Fredericia

Late spring to early autumn is the best time to visit. July and August are the warmest months, with long days for walking the ramparts. Spring and autumn are cool and often windy. Winters are dark, damp and cold.

The biggest annual event is the 6 July Days, held on 5 and 6 July. They mark the Danish victory at the Battle of Fredericia in 1849. On the evening of 5 July a torchlight procession honours the fallen, and people lay flowers at the soldiers' grave and the soldier statue. On 6 July cannon salutes and parades fill the streets, and a camp with soldiers in 1849 uniforms is set up on the ramparts.

Fredericia Vold is the town's main sight. The earth walls, moats and bastions form one of the largest and best-preserved fortifications in Northern Europe. Footpaths run along the top, past old cannons and town gates. Prinsens Port, from 1753, is the oldest of the gates.

Det Hvide Vandtårn is a water tower from 1909 on the ramparts. A spiral staircase leads to a roof terrace with one of the best views over the town and the Little Belt. Inside there is a small exhibition about the town's old buildings.

Den Tapre Landsoldat is a statue of a foot soldier by H. W. Bissen, set up in 1858. It honours the Danish victory at the Battle of Fredericia on 6 July 1849. Six mortars stand around it, and two of them are said to have been captured in the battle.

Trinitatis Kirke is one of the oldest churches in town, built in 1689. It has no tower. The early churches inside the ramparts were built without towers, so attackers had no landmark to aim at. Its churchyard holds the graves of soldiers killed in the 1849 battle.

Sankt Knuds Kirke is the Catholic church, built in 1767 for the community that the religious freedom brought to the town. By law it had to look plain from the street, but the interior is in rococo style.

North of the ramparts, Christians Kirke is a modern brick church from 1931, later extended. It has an altarpiece and glass mosaics by the artist Bjørn Nørgaard.

Madsby Legepark is a large free activity park west of the centre. It has big playgrounds, a small petting zoo, mini golf and rowing boats on a lake, so it is a good stop with children.

The Old Little Belt Bridge, opened in 1935, carries trains and cars across the strait to Funen. It is 1,178 m long, and you can walk or cycle across it for free. For a higher view, guided Bridgewalking tours take you along the top of the steel arches, about 60 m above the water. Tours start on the Middelfart side and take about two hours.

• By train: Fredericia is a main rail junction, where the lines to Copenhagen, Aarhus and southern Jutland meet. InterCity trains reach Copenhagen in just over 2 hours, and the faster InterCityLyn takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. The fastest trains reach Odense in under 30 minutes, and there are direct trains to Aarhus, Vejle and Kolding. Plan and buy tickets on DSB.
• By air: Billund Airport is the nearest airport with scheduled flights. Take bus 43 to Vejle, then the train to Fredericia. On board you can pay only in cash (kroner or euros) or with a mobile ticket in the Rejsebillet app. The ticket machine at the terminal exit takes cards.
• By car: Fredericia lies where the E45 motorway through Jutland meets the E20 to Funen and Copenhagen. The motorway crosses the Little Belt on the newer bridge near Middelfart.

Quick practical facts for Denmark at a glance: