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| Denmark
Social Profile |
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Food
& Drink
Smørrebrød
is a highly popular traditional Danish dish that is mainly
eaten at lunchtime and consists of a slice of dark bread with
butter, topped with slices of meat, fish or cheese and garnish.
It bears no resemblance to traditional sandwiches and needs
to be eaten sitting down at a table with a knife and fork.
Buffet-style lunch (the koldt bord)
is also popular with a variety of fish, meats, hot dishes,
sweets and cheese, usually on a self-service basis. Danes
do not mix the various dishes on their plates but have them
in strict order.
A normal Danish breakfast, or morgen-complet , consists of
coffee or tea and an assortment of breads, rolls, and cheese
and jam, often also sliced meats, boiled eggs and warm Danish
pastries. Shellfish also forms an important part of Danish
cuisine. Apart from the traditional dishes, French or international
cuisine is the order of the day.
In Copenhagen, superb gourmet restaurants
can be found, whilst Ålborg is noted
for its impressive number of restaurants. Most towns have
‘fast food’ outlets for hamburgers and pizzas,
and sausage stalls on most street corners, selling hot sausages,
hamburgers, soft drinks and beer.
Danish coffee is delicious and popular. Denmark also has many
varieties of beer, famous breweries being Carlsberg
and Tuborg. Most popular is pilsner
(a lager) but there are also darker beers. The other national
drink is akvavit, popularly known as
snaps, which is neither an aperitif, cocktail nor
liqueur and is meant to be drunk with food, preferably with
a beer chaser and is served ice cold and only accompanies
cold food. There are no licensing hours in Denmark.
Note
The
Danish Hotel and Restaurant Association displays
signs indicating restaurants where the needs of diabetics
are given special attention. It consists of the words ‘Diabetes
mad – sund mad for alle’ (‘Food
for Diabetics – healthy food for everyone’) encircling
a chef’s head.
Nightlife
There is a wide selection of nightlife in Denmark,
particularly in Copenhagen, where the first morning restaurants
open to coincide with closing time at 0500 hrs. Jazz and dance
clubs in the capital city are top quality and world-famous
performers appear regularly and there are numerous beer gardens.
Shopping
Copenhagen
has excellent shopping facilities. Special purchases include
Bing & Grøndal and Royal
Copenhagen porcelain, Holmegård glass,
Bornholm ceramics, handmade woolens
from the Faroe Islands and Lego
toys.
Visitors from outside the EU can often claim back on some
of the MOMS (VAT) on goods purchased that
are sent straight to their home country from the shop in Denmark.
Shopping hours
Monday-Friday 0900/1000-1730/1800 hrs, Saturday 0900-1700
hrs. Supermarkets are often open Monday-Friday
0900-2000 hrs.
Opening hours vary from town to town since shops can regulate
their own hours. At some holiday resorts, shops are open on
Sunday and public holidays.
Special
Events
Festivals take place throughout the summer in nearly
every town in Denmark, featuring street festivities and performing
artists.
For a complete list of festivals and cultural events in the
different regions contact the Danish Tourist Board
(see Contact section).
The following is a selection of special events occurring in
Denmark in 2005: |
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January 15th |
Opening of the
Royal Danish Opera at Dokøen, Copenhagen |
| February 6th -
7th |
Shrove Tide Tilting at the
barrel, close to Copenhagen. |
| March 11th-13th |
Holmboe in Horsens (classical
music festival), Mid Jutland. |
| April 21st-24th
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Odense Folk Festival. |
| May 28th
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Half-marathon across the
Great Belt, Korsør. |
| June 21st-July
3rd |
Viking Plays, Lindholm Høje,
Ålborg, north Jutland. |
| June 30th-July
3rd |
Roskilde Festival (music festival). |
| August 3rd-7th
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Post Danmark Rundt (bicycle
race). |
| September |
Champion of the Baltic (regatta
and boat race), Bornholm. |
| October 14th |
Night of Culture (various
locations) |
| November 10th-13th |
Silkeborg's International
Puppet Theatre Festival. |
| December |
Christmas Markets and Celebrations
(countrywide) |
December 3rd-4th
&
10th-11th |
Hans Christian Andersen Christmas
Market, Odense. |
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Social Conventions
Normal courtesies should always be observed. Guests should
refrain from drinking until the host toasts his or her health.
Casual dress is suitable for most places but formal wear is
required at more exclusive dining rooms and social functions.
Smoking is restricted on public transport and in some public
buildings.
Tipping
Hotels and restaurants quote fully inclusive prices and tipping
is not necessary. Taxi fares also include tips, Railway porters
and washroom attendants receive tips. |
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