Around the city, artificial lighting in streets and squares is designed with real care.

The new lighting for Slotsplads in front of Christiansborg is a good example where light levels are subdued and subtle … bright enough to feel secure and warm rather than having sharp white electric light so about as far as you can get from crass spotlights and appropriate for what is one of the most important public buildings in the city.

Light fittings here tend to be low rather than on high posts although traffic junctions are still lit by larger lights set higher, often suspended from wires, because they have to cover a wider area simply for safety.

But on many foot paths and cycle routes the lighting at night is from lamps set in relatively short posts - so below waist height - that throw a pool of light across the paving and where there are steps these are now often illuminated by lights under the hand rails or by small lights set onto the surface.

The annual Copenhagen Festival of Light will be from 1st February through to the 24th.
It’s a good time to visit the city if it feels as if there is still a very long wait for Spring because the festival gives people a reason for going out on a dark night.