Denmark has long prided itself on the fact that it’s a very modern country, and one of the fallouts of this has been that you’ll find relatively little of the `folk’ culture prevalent in much of Europe- no traditional costumes, and not too many folk music troupes. Denmark’s culture has, however, asserted itself in other ways- most prominently through literature and through visual arts that include painting and cinema. The country has produced many world famous authors including the Nobel laureate Johannes V Jensen; sculptors, cinema directors and painters, such as Christen Købke, regarded as one of the masters. In addition to this, the country boasts of one of the best ballet troupes in the world, the Royal Danish Ballet Company.

Denmark’s best-known handicrafts are its exquisite silverwork and porcelain. Danish hand painted porcelain (the legendary Flora Danica dinner service, of 1800 pieces, depicting the country’s natural flora, is the best known) is one of the best in the world. Danish silversmiths too have been practising their craft for several centuries now, and produce some of the most beautiful pieces in Europe.