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Located in northern Europe, Denmark is bordered by the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and Germany, which is its only connection to the European mainland. Most of its landmass is occupied by the Jutland peninsula while the remaining 500 islands, of which only a hundred are occupied, comprise the rest of the country. The Skagerrak and Kattegat straits separate it from Norway and Sweden.

The present-day Denmark owes its cultural and linguist origins to the Danes who migrated here from Sweden in around AD 500. Denmark's history, till the medieval period, is marked by much carnage and bloodshed. The Thirty Years War with Sweden followed by the Napoleonic Wars inflicted damages on the economy of the country. Although Denmark remained neutral in both the World Wars, it surrendered to Germany in 1940 following the large build-up of German forces along its borders.

Denmark's prime attraction is its capital Copenhagen, one of the liveliest cities Europe, which also has an active nightlife. Most of the city's attractions are concentrated in a small area, while the parks, gardens, squares, and fountains are interspersed all over.

If you happen to be a lover of music, the city of Aarhus offers you everything from symphony performances to theatres, apart from the Den Gamle By (The Old Town), which is an open-air theatre and the city's piece de resistance.

The historical town of Roskilde is worth a visit because of the recent explorations that have unearthed a wealth of details about its rich past. Odense on the island of Funen is the capital of Fairytails. In this charming city you find the house of Hans Christian Andersen. Walking the streets of the historic center you will see where he got his inspiration from.

Then there are the spectacular white chalk cliffs of Mon's Klint, on the island of Lolland ; the 17th-century Egeskov Castle; and the picturesque theme park called Legoland in central Jylland that are worth visiting.

Cycling is an activity that tourists often indulge in Denmark along with swimming and surfing. Although you can visit Denmark throughout the year because of its mild climate, May and June see the country at its best.

Denmark's main events are the hundred-plus music festivals which run almost non-stop, covering a broad spectrum of music that includes jazz, rock, blues, gospel, Irish, classical, country and Cajun. Beginning with Midsummer Eve bonfires in late June, some of the most popular festivals are the Roskilde Festival, northern Europe's largest rock music festival, held in late June or early July; the Midtfyns Festival in Ringe, held in early July, which features international rock, pop, world, folk and jazz musicians; the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, held for 10 days in early July, which is one of the world's major jazz festivals; the Copenhagen Summer Festival, which features chamber and classical music concerts during the last week of July and the first two weeks of August; and the Tonder Festival, one of northern Europe's largest folk festivals, which is held at the end of August.

The nine-day Arhus Festival, beginning on the first Saturday in September, turns that city into a stage for nonstop revelry, with music and drama performances of all sorts drawing hundreds of thousands of Danish and international visitors. The program also incorporates a Viking Festival complete with roving jesters, jousting and archery competitions, Viking-style ships, and traditional food, drink and merrymaking.

When to go
Considering its northern latitude, Denmark has a fairly mild climate all year round. Still, the winter months - cold and with short daylight hours - are certainly the least hospitable. Correspondingly, many tourist destinations come alive in late April, when the weather begins to warm up and the daylight hours start to increase, and by October they again become sleepers. May and June can be delightful months to visit: the earth is a rich green accented with fields of flowers, the weather is comfortable and you'll beat the rush of tourists. While autumn can be pleasant, it's not nearly as scenic because the rural landscape has largely turned to brown. High tourist season is July and August. There are open-air concerts, lots of street activity and basking on the beach. Other bonuses for travellers during midsummer are longer hours at museums and other sightseeing attractions. The last half of August can be a particularly attractive time to travel, as it still has summer weather but far fewer crowds.