Odense, happily ever after

A host of fairy tales like The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Nightingale, The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling, and Thumbelina, allows the city to be suitably termed as, Odense, happily ever after. This third largest Danish city, just one and a half hours away by train from Copenhagen, is from where all these tales emerged from. These fascinating stories were penned by none other than Hans Christian Andersen who was born, brought up and lived here.
The city is right there at the heart of Denmark; in garden island Funen to be precise. Odense's other claim to fame are its bicycles, as it is the official bicycle city of Denmark. Packed with manor houses and castles, cosy houses and sculptures that are inspired by Anderson's characters, Odense has a fairy tale feel. Certainly a must-visit if you are in Denmark. Here are the 7 showstoppers of this fascinating place.