran churches, is austere and sparsely furnished.

Photo: The tower of Gothenburg Cathedral

Haga district
In the 19th century Haga was a shabby overcrowded working class suburb of Gothenburg. Today it is a hip place, full of small cafés and shops. And undeniably the most picturesque neighbourhood in town. Its wooden houses are a charming example of Nordic small town architecture. Many of them feature characteristics typical of landshövdingehusen, which is a type of residential architecture unique for Gothenburg. Landshövdingehusen are two-floor houses with the ground floor in stone and the other two in wood. They can be spotted in many parts of Gothenburg, but the ones in Haga are definitely the most beautiful.

Photo: Landshövdingehusen in Haga district

The Masthugg Church (Masthuggskyrkan)
Masthuggskyrkan holds a very special place in the hearts of not only Gothenburgers, but also all Swedes. Its 60m brick red tower was the last memorable sight of Sweden visible to thousands of emigrants who at the beginning of the 20th century left their native land to start a new life in America. I saw Masthuggskyrkan only from a distance for it didn’t look appealing enough to make me climb the hill on top of which it stands. But fact is that it is one of the most important examples of Nordic National Romantic style, which was quite popular in Sweden and Finland at the beginning of the 20th century. I guess I am not a fan of this style.

The Skanska Scraper (Skanskaskrapan) a.k.a. the Lipstick (Läppstiftet)
When in Gothenburg you may notice a lipstick somebody dropped on the pavement by the riverside. Since it is quite big (83m in height), it is rather easy to spot. Actually, it is so big that many consider it the landmark and symbol of Gothenburg. Some locals claim it is not a lipstick but instead a pile of Lego bricks and therefore call it Legohuset. Whatever it is, I think it is a very ugly thing and the person that dropped it (I’ve heard it was a Brit named Ralph Erskine) should have been fined for littering in Gothenburg.

Photo: Gothenburg harbour with the Lipstick on the right

MY IMPRESSIONS:

I knew that Gothenburg is a very young city (by European standards) focused on making and not spending money so didn’t expect Medieval nooks, Gothic spires, Renaissance plazas or opulent Baroque domes. Still, it was rather a letdown. Clean, airy, functional and well-organized, Gothenburg looks like a great place to live, but it is scarce with memorable sights and buildings. Its modern architecture, which in case of young towns is always a chance to make a difference, does stand out, but rather on the negative side. Both the famous Lipstick and the ultramodern Opera House (which is a brand new architectural pride of Gothenburg) would be strong candidates to enter the list of the ugliest city landmarks I’ve ever seen. Gothenburg was built by the Dutch, but don’t expect it to be a Nordic counterpart of Amsterdam. Apart from the canals, I noticed no similarities with Dutch cities. Instead its 19th century neo-Classical historical core is very much reminiscent of Helsinki (the difference is that Helsinki skyline is decorated with two outstanding churches while Gothenburg’s temples are rather unremarkable).

On the bright side (yes, there’s a bright side), I was very glad I had a chance to see Haga district. This laidback, predominantly wooden neighbourhood is the architectural highlight of Gothenburg. It feels a bit like a Siberian town with an IKEA twist. A unique place, especially in winter I guess.

Photo: Neo-Gothic Centralstation is one of the most interesting buildings in Gothenburg

TRANSPORTATION:

Paddan boats
Paddan (the toad) is the name of flat-bottomed open top sightseeing boats that cruise through Gothenburg’s canals and harbour. I gave up on the idea of taking a paddan tour because boat tours I took in some other European cities (i.e. Amsterdam and Seville) taught me that they rarely are an interesting alternative for walking unless you are an elderly person or have a disability. Views from the boats are no much different than from the street (usually slightly worse), you can hardly move for at least an hour, have to listen to recorded commentaries in languages like Japanese, and on top of that pay for all of it. Thank you, I'll take a walk.

If you fancy a paddan tour note that the boats have no protection from the rain.

Blue trams (Göteborgs spårvagnar)
Gothenburgers are very proud of their tram network. And quite deservedly, for with its 190km it is the longest tram network in Scandinavia. All of Gothenburg trams are blue and they are as ubiquitous a sight here as red double-decker buses in London. I’ve always been into trams so no wonder that they became the highlight of my visit to Gothenburg.

Photo: A blue tram in central Gothenburg.

SURROUNDINGS OF GOTHENBURG:

Gothenburg Archipelago (10 km west of Gothenburg)
Island hopping is something Greece is famous for, but Gothenburg? Yes, in Gothenburg you can also island hop till you drop. Or rather, skerry hop (skerries are small rocky islands typical of the Scandinavian coast). Gothenburg boasts two skerry archipelagos called Northern (Göteborgs norra skärgård) and Southern (Göteborgs södra skärgård).

The gateway to the Southern Archipelago is Saltholmen, which is a suburb of Gothenburg located at the mouth of the Göta Älv River. You can get there from the city centre by tram. After arriving at Saltholmen all you have to do is choose the island you want to visit (the biggest are Styrsö, Asperö, Brännö and Donsö) and hop on a ferry.

Photo: Gothenburg Southern Archipelago as seen from Saltholmen

MOVIES SHOT ON LOCATION IN GOTHENBURG:

1. Jalla Jalla – Sweden 2000, dir. Josef Fares
2. The Third Wave (Den Tredje Vågen) - Sweden/Finland 2003, dir. Anders Nilsson
3. God Save The King (Tjenare Kungen) – Sweden 2005, dir. Anna Fredriksson
4. A Song For Martin (En Sång För Martin) – Denmark/Sweden 2001, dir. Bille August
5. Zero Tolerance (Noll Tolerans) – Sweden 1999, dir. Anders Nilsson

GOTHENBURG remains copyright of the author Eleritz, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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An amazing fact about Malmö is that it is closer to Florence in Italy than to Kiruna, which is Sweden’s northernmost town. I guess it shows quite well how deep south Malmö is, and how close to non-Scandinavian Europe. Unlike other big urban centres of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Malmö doesn’t feel like a remote island. This feeling is especially true now, after the construction of the Öresund Bridge, which links Malmö with Copenhagen. Hamburg and Berlin are, respectively, a mere four and six hours away by car.

The Öresund Bridge has already brought, and will continue to do so, many opportunities and challenges to Malmö. In an attempt to avoid becoming an over-the-bridge suburb of Copenhagen, overlooked on the way from Denmark to Norway or Stockholm, Malmö is trying to redefine itself as an attractive, livable and visitable city. A newly built skyscraper called Turning Torso proves that this redefinition has begun for good.

There’s no doubt that Turning Torso hit the bull’s eye. It is considered one of the most beautiful new high-rise buildings in the world. Together with the Öresund Bridge, Turning Torso put Malmö on the map of European cities which you must visit if you are a modern architecture admirer. This is a very new quality for Malmö, which until recently was “the sick man of Scandinavia”, known mostly for its shipbuilding industry and troubled by unemployment. As a consequence, hardly anybody considered Malmö a serious, autonomous tourist destination. It was just a bleak and rather forgettable addition to a visit to Copenhagen.

Fortunately for Malmö, these times seem to be over.

Photo: Architecture of the historical centre of Malmö

SIGHTS:

City Hall Square a.k.a. the Big Square (Stortorget)
Stortorget, surrounded by picturesque Renaissance buildings, is Malmö’s main square. For quite a long time it was the biggest square in Northern Europe. I found it more beautiful and likeable than the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, although less monumental. In the midst of Stortorget stands the equestrian statue of King Karl X Gustav of Sweden, who took Malmö back from the Danes. The white stuccoed building next to the City Hall is called Residence (Residenset).

Photo: Stortorget with Residence building on the left

Malmö City Hall (Malmö rådhus)
The City Hall, located in the eastern part of Stortorget, is definitely the most beautiful historical building in Malmö. Its Dutch Renaissance façade is ornate and colourful. It looks especially beautiful at night.

Photo: Malmö City Hall

The Little Square (Lilla Torg)
The existence of the Big Square suggests that there must be also something called the Little Square in Malmö. The suggestion is correct. The Little Square, located next to Stortorget, is considered by many to be the most charming square in town. But I found its famous half-timbered houses rather unremarkable and somewhat depressing, especially in contrast to the flamboyant and joyful architecture of Stortorget. In summer Lilla Torg, filled with outdoor cafés and restaurants, is a must-see for bar hoppers. In winter it becomes an outdoor skating rink.

St Peter’s Church (Sankt Petri kyrka)
The majestic St Peter's Church, built in the Baltic Gothic style, is said to be the oldest building in Malmö and one of Sweden’s most important churches. Somewhat gloomy on the outside, it is white and airy inside. Its elegant spire, which is 105 m high, overlooks the historical centre of Malmö.

Photo: The spire of St Peter’s Church (on the right)

Malmöhus Castle (Malmöhus slott)
Malmöhus, which is the oldest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia, is a massive 16th century fortress located in the centre of Malmö. It used to be a residence of Danish kings, a prison and a Swedish stronghold. Nowadays it is a must-visit for avid museum goers (which I am not, so I saw it only from the outside). It houses the City Museum (Malmö Museum), the Art Museum (Malmö Konstmuseum), the Natural History Museum, the Aquarium and the Tropicarium. Beside Malmöhus is the Technology and Naval Museum (Teknikens och Sjöfartens hus).

Photo: Malmöhus Castle

Turning Torso
Turning Torso, which is a 190m tower consisting of nine cubes twisting as they rise, was designed by the renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It is an absolutely breathtaking example of modern architecture and a brand new architectural symbol of Malmö (the old one was a gigantic and dismal shipbuilding crane called Kockumskranen, dismantled without much regret in 2002). Turning Torso is located in the Western Harbour (Västra hamnen), which is Malmö’s new posh residential area. Upon completion in 2005 Turning Torso was the second tallest residential building in Europe. I saw it in October 2004, when it was still in the making. Unfortunately, Turning Torso is closed for visitors, so you can admire it only from the outside. Unless you have friends living in it or can afford spending a night in one of its premium suites. What’s the price? Well, I don’t know, but if you are thinking about it seriously, surely the price is not something you care about.

Photo: Turning Torso in the making. This is a historical photo now.

The Öresund Bridge (Öresundsbron in Swedish/Øresundsbroen in Danish)
The Öresund Bridge, opened in 2000, provides a fast road and rail link between Copenhagen and Sweden. Actually, the Öresund Bridge is not just a bridge. It comprises a 4-km immersed tunnel, a 4-km long artificial island called Peberholm (both on the Danish side of the strait) and an 8-km suspension bridge (on the Swedish side). The bridge’s pylons are over 200 m high. It is truly a marvellous piece of engineering. You can get a distant view of the bridge from Copenhagen, but the view from Malmö is incomparably better. If you want to get nice views of the bridge while crossing it, choose car or bus instead of train. There is almost no view of the bridge from the train.

Photo: The Öresund Bridge as seen from Västra hamnen (Malmö's posh residential area)

MY IMPRESSIONS:

Apart from the fact that it is Sweden's third biggest city and the capital of the province of Scania, I didn't know much about Malmö. I chose it as a one-day side trip destination from Copenhagen because I wanted to cross the Öresund Bridge. So it was a very nice surprise to discover such an interesting place, which is much more than the Öresund Bridge and Turning Torso. Its historical centre is not big but immediately likeable and nice. The City Hall reminded me of the City Hall in Antwerp and (to a lesser extent) Palacio Municipal in A Coruña. St Peter’s Church is quite similar to St Mary’s Church in Lübeck (the same brick Baltic Gothic style). The history of the Western Harbour (Västra hamnen), formerly a drab and neglected industrial area, now an upmarket housing area featuring modern, functional and ecological architecture, reminded me of the history of the creation of Parque das Nações in Lisbon. Compared to rather dense urban area of central Copenhagen, Malmö feels much more airy and spacious (numerous green areas and parks add to this impression).

To sum up, I must say that Malmö proved to be for me an indispensable addition to a visit to Copenhagen and a much more enjoyable tourist destination than Gothenburg, Sweden’s second biggest city.

SURROUNDINGS OF MALMÖ:

Ystad (60 km east of Malmö)
The tiny town of Ystad is the second southernmost municipality in Sweden, after Trelleborg. Hardly anybody, except for Swedes and Poles, has ever heard of Ystad. For Swedes it has always been one of the most picturesque little towns in Sweden, famous for its well-preserved half-timbered houses. For Poles it has always been the destination for ferries arriving from Poland, and, as such, the principal gateway to Sweden (now, owing to the joys of low-cost air travel, it has changed). Being a Pole, I too had heard of Ystad only as a transportation hub. So it was a nice and eye-opening experience to visit Ystad and see that it is not a huge and boisterous ferry terminal as I had imagined, but instead a charming little town. I spent all afternoon strolling along its picturesque streets and admiring rustic provincial beauty of its half-timbered houses.

Photo: The spire of St Mary's Church (S:ta Maria kyrka) reflected in the window of one of Ystad's half-timbered houses

Helsingborg (65 km north of Malmö)
No other Swedish town is as close to Denmark as Helsingborg. It is here where the Öresund Strait, which separates the Scandinavian Peninsula from Denmark, is the narrowest. Helsingør, which is the Danish counterpart of Helsingborg, is a mere 5 km away by sea. Compared to Helsingør, Helsingborg is bigger, more lively, but in my opinion less beautiful. The architectonical symbol of Helsingborg is a medieval fortress tower called Kärnan, but I found it so unexciting that I didn't even took any photographs of it. Still, I found some things I liked in Helsingborg. First of all, its neo-Gothic Town Hall. Adorned with numerous turrets and pinnacles, it is a very handsome and impressive building. I also liked the wooden architecture of a music club and concert venue called The Tivoli, located by the harbour. A handful of streets in the centre of Helsingborg are also quite enjoyable.

Photo: Helsingborg Town Hall

The 20-minute ferry travel from Helsingborg to Helsingør is an interesting cultural experience. Many passengers are Swedish alcohol-tourists, who go to Denmark to buy huge amounts of beer and other alcoholic beverages taking advantage of cheaper alcohol prices in Denmark.

Photo: The Tivoli Music Club is the first sight you come upon after arrival in Helsingborg by ferry

MOVIES SHOT ON LOCATION IN MALMÖ:

1. Raven’s End (Kvarteret Korpen) – Sweden 1970, dir. Bo Widerberg
2. Where The Rainbow Ends (Där Regnbågen Slutar) - Sweden 1999, dir. Richard Hobert
3. Shake It (En Kort En Lang) – Sweden/Germany 2001, dir. Hella Joof
4. All Things Fair (Lust Och Fägring Stor) – Denmark/Sweden 1995, dir. Bo Widerberg
5. Lilja 4-ever – Sweden/Denmark 2002, dir. Lukas Moodysson

MALMÖ remains copyright of the author Eleritz, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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It seems that the Baltic Sea and its surroundings used to be a favourable habitat for mermaids. Nowadays only few representatives of this endangered species still graze on its shores. The most famous one lives in cold waters off the Danish city of Copenhagen. Local folks call her den Lille Havfrue.

The Copenhagen Mermaid is mute, which comes as a pleasant surprise to tourists who fear that the Copenhagen mermaid could, just like some other mermaids or sirens, enchant them with her voice and consequently lead to perdition, whatever it might mean. They can approach den Lille Havfrue safely and harmlessly. So if you want to take pictures of her, go for it. She doesn't mind it.

Of course den Lille Havfrue is not the only reason to visit Copenhagen. Full of picturesque streets, spacious squares, elegant palaces, and, last but not least, imaginative, fanciful spires, this windswept city is definitely the most beautiful one in the Southern Baltic region (up north are Stockholm and Sankt Petersburg, both of which Copenhagen, in spite of all its atractiveness, can´t compete with).

Photo: Window reflections of Nyhavn houses

SIGHTS:

Town Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen)
For most tourists Rådhuspladsen is the beginning of their walking tour of Copenhagen. It is surrounded by pleasantly homogeneous but somewhat gloomy red brick buildings, the biggest of which is Copenhagen Town Hall (Københavns Rådhus). Rådhuspladsen is an always-bustling area and a popular venue for political demonstrations, open-air concerts, social meetings and busking. It is also home to a famous statue of H.C. Andersen, but I overlooked it (not surprisingly, since as a child I hated his fairy-tales).

Photo: Rådhuspladsen

Strøget
A walk along the famous Strøget, which is one of the biggest pedestrian-only shopping areas in the world, is a must-do for every tourist. Strøget is comprised of several streets stretching from Rådhuspladsen in the south to King’s New Square (Kongens Nytorv) in the north. Many of the city’s most beautiful buildings (including churches) are located along Strøget. This charming thoroughfare is the real heart and soul of Copenhagen.

St Nicholas Church (Skt. Nicolai Kirke)
Located by Strøget, the Gothic spire of St Nicholas Church is one of the landmarks of the historical centre of Copenhagen. It is Copenhagen’s third oldest church. After a devastating fire in 1795 St Nicholas ceased to be a place of worship and has served as a cultural centre ever since. Currently it houses Copenhagen Contemporary Art Centre (Kunsthallen Nikolaj).

Photo: The spire of St Nicholas Church

Greyfriars Square (Grabrodretorv)
Hidden away behind the busy Strøget, in the heart of the old Latin quarter, there exists a secret, small, cobblestone square called Grabrodretorv. Surrounded by picturesque 18th century Dutch houses, it is certainly the most beautiful square in Copenhagen. I’m so glad I didn't miss it!

Photo: Greyfriars Square (Grabrodretorv)

New Harbour (Nyhavn)
Nyhavn is one of the most beautiful port areas in Europe and, for this very reason, the highlight of Copenhagen. It used to be the playground for sailors who did here all the filthy things sailors like to do when they are on land. Now it’s the playground for both locals and tourists, who find it a perfect place to eat out or just sip a Carlsberg. Be sure that colourful houses of Nyhavn will keep your camera busy for more than a while.

Photo: Colourful houses of Nyhavn

The Little Mermaid (den Lille Havfrue)
The life of this barebreasted creature hasn't been all roses. Neither has her relationship with the human race. Some of us made her pass through some very unpleasant experiences, like being doused with paint (red, green and recently pink), beheaded (twice), draped in a burka, accessorized with a dildo ore even blasted off its rock. But, vandalized or not, the Little Mermaid is a must-see in Copenhagen. Not because of being extraordinarily beautiful or impressive (in fact, it is a rather unremarkable monument), but because of being the international symbol of the city.

Photo: The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue)

The Stock Exchange (Børsen)
Børsen, built in the 17th century in the Dutch Renaissance style, is one of the most eye-catching buildings in Copenhagen. Its most unusual element is the spire, which is shaped by twisting tails of four fairy-tale dragons. It is said that the dragons symbolize three Scandinavian kingdoms: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Don't ask me how come four dragons can symbolize three kingdoms. This is the part I don't understand either. But, whatever its symbolism, the spire is absolutely fabulous.

Frederik’s Church (Frederiks Kirke)
I said Copenhagen is the city of spires, but it’s got also one marvellous monumental dome. The dome, said to be the biggest in Scandinavia, tops the Baroque Frederik’s Church a.k.a. the Marble Church (Marmorkirken). This is probably the most impressive and beautiful church exterior not only in Copenhagen, but also in the whole of Denmark.

Photo: Frederik’s Church a.k.a. the Marble Church

Amalienborg Palace (Amalienborg Slot)
Exteriors of official residences of European royal families usually tend to be so sober, so elegant and so noble, that they become dull. That’s the case of Buckingham Palace in London or Palacio Real in Madrid. Amalienborg Palace, which is the winter residence of the Danish royal family, is no exception from this rule, but somehow I find it more appealing and less yawn-inspiring than its British or Spanish counterparts. I guess it is the wonderful dome of the Marble Church overlooking Amalienborg that adds a lot to the palace’s visual attractiveness. Amalienborg consists of four identical parts that surround an octagonal square called Amalienborg Slotsplads. The whole compex is a fine example of European Baroque architecture.

Photo: Amalienborg Palace

Christiansborg Palace (Christiansborg Slot)
Christiansborg Palace is home to the Danish Parliament called the Folketing (Folketinget), to the Supreme Court as well as to the Office of the Prime Minister. Compared to Amalienborg Palace, it is slightly less sober, more impressive and more imaginative. And much bigger.

Photo: Christiansborg Palace

The Citadel (Kastellet)
Kastellet is a system of fortifications located close to den Lille Havfrue. It comprises five bastions, defence walls, entrenchments, military quarters and a windmill. Although still a military area, it is open to visitors. A nice place for a relaxing walk and the opportunity to get an insight into the military history of Copenhagen.

Photo: Kastellet

FOR BEST CITY PANORAMAS I CLIMBED:

The Round Tower (Rundetårn)
Rundetårn is a 17th century tower located in the historical centre of Copenhagen. Apart from being an excellent viewpoint, this 38-metre tower is an astronomical observatory and a concert venue. Instead of the stairs, it has a wide, spiral ramp winding up to its very top.

The spire of the Church of Our Saviour (Vor Frelsers Kirke)
This black and golden spiral spire is one of the most beautiful and unusual spires I have ever seen. From this viewpoint you can see the Øresund Bridge.

MY IMPRESSIONS:

To be honest I didn’t expect much from Copenhagen. I thought that Denmark was the only Nordic country without top notch tourist attractions. Now I know I was wrong. Full of architectonical treasures, Copenhagen is second most beautiful city in the Nordic countries (after Stockholm) and undoubtedly a top notch tourist attraction, no worse than Norwegian fjords, Finnish lakes or Icelandic geysers. Like Venice, Amsterdam, Bruges, Stockholm and some other urban centres, Copenhagen belongs to the group of canal cities, which adds a lot to its charm. Its historical centre has many influences of 18th century Dutch and Flemish architecture, so no wonder that some parts of Copenhagen resemble Bruges, Antwerp or even Amsterdam. I also noticed some similarities between Copenhagen and historical centres of Tallinn, Warsaw and Vilnius. Rådhuspladsen was quite obviously inspired by Town Hall Square in Siena, but, as far as beauty is concerned, it is a far cry from its Italian counterpart. The Round Tower reminded me of the White Tower in Thessaloniki.

FOOD:

Danish Sausages
Eating out in Copenhagen is extremely expensive. After one visit in a restaurant that cost a fortune (by my standards), I decided to feed myself on fast food. Which in Copenhagen is quite an easy and pleasant thing. The city swarms with pølsevogn, which are sausage stands. Traditional Danish sausages (called pølse) are red, very thin and very long. They are eaten with bread, mustard, ketchup, grilled onions and sliced pickles. Very tasty, by the way.

TRANSPORTATION:

Copenhagen Airport
I fell in love with Copenhagen Airport. Located in Kastrup (a town on the island of Amager), it is one of the most architectonically interesting airports I have ever seen. Some parts of its transit areas have wooden floors, which gives it a cosy and welcoming look.

SURROUNDINGS OF COPENHAGEN:

Helsingør (45 km north of Copenhagen).
Once upon a time there was a Dane called Hamlet. He was just an ordinary young man, except for the fact that he killed his uncle, who had married Hamlet’s mother after killing Hamlet’s father, who was the king of Denmark. Hamlet also accidentally killed his fiancée’s father. As a result, his fiancée went mad and drowned herself.

Photo: Kronborg Castle in Helsingør

According to a Briton called Shakespeare, Prince Hamlet lived and ocasionally murdered his family members in Kronborg, which is a Renaissance castle located in the town of Helsingør. Nowadays Kronborg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I liked its interesting coastal location.

It’s also a good idea to take a stroll round the historical centre of Helsingør. Its old half-timbered houses are really picturesque.

Photo: One of the old half-timbered houses in the historical centre of Helsingør

Roskilde (40 km west of Copenhagen)
The small town of Roskilde is known for its world-famous rock music festival, which is the second biggest in Europe. It is also home to Roskilde Cathedral (Roskilde Domkirke), which is the burial site for Danish kings and Denmark's most important church (since 1995 it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

I went to Roskilde to visit the cathedral. Unfortunately I was denied entrance by an intimidating doorkeeper, who explained that on that day the cathedral was open exclusively to wedding guests (it was a Saturday afternoon). If such a thing happened to me in a country where church interiors are exceptionally beautiful, say, in Italy or Spain, I would probably burst into tears or beat the doorkeeper up. But since churches are not something Nordic Europe is most famous for (let’s face it, many of the best Scandinavian churches would be a minor attraction in a provincial Italian town), I swallowed this bitter pill quite easily and comforted myself with exploring surroundings of the cathedral. Thanks to this I discovered the neighbouring Baroque Roskilde Palace a.k.a. the Yellow Palace (Det Gule Palæ), which is the seat of the Bishop of Roskilde and also houses the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Photo: Roskilde Cathedral (in the background) and the Yellow Palace

Quite surprisingly, the humble Yellow Palace became the highlight of my visit to Denmark. I got fascinated with its intensely bright yellow walls and took a lot of photos in the hope that the yellow madness would look on the photos as vivid and mad as I was seeing it. And it does. These photos are probably the best architecture photos I have ever taken. Therefore for me Roskilde is all about the uncelebrated Yellow Palace rather than the much celebrated Roskilde Cathedral.

Photo: the Yellow Palace (Det Gule Palæ)

It is also a noteworthy fact that it was in Roskilde where I had seen, for the first time ever, a fjord. Of course, this being Denmark (a very flat country), the fjord I saw had nothing to do with its scenic counterparts in Norway or New Zealand. It was just an unexciting sea inlet. If you are interested in Vikings, be sure to visit the Viking Ship Museum (Vikingeskibsmuseet), which overlooks Roskilde Fjord. Some of the ships that belong to the museum can be seen in the fjord.

Photo: Viking ships in the Roskilde Fjord

MOVIES SHOT ON LOCATION IN COPENHAGEN:

1. Babette's Feast (Babettes Gæstebud) - Denmark 1987, dir. Gabriel Axel
2. Breaking the Waves - Denmark/France 1986, dir. Lars von Trier
3. Dancer in the Dark - Denmark/France 2000, dir. Lars von Trier
4. Smilla's Sense of Snow - Denmark 1997, dir. Bille August
5. Torn Curtain - USA 1966, dir. Alfred Hitchcock

COPENHAGEN remains copyright of the author Eleritz, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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