It’s December. And that means every European capital has erupted into a Christmas market and mulled wine frenzy (because over-priced waffles and vintage cheeses are just what the baby Jesus would have wanted – obviously). Giant Christmas trees dominate town squares whilst overheated shops and cafes contrast with the frosty, cold air outside.

And the Danish capital, Copenhagen, is no different.

Although the city is always wonderful, after spending a couple of days there around Christmastime in December 2016, I am convinced that this is far and beyond the best time of year to visit. From Christmas beer to Victorian theme parks to more fairy lights than you can shake a stick at, here are five little reasons why you should also visit Copenhagen at Christmas.

1. Tivoli Gardens

If Santa was to commission a theme park, I imagine it would look something like Tivoli Gardens at Christmas time. Fairy lights are draped over every tree branch and twisted around every railing and bollard you can see. Fake snow is sprinkled over every lawn and any chance to put up a Christmas tree, big or small, has been seized. All this while Santa hat clad model polar bears and a giant wooden reindeer make their winter home in the park. A temporary Christmas market made of little wooden cabins selling various gifts and with a waft of mulled wine and gingerbread floating through it feels just like stepping into Santa’s village.

Opened in 1843 Tivoli Gardens is the second oldest amusement park in the world. The park is an eclectic mix of rides, gardens and concert halls with a variety of events taking place over the course of the year. To this day it still reeks of Victorian charm and exuberance.

At Christmas time it is transformed into a magical winter wonderland. Simply strolling around the park and taking in the visual delights is more than worth the 120 DKK (around 15 GBP/16 EUR/18 USD) entrance fee – we spent nearly three hours walking around with our jaws permanently agape. If you’re after a bit more of an adrenaline rush you can pay 395 DKK (around 50 GBP/53 EUR/60 USD) for an unlimited ride ticket or can also just pay as you go for rides. During the festive period there are also music shows, light shows and of course a chance to visit Father Christmas. Ballets such as the Nutcracker and other stage shows are on and buying a ticket for one of these shows also gets you entrance to the park.

Tivoli truly is Christmas distilled and in itself should be more than enough inspiration to spend Christmas in Copenhagen. But just in case you aren’t convinced, next is my favourite Danish Christmas tradition.

2. Julebyrg

I discovered Julebyrg (pronounced yu-le-borg) during my first visit to Denmark in November 2015. Approaching the bar in a dark basement Copenhagen pub, my eye was immediately drawn to a beer tap with a badge depicting a cartoon scene of a Tuborg truck driving through the snow. Instinctively I asked the bar tender, a young guy in a band t-shirt and a beanie, what this beer was. He explained to me the Danish phenomenon of julebyrg – or Christmas beer as it translates into English.

Whilst Christmas beer might sound like some naff, festive, money-making novelty, Julebyrg is a big deal in Denmark. Taking place on the first Friday of each November, J-Dag marks the day that Tuborg’s Julebryg goes on sale across the country for the duration of the festive period. Street parties, fake snow and blue santa hats mark the celebrations. Many companies make their own incarnations of julebryg, or juleøl as it is also known. Travel blog, Bitten by the Travel Bug sampled a few from some Copenhagen microbreweries. Christmas beers tend to be stronger in alcohol content and are laced with typical Christmas flavours such as spices and dried fruits.

Although all delicious in their own right, Tuborg’s expression reigns supreme and is a treasured part of Danish Christmas. Despite only being sold for several weeks of the year it is the fourth best selling beer in the country. From the first sip I was hooked on this full bodied, fruity beer. And much like the Danes themselves I treasure the design of its iconic packaging and even took some home for my own family to sample that Christmas.

And who doesn’t want to visit a country where beer is one of its most important Christmas traditions?

3. Gløgg

Mulled wine, glühwein – whatever you want to call it, it’s not Christmas in Germanic Europe until someone has heated up some wine and added spices to it. But Scandis have won the mulled wine game. Called gløgg (pronounced gloog) in Denmark, I found the mulled wine here to lack the tartness that I think is often off putting in other varieties. Although it contains the usual festive spice suspects such as cinnamon, ginger and cloves, I also found the flavours to be a little subtler and less overwhelming.

However, the jewel in the crown of gløgg is the raisins and chopped almonds which are added to the bottom of the glass. As you’re sipping on the warm, steamy liquid, they patiently sit, soaking up the alcohol and festive flavours. And so by the time you are finished drinking, a little snack of booze infused raisins and almonds that have turned to burgundy are ready for you to snaffle up with the provided spoon. A perfect post wine snack.

Gløgg is ubiquitous throughout Copenhagen at Christmas time. You will easily find it at all the Christmas markets and in many bars too. We picked up a glass in a tiny sandwich shop which most definitely did not serve alcohol at any other time of year. On average a glass will cost around 45-55 DKK (6 GBP/7 EUR/8 USD).

4. Hygge

Christmas aside, Danes do winter. The Danish word hygge has taken over the internet in the past couple of years. Whilst it is a difficult concept to translate (and I am by no means here to debate that meaning), one understanding of it outside of Scandinavia is an idea of cosiness and warmth. And that is something that the Danes know how to do.

One of my best friends who is Danish was appalled at the ubiquity of single pane windows and poorly insulated Victorian townhouses in the UK. His second year university flat was so poorly heated that he nicknamed it the Arctic tundra. And having been to Denmark a few times, I can see why this was so shocking.

The UK and Denmark have very similar climates after all, yet the two countries deal with it so differently. Every home, hostel, cafe, bar and restaurant in Denmark is well insulated and heated, with the Danes having no time for a chilly draft. Couple that with a steamy glass of gløgg and you are setting yourself up for a very Merry Christmas indeed. And the cosiness doesn’t stop there.

Back in September I had a flying visit to Copenhagen. In spite of it being a wet, grey, miserable evening the people of Copenhagen stood fast and still sat on terraces outside bars and cafes. Of course the blankets, space heaters and parasols provided made that a much more tolerable experience but the point is that Danes, whether inside or out, know how to stay warm. At Tivoli we drunk mulled wine whilst warming our hands over a pit of burning coals and not once in a Copenhagen winter have I seen a girl on a night out dressed like it’s still summer.

5. It’s Easy

Last but not least, Christmas in Copenhagen is easy. Even for the most intrepid of travellers, I am pretty certain that Christmas is a period when you want a little rest (gotta save that craziness for a wild New Year after all). For some that might mean escaping to a desert island with white sandy beaches and an all inclusive bar. For others it might be hiding away in a cabin in the wilderness with family and friends. For me though, Christmas should be Christmas – freezing cold, dark and fuelled by hearty meals and lots of booze. Christmas in Copenhagen is all that, plus it’s relaxing and stress-free.

For starters, if you’re a native English speaker then you will struggle to find someone who doesn’t speak better English than you. Copehageners seem pretty adept at picking up on you being a non-native English speaker before you’ve even opened your mouth. The city is compact and easily navigable on foot. Large swathes of the city centre are pedestrianised (although watch out for the cyclists). Public transport is abundant. And it’s all familiar enough to not take too much adjusting to, but different enough to still be an interesting and intriguing trip.

And yes, it might be a little pricier than other destinations, but it’s Christmas – time to treat you yourself!

Which European capitals have you visited at Christmastime? Which was your favourite?! Comment below.

Many thanks to my mum who provided all the photographs for this article – moral of the story, back your photographs up kids!