Copenhagen (Danish: København) is the capital city of Denmark and forms the moderate conurbation that one million Danes call home. It is big enough to form a small Danish metropolis, with shopping, culture and nightlife par excellence, yet small enough still to feel intimate and be safe. Although mixed in its urban scene, the city is easy to navigate. Overlooking the Øresund Strait, connected to Sweden by a 15-km bridge-tunnel. Copenhagen serves as a cultural and geographic link between the Nordic countries and central Europe. Copenhagen is where old fairy tales blend with flashy modern architecture and world-class design; where warm jazz mixes with crisp electronica from Copenhagen's basements. You could feel you have seen all of Copenhagen in one day, but further exploration will keep you discovering more for months.
If you had dropped by Copenhagen in the 11th century CE/AD, you would have found yourself looking over a small fishing hamlet, with some lazy cattle gazing back at you while chewing fresh green grass from the meadows around the village. Looking east you would see a host of small islets protecting the small fishing harbour from harsh weather — not the worst place to found a city. If you would rather trust the written word than the archaeologists, the earliest accounts date from the 12th century, when a bearded clerk (or a renowned historian if you will) called Saxo Grammaticus scribbled down a few lines about the place; Portus Mercatorum, he called it, which was really just a fancy Latin version of Købmannahavn. This has since been mangled into København in modern Danish, and even further mangled into Copenhagen in English, but all it really means is "merchant harbour."
Around 1160 CE, King Valdemar handed over control of the city to the bishop of Roskilde. Absalon, archbishop of Lund 1177-91, one of the most colourful characters of the Middle Ages — a curious mix of great churchman, statesman, and warrior. As the country's only city not under the king's control, Absalon saw it thrive and erected a castle on what is today Slotsholmen (the remains are still visible in the catacombs under the present day parliament). As a man of religion Absalon also built a great church, and with those necessities taken care of, Copenhagen quickly gained importance as a natural stop between the two most important Danish cities, the old royal capital Roskilde and Lund in present-day Sweden. Endowed with an enviable location on the banks of the important Øresund Strait, it slowly but steadily surpassed the old urban centers. Copenhagen's rise was greatly aided by entrepreneurial trading with friends and foes alike and by prosperous fishing which provided much of Roman Catholic Europe with salted herring for Lent. But with prosperity comes envy and in the years to follow Copenhagen was laid waste and pillaged time and time again, mainly by the members of the German Hanseatic League, which at one point completely destroyed the city.
Like the phoenix, however, Copenhagen repeatedly rose from its ashes. When the Danes kicked out the Pope during the 16th century Protestant Reformation, Roskilde lost its importance as a Roman bishopric and, having taken control of the city 20 years earlier, the Danish king moved his residence to Copenhagen. Not terribly keen on seeing their new capital laid waste once more, successive Danish monarchs built massive fortifications around the city. None more so than King Christian IV, who embarked on a building rampage which not only included the ramparts still visible throughout much of the city, but also many present day landmarks like the Round Tower and the Stock Exchange. Since then Copenhagen was besieged by the Swedes, and then bombarded, set ablaze, and nearly destroyed by the British Vice Admiral Lord Nelson, who in one of two battles for Copenhagen, responded to the order to withdraw by saying "You know, Foley, I have only one eye. I have a right to be blind sometimes," and then raised the telescope to his blind eye and touted "I really do not see the signal." This was the first ever civilian bombardment performed as part of war.
Again, the city shook off its struggles and the population mushroomed during industrialization. When a cholera epidemic did a fine job of killing nearly everyone there wasn't room for, the King finally conceded that long range cannons would render its constraining walls irrelevant, and thus allowed the city to grow outside the now antiquated ramparts. But it was not long before a new modern fortification was built (known as Vestvolden today), which made Copenhagen Europe's most fortified city of the late 19th century.
After being subjected to yet another, German invasion during World War II, the whole idea of a fortified city was thrown out the window and replaced with one of the finest examples of urban planning anywhere — the Finger Plan. Copenhagen is one of few cities in the world to devise a long term plan for growth and then actually stick to it; try placing your hand over a map of Copenhagen with the palm as the city centre, and it's quite obvious why it's called the finger plan. Despite being the laughing stock of the country through the 1970s and 1980s, when wealthy residents all moved out into the fingers leaving behind an impoverished bankrupt inner city, a visit these days will prove that the Phoenix has risen once more.
- Pelle the Conqueror (Martin Andersen Nexø, 1906–10). An epic novel in three parts and an integral part of the Danish school curriculum portraying the life of two poor Swedish immigrants — a father and son. The two last volumes take place in Copenhagen and describe the rise and the conflicts of the labour movement and global socialism which are so crucial to understanding Danish society today. All in all, it's a very good historical account of life in the city during that period, and above all, a good book.
- Smilla's Sense of Snow (Peter Høeg, 1992). Dive into Denmark's curious post-colonial history in this international best seller. Partly set in Copenhagen, partly in Greenland, you are whirled through a murder mystery by Ms. Smilla, a half-Danish Inuit brought up in poor Greenland, but now living in the kingdom's affluent and orderly capital. It is a good account of the conflicts and contrasts between two very different parts of the Kingdom, and it offers some spot-on social critique of Danish society in a very engaging way.
- The Copenhagen Quartet (Thomas E. Kennedy). Four novels totaling well over a thousand pages. Each book is set against the backdrop of one of the four seasons of the Danish capital: Kerrigan in Copenhagen (spring) (2013), Falling Sideways (autumn) (2011), In the Company of Angels (summer) (2010), and Beneath the Neon Egg (winter) (scheduled for publication, 2014). The novelist, an American expat, somewhat autobiographically portrays an American writer trying to come to terms with his past with the help of Copenhagen's many bars, with the Danish capital as the co-star. All of the places described in the books are real places that you can go discover.
Copenhagen is also the setting of several Nordic Noir films and series, such as the Pusher series, The Bridge, and The Killing.
Copenhagen, like the rest of Denmark, has four distinct seasons. The best time to visit is definitely the warm period from early May to late August. Current weather forecasts can be checked at the Danish Meteorological Institute website.
Spring, while a bit risky, as no one knows quite when it sets in, can be the best time to visit the city. On the first warm day, usually in early May, Copenhageners come out of hibernation and flock to the city streets, parks, and outdoor cafes in a veritable explosion of life, relieved that the country's dreary and dark winters are finally over. Many locals consider this the high-point of the year.
Summers in Copenhagen are usually warm with an average temperature of about 20°C, and the days are long — reaching the a peak of 18 hours on 21 June. If the weather becomes too hot, you can jump in one of the free pools in the cool harbour waters near the centre. Copenhagen's harbour is often considered the world's cleanest urban waterfront. Most of Copenhagen's annual events are held during June and July, and when the sun is out there is always life in the streets.
Autumn and winter have a profound effect on the city. The vibrant summer life withers and the streets go quiet, as most Copenhageners go directly home from work. This is where the Danish concept of hygge sets in, roughly translating into cosiness. It is the local way of dealing with the short dark days. Friends and families visit each other for home cooking and conversations by candlelight with quiet music on the stereo. In week 42 the Danes have an autumn holiday, with many events taking place, such as the night of culture. The height of winter is December, where Christmas brings some relief to the short days, with lights and decorations everywhere, in the streets, shops and in peoples' windows. Tivoli opens its doors for the Christmas markets, and most Danes go on a drinking rampage, with the very Danish and traditional Christmas lunches, with work and family.
Weather in Copenhagen can be unstable and highly unpredictable. Make sure you pack clothes in case of sudden rain or spell of cold (or, in the summer, of warmth) even despite long-term forecasts telling you otherwise. An umbrella, rain coat and shoes that will withstand torrential downpour may come in handy. Copenhageners dress very well, but at the same time very practically and with the realization that rain can assault their carefully chosen styling any minute.
Copenhagen's official tourist agency is Wonderful Copenhagen
Entrance to many museums is free once a week, mainly on Wednesdays. You can always count on the principal attractions to be well signed in English (often German also) and for these places to be generally geared towards tourists. A good tip to see whether a smaller museum caters to non-Danish speakers is to check whether the website has an English section. If it does, this usually means the museum has at least some English information throughout its exhibitions. Of course, if you have some interest in a particular subject, such museums can be interesting even if you don't understand the sign-postings. As Danes are usually fairly fluent in English, you can always try to ask staff if they could give you a brief tour.
A visit to the Nationalmuseet in Indre By is a must-do for the many well-arranged exhibits relating to the Danish past and modern culture. In practice, this means everything from Danish prehistory (amazing Bronze Age weapons and burials), through to the Viking Age (runestones, precious hoards, swords and jewellery) and into the modern period (a vast section is devoted to the Story of the Danes from 1660-2000). If you want something more localised, the Museum of Copenhagen in Vesterbro has exhibitions on the city's development since the Middle Ages. Another option is Frilandsmuseet in the northern suburbs — a huge and attractive open air museum with old buildings collected from all over the country. Or for a live version of old Denmark, you can visit the old town of the tiny fishing hamlet of Dragør on the southern tip of Amager with its fantastic old yellow buildings and cobblestone streets. For something more off the beaten path, paddle up the small Mølleå river in the northern suburbs through charming old 18th- and 19th-century mills.
If you are into the arts, Copenhagen has a lot to offer. A natural starting point is a visit to the Danish National Gallery (Statens Museum for Kunst, entry between 95 and 120 kr) where you can feast your eyes on blockbusters from the likes of Rembrandt, Picasso, and Matisse. There are also a number of paintings by Danish artists from the "Golden Age". Across the Royal Gardens lies Scandinavia's biggest collection of Islamic art, the David Collection (Davids Samling) which has free entrance. It also has a smaller collection of Danish paintings including some by Hammershøi and Willumsen. It's a ten-minute walk through the Royal Gardens but you might have to know the address beforehand, since the museum is a bit of a hidden treasure. For a hard-to-beat appreciation of Classical (Greece, Rome) and Near Eastern art (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Iran), visit the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, which also has an extensive section devoted to 19th-century French and Danish art, with works by masters like Picasso, Leger, and Matisse. The Winter Garden inside the Glyptotek is a beautiful (and very warm!) place to rest your legs on a rainy day. These museums are in the centre, or Indre By area.
If you are hungry for more classic art exhibitions, an excursion north of Copenhagen to the beautiful Ordrupgaard offers you a chance to enjoy Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Gauguin. There are several other options for classical paintings but if you are ready for a change, head south to the Arken Museum of Modern Art for a world class exhibition of contemporary art, mostly Scandinavian, as well as hugely popular temporary exhibitions. However, arguably the best and most visited museum in Denmark is the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, in northern Zealand with a panoramic view across the Øresund. The museum frames the sculpture park facing the sea and the interaction between art, nature and the museum architecture is quite unique. Louisiana is an international museum with a considerable collection of modern art, and hugely popular temporary exhibitions.
If you want to enjoy some local colour on an art tour, The Hirschsprung Collection in Østerbro features the top-of-the-pops of Danish artists, with a particular focus on the Skagen painters. For something quintessentially Danish, breeze through the wonderfully quirky sketches of the much-loved local personality Storm P at the aptly named Storm P museum on Frederiksberg.
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If you want your vacation to be educational, or if you want to sneak some knowledge into the kids during the vacation, there are several options to consider. The best choice for kids is perhaps the hugely entertaining, and well renowned hands-on science museum, the Experimentarium north of Copenhagen. Another popular and well-renowned institution, is the Copenhagen Zoo on Frederiksberg, counting among both the best and oldest zoos in Europe. If you are more into stationary animals, the Zoology Museum on Østerbro offers a different perspective on the subject. Elsewhere on Østerbro, a little known attraction is a display of famous physicist Niels Bohr's Study Room, along with a setup of his experiments (but as this is not a museum, you should have more than passing interest in the subject to bother with them). City Centre, the University of Copenhagen runs two adjacent science museums. The Geological Museum where dinosaur fossils, moon rock, and glow in the dark minerals should spark some interest in the subject for even the most school-weary kid. The Botanical Gardens on the opposite side of the street is an excellent place for a stroll in the beautiful park, even if you are not botanically inclined, and the classical palm house is a nice place to relax if it is cold outside. In poor weather, the Tycho Brahe Planetarium on Vesterbro is another option and is part planetarium with an interesting astronomy exhibition and part omnimax theatre where they usually screen science films.
An excellent start to any visit to Copenhagen is to climb the unique 7.5-turn helical corridor leading to the observation platform of Rundetårn (the Round Tower), one of Copenhagen's most iconic buildings. The top of the Round Tower offers excellent views and is smack in the middle of the city. If that is not high enough for you head to Christianshavn for a climb up the circular stairs on the outside of the church spire of the Church of Our Saviour. It is regarded as something of a test of manhood to climb up and touch the globe on the summit, nearly 100 m up in the air. And now that you're in the area, head over to the opposite side of the street to Christiania, a self-governing community that has been squatting on an old naval area since the 1970s. Their inventive, brightly coloured, home built houses are spectacular, as is the relaxed atmosphere — this is truly one of Copenhagen's most unique and best attractions. Due south of Christiania the old, crooked, brightly coloured buildings and soothing canals lined with masted ships make this an excellent place to continue a stroll. Other fine examples of classical architecture include the impressive City Hall and the massive dome of the Frederikskirken colloquially known as the Marble Church. This dome, with a span of 31 meters, is one of the largest in northern Europe. Both are in the Indre By area.
For real architecture buffs, the city's main claim to fame is the modernist architecture and its native masters. Jørn Utzon (of Sydney Opera House fame) and Son is behind a trio of buildings on Østerbro's northern harbour, known as the Paustian complex. There is a fine, but expensive restaurant in one of the buildings. You can enjoy Arne Jacobsen's work by either sleeping at, or taking in the atmosphere (and great views) of the top floor lounge bar at the Royal Hotel which is one of the very few tall buildings in the inner city. Alternatively, head north to Bellavista, a residential complex and theatre near the beach, where there is even a restaurant featuring his famous furniture and his name. Lastly Henning Larsen, famous for his iconic buildings in Riyadh, is behind Copenhagen's new Opera house overlooking the harbour in Christianshavn. From here you can also catch a view of Copenhagen's latest iconic contraption, the Royal library known to locals as the black diamond, after its shiny polished black granite walls.
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The four identical classicist palaces of Amalienborg, make up the main residence of the Danish royal family. The octagonal courtyard in the centre is open to the public and guarded by the ceremonial Royal Guard. The relief takes place every day at noon and is a highlight for any royalist visiting the city. There is also a small royal museum on the premises. Rosenborg Palace is a small but pretty renaissance palace, surrounded by the lovely King's Garden which is one of the most lively parks of the city. The palace both serves as a museum of Royal history and as a home for the crown jewels which are on display in the catacombs beneath the castle. A closed-off wing of Rosenborg serves as barracks for the Royal Guard, and every day a detachment marches through the Copenhagen city center between Rosenborg and Amalienborg for the changing of the guard. Unusual for a well-founded democracy, the palace that houses the parliament, Christiansborg, is also a royal palace. It is usually possible to visit the Royal reception rooms, stables and the old court theatre here. And for entertainment of royal stature, you can try to arrange tickets to watch a play in the beautiful Royal Theatre facing Kings New Square. All of these sights are in the inner city. If you are hungry for more, head north, where the park around Sorgenfri palace is open to the public, or have a picnic on the huge open plains in front of the Eremitage Palace in the Dyrehaven park which formerly served as the king's hunting castle.
Denmark is world-famous for its design tradition and, while the term Danish design has been devalued over the years due to much misuse, it is still a world-recognized style. A natural starting point is a visit to the Danish Design Center in Indre By, with temporary and permanent exhibitions, showrooms, and workshops relating to the world of Danish design, in a building designed by famous architect Henning Larsen. Not too far away, Kunstindustrimuseet is home of a nice collection relating to the study of design and its history in Denmark. Also in the same district, Royal Copenhagen runs a museum display of its famous porcelain from the early beginnings at its flagship store. Meanwhile Cisterne on Frederiksberg is an enticing museum showing modern glass art, in the intriguing catacomb like cisterns under a large park. Meldahls Smedie on Christianshavn is run by the Royal Danish school of architecture, which organizes exhibitions including final projects from students of the school here.
In the inner harbour, water quality has improved so much that it is possible to go for a swim from early June to late August in one of the two harbour baths: Copencabana on Vesterbro or Havnebadet at Island Brygge on Amager. When it is sunny these are packed with people from all walks of life enjoying the sunshine and taking a dip. The municipal administration has put a lot of money and effort into the facilities and this is an excellent opportunity for blending with the locals at their best.
If you fancy a proper beach, the closest are those at Svanemøllen Strand, Charlottenlund Fort in Charlottenlund and Amager Strandpark (The Lagoon), on Amager near the Lergravsparken metro station. If the weather is not going your way, you can opt for DGI Byen which is a leisure centre and excellent swimming pool near the central railway station or the Østerbro swimming pool, modeled after a Roman bath (on Østerbro).
Amazingly, the two oldest functioning amusement parks in the world, with the two oldest roller coasters, are in Copenhagen and they are distinctively different. Bakken or Dyrehavsbakken is the older of the two, set in a beautiful beech forest near Klampenborg north of Copenhagen. This gives it a special atmosphere and it is a lot less touristy than its counterpart — Tivoli — which is in the city center in a beautiful park surrounding a lake.
- Crafts Fair. Held every year in August — Thursday-Saturday — outdoors at Frue Plads in central Copenhagen. The Crafts Fair has more than 130 exhibitors, all members of the Danish Arts and Crafts Association, exhibiting unique and small series of handmade Arts and Crafts in all categories: ceramic, glass, jewelery, textile, mixed media.
- Copenhagen Fashion Week. Held in February and August. Copenhagen is fast emerging as a global fashion centre, with a host of both up-and-coming and already well established names. For two weeks each year more than 1,000 exhibitors and 50,000 guests come together and celebrate their accomplishments with lavish parties, catwalks at city landmarks, and three trade fairs.
- CPH PIX. (28 September – 11 October 2017) Denmark's largest film festival, first held in 2009 as the result of a merger between Copenhagen's two popular long running festivals — the Night Film Festival and the Copenhagen International Film Festival. It will feature more than 150 screenings, with a prize of €10,000 awarded to the most promising new filmmaker.
- International Workers Day. 1 May. A major event in Copenhagen. The main festivities are held in Fælledparken on Østerbro and they attract over 100,000 visitors in what has lately become a 50/50 mix of a gigantic party and a political rally with speeches, happenings, and concerts. Two travelling amusement parks also set up their gear for the day, one by the main entrance at Trianglen and one in the eastern part of the park.
- CPH Distortion. Held in the first week of June. The longest and wildest party you could ever go to. Over 60 parties in five days in each of the city districts, outdoors on the city streets and squares, in the clubs and three seriously huge parties. Over 32,000 people usually partying away between Wednesday and Sunday.
- Zulu Sommerbio. Held in July and August. Danish television station 'TV2 Zulu' plays open air films in various parks and squares of Copenhagen. There are movies in Danish and English and they are free to watch. You can buy beer and popcorn.
- Copenhagen Jazzfestival. Held in early July. Features ten days of jazz everywhere in Copenhagen — parks, cafes, clubs, and theatres. Usually a few headline acts are on the program but there are more than 800 concerts to choose from and the real attraction is often the obscure concerts you bump into randomly in a park or square somewhere in the city.
- Grøn Koncert. Held in late July. A one day music festival in Valby Parken near Åparken station. It is a major event in Copenhagen with over 40,000 attending. There is usually an international headline act, along with several major Danish bands and the atmosphere is quite unique with people having picnics and beers on a huge field of grass in the park. Tickets are sold through Billetnet, both online and at post offices.
- Stella Polaris. Held the first weekend in August. A big, free, chill-out event in one of the city parks. Top international DJs spin chill-out tunes on the decks, while people are relaxing in the sun and drinking beer. And the afterparty in one of the major clubs usually attracts some international headline acts.
- RAW. Held in early August. Scandinavia's largest clubbing event. The organisers rightly pride themselves in carefully selecting high quality acts and more importantly the broad range of genres represented to make this an event with broad appeal to everyone in the Copenhagen nightlife scene.
- Strøm. Held in August. An annual electronic music festival. It is a gathering of the best promoters and vibrant venues Copenhagen has to offer, mixed up with events at squares, concert halls, or unusual locations throughout the city.
- Copenhagen Pride. A lavish LGBT parade. The week leading up to the parade is usually full of community events and parties. Count on the City Hall Square (Rådhuspladen) changing its name to Pride Square during the week and hosting live acts, concerts and debates.
- Night of Culture (Kulturnatten). Held in mid-October, on the last Friday before the school holiday in week 42. You buy a badge for kr 70 and get access to major museums, exhibitions, churches, libraries, schools, organizations, the parliament and other cultural attractions including some places that are not open to the public during the rest of the year. Open from 18:00 to midnight. Attracts about 100,000 people.
- MIX Copenhagen — LGBT Film Festival. Held in Week 43. Ten days of gay and queer cinema at its very best with more than 130 screenings of the world's best feature films, short films, and documentaries with gay or queer relevance, culminating in a champagne party on the final day, when the best film of the year receives its award.
Crafts Fair. Held every year in August — Thursday-Saturday — outdoors at Frue Plads in central Copenhagen. The Crafts Fair has more than 130 exhibitors, all members of the Danish Arts and Crafts Association, exhibiting unique and small series of handmade Arts and Crafts in all categories: ceramic, glass, jewelery, textile, mixed media.
Copenhagen Fashion Week. Held in February and August. Copenhagen is fast emerging as a global fashion centre, with a host of both up-and-coming and already well established names. For two weeks each year more than 1,000 exhibitors and 50,000 guests come together and celebrate their accomplishments with lavish parties, catwalks at city landmarks, and three trade fairs.
CPH PIX. (28 September – 11 October 2017) Denmark's largest film festival, first held in 2009 as the result of a merger between Copenhagen's two popular long running festivals — the Night Film Festival and the Copenhagen International Film Festival. It will feature more than 150 screenings, with a prize of €10,000 awarded to the most promising new filmmaker.
International Workers Day. 1 May. A major event in Copenhagen. The main festivities are held in Fælledparken on [[Copenhagen/Østerbro|Østerbro]] and they attract over 100,000 visitors in what has lately become a 50/50 mix of a gigantic party and a political rally with speeches, happenings, and concerts. Two travelling amusement parks also set up their gear for the day, one by the main entrance at Trianglen and one in the eastern part of the park.
CPH Distortion. Held in the first week of June. The longest and wildest party you could ever go to. Over 60 parties in five days in each of the city districts, outdoors on the city streets and squares, in the clubs and three seriously huge parties. Over 32,000 people usually partying away between Wednesday and Sunday.
Zulu Sommerbio. Held in July and August. Danish television station 'TV2 Zulu' plays open air films in various parks and squares of Copenhagen. There are movies in Danish and English and they are free to watch. You can buy beer and popcorn.
Copenhagen Jazzfestival. Held in early July. Features ten days of jazz everywhere in Copenhagen — parks, cafes, clubs, and theatres. Usually a few headline acts are on the program but there are more than 800 concerts to choose from and the real attraction is often the obscure concerts you bump into randomly in a park or square somewhere in the city.
Grøn Koncert. Held in late July. A one day music festival in Valby Parken near Åparken station. It is a major event in Copenhagen with over 40,000 attending. There is usually an international headline act, along with several major Danish bands and the atmosphere is quite unique with people having picnics and beers on a huge field of grass in the park. Tickets are sold through Billetnet, both online and at post offices.
Stella Polaris. Held the first weekend in August. A big, free, chill-out event in one of the city parks. Top international DJs spin chill-out tunes on the decks, while people are relaxing in the sun and drinking beer. And the afterparty in one of the major clubs usually attracts some international headline acts.
RAW. Held in early August. Scandinavia's largest clubbing event. The organisers rightly pride themselves in carefully selecting high quality acts and more importantly the broad range of genres represented to make this an event with broad appeal to everyone in the Copenhagen nightlife scene.
Strøm. Held in August. An annual electronic music festival. It is a gathering of the best promoters and vibrant venues Copenhagen has to offer, mixed up with events at squares, concert halls, or unusual locations throughout the city.
Copenhagen Pride. A lavish LGBT parade. The week leading up to the parade is usually full of community events and parties. Count on the City Hall Square (Rådhuspladen) changing its name to Pride Square during the week and hosting live acts, concerts and debates.
Night of Culture (Kulturnatten). Held in mid-October, on the last Friday before the school holiday in week 42. You buy a badge for kr 70 and get access to major museums, exhibitions, churches, libraries, schools, organizations, the parliament and other cultural attractions including some places that are not open to the public during the rest of the year. Open from 18:00 to midnight. Attracts about 100,000 people.
MIX Copenhagen — LGBT Film Festival. Held in Week 43. Ten days of gay and queer cinema at its very best with more than 130 screenings of the world's best feature films, short films, and documentaries with gay or queer relevance, culminating in a champagne party on the final day, when the best film of the year receives its award.
Strøget is one of the largest pedestrian malls in the world which links City Hall, Kongens Nytorv, and Nørreport station. Impeccably dressed Copenhageners breeze through high-end fashion and design stores when not zig-zagging through the hordes of tourists during the summer and Christmas seasons. Your fellow visitors can make it all feel rather touristy at times but if nothing else, it is great for people watching. If all this strange outdoor shopping takes you too far from your usual habitat, head for Magasin du Nord (on Kongens Nytorv) or Illums (on Amagertorv) for more familiar surroundings. There is even a real American style mall complete with a gargantuan parking lot out on Amager. Appropriately, it is called Fields.
If you would rather sample smaller and more personal stores, the quarter of narrow streets surrounding Strøget in the old city (colloquially known as Pisserenden and The Latin Quarter), has a fantastic, eclectic mix of shopping. This ranges from quirky century-old businesses to the ultra hip in a wide range of fields. It is also much less crowded than Strøget, though unfortunately no less expensive.
You can also try Vesterbrogade and Istedgade on Vesterbro, due west of the central station, although you'll need to go a few blocks before hotels/sex shops/Thai restaurants turn into more interesting territory. Right at the border of this area, Værnedamsvej and Tullinsgade are also good bets.
In Nørrebro, Ravnsborggade is well known for its huge number of antique stores that are excellent for bargain hunting and the next street to north, while more modest Elmegade has some small independent fashion boutiques.
Nørrebro Flea Market is Denmark's longest and narrowest. It stretches for 333 m on one half of the sidewalk by the wall of the Assistens Cemetery on Nørrebrogade. Here you may find a Royal Porcelain Christmas Plate, a Chesterfield chair or plain or downright rubbish. Open from 4 April until 31 October on Saturdays 06:00 — 15:00.
The oldest flea market in Copenhagen is on Israels Plads, close to the Nørreport S-Train Station. Here private individuals as well as professional dealers sell all kinds of old stuff, antique furniture, His Masters Voice gramophones and objets d'art. Open from 18 April until 10 October on Saturdays 08:00 — 14:00.
If your budget doesn't allow for regular dining at expensive Michelin restaurants, don't despair — there are plenty of other options. The cheapest are the many shawarma and pizza joints that you find on almost every street in the city. You can get a shawarma for as little as kr 15-20 and pizzas start at around DKK 40. You can opt for take away or sit at the one or two tables that are usually available. The cheapest places can be found around Istedgade on Vesterbro and Nørrebrogade on Nørrebro. For affordable and delicious pita kebab, try Ahaaa on Blågårds Plads, or Boys Shawarma & Is for dürüm kebab on Nørrebrogade 216. For the best kebab in the city go to Shawarma Grill House Frederiksberggade 36.
If shawarma gets a little tiring, there are several Mediterranean-style all-you-can eat buffet restaurants dotted around the inner city. Riz Raz is popular, with three locations and a huge vegetarian buffet for kr 69 (lunch) or kr 99 (dinner). The branch on St. Kannikestræde has an infallible ability to seat and feed groups of all sizes. Nearby, Ankara on Krystalgade offers a Turkish-inspired buffet that includes meat as well as salads. Nyhavns Faergekro at Nyhavn has an original herring buffet where you can eat as much herring as you like prepared in ten different ways (grilled and many different marinades).
For breakfast and lunch try one of Copenhagen's bakeries (Bager — look for a pretzel-like contraption out front). They are numerous and the quality is excellent. Many offer ready-made sandwiches (~kr 35) such as Denmark's famous open-faced rye bread sandwiches called smørrebrød. These sandwiches are small enough to take away and eat either with your hands or with a fork and knife and a wide range of ingredients are available including some elaborate combinations for the more adventurous. Most bakeries also offer coffee, bread rolls and cakes (expect to pay kr 8-10 for Danish pastry, here known as wienerbrød) and many bakeries offer at least some form of counter seating.
For something quintessentially Danish, no visit to Copenhagen is complete without trying out a pølsevogn (see image on the right), literally "sausage wagon", where you can get your hands on several different forms of tasty hot dogs with a free selection of various toppings for next-to-nothing by local standards. It is also one of the few places where you are expected to socialize with the other guests. To blend in, remember to order a bottle of Cocio cocoa drink to wash down your hot dog. At night, when the wagons are put into storage, 7-Eleven stores (which are open 24/7) take over the business of satisfying your hot dog craving. They offer other eat-and-walk items like pizza slices or spring rolls.
Also, remember to look out for the term dagens ret on signs and menus — this means "meal of the day" and often translates to a filling plate of hot food for a reasonable price.
And finally, if your budget gets really small, buy some of your food in the supermarket. But watch out, prices can vary a lot depending on which supermarket you are going to. "Netto" (e.g. close to Nørrebro metro station) is the one you should look for. Irma, with a lot of fresh and delicious food, is (even for danes) a little expensive.
Copenhagen has 16 Michelin starred restaurants, which is a huge number for a city of its size. This includes both Italian, French, Thai and of course the new Nordic cuisine. The new Nordic cuisine is headed by world renowned noma, that has two Michelin stars and have been number one in San Pellegrinos "The World's 50 best restaurants in 2013" in 2010, 2011 and 2012. But tables can be extremely difficult to get. But if you still want to try the new Nordic cuisine Relæ and Kadeau are great options, both with one Michelin star. All three of them use traditionally Nordic ingredients and give new takes of classic Nordic dishes. Marv&Ben can be recommended for cheaper non-Michelin starred experience in the Nordic cuisine. Manfred og Vin is another possibility, Relæ's little sister, opposite Relæ offer a relaxed atmosphere but still playful and delicious organic food, wine and beer with strong Nordic roots. It is also fine just to go for a glass.
Geranium and noma are the big international stars in Danish cuisine. Geranium's head chef, Rasmus Koefod, won the Bocuse d'Or (World Championship for chefs) in 2011, and Geranium has two Michelin stars. The restaurant is on 8th floor of the national soccer stadium in Østerbro. But don't get frightened by that; there is a beautiful view over the nearby park and most of Copenhagen. The focus is more classic French than Noma, but there are still strong new Nordic vibes.
The new Nordic movement have been so strong that it is almost impossible to find a Michelin starred restaurant in Copenhagen without at least some strong Nordic directions. One of the only exceptions is Era Ora, a classic Italian one Michelin starred restaurant famous for a fantastic (though expensive) wine menu and delicious Italian treats. If the wallet is not that heavy, Formel B is a good choice. Unlike most other top restaurants there is there no expensive tasting menu or the traditional starter, main and dessert. Here all of the 20 dishes cost the same and you can choose one, two or all twenty.
The only Thai restaurant in the guide is in Copenhagen and is owned by a Dane. The restaurant Kiin Kiin is in the hip and a bit trashy neighborhood Nørrebro. An affiliate was opened in Bangkok a few years ago. Aroii is one of Kiin Kiin's sister restaurants in Copenhagen, it is in the same building and offers very delicious Thai food, for much cheaper prices. Also possible for take away.
Other Michelin starred restaurants include: Kong Hans Kælder, which opened in 1976 and has had only have three head chefs in that time. Since then Kong Hans Kælder has been a front runner for top gourmet in Copenhagen. The focus is changing from the classic French cuisine to a new healthy paleo-inspired cuisine, probably the only Michelin starred restaurant in the world to go in that direction.
Other one Michelin stars: Kokkeriet, Restaurant AOC, I Søllerød Kro, Grønbech&Churchill and Den Røde Cottage Other top picks include: 1. Th. The restaurant is decorated as a normal living room, giving the experience as being to dinner at a friends house. You pay a fixed amount before, and everyone is included. So you don't get a check afterward. A fantastic place. Mielcke & Hurtigkarl (which has been "cheated" out of a Michelin star for many years, at least according to Danish food critics) Marchal at luxury hotel D'Angleterre. A newly opened restaurant by rising star head chef Ronny Emborg. Alberto K, a rising star in the Copenhagen culinary environment. Restaurationen, a former Michelin star. But the owner lowered the tempo and still serves delicious food and gives top service. Bror, Rebel, Pony, Pluto, Clou and Congo are all newly opened but show huge potential.
Brunch is a Copenhagen institution, especially during the summer, and it is not unusual to hear a serious invitation for a morning brunch together with the ritual goodbye hug when a long night out in town draws to a close. In this way, brunch is intrinsically linked to the second local obsession of drinking. Food and fresh air is a great cure for hangovers as Copenhageners have long since discovered.
Most cafés offer brunch, at least on weekends, for upwards of kr 80, often with a theme: American and French are especially widespread. One of the most popular options is O's American at two locations in central Copenhagen.
A large beer costs kr 40-50 or so at most places in central Copenhagen, but some charge only kr 20-30, especially on weekdays or at happy hour. Unless you come from elsewhere in Scandinavia do not frighten yourself by trying to work out what this costs in your home currency. At most places the beer on tap is either Carlsberg or Tuborg. In either case there will be a choice of the normal pilsner and then a slightly redder special or classic. Some might also offer wheat or dark beer.
If you are on a budget you could follow the example of local teenagers and get primed with bottled beer from a supermarket or kiosk (kr 3-7 for a 330 ml bottle). It is legal and very popular to drink beer in public (not on public transport, although it will be accepted if you are not showing drunk behavior), so buy a beer, sit on a park bench or at Nyhavn and enjoy Danish life.
As for where to drink, most tourists head straight for Nyhavn but while indeed pretty, the high prices here make it a bit of a tourist trap. In good weather imitate the locals by buying beer from a kiosk and dangling your legs over the water or head elsewhere to get your drinking on. The many side streets north and south of the Strøget pedestrian street are a good starting point. Other good areas are Vesterbro west of the central station, along Vesterbrogade and Istedgade and in the meatpacking district. On Nørrebro, the cluster of bars and clubs around Sankt Hans Torv and Blågårds Plads, just after the lakes, is another hotspot. For a coastal city Copenhagen has surprisingly few places where you can enjoy a water view with your beer or coffee.
You can check for club listings in the various districts
The club scene is vibrant in Copenhagen, but most clubs are only open Th-Sa. Most locals have a party at home with friends or frequent their favourite bars, before they head out for the clubs, so they rarely get going until after midnight and close around 05:00. Most clubs have a kr 40-80 cover charge and the ones that don't are rubbish more often than not. Also expect an additional kr 10-20 for cloakrooms. Most clubs maintain a minimum age of 20 or 21, although they are not required to do this by law. Expect a draft beer, or basic drinks, to set you back kr 40-50 — a bit more than bars usually charge.
For its size, Copenhagen has a rather large gay scene with a good handful of bars and dance clubs in the center of the city within walking distance of each other. One of the better ones is Club Christopher in Indre By. Vela, the only bar/lounge in town that is targeted at lesbians is on Vesterbro.
Most of the music venues in Copenhagen also double as nightclubs so watch for them under the club sections in the different districts. Tickets for almost every event in Denmark and Copenhagen are sold through Billetnet which has online sales and a counter available in all post offices. But apart from headline events, tickets are usually also sold at the entrance. Expect to pay 100 kr or more.
The major music venues in Copenhagen are Parken stadium on Østerbro for the biggest stars. Copenhagen/Indre By, Copenhagen Jazzhouse obviously hosts Jazz concerts and The Rock is the spiritual home of the local rock and heavy metal scene. Vega on Vesterbro is a major venue with concerts of almost every genre by national and international acts. Nørrebro has two venues: Rust's stage mainly hosts mainstream rhythmic music and Global, as its name would imply, provides a stage for world music. Southwards on Christianshavn, it is no surprise that the Operahouse plays Opera and not to be missed, the different venues of Christiania are a powerhouse of Denmark's alternative and underground culture. Christiania's most famous venue is Loppen which has hosted many (mostly rock) acts that later grew in popularity to play bigger venues like Vega for far larger prices.
Libraries offer free internet access for one hour at a time, though this often requires signing up in advance. The Hovedbibliotek (main library) at Krystalgade 15 has 12 freely accessible workstations and a wide selection of international newspapers.
A cheap (under 20 kr/hour) internet café is in Copenhagen Central Station. Moreover, a lot of bars, cafés, McDonald's, and petrol stations offer WiFi hotspots for people with notebooks, though these are a little more expensive than internet cafés. OpenWiFi maintains a list of hotspots in the city.
S-trains all have free WiFi. But since you must activate your account through an email confirmation, it's a good idea to register beforehand, which can be done on the Gratis Danmark website.
Although Denmark is a member of the European Union, the currency remains the Danish krone (kr or DKK), which is pegged to the euro at a rate of about €1=kr 7.50. In Copenhagen, Nyhavn, Tivoli, and many of the major restaurants and hotels frequented by tourists accept Swedish kronor and euro, although it is not yet common practice elsewhere and they often use bad exchange rates. Banks are ubiquitous, so exchanging currencies will in most cases not present any major difficulties. Exchange offices are also becoming increasingly widespread, especially Scandinavian chains such as Forex and X-change, which often have decent rates and charge no commission unlike those on strøget which offer low rates and a very high commission. Using the exchange machines present at some banks is not recommended, though, as these charge a fee of kr 25 (~€3.35).
Credit cards are widely accepted, although this is usually limited to Visa and/or MasterCard. Many supermarkets and small shops will normally only accept the widespread local Danish debit-card, also known as the Dankort. But acceptance of the two major international credit cards is increasing rapidly. Other credit cards like American Express, Diners, JCB, and Unionpay are accepted in some shops in Copenhagen, especially in Strøget, the main shopping district. When accepted, a transaction fee (mandated by credit card companies, not shops) of 0.75% to 4.00% of the amount will usually be charged on credit cards issued by foreign banks.
Almost all ATMs accept major international cards, including all the ones mentioned previously. Therefore it is worth noting that although some shops may not accept all credit cards, an ATM capable of doing so will in most cases be less than 200 m away, particularly in central Copenhagen.
The Copenhagen Post is the country's sole English language newspaper, it's published weekly on Saturdays, and is available at many bars and cafés, as well as for sale in the Magasin department store, and the kiosks at the Central, Vesterport, Østerport, and Hellerup stations for kr 20.
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As elsewhere in Europe and Denmark dial 112 for emergencies, and 114 for non-emergencies relating to the police.
Copenhagen used to be one of the safest cities in the world and it is still quite safe compared to other cities of the same size. Like any metropolitan area, Copenhagen does however experience its share of criminal activity. While crime against strangers is mostly of the non-violent type, such as pickpocketing and petty theft, one should take precautions, in particular around busy tourist attractions, in train stations and inside the train to the airport. Due to gang-related conflict, extra precaution is advised in the neighbourhood of Nørrebro and in the western suburbs, i.e., those municipalities to the west of Copenhagen proper. However there is no evidence that gang members have targeted tourists.
While racism is nowhere as rampant as certain reports will have you believe, it can occasionally be a problem for people of African or Middle Eastern descent. However, the only place you are likely to encounter this as a tourist is in the city's nightlife. If you are unfortunate enough to experience racism, it is important not to get yourself involved in a heated argument, as people who have not seen the incident will usually be quick to support the offender. This is due to a surge of problems with violence related to gangs within immigrant communities, who feel alienated by a closely knit Danish society. Walk away instead, and if you feel a need to react, report the incident to authorities who are required to investigate such cases. Other ethnic groups on the other hand, are not likely to encounter any problems. Of course, prudence in behavior and politeness will in most cases avert any problems and present you as the offended party, not the offender. In fact, educated Danes in major cities will in many cases interfere and defend ethnic minorities experiencing discrimination.
Emergency Rooms (ER) are called Skadestue in Danish, as with many other health related terms and phrases, the English term may not be understood by some Danes — but conveniently Hospital is the same in Danish. Hospitals with 24 hour Emergency Wards near the city centre include:
- Amager Hospital, Italiensvej 1, Amager, +45 32 34 35 00.
- Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 7C, Nordvest, +45 35 31 23 73.
- Frederiksberg Hospital, Nordre Fasanvej 57, 3A, Frederiksberg, +45 38 16 35 22.
The public healthcare system also maintains doctors on call outside normal office hours, calls are screened by medical personnel, and doctors dispatched only when deemed necessary.
- Lægevagten, +45 70 13 00 41. M–F 16:00–8:00, Sa-Su all day. From DKK 255, Free for EU citizens.
There is a 24-hour pharmacy in central Copenhagen, and 3 additional ones in the suburbs.
- Steno Apotek, Vesterbrogade 6C (Just by the Radisson Royal hotel, near the Central station, +45 33 14 82 66. regular hours: M-F 8:00–20:00,Sa 8:30–17:00. There is a DKK 15 service charge outside those times..
Amager Hospital, Italiensvej 1, Amager, +45 32 34 35 00.
Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 7C, Nordvest, +45 35 31 23 73.
Frederiksberg Hospital, Nordre Fasanvej 57, 3A, Frederiksberg, +45 38 16 35 22.
Lægevagten, +45 70 13 00 41. M–F 16:00–8:00, Sa-Su all day. From DKK 255, Free for EU citizens.
Steno Apotek, Vesterbrogade 6C (Just by the Radisson Royal hotel, near the Central station, +45 33 14 82 66. regular hours: M-F 8:00–20:00,Sa 8:30–17:00. There is a DKK 15 service charge outside those times..
- Malmö — Sweden's third largest city, with a lovely historic city centre and cosy squares. Just a short, convenient train ride away.
- Elsinore — Also called Helsingør. The old city centre with well preserved houses is one of the biggest in Denmark, and famous Kronborg castle, home of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Take the train from Copenhagen Central or Østerport. If you go by car the motorway is the fastest, driving along Strandvejen is the scenic route.
- Hillerød — A small town dominated by the huge Frederiksborg palace, but also offers baroque gardens and a laid back city centre. Take the S-train: end of the E-line.
- Roskilde — Denmark's ancient capital and a World Heritage site, with a famous cathedral full of the tombs of ancient kings, and the fantastic Viking museum. Home to one of the Big Four European music festivals, Roskilde Festival, which attracts up to 110,000 visitors each year in July. There are many trains from Copenhagen Central, Nørreport and Østerport.
- Øresund Coast — For the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, which is the outstanding museum of modern art in Denmark, in the small town of Humlebæk 35 km north of Copenhagen. Via motorway E47/E5 or 35 minutes with DSB rail from the Central Station. When you use the train, special combination tickets for the rail fare and museum entry fee are available.
- Ven — Visit the Swedish island Ven. Rent a bicycle and tour the island. The ferry departs from Havnegade 29 at 9:15, returns at 17:30 and costs 210 kr for the daytrip.
[[Malmö]] — Sweden's third largest city, with a lovely historic city centre and cosy squares. Just a short, convenient train ride away.
[[Elsinore]] — Also called Helsingør. The old city centre with well preserved houses is one of the biggest in Denmark, and famous Kronborg castle, home of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Take the train from Copenhagen Central or Østerport. If you go by car the motorway is the fastest, driving along Strandvejen is the scenic route.
[[Hillerød]] — A small town dominated by the huge Frederiksborg palace, but also offers baroque gardens and a laid back city centre. Take the S-train: end of the E-line.
[[Roskilde]] — Denmark's ancient capital and a [[World Heritage site]], with a famous cathedral full of the tombs of ancient kings, and the fantastic Viking museum. Home to one of the Big Four European music festivals, Roskilde Festival, which attracts up to 110,000 visitors each year in July. There are many trains from Copenhagen Central, Nørreport and Østerport.
[[Øresund Coast]] — For the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, which is the outstanding museum of modern art in Denmark, in the small town of Humlebæk 35 km north of Copenhagen. Via motorway E47/E5 or 35 minutes with DSB rail from the Central Station. When you use the train, special combination tickets for the rail fare and museum entry fee are available.
[[Ven]] — Visit the Swedish island Ven. Rent a bicycle and tour the island. The ferry departs from Havnegade 29 at 9:15, returns at 17:30 and costs 210 kr for the daytrip.