World’s happiest city in 2025 revealed with theme park that inspired Disney and new UK flights

THE Danish city of Copenhagen has been voted the happiest in the world – and it’s now even easier to get to from the UK.

The capital of Denmark topped the list of the happiest cities for 2025 revealed by Happy City Index.

Alamy

Copenhagen is the happiest city in the world[/caption]

Alamy

It’s also home to one of the oldest ever theme parks[/caption]

Out of every city in the world, Copenhagen tops the ranks in the ‘gold’ category.

The Happy City Index awarded the Danish capital with 1039 points.

It evaluates the city through well-being combining existing data on factors like employment, education, and health with survey data on residents’ feelings.

Sadly, none in the UK made the list with others including Singapore, Zurich and Paris.

Copenhagen isn’t just a great place for people to live, it’s also fun to visit – one reason being that it’s home to the second-oldest amusement park in the world.

Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen is said to have inspired Walt Disney and his theme parks.

The Danish theme park first opened in 1843, and it claims to be the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world.

Nearly 100 years after it opened, the amusement park welcomed Walt Disney who visited the park.

In 1951, Walt Disney visited the Danish theme park – which was four years before the first Disney park opened in California.

After being open for nearly two centuries, Tivoli Gardens is now home to 30 rides and other attractions.

Alamy

Tivoli Gardens has 30 rides and attractions[/caption]

Alamy

Tivoli Gardens has rollercoasters and a 63m high drop tower[/caption]

One of the theme park’s main attractions is the giant Ferris Wheel and the Golden Tower, which stands at 63m tall.

The Golden Tower is one of the highest rides at the theme park.

Any Brits planning a break to Copenhagen will be happy to hear that tourists get free entry to 24 attractions in the city with its CopenPay scheme.

Visitors will be able to redeem freebies like lunches, cups of coffee, glasses of wine and kayak rentals if you pick up litter, cycling through the city and using public transport.

Holidaymakers will be able to gain free entry to several popular tourist attractions, including the National Museum, The National Gallery of Denmark, the Karen Blixen Museum, the Museum of Copenhagen, and the Cisternerne.

It’s easy for Brits to get there too, especially with new routes out of Newcastle International Airport.

The twice-weekly service from Newcastle International Airport to Copenhagen started operating in May 2025.

Flights operate every Monday and Friday from £41.40.

Sun Travel also travelled to the underrated city in Denmark with £2 pints and £20 flights.

And the European Riviera unknown by Brits where locals spend their summer – with ‘best beach’ in the country & £16 flights.

Alamy

Copenhagen is the world’s happiest city for 2025 and has a huge theme park[/caption]