Iceland
November 6, 2025
Ah, Denmark and Sweden. Two proud nations separated by a narrow strip of water—and united by a shared history of bickering, backstabbing and brotherly love. If there were an award for “most passive-aggressive friendship in Europe,” these two would be running uncontested, probably arguing about who won last time.
Between the 15th and 19th centuries, Denmark and Sweden went to war at least a dozen times. Yes, more than France and England. And yet, in 2025, Swedes commute daily to Copenhagen for work, Danes hop over to Malmö for cheap candy and both agree that Norwegians are the real weirdos.
⚔️ Enemies by History, Neighbors by Geography
The Copenhagen–Skåne region (you know, the area awkwardly linked by the Øresund Bridge) is today a model of cross-border cooperation. But once upon a time, Skåne was Danish and Danes are still a bit salty about it.
Back in 1658, Sweden pulled off one of the boldest moves in Scandinavian real estate history and took Skåne. Denmark, licking its wounds, has since turned to revenge-by-design: Copenhagen got better architecture, better beer and the world’s most smugly perfect bike lanes.
But then came the Øresund Bridge in 2000—a symbolic and literal link that said, “Okay fine, we can play nice now.” It now carries commuters, tourists, and thousands of IKEA bags across every day.
And now? They’re planning to go even deeper—literally. There are official proposals to extend the Copenhagen Metro across the Øresund and into Malmö. Imagine hopping on the M5 line in Amager and stepping off 22 minutes later in central Malmö without even seeing daylight. It’s like war never happened—unless the metro has delays, in which case, all historical grievances are back on the table.
👫 The Øresund Region: A Love Story
Despite the centuries of war, modern Danes and Swedes have found common ground:
- Danes go to Malmö to buy cheaper tobacco and fill up the car.
- Swedes go to Copenhagen for jobs, nightlife, and a better sense of humor.
- Everyone enjoys arguing about who has the best pastries (Sweden wins on kanelbullar, Denmark owns wienerbrød).
In the Øresund region, cultural exchange is so normal now that it’s hard to remember the two countries once tried to sink each other’s ships on a monthly basis. These days, they sink beers together instead.
Friendly Jabs and Mutual Mockery
Of course, like any close friendship, there’s plenty of teasing. Swedes call Danes “lazy and drunk.” Danes call Swedes “uptight and boring.” It’s all in good fun—until someone brings up Abba vs. Kim Larsen and things get serious.
Even language is part of the game. Danish sounds like Swedish being chewed. Swedish sounds like Danish on helium. Yet somehow, they manage to understand each other—eventually.
🏁 From Cannons to Commuting
So here we are: Two nations that once battled over every Baltic island and royal ego, now sharing festivals, startups, and yes—love across the Øresund. Even if Denmark and Sweden have the most wars between them in European history, it’s safe to say that they’ve also created one of Europe’s most unique friendships.
If history teaches us anything, it’s this: True friendship isn’t about never fighting. It’s about knowing that after 500 years of war, you can still meet halfway on a bridge and agree on one thing:
Norwegians talk funny.
