Copenhagen

But this is no living museum. Copenhagen is a vibrant, modern city whose fascinating past coexists with the very latest trends in architecture, design and fashion.

This is, after all, one of the world's great design capitals, a status that is reflected in its dynamic new buildings and stunning shops.

Furthermore, this is a city that presents its myriad attractions against a waterside backdrop that helps make it of one of the most beautiful cities in northern Europe. A one thousand-year history written by ambitious kings, inspiring artists and celebrated designers awaits you in the medieval streets, 17th-century canals and modernist architecture of Copenhagen.

From its origin as a humble fishing village to its heyday as the glittering capital of the Danish empire, to its current position as one of the world's premier design capitals and Scandinavia's pre-eminent city, the stories and characters of Copenhagen's history are there to be discovered in its sumptuous palaces, copper-roofed town houses and atmospheric cobbled squares. Although Copenhagen never stands still, it always has time to appreciate its past. With a past as rich and fascinating as this, that is hardly a surprise.