Denmark

Denmark occupies the peninsula of Jutland and an archipelago of more than 400 islands to the east of the peninsula. Of the country’s total land area of 16,639 square miles, the largest part is Jutland; the largest of the islands are Zealand and Funen.

Denmark is attached directly to continental Europe at Jutland’s boundary with Germany. Other than this connection, all the frontiers of Denmark with surrounding nations are maritime.

Denmark is said to be the “More Relaxed Scandinavia”. The weather tends to be cool year-round. But thanks to the Gulf Stream, winters are relatively mild. Summers also tend to be mild, with showers during the day and long, chilly nights. Spring comes suddenly, with most trees and plants exploding in blossom almost overnight sometime in May. And while spring and autumn have many hours of sunlight, winter months tend to be dark and dreary, with many natives escaping to Greece or Spain for warmth and sunshine.

The Kingdom of Denmark is more than just the land of the Danes. Two remote island worlds in the Atlantic Ocean became integral parts of the Danish state when their colonial status was transformed by full incorporation into the Danish nation. They are Faroe Islands and Greenland.

Copenhagen

The capital of Denmark is Copenhagen. It is located on Zealand. Of all the captivating Scandinavian capitals Copenhagen is certainly the most continental. The city is unusually inviting for a pedestrian; most of the main sights are easily accessible. Along with several beautiful parks, downtown Copenhagen offers you several car-free shopping streets with a multitude of boutiques. The city boasts 30 excellent museums.

One of the attractions belonging to the musts for a visitor to Copenhagen is the renown Tivoli amusement park in the heart of the city. Here you can enjoy various kinds of entertainment from shows to dining. Another special stop for visitors is the picturesque Nyhavn harbor area busy with crowds of people, a place where you can drink coffee at the numerous cafes on both sides of the canal. The changing of guards at the Royal Castle of Amalienborg is a traditional sight too.

The symbol of Copenhagen has always been the Little Mermaid statue. The statue is based on a mythical sea king’s mermaid daughter who, according to the Hans Christian Andersen tale, falls in love with a prince and must wait 300 years to become human. This small statue has often been the target of vandals.

The Netherlands

The irregular outline of The Netherlands (officially Kingdom of The Netherlands) encloses some 16,164 square miles of mostly flat land, which lies between the North Sea on the north and west, Germany on the east, and Belgium on the south. Large parts of the total area consist of waters, however. Excluding the territorial waters, the land area amounts only to about 13,255 square miles.

The highly developed and most densely populated part of the country does not lie higher than about one metre above sea level. About half of this area (some 27 percent of the total area of the country) actually lies below sea level. The Dutch refer to this area in the north and west as the Low Netherlands, while the area covering the south and east is termed the High Netherlands.

History has shaped the profiles of Dutch cities. Cosy and elegant, the Hague houses the government of the country as well as the Queen. Hard working Rotterdam is the biggest trade port in the world. Utrecht is the religious centre of the Netherlands. And Amsterdam is the cultural capital.