Copenhagen
Last September, Owen and I took ourselves for a long weekend in Copenhagen. The city had been high on my list for a long time and had been recommended by so many people. The flights are some of the cheapest you can get out of London with a return as low as £20 - can't argue with that price (it is also more than half the price for train tickets back to my home town in Devon!). We spent 4 fabulous sunny days walking and cycling (hire their electric city bikes!) around the sights. Here are some recommendations on our favourite places to eat and drink and the best things we did. Would love some ideas on what to do on our next visit!
Where to Eat
Souls
This breakfast was probably one of the best I have ever had. Founded by two Australian's, this vegan cafe prides itself on offering locally sourced food of the highest quality. I went for the 'Pancake Stack' with seasonal fruit, maple syrup, and vegan chocolate, while Owen went for the 'Brunch Menu' which basically had everything. This is definitely a restaurant that can be enjoyed by both vegan and non-vegans (neither myself or my boyfriend are). The perfect start to our few days away. (Pictured below)
Granola
Situated in Vestboro, this charming cafe is hugely popular and nearly always packed. While Souls (above) was definitely the best breakfast we had during our visit, we ended up coming to Granola twice because of the good food and convenient location. Granola offers a big breakfast plate with eggs, ham, sausage, cheese, muesli, baked tomatoes, fruit and two kinds of bread, served with coffee or a juice of your choice. Alternatively, the avocado on toast or pancakes are also a good choice. (£12-16)
Höst
The perfect spot for a special occasion or if you just fancy treating yourself to some good food. This nordic style restaurant has an award-winning interior (failed to get any photos as was so distracted by the amazing food). We opted for the tasting menu named 'An evening at Höst', which is a 3 course menu with an accompanying wine menu, coffee and petit fours, and water. With some little surprises in between 'courses', we ended up with six courses and a lot of wine! Both the interior and food offers simplicity and quality with an inventive and original menu. The whole thing was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had.
Bang & Jensen
This beautiful, cosy café situated in a former pharmacy is a great spot for a relaxed breakfast or to rest your feet having walked for miles (as we had and i was getting hangry..). Popular with locals - you'll often find people working away on their laptops (free wifi) or engrossed in a book. We stopped by mid afternoon for some really good nachos! (How gorgeous is the interior!?)
Bang & Jensen
MiKkeller Bar
Dotted all over Copenhagen (and a few over the rest of the world), We visited Mikkeller bar, a small bar designed by Femmes Regionales who wanted to "combine the classic interior of old Danish pubs with something more modern and elegant". The end result is a sophisticated but minimalistic bar with white walls, wooden tables and benches, with simple details of shelves, handing lights and mirrors. The bar offers local and craft beers, with twenty taps to choose from alongside a wide range of bottles. Perfect for beer geeks!
What to Do
Nyhavn
The most famous street in Copenhagen and possibly like me, one that made you made you want to visit this city. As you can imagine in reality, it is jam packed with tourists and all the restaurants/bars along the front are a complete rip off, however it has an amazing atmosphere and to save money grab some take away food from a few streets away and take a seat on the edge of the river. I ended up coming back here nearly every day just to admire these gorgeous coloured houses!
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Superkilen
This unique urban space spans over a kilometre in length and considered one of the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods with more than 60 nationalities. This unique space was designed to incorporate this diversity by creating a public space where everyone could feel at home. The park is divided into three different zones; the red square is an area for sports, cultural activity and a weekly marketplace; the Black Square is where locals can meet and play a game of chess or backgammon and then the Green Park is a green landscape where families can meet of picnics. Throughout all areas are a range of 'furniture' that creates a fun playground (adult sized swings and exercise equipment!) and a haven for instagrammers.
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GLYPTOTEKET
A museum that focuses on the ancient cultures of the Mediterranean, as well as Danish and French art from the 19th century. Impressive sculptures stand out again the bold coloured walls and stunning architectural surroundings. At the centre of this museum is a stunning winter garden and small cafe which is the perfect place to stop for a cake or light lunch and to take in the beautiful surroundings.
Entry - free
Amager Beach
I at least do not automatically think of Copenhagen as a seaside city, however Amager Beach is short train (or slightly longer cycle) trip south of the city centre. Located on the 'island' of Amager, this artificial island offers nearly 5km of white sandy beaches. From the beach you are able to view the windmill park and also the Øresundsbroen bridge which connects Denmark to Sweden. When we visited in late September the beach was more or less empty - we decided to brave the empty waters and dive in - safe to say it was cold!! However, mid summer the beach is a lot busier and and a relaxed escape from the city. The southern part of the park has a broad promenade which you can cycle along.
Metro: Amager Strand
Grundtvig's Church
Small confession here, we didn't actually get to go inside... For someone who is an organisational freak like me, you would think I would have checked the opening times... but no. Therefore we made the 30 minute bus ride north of the city to Bispebjerg district to find that it was closed on Mondays! However, the exterior is stunning (reminds me slightly of Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik) and a rare example of expressionist church architecture (let's pretend I knew that and didn't have to google it). The incredibly high ceilings make for an impressive interior and one in which I will definitely be returning to see next time I visit!
Closed Mondays
Botanical Gardens
Botanical gardens are always the top of my list when visiting a new city - I am slightly obsessed with the glass houses! Copenhagen's Botanical Gardens are located in the city centre. The garden has 27 glasshouses. The most notable is the old Palm House from 1874 that is 16 metres tall and has narrow, cast-iron spiral stairs leading to a passageway at the top. The glasshouses are situated in beautiful landscaped gardens.
www.botanik.snm.ku.dk/english/
Design Museum
The largest museum for Danish and international design and a central exhibition forum for industrial design and applied arts in Scandinavia. The museum wraps around a central garden which is a sun trap during the summer and a great spot for a light lunch from the cafe.
Entry: 100 DKK or free for students (valid ID) and people under 26!
Bredgade 68, 1260 København, Denmark
Rundetaarn OR 'The Round TOWER'
The oldest functioning observatory in in Europe. This 17th century tower was built at a time when Denmark was famous for its astronomical achievements thanks to the astronomer Tycho Brahe and when he died the King wished to continue Brahe's research and thus the tower was built. The tower is still used by astronomical amateurs and visitors to the outdoor platform that encircles the top of the observatory and provides beautiful views over the old town. To get to the top of the tower you need to walk up the spiral walk, which is 268,5 meters long at the outer wall and only 85,5 meters long close to the core of the building, meaning you walk 209 meters to get to the top despite the tower is only 36 meters tall!
Admission - Adults: DKK 25
Write here...
Freetown Christiania
A bit of history: Christiania is a a green, car-free and a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood of about 850 residents in Copenhagen. Originally a military barracks that was then abandoned, it was established in 1971 by a group of people who developed their own set of society rules, completely independent of the Danish government. Some claim this happened as a protest against the Danish government during a time when there was a lack of affordable housing in Copenhagen. The spirit of Christiania quickly developed into one of the hippie movement, the squatter movement, collectivism and anarchism, in contrast to the site's previous military use. Christiania has been a source of controversy since its creation - Its cannabis trade was tolerated by authorities until 2004. In the years following 2004, measures for normalizing the legal status of the community led to conflicts, police raids and negotiations.
Freetown Christiania is a mix of homemade houses, workshops, art galleries, music venues, cheap and organic eateries, and beautiful nature. It is still a society within a society, for an example you cannot buy a house in Christiania. You have to apply for it, and if successful, it is given to you. The area is open to the public – even with guided tours, run by the local Christianites.
For your own safety, visitors are advised not to film nor photograph in Christiania, especially not in the area in and around Pusher Street, mainly due to cannabis dealings, which is illegal in Denmark. At the entrance you will find signs indicating 'do's and don'ts' in the area. It is a really interesting place to wander around, with a number of places to eat and drink.
I really enjoyed my first visit to Copenhagen and it is a city I will definitely be visiting again soon (how can you say no to £20 return flights?!). Would love recommendations on what I have missed out and ned to do next time!
Rebecca x
(Here are some miscellaneous photos!)
