2023 will be a year of celebrating Danish design and architecture heritage in the northern European nation as Copenhagen takes the reigns as the UNESCO World Capital of Architecture. But this year in Denmark will also offer other unique attributes and activities, from the seaside to the Opera House, and underground to tabletop. Here are 10 reasons to visit:

1. UNESCO World Capital of Architecture

In 2023, Copenhagen will be UNESCO World Capital of Architecture. Under the theme ‘Copenhagen in Common,’ it will be a year with events ranging from community picnics to open houses in buildings normally closed to the public, to a series of new pavilions by the harbourfront, including one designed by the renowned Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). The Danish Architecture Centre (DAC) will serve as a hub for everything going on throughout the year, and the new exhibition ‘Made in Denmark’ will take visitors on a journey through the history of Danish architecture all the way from the Viking Age until today.

2. Underground Cold War Museum opens

The underground Danish Cold War Museum REGAN Vest will finally open to the public in the first part of 2023. It was supposed to open by the end of 2022, but as the underground tunnels in the bunker serve as a home for hibernating bats, the opening was postposed till after the bats’ hibernation period. Built in the 1960s to serve as a shelter for the Queen and government in the case of a nuclear war, this will be the first time it is open to the public. The impressive 5,500-sq.m bunker will be the focal point of the museum where visitors can experience the original interior, from the ministers’ and doctor’s office to the dormitory. Above the surface, is the visitor and exhibition building, built as four black boxes, designed by AART Architects to include a virtual activity, that lets visitors experience how the bunker and the surrounding landscape would look after a new clear bomb. The villa, where the supervisor and his family lived, is also being restored to its 1980s glory, giving visitors a look into the everyday life of that time.

3. noma celebrates 20th anniversary

In November, noma will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of its opening in 2003. It is widely considered one of the world’s most influential restaurants, and its legacy is especially visible across the Copenhagen food scene. After taking the top spot at World’s 50 Best in 2021, the venue was retired to the Best of the Best list in 2022 and announced a new upcoming pop-up in the spring.

4. Observatory Science Park opening close to Aarhus

Just outside Denmark’s second city, Aarhus, the 110-year-old Ole Rømer Observatory will go through a grand renovation of both interior and exterior before reopening to the public in the summer. The buildings will be brought back to their original style, and the nature area surrounding the museum, Kongelunden, will be transformed into a Science Park, where guests can learn about astronomy both during the day and at night.

5. UNESCO Village Christiansfeld turns 250

Christiansfeld, Denmark’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site (2015), celebrates its 250-year anniversary in 2023. The Moravian settlement was first founded in 1773 and is an example of the Protestant urban ideal centred around a church square. The architectural style is unadorned with yellow brick and red tile roofs and is a great example of a carefully-planned Lutheran free congregation settlement. The original buildings still stand, including the Brødremenighedens Hotel, which was one of the first four buildings dating back to April 1, 1773. To this day, Christiansfeld is known around the country for its heart-shaped honey cakes that have been baked for centuries.

6. New Opera Park in Copenhagen

Another new addition to the Copenhagen waterfront will open in 2023: the Opera Park. This new park, aptly named for its location next to the grand Royal Danish Opera House, is inspired by the 19th century romantic parks complete with a café and winter garden. The park is designed with sustainability at the forefront, including systems to reuse rainwater and durable, recyclable materials. Located on top of an underground two-story parking structure, the park is an example of how necessary infrastructure is incorporated and a way that adds value and livability to the city.

7. Two new waterfront hotels to open

Denmark has a strong tradition of seaside hotels, in Danish called ‘badehoteller,’ which are luxurious refuges by the water with a focus on a slow-paced living and good food. Ny Hattenæs by the scenic lake Brassø in the Aarhus Region is a historic property that is opening as a fully renovated hotel with a rich history dating back to 1896 and lots of quirky interior details.

Another one, is expected to open later in the year in Gilleleje on the Danish Riviera, North Zealand. This area serves as The Hamptons for Copenhagen, and the new Gilleleje Sø- og Havbad (literally meaning sea and ocean bath) has transformed the 1939 townhall into a boutique spa hotel with 40 rooms. The hotel will have an outdoor pool, restaurant and rooftop terrace, and the renovation happens with respect for the original architecture.

8. New ferry to Bornholm

First expected to arrive in 2022, the new Express 5 ferry will take on the route between Rønne on the Danish island of Bornholm and Ystad in Southern Sweden in March. This is a popular way to get to the rocky island because train connections to Ystad makes it easy from Copenhagen. The Express 5 is world’s largest high-speed ferry, with a capacity of 1610 passengers and 451 cars. The ferry is run with the most efficient four-stroke engine. It is a dual-fuel engine, making it ready for alternative fuel.

9. Ocean Race arrives in Aarhus

Aarhus will be the first Danish city to host the huge sailing event Ocean Race, when they take over the city and its waters May 29-June 8. Ocean Race is the world’s longest offshore sail race, and it takes place over six months in eight stages across the globe. The Aarhus harbour will be dressed for the maritime celebration, and a designated Sustainability Island will serve as a hub for innovative exhibitions and showcases for sustainable solutions.

10. Explore the works of Jørn Utzon

If anyone needed another reason to explore Danish architecture in 2023, why not visit the works of internationally renowned architect Jørn Utzon? He is especially known for creating the Sydney Opera House, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023. In his home country, he has created an array of unique, modernist buildings including the Bagsværd Church, the Paustian furniture shop in Copenhagen, the Music House in Esbjerg and the Utzon Center in Aalborg, the last three created in collaboration with his son, Jan Utzon.