This, the most southerly of the Nordic capitals, is just waiting to be explored whatever the season. Liberated in the summer, romantic in the snow, its regal heritage and its relaxed atmosphere are the epitome of all that is Scandinavian.

Copenhagen is the perfect example of a Nordic city which, despite its status as a capital, has managed to hold onto its small-town soul. That is partly due to its size but also to the fact that it is on an island, a stone’s throw from the sea and traversed by a network of canals which allow the city to breathe and to exude charm. If you want to get to know Copenhagen, you need to throw yourself wholeheartedly into its consumer heart. Bars, souvenir shops and designer shops are the busy centre of a modern city, summed up by its famous pedestrian precinct, Strøget.

Like all self-respecting royal cities, tradition is also ever present. For example, Amalienborg square, a classic ensemble of palaces one of which is home to the queen; Kongens Nytorv square, surrounded by the Palace of Charlottenborg, the Theatre Royal and the up-market cafes; in Slotsholmen, a historic island bristling with edifices reminiscent of past royal splendour; at Nyhavn, the famous city quay with its yachts and its restaurants.

Copenhagen is also a city of the people, and the districts of Vesterbro, Nørrebro and Christianshavn enjoy a relaxed and somewhat alternative lifestyle. It also knows how to enjoy itself with the Tivoli amusement park. Scandinavia’s reputation for the avant-garde can be glimpsed in its architecture with the Royal Library, The Black Diamond and the aesthetically-pleasing Opera House, both placed, symbolically, on the banks of the canals. And the Little Mermaid cannot fail to agree, she that has kept watch from the waterside over Copenhagen since the beginning of the 20th century.