Travel - Copenhagen: A seaport to remember Published June 11, 2012 By Dane 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark is located on the Northwestern Zealand Island off the east coast of the main Jutland peninsula. Vikings always come to mind when I think of Denmark - along with the Little Mermaid, Tivoli Gardens, Royal Copenhagen porcelain, Georg Jensen silver, Soren Kierkegaard and existentialism, and last but not least, their two favorite staple items: coffee and an attention-grabbing 157 brands of beer. There is a vibrant cultural life in the city, from world-class opera and ballet staged in the magnificent Operaen (Opera House) to jazz clubs and street performances. The architecture in the city is a quaint mixture of Baroque, Renaissance, Romanesque, Gothic, Modernism and Functionalism. Take note of the quirky spiral stairs of Vor Frelsers Kirke's tower, the dragon tail spire on Borsen's tower, which was the former stock exchange building, and the golden onion domes of the Russian Orthodox Alexander Newsky Kirke (Church). Don't miss the changing of the guard every day at noon when the Livgarden (royal guards) walk from Amalienborg Slot, the official residence of Queen Margarethe II, to Rosenburg Castle. Gardens and museums abound in the city. Two must-see museums on your list should be the Guinness World Records and Ripley's Believe It or Not museums. Tivoli Gardens sits in the center of the city and is part amusement park, part cultural and part wonderland. It is an all-day event and one not to be missed. Be sure to check out the dates the park is open before you travel. I missed the spring opening by two days. It is open Christmas and New Years and a massive New Years Eve fireworks display will allow you to enjoy a spectacular celebration. When I arrived, the Little Mermaid statue had just come back from its own cultural exchange tour to Japan. With the body modeled after his wife, sculptor Edvard Eriksen created the head and face from the likeness of prima ballerina Ellen Price. The statue solemnly watches over the harbor in her timeless elegance. One of the country's most famous foods is the Smorrebrod or the open-faced sandwich. Just note that most are made with seafood of some sort - from vinegar-cured herring to smoked herring filets topped with caviar, egg yolk, raw onion, chives, capers, radishes, smoked eel, prawns, sliced pork belly, horseradish and flavored lard. Everyone speaks English there - so ask before you chow down. If that doesn't start your salivary glands running overtime - Danish pastries are absolutely some of the best and a safe bet no matter where you find them. The Danes love their coffee and you can get Italian espresso, latte and cappuccino at many Danish cafes. Along with being coffee connoisseurs, they have a distinct taste for beer. Danish-brewed Carlsberg is one of the most renowned. Drunkenness seems to be rare but people drink on trains, in buildings and openly out on the street. If you have time after spending the day at Tivoli Gardens, head over to enjoy the nightlife in the Nyhavn district. The New Harbor canal is lined on both sides with colorful houses. You will find the canal teamed with stylish yachts and old wooden boats moored in the quay. At one time this was a notoriously seedy red-light district in the city, but the sailors and the women of the night have been replaced with great bars, cafes and restaurants now serving a more prosperous clientele. You might still find a couple of tattoo parlors while you walk the promenade.