Copenhagen

With a population of nearly 1.5 million, Copenhagen is Scandinavia's largest and liveliest city. It's an appealing and largely low-rise city comprised of block after block of period six-storey buildings. Church steeples punctuate the skyline, with only a couple of modern hotels shooting up to mar the view. The city's foremost historical and cultural sites remain concentrated in a relatively small area, while parks, gardens, water fountains and squares are scattered all over the city. A cosmopolitan city, Copenhagen abounds with sightseeing and entertainment possibilities. For music lovers and other revellers there's an active night scene which rolls into the early hours of the morning. The central railway station is flanked on the west by the main hotel zone and on the east by Tivoli amusement park. Opposite the northern corner of Tivoli is Rådhuspladsen, the city's central square and main bus transit point. Strøget, the world's longest pedestrian mall runs through the city centre between Rådhuspladsen and Kongens Nytorv, the square at the head of the colourful Nyhavn canal area. Just north of the canal at Amalienborg Palace - home of the royal family since 1794 - you can watch the colourful changing of the guard when the queen is in residence. The palace's four nearly identical rococo mansions surround a central cobbled square and an immense statue of King Frederik V on horseback. One wing has been opened as a museum, exhibiting the royal apartments through three generations from 1863 to 1947. Classic churches to see are Vor Frue Kirke, the city cathedral with its famed statues of Christ and the disciples by Bertel Thorvaldsen, and Christianshavn's Vor Frelsers Kirke, which has an elaborate Baroque altar and an equally elaborate carved pipe organ. For a magnificent city view, make the dizzying 400-step ascent up the church's 95-metre spiral tower - the last 160 steps run along the outside rim of the tower, narrowing to the point where they literally disappear at the top. Copenhagen's museums include Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, which has an excellent collection of art and sculpture from the Greek, Egyptian, Etruscan and Roman periods. The Nationalmuseet (National Museum) houses an extensive collection of Danish historical artefacts, ranging from the Upper Palaeolithic period to the 1840s. Tivoli, a century-old amusement park is located in the city centre. This tantalising entertainment park, which dates from 1843, is delightfully varied. Visitors can ride the roller coaster, take aim at the shooting gallery, enjoy pantomimes and concerts or simply sit and watch the crowds wander by.