Eco island hopping, world-class food and Vikings: Denmark’s 2024 cultural highlights

Miami’s been given a wild culinary glow-up over the past few decades, the titterings of which began when Gianni Versace, in all his fashionable prescience, chose to hang his hat in South Beach, with celebrities like Madonna, Sly Stallone and Lenny Kravitz following suit — indulgent palates in tow. 

Belfast did not have the best of starts to 2024. Never mind the mass public sector strikes, the not-unrelated fact of Northern Ireland being without a functioning government (the government returned, the strikes were settled, or suspended … for now), at the end of January, one of the city’s most respected – revered – publicans, Pedro Donald, who over the years had brought us the John Hewitt, La Boca, the Sunflower and the American Bar, announced that he was leaving for Amsterdam. There may not be bombs and bullets any more, he said, but Belfast was “a dump and derelict”. Indeed, apart from a few good years between the Good Friday agreement and the financial crash, the city was in many ways no further on than when he started in the trade in 1984.

Low-cost Icelandic airline Play wants to make one lucky winner a tourist for a year with the chance to win free flights.

Europe’s legendary libraries rank among some of the world’s most famous buildings.

Irrespective of rain or sunshine, the Danes are always ready to embrace hygge, a concept that involves enjoying the good things in life – and that definitely includes enjoying the excellent cuisine the country has on offer. Dive into Denmark’s gastronomy at these top-notch eateries which carefully source and celebrate every ingredient.

OK, we’ll admit it. Danish isn’t the easiest language to learn – pronouncing certain words involves some invigorating tongue gymnastics and a talent for gulping down glottal stops. With just 6 million native speakers, Danish hardly matches widely spoken Mandarin (941 million speakers) or Spanish (486 million speakers) either.

Denmark is a haven for cyclists of all abilities, with 11,000km of marked cycle routes to ride. From adventurous cycling on multi-day trips that take in the country’s most varied scenery, to day trips and wine tours, these are the country’s best bike routes for everyone, from hobbyists to expert-level athletes. To make it extra easy, accommodation options line the routes, including simple campsites and shelters, run by the Danish Nature Agency and offered for free or almost free, as well as B&Bs and hotels especially set up for cyclists, with bike rooms, e-bike charging stations and rooms made available for fixing your bike as you go. Aktiv Danmark has a list of bike-friendly accommodation and there is also a group of Danish Bike Hotels that have bike facilities. Bike rental is available in major cities and towns all over the country.

The U.S. Department of State has just raised its travel advisory for Germany to Level 2: Exercise Increase Caution due to the risk of terrorism. “Terrorist groups keep planning attacks in Germany,” says the State Department’s advisory. “Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target tourist locations and transportation hubs.”

Having the right tech on board - or on the road - makes everything easier. In the words of Mama Cass, things are getting better every day - today's tech is lighter, more powerful and useful than ever before. Here are some of the best gifts for a mother who likes to be on the move.

Launched in London more than 20 years ago, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards has become one of the most important ratings in the rarefied world of top tier fine dining (though not without some criticism and controversy). But regardless what people think of the process behind selection, there’s no doubt that some of the big winners over the years have in fact been some of the world’s very best, places like Spain’s El Bulli, England’s The Fate Duck, Italy’s Osteria Francescana, Denmark’s Noma and in the U.S. notables have included Napa Valley’s French Laundry and New York City’s Eleven Madison Park.

You've likely heard that Copenhagen is an expensive city to visit. And while there's no way around this fact, there are many ways to make your krone go further as you prepare for the trip.

The culturally rich city of Copenhagen has plenty to keep visitors busy for many days, but it’s also ideally situated for day trips to a variety of other interesting and scenic destinations in Denmark and beyond, bringing to mind knitted wool sweaters, colorful snow-topped houses and warm hygge vibes.