Recently in Denmark Category

Awarded the title "World's Best Airport" in 1956, Copenhagen's Kastrup is still one of the nicest international hubs to fly in and out of. Last September, a new metro line launched, whisking passengers from the airport to the city center in 14 minutes. Style editor, Tyler Brule, listed it as "Best New Link", number 3 on his "Travel Top 50 For 2008" list. That peaked our interest, so we took a closer look.

The airport's website is primo, with arrivals and departures listed front and center, and four hot tips linked at right. "Five Point Checklist" advises "how to get quickly through the airport", the most valuable advice any air traveler could ask for. "For Kids" tells travelers with tots where the little ones can burn off some pre-flight steam. "Low Fare Tickets" lists the obvious; and "Parking" allows those with cars to reserve in advance. Not us though. We're here to find out what this new metro link is all about.

First, we plot our journey at m.dk. From the Palace Hotel on historic Town Hall Square, the "Norreport" station is nearly a mile away. We walk four minutes to "Radhuspladsen," catch Bus 5A to "Norreport," turn the corner, and moments later we're riding the M2 to Lufthavnen. A short stroll through a covered walkway gets us to our terminal. Total journey time: 34 minutes. Copenhagen's metro is simple, but snazzy, and at 5-years-old, it's one of Europe's newest rails.

Lately it seems like there's been an increasing focus on design, with elaborate concepts that were once confined to elite boutiques filtering down to the mass market through chain stores and TV shows like Top Design. While that's all fine and good, if you really want to see where some of Europe's most cutting-edge design ideas are coming from, pay a visit to the Danish Design Centre in Copenhagen. Created to promote Danish design on a national and international level, visitors can peruse examples of industrial and product design ranging from furniture to vacuum cleaners and everything in between. The Danish Gift, for example, is a collection of pieces selected by the Italian design firm King & Miranda that represent the values attributed to Danish design as seen from the outside world. An exhibit entitled Lightyears--Design Lights the Way features the work of renowned Danish lighting designers Lightyears, who have created a series of lighting solutions that go beyond any lamp you've seen before.

Naturally, the museum is itself a masterpiece of modern design. Housed in a sleek glass building designed by Henning Larsen, the center includes offices, exhibition rooms, a conference center, a cafe, and, best of all, a design store. At the DDC Shop, visitors who've become inspired by the innovative designs they've seen can pick up products related to the exhibitions, as well as "Travel Light" items and all kinds of design books and magazines. There will be no need for a taxi, because the Danish Design Centre is a very short walk from the luxurious Palace Hotel.