Travel guide Copenhagen

"The tears of the gods. This is how this fossilized resin, from coniferous forests swallowed up by the sea, is poetically nicknamed. Its translucent honey color has made the city rich. It can be found in abundance on Danish beaches, where hunting for "Baltic gold" is a family winter tradition.

In Copenhagen, organic food isn't just a trend, it's an integral part of the way Danes, the world's biggest consumers, eat. It's a model country, where the government is doing everything in its power to achieve 100% Ekologisk or Organic agricultural production, a goal to be reached by the 2030s!

Since 1847, it is the reference of Danish beer. It has become the official brand of the Royal Household and is nicknamed Hof by the locals. Blonde and stable, it owes its notoriety to a revolutionary unpatented discovery, that of pure yeast culture. Approximately 400 million liters are consumed each year in Denmark!

A red rectangle with a white cross. You'll see it flying over the roofs of houses and at the entrances to institutional buildings. The Danes are proud of their flag, which accompanies them at the high points of their lives. It's flown at half-mast to announce a death, or in full colors to celebrate a birthday or the passing of an exam.

Who says organic, says green! Since 2014, the city has held the title of European Green Capital! It must be said that the country is a precursor of environmental protection. Effective laws concerning transport, waste treatment and electricity production were passed as early as 1973. Wind turbines are an integral part of the landscape.

This concept is making a big comeback and creating a buzz among Copenhageners. It literally means "eating together". And yet, the idea isn't exactly new. It's a tradition in small towns and villages, where people get together to eat, drink and play bingo. It's the Danish "Spanish inn"!

This word of Norwegian origin means "well-being". It was born of the need to resist the coldness of the long, dark winter climate. Warmth, comfort and conviviality became essential. The Danes use it endlessly. Hyggekrog is the cozy corner where you can spend a hygge moment; hyggebukser is the pilou-pilou pants you wear at home.

75% of the population is registered with the Evangelical Lutheran Church, although few consider themselves religious. Yet churches remain popular. A community meeting place to celebrate a family event for which Danes pay a parish tax, optional but necessary for the maintenance of the buildings.

Funny caravans pull up to street crossings or squares. A crowd gathers as the aroma of grilled sausages wafts from the chimney. These "sausage wagons" have been an institution since 1921, offering Danish-style hot dogs, from the classic with fried onions to the most exotic with pineapple!

Strøget means "the line", recalling its English equivalent straight. A pioneer of pedestrian streets since 1962, its name has become the generic term for arteries dedicated to commerce and onlookers. Approximately 1 km long, it runs through the old center of Copenhagen. A must for window-shoppers.

The Danes are very attached to their ancestors the Vikings. These valiant navigators, fearless but perhaps not without reproach, crossed the oceans on their ships as far as Newfoundland! Farmers at heart, blacksmiths at heart, their civilization was not as barbaric as the bad rumors have it.

Did you know? Zeeland or Seeland in Danish means "land of the sea". This is the name of the island on which Copenhagen was founded, Denmark's largest at 7,000 ^km2. Legend has it that the goddess Gefion wrested this little piece of land from Sweden! Could this be the reason for the historic rivalries around the Øresund Strait?