Copenhagen - Footprint

Most cities come pre-packed these days and the adjectives that form the lightweight wrapping make unavoidable mental baggage for the independently-minded traveller. Barcelona is sexy and postmodern, Dublin is green and hip, Paris is Paris, and Copenhagen is hmm...? What do we say about the capital of Denmark, the land that gave us Lego, Lurpak and the snorkel? Saying it is understated chic hardly raises the blood pressure. We know it’s Scandinavian and that hints at the sensual and the liberated. An existentialist philosopher called Kierkegaard hailed from the city, and isn’t there some statue of a mermaid that keeps getting decapitated? All this is true but it hardly opens a window on the city’s soul. Copenhagen, in fact, is a serious contender for Europe’s best-kept secret. Surprise is the bonus that comes with a city that is not presented in tourist cellophane.