Copenhagen

The impressive National Museum’s exhibits span Denmark's history from Viking treasures through the Golden Age of Scandinavian paintings and right up to the very best contemporary pieces.

Danes are rightfully proud of Tivoli, the amusement park in gardens of the same name that is the antithesis of everything Disney.

Those with a little more time on their hands might consider a day trip to Kronborg (Hamlet’s castle at Helsingor) less than an hour’s drive from Copenhagen, or even take the train across the incredible Oresund Bridge to Malmo in Sweden.

But Copenhagen isn’t just about history: it is also a world leader in contemporary design with such brands as Bang & Olufsen, Bodum, Royal Copenhagen and Georg Jensen to name but a few. These brands are all readily available on Stroget, the world’s longest pedestrianised shopping street. And if shopping and culture aren't top of the 'To do' list, the restaurants, bars and nightclubs alone make a visit worthwhile.

The recent anointing of Noma as the world's best restaurant is acknowledgement that Copenhagen is fast becoming a serious gastronomic hub, and we can recommend and reserve tables at the best of the bunch.

Meanwhile the excellent bars stay open late into the night - the port area of Nyhavn being a particularly favourite haunt for young Danes - and nightclubs like NASA or Vega have become mainstays on the European nightclub scene.