THE Golden State on America's west coast is best known for its sweeping sandy beaches, world-famous national parks, unmissable road trips and sun-drenched wine regions.
Many may not realise that it is also home to a little-known picturesque city dubbed the "Danish capital of America".
Solvang, which means "sunny field" in Danish, pays homage to the architecture, food and culture of Denmark, with something for everyone to explore.
It’s located two hours north of Los Angeles, on California’s sunny central coast, a short drive from former UK royals Harry and Meghan Markle's hometown of Montecito.
Discovering this fairytale destination gives visitors the chance to experience a taste of northern Europe in America, albeit much warmer.
In Solvang, the town’s streets are lined with Danish-style architecture, half-timbered houses topped with thatched roofs, art galleries, restaurants, souvenir shops – and even the odd windmill.
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Solvang was founded by three Danish immigrants in 1911 who were keen to preserve their culture and community when they moved to America.
They first established a Danish "folk school", where traditional music and literature were taught, alongside English language and American history.
Most of Solvang's buildings looked like others in the area, with the distinctive Danish style added in 1947, which attracted media attention, and tourists in droves soon after.
Today, there are still a few Danish families living in Solvang, but it’s more of a tourist attraction than a real-life Danish community that welcomes one million visitors a year.
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6Walking around the quaint streets filled with Danish-themed architecture like the windmills and the half-timbered houses feels like you’re in a Scandinavian film set.
Scattered around are also lots of homages to famous Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen.
In Denmarket Square, there’s a half-size replica of Copenhagen’s iconic sculpture The Little Mermaid, inspired by the Danish author's famous fairy tale.
The Hans Christian Andersen Museum hidden above The Book Loft is home to hundreds of volumes of Andersen’s works, including many illustrated first editions and a model of Andersen’s childhood home.
A great place to take a photo is in front of the statue of the bust of the author in Hans Christian Andersen Park.
Looking at the statue close up, the nose is lighter and shinier than the rest of the statue with people rubbing it for good luck.
But the highlight of a visit to Solvang is sampling the traditional pastries in one of the five Danish bakeries: Danish Mill Bakery, Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, Mortensen’s Danish Bakery, and Æbleskiver Café.
Across the street from the Danish Mill Bakery is a Danish-owned Ingeborg’s Danish Chocolate Shop, with old-fashioned cabinets filled with handmade chocolates.
Solvang is also a favourite destination for wine lovers, as it's nestled in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country.
After the region was made famous by the 2004 film Sideways, the number of wine businesses in downtown Solvang boomed.
A fun way to tour downtown Solvang is to take a ride on a replica of a 19th-century Danish streetcar, the horse-drawn Hønen, which means "the hen" in English.
The best time to visit is in September when it celebrates its Danish folk traditions at its annual Danish Days event, usually held during the third weekend of the month.
If you want to make a holiday of it, there are plenty of places to stay in Solvang, from hotels and guesthouses, like the Solvang Gardens Lodge which looks like an old Danish farmhouse and is within easy walking distance to shops, restaurants and wine-tasting rooms.
To get to Solvag, it's around 2hr40 drive from Los Angeles.
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