The alleys that branch off from Ploshcha Rynok offer up small museums, a memorial to Lviv’s lost Jewish population, and quaint courtyards. A café beckons on every corner, and Vienna-style pastry and coffee shops hark back to the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Lviv’s splendid churches all have their own personalities: The Armenian Cathedral from 1363 is the elegant grande dame; Dormition Church oozes Florentine style; Bernadine Church is a picture of Baroque opulence. Just off Ploshcha Rynok, the Dominican Church has a riotous Baroque interior under a famous Rococo dome. Join those who try to find an old cannonball lodged in the side of the Roman Catholic Cathedral.
WHERE: 50 miles/80 km east of the Polish border; 336 miles/541 km west of Kiev. VISITOR INFO: www.tourism.lviv.ua. WHERE TO STAY: The stylish newly opened Hotel Leopolis, behind the main market square, puts you in the middle of everything. Tel 380/32-2959500; www.leopolishotel.com. Cost: from $315. BEST TIME: May–Sep for nicest weather.
SCANDINAVIA
The Sunniest Spot in the Baltic
BORNHOLM
Hovedstaden, Denmark
This wave-lashed island in the middle of the sea is the sunniest spot in the Baltic. It is a perennially popular summer retreat for Danes and visitors from nearby Germany, and an acquired taste for others. Denmark is the birthplace of the fiery Vikings and their legacy is everywhere—herring smokehouses trace their roots to the first Viking inhabitants who made landfall here a millennium ago and Viking runic stones lie in the tangled Almindingen forest. It’s also a country defined by a national word, hyggelig (“cozy and warm”). The sleepy island of Bornholm offers the chance to experience both.
Bornholm’s medieval past is memorably revealed through its whitewashed 12th-century rundkirkem, or round churches. Capped with ink-black conical roofs, they lend a stylized splendor to the rolling countryside. One of the more impressive examples is in Østerlars. Looming over northern Bornholm are the remains of the 13th-century clifftop castle Hammershus Slot, the largest such ruins in Northern Europe.
With its flat terrain and mild weather, 230-square-mile Bornholm is tailor-made for two wheels. So do as the Danes do—hop on a bicycle and ride south to explore the island’s longest beach, Dueodde. Make time to visit Bornholm’s best-preserved fishing village Gudhjem (God’s Home), with its winding cobblestone streets, yellow half-timbered houses, and spinning windmill. The town is known for smoked fish and features a traditional rogeri (smokehouse), where you can see the silvery herring hung over alderwood embers, then enjoy eating them at long wooden tables outside. The nearby island of Christiansø makes an even more renowned smoked herring.
Sample the local specialty of “Sun over Gudjhem,” smoked herring on dark bread, topped with an egg and raw onions. Perpetuating the Viking tradition of free-flowing mead, it is generally accompanied by plenty of chilled Tuborg and strong shots of snaps (aquavit).
The thick walls and round shape of Østerlars—the most recognized of the island’s 12th-century rundkirkem—may have protected it from invasions.
WHERE: 95 miles/153 km east of Copenhagen. VISITOR INFO: www.bornholm.info. BEST TIMES: May–Sep for warmest weather (and greatest number of visitors); offseason is quieter, though much is closed.
Timeless Appeal of Impeccable Style
DANISH DESIGN
Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
What do the Lily and the Egg have in common? They’re both chairs designed by Arne Jacobsen. His modern furniture, along with designs from other Danes, including Hans J. Wegner and Finn Juhl, bring style and elegance to living rooms and hotels around the world. The timeless appeal of Danish design—which has long followed the philosophy of “form follows function”—has ensured its enduring success, and it defines the country’s aesthetic, from the famous silver work by Georg Jensen (browse the well-known Danish Silver shop for the largest collection of antique Jensen—just part of the remarkable selection) to the simple efficient lines of Lego blocks. Danish architects have also made their stamp on the world, including Jørn Utzon, who designed the Sydney Opera House (see p. 648). Copenhagen’s own Opera House, an eye-catching glass-and-steel structure by Henning Larsen that opened in 2005, is a prime example of the city’s progressive style. So is the cubist København Koncerthuset (Copenhagen Concert Hall) by Frenchman Jean Nouvel, which is swaddled in blue fabric “skin” that projects dancing images of performers.
To peruse the best of Danish design under one roof, visit the sleek, glass-paneled Dansk Design Center, with changing exhibits that feature everything from the legendary artichoke lamps by Poul Henningsen to stylized housewares.
Copenhagen’s hotels also offer an excellent overview of the Danish aesthetic. The Hotel D’Angleterre, which has been accommodating guests since 1775, displays old-world elegance and hospitality. Sumptuous surroundings are marked by sparkling chandeliers, marble floors, and an aristocratic air that reflect the hotel’s origin as a 1594 manor house. Its excellent location adds to its appeal—steps from the Strøget, the capital’s famous miles-long pedestrian shopping boulevard, and at the top of the Nyhavn harbor area with its café- and restaurant-lined canal. The Copenhagen Admiral Hotel introduces another angle on old-meets-new: Originally an 18th-century grain warehouse, the building has been smartly renovated and has inspiring views of the Opera House.
At the other end of the hotel spectrum is the Radisson Blu Royal, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1960 and replete with his furniture. Even the heavy door handles were created by him. The most famous room is 606, which looks just like it did when it opened, with all the original furnishings. For the price of a cocktail, you can bask in Jacobsen’s aura in the elegant hotel bar. Another apex of chic is the First Hotel Skt. Petri, a revamped Modernist hotel with minimalist décor—and a hopping bar.
Copenhagen’s new waterside Opera House is clad in glass, steel, and limestone.
DANISH SILVER: Tel 45/3311-5252; www.danishsilver.com. OPERA HOUSE: Tel 45/3369-6969; www.kglteater.dk. CONCERT HALL: Tel 45/3520-3040; www.dr.dk/Koncerthuset. DANSK DESIGN CENTER: Tel 45/3369-3369; www.ddc.dk. HOTEL D’ANGLETERRE: Tel 45/3312-0095; www.remmen.dk. Note: The hotel is under renovation until mid-2012. COPENHAGEN ADMIRAL HOTEL: Tel 45/33741414; www.admiralhotel.dk. Cost: from $250. RADISSON BLU ROYAL HOTEL: Tel 45/33426000; www.radissonblu.com. Cost: from $265. FIRST HOTEL SKT. PETRI: Tel 45/3345-9100; www.hotelsktpetri.com. Cost: from $225. BEST TIME: May–Sep for nicest weather.
New Nordic Cuisine: Paying Homage to the Soil and the Sea
DENMARK’S CULINARY REVOLUTION
Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
Denmark is consistently voted one of the happiest nations in the world. Perhaps it’s the strong bonds between family and friends; the top-notch infrastructure, including efficient public transport; or the fact that the nation’s icon is a winsome mermaid gazing out to sea. But for many, it’s the cuisine—fresh, sea-sourced, delectable. For a taste of old and new Nordic cuisine, Copenhagen, featuring a rich array of both, is the place to start.
Those who think a sandwich by any other name is still a sandwich should lunch at Ida Davidsen, a century-old institution and showcase of the national open-faced buttered treat called smørrebrød. The menu of 250-plus variations, said to be the largest in Scandinavia, is nearly book length. The choices range from haute to homey: tongue with fried egg; shrimp and caviar; frikadeller (meatballs); liver paté; roast beef; and, of course, Denmark’s famous herring. Even the queen arranges for the occasional takeout and has had royal occasions catered by Ida Davidsen at her residence, Amalienborg Palace.
Copenhagen also features beautiful, old-world dining palaces like Kong Hans Kaelder, which was a vineyard and wine cellar more than five centuries ago and now offers classic Danish cuisine with modern flourishes, served in an unpretentious ambience.
There’s no escaping the neo-Nordic culinary movement that is redefining Danish cuisine, and Noma is at the helm. It consistently tops the world’s short list of best restaurants and is headed up by
young and visionary chef René Redzepi. Noma pays homage to the “soil and sea,” with a rarefied menu that hopscotches across the region, and includes Faroe Islands horse mussels, Baltic wild salmon, fresh asparagus, and little known wild herbs.
Noma has blazed the trail for a cadre of pioneering restaurants turning Copenhagen into a culinary destination (see Herman and The Paul, next page). Two others sharing the spotlight have roots in classic French cuisine: Formel B, a high-class bistro serving impeccable fresh local ingredients and the less expensive Les Trois Cochons, a former butcher shop reborn as a stylish and hugely successful eatery.
IDA DAVIDSEN: Tel 45/3391-3655; www.idadavidsen.dk. Cost: lunch $20. KONG HANS KAELDER: Tel 45/3311-6868; www.konghans.dk. Cost: dinner $170. NOMA: Tel 45/32963297; www.noma.dk. Cost: 7-course prix-fixe dinner $175. FORMEL B: Tel 45/3325-1066; www.formel-b.dk. Cost: dinner $100. LES TROIS COCHONS: Tel 45/3331-7055; www.cofoco.dk. Cost: dinner $45. BEST TIME: late Aug for Nordic Food Festival.
A Theme Park that Inspired Disney
TIVOLI GARDENS
Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
Located in the very center of town, Copenhagen’s fabled Tivoli Gardens is one of the world’s oldest theme parks—and Denmark’s most popular attraction. It is said to have inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland. Since the day this classic amusement park opened in 1843, a visit here has been a much-loved summertime tradition for Danes. More than 2,000,000 twinkling Christmas-style lights, fragrant flowers—from tulips and roses to chrysanthemums—and a small lake with ducks and swans set the fun-filled (and come evening, romantic) scene. The leafy park features carnival games and old-world amusement rides (the creaky 1914 roller coaster is the same vintage as the merry-go-round of tiny Viking ships) as well as Denmark’s biggest roller coaster. Beer gardens, a full schedule of mostly free, open-air stage performances, and the parade of the red-uniformed Tivoli Boys Guard keep young and old entertained and coming back.
True Tivoli fans can also opt to stay overnight on the grounds: On the western edge of the park is the new and much heralded 13-room Nimb Hotel, housed in a fanciful 1909 Moorish-inspired palace that is splendidly illuminated at night. Antiques and oil paintings are balanced by sleek, Scandinavian furnishings and splashes of color. Traditional Danish cuisine undergoes a makeover at the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant, Herman: A dish like the classic leverpostej (liver paté) is reinterpreted as a delicate seared foie gras and pickled cherries. Tivoli features dozens of restaurants, but the other culinary temple is The Paul, which serves inspired Nordic fare in the Glassalen, a greenhouse-style building created by legendary Danish designer Poul Henningsen. You’ll also find delicious street food throughout the park, including rød pølse (hot dogs with fried onions), a favorite among Danes, and an old-fashioned vaffelbageriet (ice cream in a waffle cone).
INFO: Tel 45/3315-1001; www.tivoli gardens.com. When: closed Jan–Mar. NIMB HOTEL: Tel 45/8870-0000; www.nimb.dk. Cost: from $475; dinner at Herman $90. THE PAUL: Tel 45/3375-0775; www.thepaul.dk. Cost: dinner $165. BEST TIME: Tivoli is most magical at night.
To Be or Not to Be at Hamlet’s Elsinore
KRONBORG SLOT
Helsingør, Hovedstaden, Denmark
Elsinore Castle’s real name is Kronborg Slot (“slot” means castle in Danish), and it was built centuries after the time of the Danish prince on whom Shakespeare based his tormented, brooding Hamlet. But this fortified Nordic icon of secret passages, with its gloomy dungeon and cannon-studded battlements, could not have been a better backdrop for Shakespeare’s dark tragedy. The great moat-encircled castle rises grandly above the town of Helsingør, which sits next to the strait separating Denmark from Sweden. Its vast coffers were filled by 400 years of legal piracy—tolls paid to the Danish crown from passing ships—until the taxes were abolished in 1857.
Built in 1420 and expanded in 1574, Kronborg has all the trappings of a great regal Renaissance residence. Its starkly furnished Knights Hall is one of the largest and oldest in northern Europe, and the sumptuous castle chapel is still the dream wedding location for lucky Danish couples. Occasional summertime performances of Hamlet are staged in the torch-lit courtyard where audiences can envision the prince agonizing over the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Somewhere off in a dark and dank chamber reposes the spirit of Viking chief Holger Danske, a mythic Charlemagne-era hero; legend has it that as long as he sleeps, the kingdom of Denmark will be safe.
Another easy day trip from Copenhagen is Frederiksborg Slot, the largest and most sumptuous Renaissance castle in Scandinavia. It was built in the early 1600s on three small islands as the royal residence of King Christian IV.
WHERE: 28 miles/45 km north of Copenhagen. Tel 45/4921-3078; www.kronborg.dk. BEST TIME: first half of Aug for theater performances of Hamlet.
A Memorable Marriage of Art and Nature
LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Humlebaek, Hovedstaden, Denmark
Follow one of Zealand’s scenic drives north of Copenhagen to this exceptional museum situated at a beautiful site on the “Danish Riviera.” Since opening in 1958, the Louisiana Museum has brought together art, nature, and architecture in perfect harmony. Its highly regarded exhibitions of modern classics of the post–World War II era as well as the (sometimes controversial) vanguard of contemporary art are displayed in spacious, light-flooded halls that embody the very essence of Danish modernism. No less impressive are its permanent holdings, including an extensive collection of the spindly sculptures of Alberto Giacometti and works by Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, and Henry Moore. The sparkling water of the Øresund that separates Denmark from Sweden vies for your attention from every window, and the open-air sculpture garden invites you to stroll among works by such artists as Alexander Calder and Jean Arp. Linger for the chamber music concerts that are often set here or enjoy a respite on the terrace café. The origin of the museum’s name is a curious one: The original landowner had a succession of three wives, all named Louise.
A Calder sculpture stands in the museum’s park.
WHERE: 22 miles/33 km north of Copenhagen. Tel 45/49190719; www.louisiana.dk.
Where the Ancient and Avant-Garde Merge
ÅRHUS
Midtjylland, Denmark
The Danish royals summer in lively Århus, and when you stroll its leafy, historical streets, you’ll understand why. Even though it has an easygoing small-town vibe, Århus is actually Denmark’s second largest city (with a population of about 300,000); its art and architecture rival Copenhagen’s, from headliner jazz shows to the longest cathedral in the country. At heart, Århus is a university town, with all the requisite student-friendly features: progressive art museums, indie bands, and outdoor bars and cafés flowing with Danish beer and high spirits.
Founded in the 10th century as a Viking settlement, Århus is one of the oldest cities in Scandinavia. The Århus Domkirke, which dates to the 12th century, is dedicated to St. Clemens, the patron saint of sailors. Look closely at the unique painted (not stained) glass window, by Norwegian artist Emanuel Vigeland, behind the altar. Steps from the cathedral, a whiff of old-time luxury permeates the Hotel Royal, the city’s class-act historic hotel with stained-glass windows and a fili-greed vintage elevator. For a touch of nature, head to Århus’s fragrant botanical gardens, established in 1873. Then visit nearby Den Gamle By (the Old Town), an open-air museum of 75 traditional half-timbered houses. Dating from the 17th to 19th centuries—with the exception of the 1595 Mayor’s Residence—they were brought here from around the country and painstakingly re-created as a provincial town. In the summer, concerts are held on the bandstand, while at Christmastime, the place is alive with twinkling lights and carols.
Århus’s avant-garde art scene rivals its history. The towering Cubist ARoS art museum showcases works by great Danes, like Golden Age landscape painter P. C. Skovgaard and contemporary artist Olafur Eliasson. In the evening, enjoy new Nordic cuisine at the very chic Malling & Schmidt restaurant, groove to e
verything from soul to classical at the modern glass-walled Musikhuset concert hall, or stroll along the Århus River, where open-air beer bars are busy until the wee hours.
Among the Old Town’s reconstructed treasures are a candlemaker’s workshop, a house containing a bicycle museum, and a windmill.
WHERE: 109 miles/175 km west of Copenhagen. VISITOR INFO: www.visitaarhus.com. HOTEL ROYAL: Tel 45/8612-0011; www.hotelroyal.dk. Cost: from $325. DEN GAMLE BY: Tel 45/8612-3188; www.dengamleby.dk. ARoS ART MUSEUM: Tel 45/8730-6600; www.aros.dk. MALLING & SCHMIDT: Tel 45/8617-7088; www.mallingschmidt.dk Cost: dinner $65. MUSIKHUSET: Tel 45/8940-4040; www.musikhusetaarhus.dk. BEST TIMES: mid-Jul for Århus Jazz Festival; late Aug or early Sep for the Århus Festival Week of music, dance, films, and sports events.
Remote and Romantic, the “Land’s End” of Denmark
SKAGEN
Nordjylland, Denmark
The Danes consider the Skagen headland something of a Riviera, while Americans liken it to Cape Cod. At the Jutland peninsula’s northernmost tip, the small, weather-hardened fishing communities that for centuries inhabited these heathered moors and sea-swept coastline have been joined by a thriving artists colony—and the tourists who followed. All are lured by Skagen’s simple life, the character-filled town, the unspoiled dunes, and luminous skies.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die Page 55