A Quick Guide to Copenhagen

The Danish capital has long been synonymous with fashion, sustainability, innovation and design. It is home to the world’s best restaurant and a plethora of cafes, serving some of the best coffee in Europe. Oh and it’s beautiful too! Yes, it’s easy to understand why its inhabitants are some of the happiest on earth. Whether you are visiting for a weekend or longer, Denmark’s capital is the perfect getaway. Here is my ultimate guide to Copenhagen, which hopefully tells you everything you need to know to make the most of your stay (or if perhaps, you’ve just come here for inspiration, prepare to be inspired!)

Getting There

Getting to Copenhagen is easy from the UK. There are plenty of flights departing from the London terminals as well as other airports around the country. Copenhagen International Airport is the city’s major airport. Upon arrival, it’s a very easy journey on to the city by train or S-tog (a commuter style train).

If you’re already in Europe, you can easily get to the city from Germany and further afield. From Hamburg you can reach Copenhagen in 5 hours on the intercity Deutsche Bahn service (including a ferry trip across From Puttgarden to Roedby).

Checking In: Glostrup Park Hotel

My most recent trip to Copenhagen was with Surprise Trips ; you may have read about that already. Because of this, my accommodation was prearranged. We stayed at the Glostrup Park Hotel. Despite being outside of the city, was an easy enough commute of around 15 minutes, direct into the city centre.

The hotel was relatively basic, more of a base than anything else, but provided a peaceful place to rest our heads after busy days out sightseeing! The hotel package also included breakfast and we had access to complimentary WiFi.

Previously I have stayed at the Grand Hotel, just minutes from the main station, and a maximum of 5-minutes walk to reach the Tivoli Gardens – one of the city’s must visit attractions. The Grand Hotel had slightly more character, with more traditional decor, and was comparatively good value for money.

Main Neighbourhoods

As with all cities, Copenhagen is split into a number of neighbourhoods, 13 to be precise. Each of which has its own unique atmosphere – let me tell you more about the main ones.

Vesterbro

Copenhagen’s former red light district has been transformed into a hipster haven. Whether you want to shop, eat or drink, or have a great night out, Vesterbro is the place to go! Also known as Copenhagen V, the area boasts a charming French-themed food street called Værnedamsvej. Here you can find plenty of artisan good outlets, wine bars and places to eat.

Norrebro

Many Copenhageners claim that it is actually Norrebro that should claim the hipster crown. The old working class area is now a multicultural hotspot and a place that many of the city’s youngster flock to. You’ll find trendy bars and clothes shops aside cheap eateries, cafes and small design shops.

Frederiksberg

The posh and über fashionable neighbourhood of Frederiksberg offers great shopping opportunities and plenty of green places to relax. This includes the Frederiksberg Gardens, the romantic Garden of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Søndermarken. The inhabitants tend to be more mature in age than Vesterbro and Norrebro, which is reflected in the areas prices but it is well worth a wander nevertheless!

Maritime Christianshavn & Holmen

Officially part of Copenhagen’s city centre, Christianshavn is just across the Knippels Bro bridge. It is a maze of historic, narrow cobbled streets, housing Michelin-starred restaurants and cosy cafes. There is also a great choice of entertainment and lifestyle options, alongside a unique maritime atmosphere. It comes as no surprise that Christianshavn is a much desired living area for Copenhageners.

You could also sit back and enjoy a cold beer by the canal, or dine at Noma ;Rene Redzepi’s world-famous restaurant. Alternatively, you could enjoy an extraordinaire experience at The Royal Danish Opera. Don’t leave without a visit Freetown Christiania, also situated in Christianshavn (see below).

City Centre

Central Copenhagen is the city’s historic heart. It is easy to get lost strolling along the maze of narrow streets lined with a palette of colourful (and often crooked) buildings. You can also tick off the city’s main tourist attractions, most of which can be found here.

What to see

Copenhagen is incredibly picturesque, with narrow cobbled streets, colourful buildings and plenty of bikes.. everywhere! Even after wandering for a few hours to take it all in you will still find plenty to do, including:

Nyhavn

No trip to Copenhagen is complete without visiting one of the most iconic waterfronts in the world – Nyhavn. The 17^th century waterfront is a lively strip offering bars, cafes and restaurants. You can also see its vast array of bright townhouses and docked wooden ships,

Tivoli Gardens

A Disney-esque amusement park and pleasure garden is just steps from the city’s main station. In my opinion, a must visit. The park opened on 15^th August 1843 and is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world after nearby Klampenborg.

The Little Mermaid

For many, the bronze statue of the little mermaid is a little underwhelming but it is still nice to see. The sculpture, which sits upon a rock at the Langelinie promenade, has been a major attraction since 1913. This was inspired thanks to Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale and of course the Disney film.

Rosenborg Castle

Initially built as a country summerhouse, Rosenborg was used as a royal residence only twice, and both these times were during emergencies. The first time was after Christiansborg Palace burned down in 1794. The second time was during the British attack on Copenhagen in 1801. Nowadays the castle is home to the Royal Collections including the Danish Crown Jewels. The surrounding Kongens Have (Gardens) also offer the visitor a nice place to relax and enjoy the fresh air.

Rundetaarn

The 17th century tower was originally built as an astronomical observatory and it is most noted for its equestrian staircase, a spiralling corridor leading to the top. The surprisingly spacious interior is also the host to a rather unique festivity every Spring… That being a unicycle race up the Spiral Walk. Now that is something I would like to see! I would also highly recommend making the trip up the tower. You will be met with beautiful views and a great vantage point over the city.

Christiansborg Palace

Home to the Danish Parliament, Christiansborg is a wonderful example of neo-baroque architecture. Several parts of the palace are also used by the monarchy, including the Royal Reception Rooms, the Palace Chapel and the Royal Stables.

Church of Our Saviour

This beautiful baroque church is most famous for its twisting spire which features an external winding staircase. If you’re feeling brave and are not scared of heights, you can climb this staircase to the top. In my opinion, you will get unrivalled views over central Copenhagen. It is also noted for its carillon, which is the largest in northern Europe and plays melodies every hour from 8 am to midnight.

Amalienborg

Amalienborg is the home of the Danish royal family and is rather oddly divided into four identical buildings with classical palace façades around an octagonal courtyard. In the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg’s founder, King Frederick V.

Christiana

If you’re looking for something different, I have just the thing for you! Freetown Christiania is a green and car-free neighbourhood, best known for its autonomous inhabitants’ different way of life. It was established in 1971 by a group of hippies who occupied some abandoned military barracks on the site and developed their own set of society rules, completely independent of the Danish government. With no taxes and their own laws, Christiania soon became a hot spot for marijuana sellers, and this is still evident today. Walking around the Freetown, you very quickly sense the alternative way of living – with unusual architecture, art covering almost every wall and there is a also a definite Rastafarian influence. Don’t be put off though – the area is safe for tourists and incredibly interesting! But no photographs allowed past the entrance!

Stroget

The main artery of the city centre is the pedestrian street Strøget – the longest pedestrian street in Europe (1.8 km) – lined with a myriad of shops; from high street stores to classy boutiques. You can really find everything here. At the end of Stroget you will arrive at Kongens Nytorv (“The King’s New Square”).

Carlsberg Brewery

Beer connoisseurs who like to savour the flavour, will be pleased to hear (although probably already know) that Copenhagen is home to Carlsberg. Even better news is that you can visit the brewery. The Visit Carlsberg experience takes you through the whole process and you will learn how to brew beer, inspired by the world’s biggest bottle collection and there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy a beer whilst you’re at it!

What to eat

Danish cuisine, much like many countries of Europe, originates from local food stuffs produced by farmers and whatever could be grown at home. With Copenhagen’s location at the edge of Denmark and just a short stretch across the sound from Sweden, there is, of course, plenty of Scandinavian influences. Your typical foods include open sandwiches, known as smørrebrød, meat balls or frikadeller, and plenty of fish dishes.

Naturally Denmark is also the home of Danish pastries, and you will not find yourself short of places to find the best of the crop. Sankt Peders Bakery, located in the Latin Quarter, is the city’s oldest bakery and boasts a delicious sticky cinnamon rolls.

Where to eat

Scandinavia is notoriously expensive when it comes to just about everything and unfortunately Copenhagen is no exception. Whilst it’s great to try the local cuisine, I found that the majority of places offering Danish meals, were very expensive. If you want to keep to a stricter budget, I’ve put together a few suggestions for where to find slightly cheaper, yet equally delicious food. Plus that means the cash you’ve saved can be put towards more cinnamon rolls – win, win, win! A top tip from my guide to Copenhagen.

Torvehallerne

I am a market lover, so when I spotted Copenhagen’s indoor food market on the map I just had to pay it a visit! The market is made up of over sixty stalls, selling everything from fresh fish and meat to gourmet chocolate and exotic spices, and there is plenty of opportunity to stop and grab a quick bite to eat. We enjoyed a quick pizza at Gorm’s which came in at roughly 90DKK.

Paperisland

Doesn’t really sound like something you are going to find food, but trust me! This artificial island, just across the water from Nyhavn, was first used by the army as a storage location for their weaponry but after 1958 it became a place to keep huge rolls of paper imported from neighbouring Sweden, intended for the Danish newspaper production (hence the name). Nowadays however Paper Island is the location of Copenhagen’s first and only genuine street food market offering over 35 food stalls, food trucks and containers.

Pompeii Italian

Sure, you don’t travel all the way to Copenhagen to eat Italian food, but if you’re looking for a good meal and don’t want to part with too much cash, Pompeii on Kultorvet, offers tasty food for a very decent price. Plus if it’s nice you can also sit outside on the square and do some people watching whilst you wait for your food to arrive!

Getting Around

The most cost effective way of travelling around Copenhagen is to invest in the Tourist ticket. You can choose a time period of 24 or 72 hours and for 80 and 200DKK respectively, which grants access to buses, underground trains as well as commuter S-tog trains to the city’s outer zones. For more information on the different types of tickets check out the city’s tourist information website here.

Tivoli Gardens — Nimb, Tivoli Amusement Park

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A Quick Guide to Copenhagen