FUN-LOVING COPENHAGEN IS THE WORLD’S MOST LIVEABLE CITY – I CAN SEE WHY
Over the years, monarchs have chosen a variety of elaborate and ostentatious celebrations to commemorate their Golden Jubilee anniversaries. George III had a 50-gun salute from the Tower of London, Queen Victoria arranged a party for 50 of her favourite international dignitaries, and our late Queen Elizabeth II trumped them all by jetting off on 40,000-mile world tour.
Across the North Sea, her contemporary and equally long-serving sovereign Queen Margrethe II of Denmark took a very different approach: she held on tightly to her scarlet fascinator and jumped aboard a 100-year-old wooden roller-coaster.
According to resident “brake man” Morten, who manually operates the historic ride at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens amusement park, her royal highness grinned gleefully while thundering down 100ft drops.
But why would a woman who wears the crown jewels swap banquets for a £6 ride? The answer is simple: because she could.
Monarchs may hold little political clout these days, but their actions often reflect the broader attitudes of a population. While Britons love pomp and circumstance, Danes are effortlessly cool, understated and playful.
Long ago, Queen Margrethe’s unconventional and unpretentious choice of celebration led me to the conclusion that Copenhagen must be a brilliant place to live. I’m not alone.
Launched today, the latest edition of The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2025 ranks Denmark’s forward-thinking capital as the most liveable city in the world, ending Vienna’s three-year reign.
As part of the study, 173 countries were ranked out of ten for stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Copenhagen scored near perfect marks all round.
Ambitions have always been big in this former Viking fishing village, where traditions are cherished, modernism is praised, and imagination has no limits.
A decade ago, Rene Redzepi sent shockwaves across Europe’s white linen-draped dining tables when he served live ants as part of a gourmet dining menu.
But the New Nordic revolution has since become an industry norm, creating a world-leading dining scene with 26 Michelin stars to date.
Even better quality than the food Danes eat, is the air they breathe.
Although dreams of becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral city are yet to become a reality, environmental issues are still a big concern. Buildings have been constructed according to top eco standards, power plants convert waste into clean energy, and an artificial ski slope sits on top of a giant incinerator.
Inspired by the urban Utopia of a 15-minute city where everything is within easy reach, a new development in former industrial port area Nordhavn will introduce improved public transport links and walking paths.
Every time I visit Copenhagen, I take the opportunity to jump on a bike and explore 240 miles of cycle tracks and bridges. But two wheels aren’t used only for recreational purposes. I’ve passed parents doing the school run with side cars in tow, mobile coffee shops and even a hearse peddling corpses to the next world by trike. Green living has become a playful pastime.
Several years ago, I spent an afternoon paddling around Copenhagen’s harbour, where locals boast the water is clean enough for swimming. Fearing chilly North Sea temperatures rather than the slim possibility of contamination, I chose to explore by boat.
An NGO working in five European countries, GreenKayak lend out kayaks for free on the condition borrowers return with a hefty bucket of rubbish collected during their journey. I fished out the usual suspects – crisp packets, Coke cans and cigarette butts, although baths, bikes and bullets have reputedly been found.
Continuing with the theme of waste, artist Thomas Dambo has found a novel way to transform trash into art while communicating an important message. A modern-day Hans Christian Anderson on an eco-mission, his ‘Trail of 1000 Trolls’ has spread from Copenhagen to Europe and the USA. By downloading a map from his website, I found six scrap wood sculptures dotted around the outskirts of the city.
In typical Danish style, any messaging is foremost about having fun rather than being reprimanding and didactic. While important issues are always given serious consideration, life is never taken too seriously. It’s an outlook ingrained in the national psyche.
Tivoli Gardens, where retiree Queen Margrethe regularly returns for her favourite white-herring smørrebrød at Hotel Nimb, is the perfect entry point for any new visitor to the city and an introduction to this admirable way of thinking.
Built in the mid-19th century as a place for entertainment and make-believe, it remains one of the Danish capital’s biggest attractions.
But over the course of almost two centuries, much of the magic that’s always filled the park’s colourful pavilions has seeped into the cobbled streets and pretty canals, making Copenhagen a marvellous place to work, rest and – above all – play.
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2025-06-17T10:48:20Z
