EVENTS

The Night Film Festival takes place over 10 days in March, and features around 140 international films in their original languages. The three-day Copenhagen Carnival is held over the Whitsunday weekend (usually late May), filling the streets of the city centre with parades, samba dancing and other organised festivities.

Beach bonfires are lit up all around the country on Midsummer Eve (23 June), while those who enjoy a good flaring of the nostrils should head for Klampenborg just to the north of Copenhagen for Denmark's most important horse race, the Danish Derby. The Copenhagen Jazz Festival gets toes a-tappin' over 10 days in early July, but if chamber or classical music is more your thing, hang out for the Summer Festival later that month.

In late August and early September the Danish capital plays host to the Golden Days Festival, with art exhibits, poetry readings and theatre focusing on Denmark's 'Golden Age' (1800-50). Christmas is a big celebratory deal around the country and it'll be hard to escape the numerous feel-good community fairs no matter where you are.

Public holidays include New Year's day, Maundy Thursday (Thursday before Easter), Good Friday (Friday before Easter), Easter Monday, Common Prayer Day (fourth Friday after Easter), Ascension Day, Whit Monday (eighth Monday after Easter), Constitution Day (5 June), Christmas Eve (from noon), Christmas Day and Boxing Day (26 December).

24 Dec - Christmas Eve
1 Jan - New Year's Day
Mar/Apr - Maundy Thursday
Mar/Apr - Good Friday
Mar/Apr - Easter Sunday
Mar/Apr - Easter Monday
fourth Friday after Easter - Common Prayer Day
sixth Thursday after Easter - Ascension Day
5 Jun - Constitution Day
eighth Monday after Easter - Whitmonday
seventh Sunday after Easter - Whitsunday
26 Dec - Boxing Day
25 Dec - Christmas Day

In the coldest winter months of January and February, the average daytime temperature hovers around freezing point. But fear not, May to September is much more comfortable, although realistically you can expect to see rain and grey skies during most of the year. The most popular months for visitors to Denmark are May, June, July and August, although Copenhagen has a healthy peppering of festivals throughout the year so you'll always find something to inspire you.