Denmark topped the world’s happiest country in 2017 and comes into third place this year after Finland and Norway. Wondering what the title really means, I journeyed to the capital and thriving heart of Denmark, in search of a little piece of contentment.

You may wonder how can an emotion be accurately measured among a nation? No, it cannot. Instead of subjective feelings, the annual World Happiness Report published by the United Nation focuses on human well-being, which is evaluated by the country’s economic situation, education system, public health, citizen engagement, safety and etc. Combined all these factors, it’s not difficult to understand how Denmark earned its ranking.

It took me quite some years before considering venturing into the Northern part of Europe, as we all know everything is expensive there. As this trip was a last-minute decision, my choices of accommodation were very limited. For convenience, I picked Urban House Copenhagen by MEININGER as my base, a mere five-minute walk from Copenhagen Central Station. The three-night stay in a 4-bed female dorm already cost me a total of US$187. If your budget is tighter than mine, a mixed dorm with 10 beds might be more cost-effective. Chances are the bathroom or the room itself can be stinky when it’s a full house.

When you’re new to a city, the fastest and the most efficient way to get familiarize with it is to join a walking tour. Stopping by the world’s first pedestrian street, the oldest building in town and the famous, colorful Nyhavn district, our tour guide Mariam shed light on the history of the Vikings and culture of Copenhagen. I can’t recall those historic stories but there’s a word she’s imprinted on my mind ever since – hygge. Locals talk about it, bookstores sell copies on it, and it may be the secret ingredient of happiness that we can take home with. According to Wikipedia, hygge is a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment. To simplify, it’s about to enjoy the moment and simple things in life.

Flanked by townhouses in bright, vibrant colors, Nyhavn is filled with cafes, international restaurants and sailing ships bobbing on the canal’s water. A perfect spot for Instagram photos.

Once upon a time, a young woman named Agnete married to a merman and lived under the sea with him and their seven kids. One day, she heard the church bells ringing from the land and decided to pay a visit to her old life. Promised to return, she never did. When passing through Højbro Bridge, go look for the sculptures of the poor merman and the abandoned kids longing for their mother underwater.

Consisting four identical palaces surrounding an octagonal courtyard, Amalienborg is the home of the Danish royal family. The flying flag atop means the owner of that respective palace is in town. Different from many other royal residences, there weren’t any fences separating the king from the public. I see equality.

West of Amalienborg Palace is Frederik’s Church, also known as the Marble Church for its rococo architecture. It boasts the largest church dome in Scandinavia.

Opposite to Amalienborg and a harbor away is the Copenhagen Opera House, one of the most modern and expensive of its types in the world.

The two-hour free walking tour gives a brief introduction of Copenhagen, but if you want to delve deep into the art and culture scene, the city has more than 30 museums to sate your appetite. Free entry on Tuesday, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is one of the most popular attractions in town. Built around the personal collections of Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of the Carlsberg Breweries, the museum primarily displays sculptures from both ancient and modern times, as well as French impressionists and Danish Golden Age paintings.

Adrenaline junkies shouldn’t miss the exhilarating rides in Tivoli Gardens, while the sedate could relax in a canal boat trip and breath in the beautiful views of the city. Don’t forget to pay a visit to The Little Mermaid, created based on the world-renowned fairy tale of the same title written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.

A Danish adventure is not complete without exploring around on two wheels. Danes love cycling to an extent that there’re more bikes than inhabitants in the capital city. Joining the big party of cyclists in the street may be a bit overwhelming at first for tourists but this is also the fun part of discovering Copengahen. Many hotels and hostels offer bike rental for their guests or you can easily rent one in the streets. On a sunny morning, I embarked on a biking journey towards Free Town Christiania, a community of about 850 to 1000 residents that is independent of the Danish Government. They have their own set of rules, forbidding violence, guns, knives, and hard drugs. Though the Danish authority may not like it, cannabis trade is still considered acceptable in the area.

Hippy and quirky, Christiania offers travellers a one-of-a-kind experience in Copenhagen. The distinctive community center encompasses artistic buildings dressed in colorful murals, music venues, art galleries, and restaurants. Winding through the narrow streets up to the village, we were astonished by houses decorated in spooky, creepy styles that look straight out of a horror movie. Covered with dust and spider webs, one of the houses is adorned with broken clocks and typewriters, with horrifying dolls hanged on a tree nearby.

Comparing to Danes, we – as a Hong Kong citizen – have less freedom given by our government and more worries about money, housing, and health. According to those evaluation criteria, we could never climb to the top of the World Happiness Report. So where to look for happiness? Don’t bother to because true happiness is never out there, it’s inside you if you’re willing to see. We also have a similar saying as hygge:  “活在當下，知足常樂”, meaning living in the moment and be thankful for simple things.