With four new flights plus the refurbishment of the grand dame of Copenhagen hotels and the opening of the world's smallest hotel in the Danish capital, it's never been a better time to visit Denmark in 2013. This year also sees the opening of a number of new attractions and exhibitions including Europe's largest Aquarium and three new rides launching at Tivoli. Other watery highlights include a new Maritime museum in Elsinore and a major exhibition of the Viking's seafaring past with the world's longest Viking long ship on display.  

Here's a round-up of what's new for 2013

Copenhagen: The Gastronomy Capital of Scandinavia
Copenhagen has become something of a global food Mecca over the last few years and the new 2013 Michelin guide, which was published in March, bestowed a total of 15 Michelin stars on 13 restaurants in Copenhagen - more than any other Scandinavian city. Restaurant noma, the pioneer of New Nordic Cuisine, has retained its two stars in the Michelin Guide, and was named the World's Best Restaurant by UK's Restaurant Magazine in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Kadeau became the newest restaurant in Copenhagen to receive a Michelin star, while Geranium received its second. (www.visitdenmark.co.uk/en-gb/denmark/gastronomy/copenhagen-gastro-capital-scandinavia-2) 

The city has some of the world's best chefs as well as Northern Europe's biggest food festival, Copenhagen Cooking (23rd August - 1st September).  The festival has something for everyone, from new Nordic cuisine and gourmet restaurants at low prices, to food markets and countless other events across the city. Both international guests and Danes visit the festival, and in 2012 Copenhagen Cooking (www.copenhagencooking.dk) attracted more than 100,000 dining guests.

Den Blå Planet, National Aquarium Denmark opened 22 March 2013
Copenhagen's newest attraction, Den Blå Planet (www.denblaaplanet.dk) opened its doors to the public on 22nd March. The spectacular seashell-shaped building is Northern Europe's largest aquarium, and also functions as a unique meetings venue. 

The impressive structure is built by the internationally award winning Danish architects 3xN (www.3xn.com) and is located in Taarnby just outside Copenhagen; a 5-minute drive from Copenhagen Airport and the Øresund Bridge. The new aquarium creates an experience of getting below the surface of the sea and into a colourful world of fish and marine animals from different climate zones. 

For meeting planners, the 'MINDblowing' (www.visitdenmark.com/denmark/mindblowing-meetings-meetings-different-mindset) venue offers  a choice of spaces for events in the company of hammerhead sharks, giant schools of fish, crocodiles and vibrant coral reefs - as well as a space for lectures, meetings and conferences with the largest room holding up to 145 persons.

Watch Den Blå Planet on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNlqO6W9LwI&feature=player_embedded

Expansion of Tivoli Gardens: Tivoli opens for its 170th anniversary on 11 April 
Tivoli Gardens is a fairytale for kids. As the world's second oldest amusement park and one of Copenhagen's most famous attractions, Tivoli (www.tivoli.dk/en) offers both the fun of the fair and the peace and tranquility of a park.

Tivoli Gardens has been entertaining people since it first opened its gates in 1843 and this year, the gardens will celebrate their 170th birthday with a 600m2 expansion and three new rides. The new area is inspired by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe with the new rides themed around stars, galaxies and planets. Among the attractions in the new area is 'Aquila', which treats visitors to a thrilling ride at a height of over 10 metres. The second new ride is an 8-metre high drop tower where passengers are taken up in an aircraft before being sent plummeting down at high speed. Lastly, the classic Tivoli ride 'Little Pilot' is being rebuilt into an interactive flying merry-go-round 4 metres up in the air, allowing younger children to operate a joystick to control their height during the ride. 

Tivoli opens its gates for the season on 11th April 2013. See the YouTube film for more details on the new attractions: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vZHp8Vm_8U

5-star hotel d'Angleterre re-opening in Copenhagen on May 1st 2013
For more than 250 years, Copenhagen's Hotel d'Angleterre (www.dangleterre.dk) has been the most exclusive place to stay when visiting the Danish capital. Hotel d'Angleterre is currently undergoing the most ambitious renovation in Danish hotel history and expects to reopen on 1st May, 2013. When completed, Hotel d'Angleterre will offer 90 rooms including 29 suites (with the Royal Suite becoming the largest in the city at 250 m2, including its own grand balcony and fireplace). 

The hotel will also offer two restaurants, two bars, and a larger day Spa with a fully equipped fitness studio and indoor swimming pool, whilst its refurbished private function rooms will offer the perfect settings for tailor-made meetings, events and celebrations.

VIKING Exhibition at the National Museum opens 22 June 2013
From 22nd June until 17th November 2013, the remains of the world's longest Viking long ship is the main attraction at the National Museum's (www.natmus.dk/en) major international special exhibition, VIKING, at Prinsens Palæ in Copenhagen. 

The exhibition centres around the wreck of a 37 metre long warship found in the Roskilde fjord. The ship, which will be exhibited for the very first time, was a warship that could carry 100 Viking warriors and was probably part of a royal fleet (www.visitdenmark.co.uk/en-gb/copenhagen/attractions/worlds-longest-viking-ship-wreck-be-exhibited-denmark). 

VIKING is the National Museum's largest special exhibition on Vikings for 20 years. It will touch upon themes such as war and expansion, power and aristocracy, rituals and beliefs as well as cultural contacts and trade. With this exhibition, the National Museum aims to present a varied picture of the Vikings as a globalised race of people who were drawn by knowledge and culture from the outside of their native Denmark.

The new M/S Maritime Museum opens in Elsinore on 29 June
Following the sloping bridges down in the old dry dock between Kronborg Castle and the Cultural Wharf in Elsinore guests will enter an underground museum, designed by the world renowned architectural company BIG. 

The new M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark (www.visitnorthsealand.com/ln-int/ms-museet-for-sofart-gdk620757) which opens on the North Sealand coast, on 29th June will feature numerous exhibitions showcasing Denmark as one of the world's leading seafaring nations. 

There'll be lots of interactive displays for visitors to get involved in the exhibition and a strong focus on visual experiences with colourful scenography and immersive film projections. 

The Maritime Museum will be the finishing touch to The Cultural Harbour of Elsinore (www.visitnorthsealand.com/ln-int/north-sealand/elsinore), where creativity, art and culture unfold in an urban milieu based on Elsinore's proud past as Denmark's maritime centre. 

World's smallest hotel, Hotel Central & Café opens in Copenhagen in June
When the Central Hotel opens in Copenhagen in June 2013 it will be the world's smallest hotel, offering just one room located above the tiny coffee shop, the Central Café. With just five seats, it is Copenhagen's smallest coffee shop, with delicious coffee courtesy of The Coffee Collective. The tiny coffee shop also has a selection of kitsch 1980's sweets, such as Hubba Bubba and all time Danish favourite 'Super Flyer' liquorice.

The room at the Central Hotel comes complete with fresh flowers, fruit and wine as well as private bathroom, flat screen TV, Royal Eden bed and mini bar. The price per night is £170 incl. breakfast at the Granola Café (www.visitcopenhagen.com/eat-and-drink/granola-cafe/382).

High res photo of Central Vafé & Hotel: www.copenhagenmediacenter.com/#/photo/1776 

With four new flight routes, getting to Denmark from the UK is now easier than ever before
 
SAS offers new direct route between Newcastle and Copenhagen
Scandinavian Airlines (www.flysas.co.uk) has expanded its regional network and now offers a new direct route from Newcastle International Airport to Copenhagen from Sunday to Thursday. In addition SAS also offers flights from Aberdeen, Dublin, London, Manchester and Birmingham.

easyJet opens new direct service from Edinburgh to Copenhagen
easyJet (www.easyjet.com) has opened a new route from Edinburgh to Copenhagen with a new service of four weekly departures on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays at 1:20pm, and on Sundays at 6:30pm. easyJet also operates daily flights from London Gatwick and Stansted, as well as three weekly departures from Bristol.

Fly Liverpool - Copenhagen with Europe's third largest low cost airline
The low cost airline Norwegian (www.norwegian.com) is to commence a three times weekly service from Liverpool to Copenhagen, starting on 5th April 2013, with a convenient lunchtime departure from Liverpool at 1:55pm with one way fares from only £33. Norwegian also offers daily flights from Gatwick to Copenhagen, as well as three weekly departures to Aalborg in North Jutland.

Fly Birmingham-Billund with the UK's most punctual scheduled airline 
BMI Regional (www.bmiregional.com/en)is opening a new route between Birmingham and Billund with the first flight scheduled from Monday 3rd June 2013. 

Billund Airport is well served by both train, bus and taxi services and provides easy access to the popular Jutland Peninsula which offers stunning walks, biking and beautiful beaches as well as charming regional towns. The new route will operate six times a week with flight prices starting from £59. BMI regional also offers direct flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Copenhagen, as well as from Aberdeen to Esbjerg on Denmark's West coast.

For more general information on Denmark go to VisitDenmark.com 

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For further press information Email Kathrine Lind Gustavussen at VisitDenmark at klg@visitdenmark.com  or email Anthea Yabsley at IDeal PR at anthea.yabsley@ideal-pr.co.uk