H eadlines
Copenhagen Offers a Smörgåsbord of Attractions
T R AVEL
JEFF AND VIRGINIA ORENSTEIN |
JE FEATURE
COPENHAGEN IS A delight-
ful destination for a European
vacation. It is an endlessly fascinating
coastal city that is filled with
striking architecture, both new
and old, and an almost-endless
panorama of attractions. It also
boasts excellent cuisine, a lively
jazz scene and picturesque canals
that rival those in Amsterdam.

Located on two coastal
islands, Denmark’s capital city
is so close to Sweden that the
impressive Oresund Bridge
routinely carries rail and high-
way traffic the 15 miles to
Malmö, Sweden.

A compact city with a
population of about 600,000,
Copenhagen is a city that loves
and accommodates its bicycles.

About half of its workers com-
mute by bicycle year-round and
trains accommodate bikes for
longer trips. Pedestrians need
to be alert to bike traffic on the
ubiquitous bike paths.

The city is known for its
designer goods and upscale • visitcopenhagen.com/
Must-Sees for A Short Trip:
to the Central Station and the
shopping. The Strøget pedes-
copenhagen-tourist Among the museums, gal-
famous Little Mermaid statue
trian shopping street is a must- • copenhagen.com/
leries and attractions that you
at the waterfront
see and so is Pilestræde and the • visitacity.com/en/copenhagen should take in are:
• The Little Mermaid at
many side streets.

Langelinje Pier
Food wise, Copenhageners Getting There and Getting
• The National Gallery of • The Christiansborg Palace,
love their gourmet hot dogs, Around:
Denmark located on the island of Slot-
smørrebrød open-faced sand-
Copenhagen can be reached by • Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek art
sholmen, which contains
wiches, cafes and upscale New highway, air, cruise ship or train.

museum the Danish Parliament
Nordic restaurants. The area
• The National Museum
Folketinget, the Supreme
around Nyhavn is filled with • By air, Copenhagen Airport, • The flower and ride-filled Tivoli
Court and the Ministry
restaurants and cafes and is a
Kalstrup (CPH) is only 8
Gardens amusement park close
of State.

good place to watch the canal
miles from the center of
boats and for people watching.

Copenhagen and 15 miles
Copenhagen’s walkable his-
from Malmö.

toric center is a great place to • By car, Copenhagen’s free-
take in the city’s glorious past.

ways are connected to north-
Frederiksstaden, dating from
ern Europe but are congested.

the 18th century, is where you
Due to heavy traffic, driving for
will find the Danish royal
tourism is not recommended in
family’s Amalienborg Palace,
Copenhagen. Car-free super-
Christiansborg Palace and
cykelstier (bicycle super high-
Rosenborg Castle, surrounded by
ways) are being expanded.

beautiful gardens and statuary.

• By train, Copenhagen Central
Since Copenhagen can be
Station is in the heart of the
This scene from Nyhavn says Copenhagen in a nutshell: beautiful
expensive, we recommend get-
city. It offers frequent service to
architecture, bicycles and pedestrians, canals, al fresco restaurants and
ting a Copenhagen Card. It
the airport (15 minutes away)
cafes and traffic.

will give you museum access
and is part of the extensive
and transportation around the
European train network.

city and region.

• By cruise ship and ferry, there
are three main terminals in
Before You Go, Check Out:
and around the city. All are
• wikitravel.org/en/
linked to central Copenhagen
Copenhagen by bus, metro or train.

The Danish Royal Guard marches through the streets of Copenhagen
from the Rosenborg Castle to the Amalienborg Palace for the daily
changing of the guard ceremony.

Impressive sailboats and a canal lined with shops and
cafes are typical of the Copenhagen district of Nyhavn.

Photos by Jeff Orenstein
12 JANUARY 24, 2019
The Rosenborg Castle, opened in 1607, is
situated in the Kongens Have (The King’s Garden),
a popular park for residents and visitors. The castle
is open to the public and contains a museum with
the nation’s crown jewels and throne chair and
other Danish royal historic memorabilia.

JEWISH EXPONENT
The Little Mermaid statue has been a symbol of Copenhagen for over
a century. While diminutive in size, its cultural impact is large and is a
magnet for selfies for residents and tourists.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



H eadlines
• The freetown Christiania in
the district of Christianshavn
• The Botanical Garden
• The Round Tower, the 17th
century tower and observa-
tory Rundetaarn
• A combined narrated hop-
on-hop-off bus tour and
canal boat tour of the city
If You Have Several Days:
• Visit the Viking Ship
Museum in Roskilde. It is
Denmark’s national museum
for ships, seafaring and boat-
building in the prehistoric
and medieval period.

• Take a train across the Oresund
Bridge to Malmö, Sweden.

• Visit Kronberg Castle in
Elsinore, made famous by
Shakespeare in Hamlet, a
40-minute train ride from
Copenhagen. • See the Louisiana Museum of
Modern Art, 25 miles north.

Ginny O’s Tips For Dressing
The Simply Smart Travel Way
For Denmark:
Copenhagen is fairly casual,
especially since so many Danes
cycle to work. Bright colors
are not fashionable. Since the
weather is unpredictable, carry
an umbrella or wrap.

Jewish Denmark
DANISH JEWS ARE a tiny minority of the nation’s 5.5
million people but have played a significant role in the
country’s history.

The officially recognized religious community of Jews num-
bers about 1,800, but most estimates put the total number of
Jews at about 8,000. Most of them live in or near Copenhagen
and are integrated into Danish society.

The first resident Jews came to Scandinavia in 1622 when
Denmark’s King Christian V invited Sephardic Jews in
Amsterdam and Hamburg to settle there in a developing area.

They continued to come, be tolerated and developed a flour-
ishing community. By the late 19th century, they were given
full civic equality.

There was some anti-Semitism in the early 19th century
but, by and large, they did well in Denmark through the 19th
and early 20th centuries, with Jews integrated into all aspects
of Danish life including such luminaries as Edward Brandes,
the nation’s finance minister, and Niels Bohr, the physicist.

The rise of Nazism saw an influx of about 4,500 Jews in
Denmark escaping Nazi occupation in Eastern Europe. In
1940, Denmark was occupied by the Germans, putting an end
to Jewish immigration.

As part of the Danish resistance against the Nazis, King
Christian X supported Danish Jews despite the occupation
and they were largely unmolested by Danes. In 1943, the Nazis
took over the government and planned to export the country’s
Jews. The underground resistance responded by protecting
Jews and smuggling about 7,500 out of the country to Sweden
and elsewhere. Only about 400 Danish Jews were ultimately
captured by the Nazis.

After the war, Jewish life in Denmark returned to nor-
mal. There have been some anti-Semitic acts, but most are
attributed to Muslim immigrants rather than native Danes.

The official Danish Jewish community is run by a council of
elected delegates. They run the Jewish House in Copenhagen,
which serves as a Jewish Community Center. Many Jewish
organizations have Danish chapters and educational and senior
services are provided within the community. Kosher food is
available, and there are two Jewish cemeteries in Copenhagen.

Copenhagen has several synagogues. The Great Synagogue
is home to the chief rabbi of Denmark. There is also a Reform
and an unaffiliated congregation and a Progressive Jewish con-
gregation in the Öresund region adjacent to Copenhagen and a
Chabad congregation in Frederiksberg.

A tour of Jewish life in Copenhagen is available, which
includes historical highlights, architecture and the Jewish
Museum. See visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/jewish-
copenhagen-gdk410212. l
NAME: PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL; WIDTH: 7.375 IN; DEPTH: 5.5 IN; COLOR: BLACK; AD
NUMBER: 00082994
This Destination at a Glance:
Over 50 Advantage: Superb
museums, castles and parks,
excellent shopping and dining
Mobility Level: Low to
moderate. The city is flat and
mostly accessible.

When to Go: Because
Copenhagen is in northern
Europe, winter days are short
and summer days are long. The
best time to visit is from March
to September.

Where to Stay: You will
find a wide variety of lodg-
ing across the price spectrum.

Staying near the Central Train
Station is convenient.

Special Travel Interests:
Danish history, Danish mod-
ern design, urban cycling. l
Jeffrey and Virginia Orenstein are
travel writers from Sarasota, Fla.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
JANUARY 24, 2019
13