‘Coolcationers’ flock to Denmark, seeking relief from broiling weather

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CN) — A chilly August morning swept over the royal estate of Amalienborg Palace, where visitors can immortalize the king’s palace and the entirety of the Marble Church in a single shot, capturing their experience in the heart of the Danish capital.A thermostat shows 20 Celsius (68 F). It is by no means hot in Copenhagen, but rays from a clear sky compensate for the cool day that could have given goosebumps to the foreign tourists who showed up in short sleeves and shorts on a recent day.At the Copenhagen tourist hotspot, Youssef Trabel stands in a T-shirt, neither shivering nor breaking a sweat. He has just completed a week in the capital with his mother, Parisha, and they both quickly assess what Danes would call comfortable temperatures.“I like it here, because now in Tunisia, it’s like 45 degrees (113 F) and it’s absolutely heat, and here it’s heaven,” said Youssef Trabel. His mother punctuated her son’s sentence: “Yeah!”Both have followed news of the record-breaking heat waves and forest fires that have swept Europe and the Mediterranean this summer, leading to thousands of excess deaths. Climate change is the main culprit, scientists say, and intense heat waves are likely a new norm for the fastest-warming continent.As temperatures in France, Spain, Italy and Germany topped 104 F, even Denmark hit a record record 98.6 F in June.Trabel and his mother considered the climate when they planned their European trip, which started in Germany, moved to Copenhagen and continued in Norway, before returning to Denmark.“The weather is absolutely amazing. But a bit confusing too, because starting from the morning you will see all four seasons in one day,” he said.Right outside the Marble Church stands Luca, gazing at the holy building, while waiting for his wife, Lisa, to finish a smoke. The Italian couple from Bologna are not sure about sharing their surnames but are open to talking about their love of Denmark.“We wanted to visit and see northern Europe and experience the fresh climate,” said Luca, who also saw a direct flight from Bologna as an opportunity to go to Copenhagen instead of other Scandinavian cities like Stockholm or Oslo.“The weather in Italy is very hot,” said Lisa, who noted that temperature factored into the couple’s choice of destination. “We search for this type of climate,” her husband said, with a small laugh.File - Summer and tourists at Amalienborg Palace Square in Copenhagen on Friday, June 19, 2026, when temperatures hovered around 80 F. (Liselotte Sabroe / Ritzau Scanpix via AFP)Southern Europeans are increasingly looking to destinations with milder climates, recent academic studies indicate.In a 2023 study published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, researchers projected a “clear north-south pattern” that causes higher tourism demand in central and northern areas, with lower interest in southern zones.Both Danish and international media have baptized this trend “coolcation.” Some agencies in Denmark have promoted the concept to hook holiday-hungry foreigners.Courthouse News asked Carina Ren, lecturer at Aalborg University and tourism researcher with a specialty in destination development in a Nordic context, whether there is something to the term.“Coolcation is a subject widely debated at the moment, on whether it’s a concept related to climate change. So, it’s difficult to give a definitive answer, but if I paint with a broad brush and peek into the future, then we clearly see an upheaval of tourism and travel patterns that have spanned since post-war times,” she said.Ren said while many Scandinavians continue to vacation down south, more are staying home, and an increasing number of southerners are prioritizing trips to northern Europe rather than staying in their own region.“Projections on seasonal vacations, tourism and climate suggest that the number of tourists visiting northern regions will increase. With that in mind, you could argue for the coolcation trend, but it does indicate new travel patterns in times of climate change, to put it broadly,” said Ren.Destinations around the Arctic Circle have seen tremendous tourism growth, offering not just lower temperatures but rare wildlife, nature and quiet for those who need an extra break.“The cold and coolness will turn into something attractive. It’s a global phenomenon that the cold slowly becomes a rare commodity for consumers,” said Ren.Visitor numbers from Statistics Denmark show the country is popular like never before.In 2025, with a landmass smaller than Massachusetts and a population of just 6 million, Denmark counted about 66 million tourist overnight stays in a record year.This year could even top that. The Danish Chamber of Commerce said July already had 5.3% more nights booked than in 2025.“Denmark’s popularity stems from a combination of several factors. In general, Denmark has been very good at developing its product over the past decades. Additionally, we have a fabulous west coast. And then we have some big cities such as Copenhagen and Århus that attract a lot,” said Ren.For Trabel and his mother, there is no doubt what they think of their stay.“The sightseeing is amazing. Copenhagen is so beautiful, and we love the way the public transport is affordable and on time. The people here are so friendly,” Trabel said.Courthouse News correspondent Lasse Sørensen is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads