Copenhagen’s sleek Nordic architecture, sweeping seascapes and royal palaces initially topped my list of sights in Denmark’s capital. But after learning about Copenhagen’s literary tradition, my focus shifted to places connected to fairy tales, women writers and Shakespeare.

 

As an avid reader and book club member, I love destinations tied to authors I admire. I was pleasantly surprised to discover several distinguished literary attractions in Copenhagen and its nearby towns. Copenhagen also brims with bookstores and libraries.

 

The city’s most iconic literary landmark is the century-old bronze statue of The Little Mermaid, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale. Perched on a rock in the harbor, she attracts millions of visitors by bus and boat.

 

While Anderson may be Denmark’s most renowned storyteller, he’s not the only one with an enduring legacy. On a daytrip north of Copenhagen, I explored two literary-related sites: the Rungsted estate of Karen Blixen, whose memoir “Out of Africa” became an Oscar-winning film in 1985, and Kronborg Castle in Helsingor, Shakespeare’s Elsinore from “Hamlet.”

 

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