Denmark

Etiquette & respect

Sports are popular in Denmark, with association football reigning supreme in popularity and counted as the national sport, followed by gymnastics, (Olympic) handball and golf. Along with the other Nordic countries as well as Germany and France, Denmark is among the Handball superpowers and matches among those teams or world and European cups are closely followed by Handball enthusiasts. Badminton is also a popular sport in Denmark, and Denmark is the only non-Asian country to be considered a badminton powerhouse. Another trait of Danish culture as any tourist pamphlet will tell you, is "Hygge", which translates as something like "co…

Tipping guidance

Traditionally, tipping has not been common, but is being introduced by outside influences. Since service charges are automatically included in the bill at restaurants and hotels, and tips for taxi drivers and the like are included in the fare, tipping should be given only as a token of real appreciation for the service. The tips will most often be split between the waiters and the kitchen. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, any extra service (such as carrying bags) will be listed on the receipt according to rate. While tipping is not expected, nor required, tipping for outstanding service is obviously greatly appreciated.

Health & wellness

Health services in Denmark are of a high standard, although waiting times at emergency rooms can be quite long for non-emergencies. Except for surgical procedures there is no private healthcare system to speak of, all is taken care of by the public healthcare system and general practitioners. All visitors are provided with free emergency care, until you are deemed healthy enough to be transported back to your home country. Citizens of EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and certain British dependencies are all entitled to additional basic medical services during their stay, but other nationalities should have a valid travel insurance for any additional medical care needed after any emergency is dealt with. Transportation home is also not covered by the system. English speakers should not have any trouble communicating with staff in English. Danish doctors do not hand out prescriptions or pills at the rate common in North America, Japan and Southern Europe. There is a general trend of letting the body's own immune system take care of diseases, rather than using medicines. So if you show up at the local GP with minor illnesses like the common flu, expect to be sent back to your bed to rest, rather than receiving any treatment, if you are otherwise of good health. Pharmacies (Danish: Apotek) are usually well stocked, but brand names may differ from those in your own country – check the generic name ("INN"). Staff is highly trained, and major cities usually have one 24 hour pharmacy. Many drugs that are prescription-free in other countries, require prescription in Denmark, which is not trivial to get (see above). Medicines available in supermarkets and drug stores are very limited; i.e., allergy drugs and light painkillers (based on paracetamol/acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid or ibuprofen). Dentists are only partly covered by the public healthcare system, and everyone, including Danes, pay to visit their dentist. Danes and other Nordic citizens have some of the expenses covered by the public healthcare system, while non-Scandinavians should generally be prepared to foot the entire bill themselves, or forward the expenses to their insurance company. Prices are notoriously high compared to the neighbouring countries, so unless it is urgent to see a dentist, it will probably be more economical to wait until you return home, or pass into Germany or Sweden. Tap water is potable unless indicated, which is very rare indeed. The regulations for tap water in Denmark even exceeds that of bottled water in general, so do not be offended if you notice a waiter filling a pitcher of water at the sink, it's perfect for drinking. However, most places charges a fee for the service. Restaurants and other places selling food are checked regularly by health inspectors and awarded points on a [http://www.findsmiley.dk/English/Pages/FrontPage.aspx 1-4 "smiley scale"]August 2025 InternetArchiveBot. The ratings must be prominently displayed, so look out for the happy face when in doubt. Every cook and employee handling prepared food are required to hold a hygiene certificate and food poisoning is not a problem to be concerned with. Nearly all beaches are fine for bathing on sunny days – even parts of the Copenhagen harbour have been opened for bathing (read the Stay safe section). At quite a few beaches though, rainwater run-off from residential areas pours directly and untreated into the sea and flooding sewers are an increasing issue after heavy rain. During this time, bathing is not recommended at these places. Several municipalities issue bathing water quality data continuously on-line, so check up if you are going to bath after heavy rains. Winter bathing in the sea has become quite popular, but be careful. Jumping straight into ice-cold sea water without any preparation is dangerous.

Scams & street smarts

Dial [tel:112 1-1-2] (Alarm 112) for emergency services in situations that are dangerous for life, health, property or the environment, such as accidents, serious crime and fire. This is toll free, and will work even from cell phones without a SIM card. For the police in non-emergencies call [tel:114 1-1-4] (Service 114). Generally: Denmark is a very safe country, with almost no risk of natural disasters or animal attacks. There is one poisonous snake in some heathlands (Hugorm, the European viper; rare and non-aggressive), and a stinging, bottom-dwelling fish called "Fjæsing", known as Greater Weever (Trachinus draco) in English. Its sting is painful, and strong enough that medical treatment is always encouraged; for children and the elderly it is indeed often lethal. Red stinging jellyfish sometimes infest bathing waters in great numbers. Their sting can be painful, but has no adverse effects on humans. They are dish-sized, easy to spot and avoid. As in the rest of Europe and the world at large, borrelia-carrying ticks have also been on the rise in Denmark. Always check your body for them when you have been in the wild, especially when legs and arms are bare and the vegetation high. If a red ring forms around the bite in a week or so, you should seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Since 1 August 2018 it has been prohibited by law to wear garments that hides the human face in public, unless there is a credible purpose, such as to protect against cold weather or a virus outbreak. The law is officially called [https://politi.dk/tildaekningsforbud tildækningsforbud] (cover ban), also known as maskeringsforbud (masking ban) and burkaforbud (burqa ban). A fine of 1,000 kr is given at the first violation, 2,000 kr for the second violation, 5,000 kr for the third violation and 10,000 kr for the fourth violation. The police has issued a set of guidelines that give an assessment of what can be considered a credible purpose. Wearing a burqa, niqab or balaclava in public is not considered a credible purpose according to the guidelines. Since 1 January 2021 the Law on Consentual Sex (Samtykkeloven) is in force. In short, the law makes it punishable to have sex with another person without their consent. If it can't be established that consent was given, the event constitutes rape. Compared to most other countries, crime and traffic are only minor risks, and the only crime to worry about is non-violent pickpocketing, except in some suburban districts, where you should be wary at night. On foot: In cities Danes drive by the rules, and they have every expectation that pedestrians do the same. It is important to obey Walk/Do not Walk signals and avoid crossing streets haphazardly; cars will not slow down since you are not supposed to be in the street. Traffic signals are obeyed around the clock, so do not get surprised to see Danes patiently waiting for green light in the dead of night with not a single vehicle in sight. You are supposed to do the same. Also, take good notice of the dedicated bike lanes when crossing any street; bikers tend to ride fast and have right of way on these lanes. On the beach: Do not bathe alone. Do not get too far away from land. Swim along the coast rather than away from it. In some areas undertow is a danger and kills a number of tourists every year, but will mostly be signed at the beach. On many beaches, flags indicate water quality. A blue flag means excellent water quality, green flag means good water quality, red flag means that bathing is not advised. A sign with the text "Badning forbudt" means that bathing is forbidden. Obey these signs, as it often means that the water is polluted with poisonous algae, bacteria, or chemicals, or that there is a dangerous undertow. Beaches on small islands are often prone to tidal waters, especially in the Wadden Sea. In the city: A few districts in major cities are probably best avoided at night by the unwary and by lone women – but unlike in North America, it is often the suburban projects that are unsafe, not the central areas. Tourists will rarely pass through these outskirt areas by chance, but exchange students occasionally end up in apartments here without being aware of these districts reputation beforehand.