Dozens of castles, palaces, mansions, and manor houses, including the castle at Elsinore (Helsingør)—site of Shakespeare's Hamlet— are open to the public. Tivoli Gardens, the world-famous amusement park, built in 1843 in the center of Copenhagen, is open from May through mid-September. Copenhagen is an important jazz center and holds a jazz festival in July. The Royal Danish Ballet, of international reputation, performs in Copenhagen's Royal Theater, which also presents opera and drama. Greenland, the world's largest island, is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and attracts tourists to its mountains, dog sledges, and midnight sun.
No passport is required for Scandinavian nationals. Citizens of Canada, the US, and South and Central American countries, as well as those of most Commonwealth nations, most West European countries, and certain other nations may enter Denmark without a visa. All others must have a valid passport with entry and exit or transit visa. Most travelers cannot remain in Denmark longer than three months without extension or possession of a residence permit.
In 2000 Denmark received about 2,088,000 visitors. That year there were 39,459 hotel rooms with 102,110 beds and a 37% occupancy rate. Receipts totaled $4 billion.
In 2002 the US government estimated the cost of staying in Denmark at about $195 to $210 per day.
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