Scandi crush
After long, dark winters, Scandinavian cities come alive. Festivals, alfresco dining and activities make a perfect May getaway, says Imogen Lepere
We introduce you to the Scandinavian cities that burst to life come spring
ODENSEDenmark
Funen, the island on which Odense is set, is known as Denmark’s garden thanks to its apple orchards and fertile asparagus beds. As with most gardens, spring is when life is renewed after the bleakest months of the year and in Denmark, Odense leads the charge. The motto of the country’s third city is at leger er at leve (to play is to live) and there is something exuberant about the sculptures of giant water lilies that children leap on and the way that pockets of greenery pop up in the most unexpected places. This petite metropolis with a medieval core has 120 parks, all of which come into their own this month. There’s the Klosterhaven (convent garden), a patch nestled against the wall of St Canute’s cathedral, which nurtures carpets of crocuses and more than 125 varieties of rare herbs. The Fairy Tale Garden, built to remember the town’s most famous son, Hans Christian Andersen, is another winner thanks to starbursts of daffodils.
WHAT TO DO
Asparagus Lunch on 13 May is when Funen’s finest producers club together with restaurants such as No.61 to create a feast centred around these delectable spears. spisodense.dk
Odense Harbour Culture Festival on 26-28 May brings free concerts, street stalls and games to the water and streets around the harbour. The line-up will include the likes of Danish blues band The Blue Van and other folk acts. odense.dk
Stige Island was once a landfill site, the town’s proverbial ugly duckling, but has recently blossomed into a nature reserve. The fishing season begins at the end of March. odense.dk
WHERE TO MEET AND EAT
Bazar Fyn is a vibrant world food market on Thriges Square, with 65 shops. Sip an Arabic coffee from Café La Goullette and try Brazilian street food at Pastel Brasil. bazarfyn.dk
Restaurant Under the Linden Tree is found in an 18th-century building next to the home of Hans Christian Andersen. Enjoy seasonal plates under the eponymous tree. underlindetraet.dk S’Vineriet Vinapotek is a stylish wine shop with a sunny outdoor terrace. In spring, Michel, the owner, stocks 15 rosés. Meet the locals at his wine and bingo night on 1 May. vinapotek.dk