- Copenhagen
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Denmark
You might remember the TV advert that claimed ‘the Danes hate to see it leave’ but they certainly don’t mind offering visitors the chance to drink it in their city. The tour offers some of the cheapest pints in the city as, after a brief look round, you can drink for an hour for free. The catch – it’s open until 4pm, so getting your money’s worth may feel a little indecent!
Gamle Carlsberg Vej 11, DK 2500
Cycling around Copenhagen is free… and a great way to explore the city! Simply put a 20 kroner coin in one of the many bike racks scattered around and enjoy. When you return the bike, you get your deposit back.
The oldest cake shop in Copenhagen, this is where to head for an amazing sweet treat. The cakes taste as good as they look and the old-fashioned décor and atmosphere of this little patisserie make it worth splashing out (although at about £5 a cake it’s not exactly extortionate).
I can recommend the ‘H.C. Anderson’, named after the famous author, which is a delicious mix of raspberry, lemon, nut and white chocolate.
Skoubogade 3-5, Copenhagen
On a recent trip I stayed at this hostel in Copenhagen and it was a great base for exploring the city, as well as one of the most affordable places to stay in this pricey city.
It’s in the perfect location right near Vesterbro, the hip quarter jammed with vintage clothes stores, trendy nightclubs and late-night bars – with an unbeatable view of the city from all the rooms as it's housed in one of Copenhagen’s few tall buildings.
There’s a bar and restaurant on the premises, and a kitchen which is helpful for budget travelers.
www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/denmark/copenhagen/8017/
H.C. Andersens Boulevard 50, København V, Copenhagen
Cross the Knippelsbro bridge to the Christiania district for a slice of Copenhagen’s alternative side. Founded in the 70s when a group of hippies took control of an abandoned military barracks and abstained from Danish rule, it’s a ‘free city’ within a city. Have a coffee along the waterfront and enjoy the paintings, sculpture and live music that seems to spring up everywhere.
Cross Knippelsbro, one of the two bridges connecting Sealand and Amager.
First cocktail bar in Frederiksberg. Just been open for a year but is already established as a pearl on the Copenhagen bar scene. Great food as well - the kitchen serves classic French and Italian food.
Don't panic, it's organic! This place offers 100% organic soups, smoothies and cocktails. The place is the first in Denmark to sell to-go drinks, and I was really pleased to be able to buy a couple of drinks, and bring them with me, so I could enjoy them in the sunshine of Nørrebro.
Umami is a unique experience, based on the philosophy of Japanese cuisine of natural, seasonal ingredients, accentuated by the substance and tradition of French cuisine. With an international flavour, Umami offers the very best in modern Japanese cuisine and interior design.
The bar is well stocked with the finest booze known to mankind and excellent cocktails.
St. Kongensgade 59
1264 København K
Tlf. +45 33 38 75 00
mail@restaurantumami.dk
Ruby is Copenhagen's newest cocktail bar offering sublime cocktails in a beautiful old luxurious apartment. Really hard to find but well worth the effort.
You won't find a better place to enjoy a perfectly made Manhattan. Top service from professional, passionate bartenders. Homely atmosphere, like visiting friends.
Ruby
Nybrogade 10, st.
1203 Kbh K.
T: +45 3393 1203
www.rby.dk
Take a shopping trip strolling in Strøget and stop for a drink or a quick lunch at Nyhavn and afterwards go to see the baroque style Marble Church (Frederikskirke) just oposite the Amalienborg Palace.
Another place ideal for the whole family is the Zoo of Copenhagen in Frederiksberg and the Tycho Brahe Planetarium. Another must is a visit to the Statens Museum for Kunst.
A wonderful building with a fabulous courtyard which has a history of the chair as a permanent exhibition (not as dull as it sounds) with a lot of Arne Jacobsen alongside Kaare Klint.
Oh, and it has the best museum cafe I have ever eaten in.
Bredgade 68
1260 København K
Phone 33 18 56 56
kunstindustrimuseet.dk
I discovered an amazing site with the works of Lars Gundersen, a photographer from Copenhagen. Most interesting are his Photo Portraits of famous Danish, Norwegian and German artists.
Guided city walks with focus on shopping, culture and architecture.
They promise no more monuments and museums. Instead you'll se the trendy shops, secret backyards, cool cafés and hot spots of Copenhagen.
A beautiful Australian restaurant, very central. Delicious dishes and a wonderful dessert called 'death by chocolate'.
Jernbaegade 4, 1608 Copenhagen
www.reefnbeef.dk/
If you liked Rosenborg Palace in Copenhagen you'll like Frederiksborg even more because it's in the same Danish Renaissance style (toy soldier castle) but even bigger. Like most royal things in Denmark it was originally built for Christian IV (about the time of our Charles I) but suffered a disastrous fire in the 19th century. It was then restored to its original appearance by the brewing family of Jacobsen (of Carlsberg fame) and since then has been the Danish Museum of National History.
Its interiors are magnificent and show a range of works of art, including the national portrait collection. Beautiful gardens outside.
Hillerod, a short train and bus ride from Copenhagen. S-tog lines A or E. Buses nos 701 or 702 from Hillerod station. www.frederiksborgmuseet.dk
Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770 - 1844) was a neoclassical sculptor and gained a huge reputation during his lifetime. He is justly celebrated in Denmark and this museum is well worth a visit, especially if you like Wedgwood blue Jasper ware - his work is of that kind. Thorvaldsen, like some other Scandinavian sculptors, such as Gustav Vigeland at Frogner Park in Oslo, was never knowingly understated, and there are some huge and ungainly pieces here. But the best of his work is elegant, cool and fresh. At his own wish, Thorvaldsen himself is buried in the museum's rose garden but you may not want to know that.
Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2, Copenhagen. Closed Mondays.
www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk Buses 1A, 2A, 15, 26, 29. S train or Metro to Norreport.
This is a small public gallery showing paintings and some sculpture in a former private house (often the best way to show art collections) and concentrates largely on Danish work of the 18th and 19th centuries.
If you like landscape, interiors and small genre painting, this is a good place to visit. The house is around the back of the main national gallery and across a small park.
Stockholmsgade 20. Metro stop Norreport. Buses 6A, 14, 40 and many others (check bus stop signs). www.hirschsprung.de
Roskilde was once the capital of Denmark, and the beautiful cathedral there (a World Heritage site) contains 38 royal tombs, including that of Harald Bluetooth.
The fjord is a short walk down the hill and has an extensive museum and boatbuilding yard where traditional Viking longships are made and sailed before your very eyes.
When I visited the place it was swarming with tiny children all done up in lifejackets enthusiastically climbing aboard these craft and setting sail, under expert supervision. The Vikings are evidently still keen.
Roskilde town, a short train ride from Copenhagen central station. Then walk to the cathedral and fjord.
One of the most famous cafes in Copenhagen. Quick lunches, sandwiches, drinks and various pastries.
Ostergade 61
Amagertorv
Once you brave the dodgy alleyway this restaurant is a great find. It has a nice local atmosphere and is very good value (especially for Copenhagen). It was about £16 for the fish fondue which was plentiful and of a very high quality. There was a great salad bar to go with it too.
Baron von Dy
Frederiksborggade 5
1360 København K
Phone: 33 93 11 92
www.fondue.dk/
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