Copenhagen is getting more popular and fast becoming one of the must-visit destinations. The city has plenty to offer and in this post, we’ll share with you what are some of the main reasons you should consider visiting Copenhagen.
Copenhagen is one of the top greenest cities in Europe and in the world and successfully working towards its ambitious plan to be carbon neutral by 2025.
Here is our list of 10 reasons to visit liveable and wonderful Copenhagen!
One of the world’s safest cities
Denmark has been ranked as one of the safest countries in the world. Copenhagen is one of the cleanest cities.
Despite the size and popularity of Denmark’s capital city, it maintains an impressively low rate of criminal activity. The country as a whole consistently ranks among the least corrupt countries in the world, with crime rates continuing to drop.
There are highways for bikes
one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Not even bad weather will stop the Copenhageners from biking!
The city has entire parts of the road dedicated to safe cycling. Biking is a great way to explore Copenhagen and it’s also pretty cheap to rent bikes.
Copenhagen, along with Amsterdam are one of those cities where bikes outnumber cars. There are plenty of bike racks and most people don’t even lock them up. Fewer cars lead to less pollution and less traffic and a more pleasant way to experience the city.
One of the world happiest nations
The urban population of Copenhagen is just a little bit over 1.2 million
Several times the coutry has been voted as the world’s happiest nation. People are often described as happy and easy-going people with a good sense of humor. Another important fact is that in Denmark, education and health care is free for everyone.
One of the cleanest cities in the world
Copenhagen is leading in recycling, renewable energy, and smart city solutions. Most of Copenhagen buses run on electric instead of diesel and Copenhagen has a large number of green areas and you’re never more than a few minutes away from the nearest park. Copenhagen is one of the top sustainable and liveable cities.
Outstanding Design
The Danish do things really well and differently especially with design.
Denmark is world-famous for its simple and functional design and architecture. Some of the most notable are the Opera, the Designmuseum Denmark and don’t forget to shop for Danish designat some of the local stores.
Deliscious food
If you have a chance to visit Copenhagen who should definitely try one of the Danish classics open-faced sandwich: “smørrebrød”. Copenhagen offers many food options from small, bistros to trendy cafés and Michelin-starred restaurants.
If you prefer fine dining, Noma has been awarded World’s Best Restaurant by the British Restaurant magazine four years in a row out of the past six. Take a bite of culinary Copenhagen and the Nordic region, when food festival Copenhagen Cooking hits the city – one of the biggest food festivals in Northern Europe.
Music Festival
Thousands of people across the city enjoying great music, cold beer, and the Copenhagen summer make this a once in a lifetime experience for festival lovers.
Oldest observatory in Europe
In the city, you’ll find the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. The tower was built during King Christian IV to enable astronomers from the University of Copenhagen to gaze at the stars.
Kid friendly
One of the things that you probably didn’t know: Denmark most famous export – LEGO. You can visit the factory where it is made you’ll find a large LEGO shop.
Copenhagen is a great city to visit with kids. Here you’ll find the world’s two oldest amusement parks, the Tivoli Gardens in central Copenhagen and Dyrehavsbakken – north of the city.
The accessibility
Copenhagen has one of Europe’s most efficient infrastructures where everything is within a short distance. The public transportation is efficient and the city offers a variety of public transportations, through either bus, train, metro and rentable city bikes. Denmark offers the most reliable electric grid in Europe.
The reasons to visit Copenhagen this summer are countless. These are just a few of them.
Want to learn more about sustainalbe travel? Check our other posts.
Switzerland’s largest city is on the shore of its glistening eponymous lake. Zurich attracts travelers with activity day and night with its countless events, diverse museums, own food festival and Switzerland’s most vibrant nightlife.
Zurich is Switzerland’s center of economic life and education.
Let’s explore together the top 10 things to do in Zürich:
More than 50 museums, among them the Museum Rietberg, Museum Haus Konstruktiv, the Helmhaus, and the Landesmuseum, attract many visitors with traditional and experimental exhibition formats accompanied by a cultural program that actively seeks to engage with the diverse cultural background of Zürich’s population as well as its visitors. Film and theatre are also important to Zürich’s cultural life.
Your kids won’t be bored in Zurich in any of the fourteen museums specifically designed for children.
Lake Zürich
The range of activities in, on or around Lake Zurich is varied and offers something for everyone to enjoy, whether water sports, swimming, relaxing on the verdant lakeshore, family activities or thrilling festivals complete with a lake view.
Lake Zurich can be explored in many different ways. You explore the lake yourself by renting a boat or joining one of the many organized boat tours.
You may also choose to rollerblade around, which is a very popular way to get around as are skateboards. You can enjoy swimming in some of the designated swimming pools built into the lake.
The lake curves past the wooded peaks of Pfannenstiel to the east and the Albis chain to the west. We recommend taking the scenic promenade, which starts at Bellevue and extends for three kilometers down to Tiefenbrunnen. Along the east shore in the Seefeld quarter, you can look over to Uetliberg and see the hundreds of yachts and other craft breezing across the lake in summer.
The charming, car-free Altstadt, or old town, is the city’s historic heart. Its quaint squares and medieval alleyways are home to cozy bars, traditional Swiss restaurants and small clothing shops. Cultural spots include the Opernhaus and Schauspielhaus for performing arts, while European artworks are on display at the Kunsthaus museum.
The medieval and early modern streets of the Altstadt are where much of the city’s culture, nightlife and shopping is concentrated.
There are medieval alleys and small squares as well as beautiful Renaissance buildings, to admire as you are walking through the old town.
The district in the west of Zurich is full of contrasts, boasting an unpolished charm.
If you’d like to tap into Zürich’s creative and stylish side this former industrial zone is the go-to. More than a decade ago this was an unpleasant place to be. Today The showpiece in Zürich-West is the Viadukt, a repurposed railway viaduct where the brick arches have been filled with stylish bars, restaurants, and shops.
It is a former industrial site, stretching between the track leading away from Zürich Hauptbahnhof and the Limmat, and experiencing a gradual conversion into a new quarter, including offices, apartments and arts venues.
Climbing over Bahnhof Hardbrücke is another symbol of Zürich-West’s renaissance, the Prime Tower, Switzerland’s second tallest skyscraper.
The two towers of this Romanesque church are one of Zürich’s prominent landmark. The Grossmünster is a Romanesque-style Protestant church in Zürich, Switzerland. It is one of the four major churches in the city. Its congregation forms part of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zürich.
Legend has it that the church was built on the graves of the city’s patron saints, Felix and Regula.
In the first half of the 16th century, the Grossmünster church was the starting point of the Swiss-German Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger.
It is considered as one of the best zoos in Europe. Opened in 1929, the zoo has 4,000 animals representing 340 species, from emperor penguins that you can follow as they walk through the park, to domestic animals.
One of its popular events is the penguin parade, which is performed daily after noon if the outside temperature is below ten degrees Celsius.
The Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich was opened in 1977 and is located at Zollikerstrasse in the Weinegg quarter of the city. It has more than 8,000 plant species at indoor and outdoor displays.
The Uetliberg is a mountain in the Swiss plateau, part of the Albis chain, rising to 870 m. The mountain offers an impressive panoramic view of the city, the lake and the Alps.
In the winter, the hiking trails to the summit are converted into sledding runs.
There is a lookout tower on top bringing you to exactly 900 meters and offers a panoramic view of the entire city of Zürich and the Lake of Zurich and lies on the boundary between the city of Zürich and the municipalities of Stallikon and Uitikon. The mountain is a popular local recreation area all year round.
There are more than 500 videos to watch, while kids can play a host of football-themed games.
The FIFA World Football Museum was created in honor of the most popular team sport in the world. The museum presents the fascinating history and development of international football.
The museum opened in 2016 and takes you back to football’s earliest days and documents every World Cup since the first in 1930.
Zürich Opera House is an opera house located at the Sechseläutenplatz, it has been the home of the Zürich Opera since 1891 and was conceived by the prolific Viennese architects Fellner & Helmer, and also houses the Bernhard-Theater Zürich.
In 2014 picked up the prize for Best Opera Company at the International Opera Awards. It offers over 250 performances each year.
The Azores are islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – 800 miles west of Portugal, and about 2000 miles east coast of North America. The Azores are lush, green are volcanic islands situated in an isolated spot of the Atlantic Ocean, where temperatures are mild and change little from season to season. The Azores are known for its excellent tourism quality, especially sustainable tourism.
The archipelago of the Azores is located in the middle of the northern hemisphere of the Atlantic Ocean at the same latitude as the Mediterranean Sea. It is composed of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean about 1,360 km (850 mi) west of continental Portugal.
Is the Azores a Portuguese territory?
The Azores or the Autonomous Region of the Azores is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal along with Madeira. In 1976, the Azores became the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The Portuguese discovered the nine islands of the Azores archipelago in the fifteenth century and because of their strategic location, the islands became a stopping point between Europe, America.
The Azores has a mild, temperate, humid, maritime climate with a rainy season from November to March. Temperatures range from 14-25° C (55-76° F). The climate of the Azores Islands is subtropical oceanic, pleasantly warm in summer. The water temperature is around 22 °C (72 °F) from July to September.
Best time to visit the Azores
The best time to visit the Azores is summer, from July to August, since it is the warmest and sunniest time of the year. Because of their oceanic climate, the Azores experience a delay in the sea getting warm, which affects the air temperature as well.
September is slightly warmer than June, but the rains become a bit more frequent.
How to get to the Azores?
The best way to reach the Azores is by plane. SATA airlines serve the nine Azores Islands. International flights arrive at the major settlement of Ponta Delgada on the Azores’ largest island, São Miguel or San Miguel. When it is high season, SATA has many flights to the Azores from Boston, Oakland, Porto, Faro, London, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, and the Canary Islands.
In the last few years the flights from the US to Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel have become more frequent, but it is always good to check SATA’s websites for the latest information, as these departures change frequently.
Renting a car in the Azores is beneficial since there are too many places where you can’t get to with walking or public transport. As an alternative option, you can always join a tour, but that can get often more expensive and it’s more fun to explore on your own.
Unfortunately, renting a car in the Azores isn’t cheap. Booking in advance often can give you a better price. You can book directly to local agency’s websites like Let’s Rent-a-Car, Autatlantis or Ilha, or your other option which gives you a wider view of all the prices offering from big and small agencies is by using websites such as Holidaycars, Rentalcars or Sunnycars. This way you can find the cheapest options for your holiday to the Azores.
Local rental companies offer airport pickup, they have multiple ways of payment, and if you’re traveling to more than one island you can have a car waiting for you at every step of the way.
There is a USA airbase on Terceira
In 1953, the U.S. Forces Azores Command was organized as subordinate Unified Command under the Command-in-Chief Atlantic. In peacetime, the U.S. Forces Commander is assisted by a small joint staff responsible for contingency planning. The command mission would be to support NATO forces in the area, to assist in the local defense.
Is there good wifi in the Azores?
Huawei Marine Networks, a submarine cable network provider, has partnered with Viatel, a Portuguese telecommunications engineering network supplier to enable all nine islands of the archipelago of the Azores to be interconnected, with backbone connectivity to European, African and cross-Atlantic submarine cables.
Most villages have ADSL connections and there are hotspots in Ponta Delgada and at the Airports. GSM internet service is also available or you can use Mobile WiFi router gadgets from websites like My-WebSpot.com, Meo.pt.
The Azores archipelago is famous not only for its natural beauty and landscapes but also for the natural properties and health benefits its thermal waters provide. You’ll find spas with thermal water pools and natural thermal baths located in the Islands. The areas have a highly unusual combination of saltwater and sulfurous spring water which by claims from locals can help with inflammatory concerns like arthritis.
Ferns are everywhere
The Azores were isolated from the other continents Europe and North America for thousands of years and the flora and fauna evolved differently. The landscape is covered with fat aloe and cacti, giant ferns, black sand beaches and mineral baths with their warm water.
Tree ferns are present throughout the archipelago of the Azores but are particularly numerous in São Miguel. Fauna and flora of the Azores. Asplenium azoricum is a fern of the hybrid origin and it lives exclusively in the Azores, and it is a strict endemic Azorean fern.
Bird watching
The Azores are internationally recognized as bird-watching destinations for observing certain groups of bird species. Resident and migratory bird populations of the Azores archipelago are the islands’ most noteworthy fauna. Some 36 bird species are reported to breed in the Azores. Here we can find also the most important nesting populations of Cory’s Shearwaters in the world.
Pyrrhula murina is listed as endangered, with a population estimated at less than 250 birds restricted to islands. Breeding seabirds of the Azores comprise 5 species of Procellariiformes, 4 Charadriiformes, and 1 Pelecaniform, and include Fea’s petrel.
The number of species seen in the islands is close to 400. You can join small groups from the local company Gerbybirding, specialized in birdwatching.
Drinks and food
Food is usually imported from the nearest countries, which causes high prices in restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets, and makes fresh food hard to find. The most famous dish of the Azores that you should definitely try is ‘furnas de caldas’, a stew that’s cooked inside a volcano or a fish baked on hot stones, fresh and unusual salads or fantastic pizza.
Even the most basic supplies are imported and are priced accordingly. But the overall Azores are a great deal. You can try a local brand of ice cream, with unique flavors like coconut and sweet pineapple. To get the best culinary experience, you can book a nine-day food and wine tour across four of Azores’ islands and you’ll have the chance to taste famed Azorean dishes.
Photo Credit: madeinazores.eu
Azores wine is good and cheap
Azorean wines have a great singularity, exclusivity, and History. The vine culture dates back to the 15th century. The vineyards are planted in particular locations called “Currais” where they are surrounded by volcanic rock walls that release heat to the vines overnight and have a quite effective protection effect against bad weather.
The historic vineyards on the island of Pico have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wines are made from Verdelho, Arinto, and Terrantez. Most wines are white, fresh and tangy, but there is some good, light red, including some Merlot.
Where to stay in the Azores
There are nine main islands in the Azores and each one of them offers different experiences and things to do. If you only have limited time to visit one island, São Miguel is the largest and it has the most and cheapest direct flights.
For accommodation, there are many options to choose from for your stay at the Azores. You can rent a Holiday home on the Azores at HomeAway or choose a farmhouse or manor house. You can browse through Booking.com to find the best hotel or check out Airbnb and find what fits your budget and style.
They have more than 100 houses, cottages, and apartments for rental or official camping sites on all islands. Or you can check the best-priced Hotels in the Azores at:
In the Azores you will find the only tea plantations in Europe, which produce excellent teas, processing the leaves on vintage 19th-century English machinery.
The plants have to grow 7 years before you can start harvesting. The tea is harvested every 2 or 3 weeks from April until October.
Ribeira Grande, in São Miguel Island, is home to the two tea factories and a plantation–the only such plantation in Europe, courtesy of the island’s balmy climate.
More Nature, Less Beach
Nature is the biggest attraction to the Azores. The largest island, São Miguel has the most versatile scenery: from mountains, lakes, to sandy beaches and precipitous cliffs.
Each Azorean island has its own identity, its own unique landscape, traditions, cuisine, and architecture. Walking around stunning landscape marked by dense coastal woods, play golf of one of the best courses in the world.
Although is not a beach destination, there are very good beaches in the Azores. You can find some in S.Miguel – Praia Populo, Praia Agua d’Alto, Praia Ribeira Quente and Praia Porto Formoso are the most known, and Santa Maria Island. There are 2 great beaches Praia Formosa and Praia São Lourenço.
Azores is full of hiking trails
There are plenty of things you can see and do when you visit the Azores and without a doubt a great place to hike in beautiful landscapes. There are dozens of trails of different difficulty, length and type so you can choose between. All islands have clearly marked official hiking trails. The official tourism website has a section dedicated to trails. You can use the search option and you’ll have a list of all the hiking trails in the Azores that match your preferences. Why not go on an adventure by hiking and climbing along these scenic trails.
Denmark has been ranked as one of the safest countries in the world. Copenhagen is one of the cleanest cities.
one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Not even bad weather will stop the Copenhageners from biking!
Copenhagen is leading in recycling, renewable energy, and smart city solutions. Most of Copenhagen buses run on electric instead of diesel and Copenhagen has a large number of green areas and you’re never more than a few minutes away from the nearest park. Copenhagen is one of the top sustainable and liveable cities.
The Danish do things really well and differently especially with design.
If you have a chance to visit Copenhagen who should definitely try one of the Danish classics open-faced sandwich: “smørrebrød”. Copenhagen offers many food options from small, bistros to trendy cafés and Michelin-starred restaurants.
Thousands of people across the city enjoying great music, cold beer, and the Copenhagen summer make this a once in a lifetime experience for festival lovers.
One of the things that you probably didn’t know: Denmark most famous export – LEGO. You can visit the factory where it is made you’ll find a large LEGO shop.
Copenhagen has one of Europe’s most efficient infrastructures where everything is within a short distance. The public transportation is efficient and the city offers a variety of public transportations, through either bus, train, metro and rentable city bikes. Denmark offers the most reliable electric grid in Europe.
