Odense, happily ever after

SIGHTSEEING, ODENSE Updated : Dec 14, 2016, 12.05 PM IST

Nishiraj Baruah

Knife collector, a drummer, and a travel & lifestyle journalist, Nishiraj A. Baruah had been the editor of Air India"s in-flight magazine, Shubh Yatra and the Executive Editor of Harper"s Bazaar Bride. He had launched several travel supplements/sections for Mail Today, HT City, and India Today Digital. He has travelled extensively in India and Europe and he specialises in first person experiential writing complete with adventure, anecdotes, suspense and surprising endings providing a fresh perspective to a destination. He also loves drawing real characters he met and observed on the way. Other than Happytrips, you can read his work at http://nishirajbaruah.com.

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A host of fairy tales like The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Nightingale, The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling, and Thumbelina, allows the city to be suitably termed as, Odense, happily ever after. This third largest Danish city, just one and a half hours away by train from Copenhagen, is from where all these tales emerged from. These fascinating stories were penned by none other than Hans Christian Andersen who was born, brought up and lived here.

The city is right there at the heart of Denmark; in garden island Funen to be precise. Odense's other claim to fame are its bicycles, as it is the official bicycle city of Denmark. Packed with manor houses and castles, cosy houses and sculptures that are inspired by Anderson's characters, Odense has a fairy tale feel. Certainly a must-visit if you are in Denmark. Here are the 7 showstoppers of this fascinating place.
1
Museum

SIGHTSEEING, ODENSE

Christian Andersen Museum

You may begin your tour of Odense with the Hans Christian Andersen Museum. This is where you get glimpses of the writer’s private life, as well as the world he had created. The Museum that opened in 1908, will take you b...more

2

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Other Andersen attractions

Step out of the museum to explore the real world Anderson lived in. For instance, you can stop by his little childhood home where he lived with his parents from the age of 2 to 14.

3

ENTERTAINMENT, ODENSE

The Tinderbox

Kids will love this place. The Tinderbox is a cultural house where Andersen’s fairy tales are communicated through play, storytelling, theatre, and art. In this fantasy land you can experience a universe based on the fai...more

4

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Soak in the festivals

Nothing like a festival to soak in the spirit of a city. And so there I was in the middle of the annual Hans Christian Andersen Festival that happens every August. The festival brings the city to life as it teems with 50...more

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Statues and sculptures

Interestingly, Odense is dotted with statues and sculptures that are inspired by the characters of Anderson's tales. These are everywhere – in the parks, on the streets, above the plazas.

6
Museum

SIGHTSEEING, ODENSE

The Funen Village

This village is a virtual open-air museum with rural structures from the 18th and 19th century. A complete village environment has been recreated, with half-timbered buildings, fences and farm animals, village pond, and ...more

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THINGS TO DO, ODENSE

Other attraction

There is more to Odense of course, not necessarily related to Anderson. Odense's nightlife, for example, is built around intimate cafés, live music, and cosy pubs. There’s also a casino. From June to August, the Odense F...more

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