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Entertainment in Denmark
Denmark offers a great deal of entertainment and with 7,300 km of coastline; hundreds of tiny islands, lakes and harbours, as well as many activities are centred on the water. There is an abundance of excellent restaurants including some with Michelin stars. Visitors should try the Danish open sandwich speciality called Smørrebrød – it is served in most restaurants and cafes at lunchtime. Bars, nightclubs and music venues abound in all towns and cities with the most vibrant nightlife focus the capital, Copenhagen. Year round there are festivals, theatre performances, art exhibitions and sporting events as well as a wealth of shopping opportunities including Christmas markets.
The Viking market is an annual festival held in Ribe. Here traditional Viking crafts, dances archery shows and horse races are performed and displayed. The market is held in May to mark the end of the long winter. People come from all over Denmark to experience the pleasures of their Viking past. Other Viking markets are held in Århus and Trelleborg.
Fishing and sailing are popular Danish pastimes and proceeds from the sale of fishing licenses are invested in the conservation of Danish lakes, rivers and the sea. There are hundreds of marinas all over the coast where you can hire or charter a boat to tour the wonderful coastline and islands. Golf has also become popular in recent years and Denmark is now home to over 100 golf courses. If you wish to play a round of golf you will have to give proof of your handicap and details of your membership of a golf club in your home country.
The cool Danish climate has spawned a large number of aqua domes as well as aqua parks where people of all ages can enjoy a variety of slides and rides. The Blavand Tropeland is a tropical water park where the air temperature is kept at a pleasant 32 degrees and the water temperature a bath-like 30 degrees. The park is located in Hvidbjerg Strand Feriepark. There is a sauna for adults and an exciting sensory experience to be had in the ‘black hole,’ which has light and sounds fed into the water. The Frederica Aqua Park has more in the way of adult entertainment with Turkish baths, bio-saunas and a variety of treatments including massage, zone therapy, mud wraps and algae baths.
Denmark also has its fair share of amusement and theme parks with Legoland in Billund being the most popular. The creative building bricks are a Danish creation and the park allows children to see working models as well as enjoy over 50 rides and activities. Tivoli in the centre of Copenhagen enchanting gardens offers over 30 restaurants and 26 rides and amusements. Twice weekly there is a spectacular firework display. Bon-Bon Land in Holme-Olstrup has an impressive variety of rides and activities for all ages including raft rides a children's theatre, sea-lion show and a freefall roller coaster. There are many zoos and gardens to visit with the most famous being Knuthenborg Park and Safari. It is the largest safari park in Northern Europe and is relatively close to Copenhagen. The park has a number of different environments from savannahs, forests and mock ups of ancient buildings. Amongst this sensational backdrop wild tigers and other species roam free. Givskud Zoo in Give is also a popular destination for animal lovers. It houses over 1,000 animals from all over the world and you can take a safari tour in your car or on one of the many zoo buses bus. There is also a play area where children can pet tame animals.