Odense

Odense can be considered a quintessential Danish city. The largest city on the island of Funen is also Denmark’s third-largest city, combining modernity and history in equal measure. A symbol of this is the city’s most famous son, the Danish poet Hans Christian Andersen. In Odense, it is impossible to escape his name. The poet’s birthplace is the starting point for walks following in his footsteps. These can take you from the life and times of his era right through to modern-day experiences and entertainment. One example is the appealing children’s playhouse “Fyrtøjet,” named after the fairy tale “The Tinderbox.”

Odense is a place of intellectual treasures, but it also has plenty of fairy-tale charm and quiet, dreamy spots to discover. The city’s defining features include sport, events, commerce and business. The young meet the old here, and tradition meets the future—Odense is alive by day and by night. Odense also pays impressive tribute to another of its sons, the composer Carl Nielsen. The Odense Concert Hall feels young, modern and dynamic, and has a particular fondness for performing works by Carl Nielsen. A museum in the same building commemorates him and, in doing so, honors one of Denmark’s great figures in classical music.

While holiday apartments and houses on the outskirts of Odense and in the surrounding area attract visitors with opportunities for cycling, hiking and family trips, the hotels in Odense’s Old Town are truly unique. Tradition and luxury, along with large brick complexes housing business and conference facilities, draw discerning travelers on city breaks. The town’s little half-timbered houses in the Old Town offer a glimpse into its rich past. Odense is also a gastronomic gem.

Close to the young university campus on Niels Bohr Avenue, hostels, youth hostels and the nearby campsite are popular places to stay. From here, families can set off on excursions—for example, to the European Automobile Museum seven kilometers away, the open-air museum Den Fynske Landsby, or a night out packed with events.