Denmark is widely regarded as one of the happiest countries on Earth, so it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that its capital is home to first-ever museum dedicated to smiling, laughing and generally having fun.
Of course, it’s so much more than a few dad jokes and a display of whoopee cushions through the ages. This is part of the Happiness Research Institute, an independent think tank that focuses on wellbeing, happiness and the quality of life. You may be acquainted with its founder, Meik Wiking, whose books, including The Little Book of Hygge, have been published in more than 50 countries.
The reasons behind it all are rather simple. We all want to be happy, right? But do we really know what we need to get to this elevated state? There are eight rooms in the museum that each explore happiness from a different perspective. It’s all interactive and you can get involved in various experiments. Plus, people from all over the world have donated personal items that remind them of their lives’ happy moments and they’re all on display.
A former coaching inn that offered respite for weary travellers in the early 1600s, the Bushmills Inn has undergone a few transformations in the 400 years since.
Its current incarnation as a luxurious hotel means it continues to accommodate guests in true Ulster fashion, just a short drive from some of Northern Ireland’s most iconic sites – including the world’s oldest distillery.
Each room is named after a whiskey and has been designed to reflect its story and flavours. There’s also an in-house cinema in the old stillroom and even a secret library. After a day of sightseeing, plonk in a booth at the seventeenth-century restaurant, then retreat to the Gas Bar – which still glows with traditional Victorian gaslight – for a dram and Irish tunes.
One of Europe’s most raucous festivals is tucked between rolling Serbian hills, a three-hour drive from Belgrade. For one week each August the quiet village of Guca becomes a mass of maniacal dancing, heavy drinking and enough brass to plate an empire as bands battle to win the coveted Golden Trumpet Award.
The town swells from 2,000 inhabitants to a whopping half-million as Serbs, Eastern Europeans and a smattering of international travellers converge to hear horn at its best. Said to warm the soul of the population, the trumpet heralds every important occasion, and festival goers celebrate their affection for the instrument with gusto.
Official competitors perform on stage from Friday through to Sunday, while gypsy orchestras and travelling bands jam in surrounding streets and restaurants, tooting Balkan tunes in exchange for cash licked and pasted to their sweaty foreheads.
Days begin with sticky shots of rakia (plum brandy) followed by gallons of local beer. Competitors’ tunes are rehearsed to perfection, but a din of vevuzelas sounds over the trumpets mingling with the chants of patriotism in the hot summer air.
Vegetarians beware – hundreds of pigs crisp on spits until they’re ready to be devoured with a mound of cabbage and litres of beer. Temporary stalls share slices of Serbian life, with weavers, tailors and cobblers hawking their wares as brewers pour homemade liquor with a generous hand. First held in 1961 with just a scraping of musicians, the festival survived decades of political turmoil and the trumpeters of Dragacevo continue to bust out brass like you’ve never heard before.
On the Canary Islands coastline, you can trial the remote and romantic life of a lighthouse keeper for yourself. At more than 150 years old, Faro Punta Cumplida is Spain’s oldest lighthouse and, while still guiding ships away from rocky shores, it can also be your private abode on La Palma.
There are three luxurious suites (two of them house two guests; the other is large enough for four), all a little different, but each enjoying the sorts of views you’d expect when perched on a rocky headland. There’s a kitchen onsite, should you want to prepare your own meals, although a basket of local breakfast goodies is supplied to get you off to a good start.
What to do during your stay? Swim laps in the tranquil infinity pool, a stark contrast to the pounding Atlantic Ocean below. Top the view in your room by conquering the 158 steps up to the 34-metre-high terrace rewarding yourself at the top with a tipple from the Sky High Mini Bar. Otherwise, flip through the Lighthouse Secrets guidebook for some other island suggestions.
From every corner of this property you’ll feel the power of the ocean and be lulled by the sound of the seas battering the surrounding cliffs.
Be overwhelmed in the best possible way when you venture into quaint and cosy Ølhallen. The oldest pub in this surprisingly lively Arctic city, Ølhallen offers 67 rotating Norwegian beers on tap – said to be the widest draught selection in all of Europe. What’s more, around 15 of these are prepared right next door in the Mack microbrewery, which, until not long ago, held the mantle of the northernmost beermaker in the world.
Brewed to a rock soundtrack (it’s said to get the yeast ‘moving’), some of the beverages feature rock star names, from the American light lager Lemmy (in honour of the Motorhead frontman) to the Sweet Porter of Mine (dedicated to the Guns N’ Roses classic). Play it safe by ordering the five-beer flight, or be bold and head straight to the bar for a mug of Dead Cat IPA.
With its whitewashed walls set behind a grove of ancient olive trees, this rustic guesthouse is the ideal antidote to twenty-first century hustle. Drawing inspiration from traditional masserie (farmhouses), it features a well and an organic farm, but the lifestyle here is anything but hard yakka. Six suites are furnished with king-size beds placed on stone floors, and vaulted ceilings and thick walls keep the space naturally cool.
It’s hard to resist the Adriatic glimmering on the horizon and the ivory old town of Ostuni cascading down a hill just three kilometres away. But when the sun beating down on Puglia’s countryside gets a bit much, there’s shade from orange trees in the garden and the cool embrace of the pool.
In the age of social media maintaining anonymity can prove tough. Go incognito at Anonymous, a cocktail bar down an alley in Prague’s Old Town. The brothers who opened the bar based it on a trilogy of familiar symbols of anarchy: Guy Fawkes, V for Vendetta and the hacktivist group, Anonymous. These inspirations are encapsulated in every aspect of the decor.
Once you’ve tracked down the boozy take on V’s hideout, order a cocktail from a mixologist sporting a Guy Fawkes mask and set to work figuring out how to unlock the secret drinks list. Consuming several brews is enough to wipe your memory, though that Instagram pic you posted will provide some proof the evening took place.
Bulgaria is a destination that’s been somewhat overlooked thanks to the reputation of boozy Brits abroad, but Sea Sense seeks to repair some of the damage done. Sitting pretty at the southern end of the country along the fringes of the Black Sea, this boutique hotel features just 12 rooms and oozes all the exclusivity that comes with an island retreat.
Each suite boasts a balcony and sea views, and is adorned with rustic furnishings made from natural materials. By day plunge into the infinity pool overlooking the azure waters and golden sands, and by dusk wander the cobbled streets lined with wooden houses throughout this ancient seaside town, once ruled by the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.
In the depths of Helsinki, you can meet Jackie, a real Finish beauty. She has a moody aesthetic with steely forest-green walls, marble tabletops and 60s-inspired timber furniture, accompanied by a single tan leather sofa that runs the length of one wall. Her gold-trimmed bar will lead you to her finest poisons, but what you’ll love most about Jackie is her ability to transport you back to the eras of 60s Italian lounge and 70s French cosmic disco.
That’s the true inspiration of Jackie’s sublime design and soul. Jackie offers a variety of wines, accompanied by a selection of pizzas created by Antto Melasniemi, a food visionary who blends his interests of design, music and art and weaves them into culinary masterpieces. And if you were wondering why Jackie…it’s named after 60s pop icon Scott Morgan’s 1967 song.
Plump for a two-headed beast of a night with a visit to the Jane in Copenhagen’s oldest neighbourhood, Indre By. As dusk falls, curl up with friends on Chesterfield sofas in a fireplace-filled corner lined with leather-bound tomes and lit by candlelight. The bar’s wood panelling, leather upholstery, moody tones and vintage-style artwork lend a Mad Men feel – and that is exactly the intention. But when the clock strikes midnight and the expertly crafted negronis are coursing through your veins, compelling you to move, there’s another world to infiltrate.
Creep behind the sliding bookshelf to shimmy up beside the DJ on the dance floor, where it’s modern warehouse rave vibes all the way. Whether you want to chink glasses over quiet D&Ms or boogie while a giant mural of a horned Patrick Swayze stares you down, there’s a space for everyone at the Jane.
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