Copenhagen, known for the little mermaid statue, is one of my favourite travel destinations: with its beautiful and personal architecture, cultural events, parties, adorable cafés and the best cheesecake places, it’s the best cure for all stress and wanderlust. Although there are only about 763,908 inhabitants, the city is full of life and every quarter of it has its own special characteristics. Lucky as I am, I have had the chance to visit it multiple times and now I have decided to share with you my best tips to discover the most outstanding Copenhagen.
To begin with, in the heart of the Danish capital you can find another city. Christiania is a small community found in 1971 by a group of hippies. This self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents covers 34 hectares and is a home for hippies and artists. The government tolerated the cannabis trade in the area until 2004, but there have been conflicts and police raids since then. That being said, it is always good to keep your eyes open. Still, feel free to admire the beautiful murals, art and concerts organised at Loppen and The Grey Hall. Also, at the Gay House you can explore the rich LGBT culture of Christiania and its art exhibitions, theatre and music performance and parties. Also, when Christiania makes you hungry, head to the Paper Island Papirøen, which is like a constantly on going street food festival. Here, you can find something for everyone.
Correspondingly, in my opinion, another very important component in understanding Danish culture is the famous Carlsberg Brewery museum. In the old Brewery you will learn everything about the beer making process, Carlsberg’s history, and can smell all of the ingredients. Not to mention meeting the beautiful brewery horses, that can also give you a tour around the factory!
Additionally, I would absolutely recommend taking a tour close to the City Center, Nørrebro, Østerbro and the Meatpacking district. If your feet hurt, don’t forget the possibility of renting a bike. Danes love biking and in Copenhagen it is very easy to rent one, since the bike shops can be found in every corner. And remember that the city is quite flat, so the biking is a relaxing and fun experience. Also, the bikes have their own lanes everywhere and even their own traffic lights!
If you are thirsty for some shopping, you should head for one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe, Strøget. It is always full of life and surrounded by stores of not only international brands like Gucci or Prada, but also smaller designer shops. Also, you might take a look at the smaller streets around, since they have a lot of smaller shops where you can find some personal souvenirs for your friends. The street is also surrounded by a remarkable amount of cafés that represent the perfect Danish notion of cosyness, also known as “hygge”. Here you can find for example one of the city’s most adorable tea shops: A.C. Perch’s Thehandel, which is right next to the main shopping street!
My own first must see from this area would be the Round Tower, which is nearby the Nørreport metro station. In the past, the tower used to be the observatory where the astronomer Tycho Brahe made his discoveries about space. Today, visiting the tower is an interesting experience, since as well as getting to see the whole city with one glimpse, it is at the same time a museum that hosts changing exhibitions. Moreover, the newest feature of the tower is a small room with a floating glass floor, where you will really come to realise and feel the height of the tower. The tower is situated next to the Student house and if you are lucky, there will be a fleamarket where you can find your next favourite shirt!
After making this discovery it is a great opportunity to visit the famous Paludan Book café around the corner, which has a unique concept of combining a café with a bookshop. The special atmosphere is created by the bookshelves that surround the rooms. The whole experience feels like timetraveling from the moment you step in. Here, you are free to enjoy a variety of special coffees and breakfast plates, not to mention the books. I would definitely recommend this venue for a brunch, although it might be a bit crowded if you wake up late.
If breakfast time has already passed for you, make sure to visit Bertels Salon for a piece of delicious cheese cake, the best I have ever came across. Here you can choose from various different possibilities, do you feel like having lemon meringue or Oreo today? There is one salon at Kompagnistræde if you continue walking towards the Christiansborg castle (the other one is situated in Frederiksberg).
Furthermore, biking to Nyhavn is absolutely worth it. This picturesque port area is one of the most famous sceneries of Copenhagen with its colourful Scandinavian buildings and sailing ships. You might have spotted the view from the movie The Danish Girl, which I absolutely recommend as well! What could be more interesting than sitting down with a delicious ice cream and observe calmly the ships and the people walking by?
Another mystical part of the city is the Meatpacking District, an industrial area that used to be full of slaughterhouses. Nowadays it is the perfect place to find a trendy restaurant or a fancy bar for drinks. Eating in an old slaughter hall is an eye opening experience and portrays the constant transformation of the vibrant city. One of my favourites is the Asian restaurant Magasasa Dim Sum & Cocktails, great for some savoury dumplings. The decoration of the restaurant has been kept simple and you feel like eating in a giant bathroom. Anyhow, many other restaurants worth trying are situated in the area as well!
Although I have shortly introduced almost all of my favourite attractions in the city center, I feel the need to take one last example from just 20 minutes train ride away to the North: the deer park Dyrehaven. Here, faraway from the noisy traffic of the city, I had one of the most unforgettable experiences with many deer (and my significant other). The park is a natural resort filled with the most breath-taking sceneries and lush forests. Not to mention the 2 000 free range deer that inhabit the park and that are certainly very hard to miss. Also the Hermitage, King’s hunting lodge is situated in the heart of the park. That being said, walking through the park was like being in a fairy tale to me: in the gloomy, shady evening we came across a group of deer, and one of them was a special white deer, which seemed to be glowing in the dark. In other words: if you want to impress someone, take them there!
Copenhagen is an incredibly rich and colourful city for such a small area, and one of my favourite travel destinations. There you can always find places to visit, parties to attend and the most incredible dinners to have. Also, the sea is very present in the city, and nothing is more beautiful than the sunset and its reflections on the canal. All in all, I strongly recommend you to visit this vibrant city of adventure, beer and bikes! Don’t forget to check out the very useful Visit Copenhagen site when planning your trip!