Practical Information
Planning your trip
Denmark is relatively compact compared to other Nordic countries, making it generally easy to get around. Your specialist can help you make the most of your time there, drawing on their first-hand experience to advise you on the practical elements of your trip. They’ll arrange everything from walking tours to transport to finding the right hotel for you. We work closely with local partners to keep up to date with developments in Denmark, and we visit regularly ourselves.
Language
The official language of Denmark is Danish, which sounds similar to Swedish. However, most Danes are generally fluent English speakers, even young children, so you’re unlikely to have trouble being understood.
Food & drink
Traditional Danish cuisine historically consisted of meat and fish with potatoes, but today the Danish food scene is innovative and varied. In the past two decades, emphasis has shifted to farm-to-table cuisine, with many restaurants now relying on fresh, locally grown vegetables, dairy produce and meat.
Copenhagen is a popular culinary destination, with a handful of Michelin-starred restaurants. Hot dog stands have become popular for daytime snacks, and bakeries serve fresh, homemade Danish pastries.
Popular traditional dishes throughout the country include smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches), pølser (hot dogs), æbleskivers (round pancakes filled with apples), gløgg (mulled wine) and regional cheeses.
You can enjoy beers such as Carlsberg and Tuborg in Denmark’s many pubs, with microbreweries popping up around the country. Most international wines are also easily accessible.
Festivals & public holidays
Denmark follows a Christian calendar, though there’s a wealth of secular celebrations as well. The summer, in particular, is packed with music, dance and performance festivals, especially jazz festivals — the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in July kicks off a month of events around the country.
- 1st January – New Year’s Day
- March/April – Maundy Thursday (date varies)
- March/April – Good Friday (date varies)
- March/April – Easter Monday (date varies)
- 1st May – Labour Day
- 8th May – General Prayer Day
- 21st May – Ascension Day
- 22nd May – Bank Holiday
- 31st May – Pentecost Sunday
- 1st June – Whit Monday
- 5th June – Constitution Day
- 24th December – Christmas Eve
- 25th December – Christmas Day
- 26th December – Second day of Christmas
Tipping
The currency in Denmark is the Danish Krone. You’ll find ATMs accepting all major credit and debit cards in all cities and larger towns. However, if you’re visiting rural areas you should make sure you have enough cash with you. Visa and Mastercard are both widely accepted throughout Denmark, but paying by American Express may not always be possible.
In Denmark, a discretionary service charge is nearly always added to the bill, and you don’t need to tip over and above this. If a service charge isn’t added, rounding up the bill or adding 5-10% is perfectly acceptable, but not expected.
Since tipping in Denmark isn’t customary, the tour prices include a gratuity. If you feel your guide was exceptional, it’s acceptable to leave an additional tip.
Communications
The international dialling code for Denmark is +45. Phoning abroad from hotels can be expensive, although most hotels will also have complimentary Wi-Fi. It’s also worth checking with your provider to understand the costs of using your mobile phone abroad. Additionally, you may wish to purchase a mobile data roaming package — ad-hoc internet browsing can be very expensive.
Travel Advice
Our country specialists can advise on any safety concerns you may have. For current information, please refer to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website.
When to go to Denmark
You'll find temperature and rainfall information, together with a month-by-month guide on visiting, on our guide for when to go to Denmark.
More Information
-
Flight Time
1 hour 45 minutes (London to Copenhagen) -
Time Zone
UTC +1