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What To Do in Copenhagen
Summary
This post details my stay in Copenhagen.
Overall, I was in the city for less than 36 hours as part of my three week train journey to the Arctic Circle and back.
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This post explains my arrival, my sightseeing activities and my thoughts.
Key places visited as part of my ‘on foot’ walking tour of the city’s centre included:
- Habour Waterfront; and
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My impressions of each are discussed below.
In addition, the post also provides a brief summary of:
- other attractions within the city that might be worth visiting; and
- a potential list of local food delicacies that you may wish to try.
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The map below details my sightseeing route through the city.
Map of Central Copenhagen Showing My Walking Route Through the City
Arrival
On arriving at Copenhagen Central Station, at 5pm, it is a short walk to my lodgings at Annex Copenhagen, a reasonably upmarket hostel providing a private room with shared bathroom.
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The major upside of this hostel is that it is accessed through the adjoining Absalon Hotel so you have all the facilities of a 4 star hotel at a hostel price. These include a bar, a reception seating area and access to an automated launderette facility.
Talking of automation, this hostel is my first introduction to the Scandinavian revolution of ‘Self Service hotel Check – ins’. Everything, including delivery of a door card key, is achieved via a ‘self – service’ computer screen and keypad. All you need is your booking reference and passport details and you’re in. I suppose with the high cost of labour in Scandinavia it all makes sense.
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Denmark’s Cashless Society
Retiring to bar for a well earned beer I quickly understand better this cost of living issue – a 0.5 litre beer is around £8 in English money. What’s more, when I go to pay for it I discover for the first time that Denmark does not partake in the Euro. Instead everything is in Krona so I have to pay by credit card – What am I now going to do with all these Euro I have in my wallet !!!!
As my journey proceeds I also start to realise how obsolete paper money has become. Nearly everywhere, throughout Scandinavia, seems to accept credit cards even for the smallest items – A trend that, likewise, now seems also to be becoming the norm in the UK. Indeed, in some locations in the UK (i.e. – within football stadiums) cash is simply not accepted. One must start to wonder whether the tourist based ‘Currency Exchange booth’ business has much of a future going forward.
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A Nighttime Stroll
After my beer I venture out into the night air to explore a little. Two things strike me during my evening stroll. The first is how cold it has suddenly become in the evening and the second is that at night Copenhagen has a slightly old fashioned sentimental feel about it.
I suppose the first should not be a surprise to me, after all, it’s getting towards the end of September and Copenhagen is roughly the same latitude as Edinburgh – What I do need to do though is to start wearing a sweater at night. I’m now glad that I packed for all eventualities.
The second is drummed home by the sight of Tivoli Gardens – an amusement Park situated right in the middle of the city. This brings back childhood memories of when London had its own permanent Battersea Park fun-fair all those years ago. I note that this Copenhagen version still seems to be popular with the locals, judging by the queue at the ticket office.
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(Source: Photo by Gije Cho from Pexels)
Resisting the temptation to sample the rides within Tivoli Gardens I instead find a coffee house and settle down for a latte and cheesecake. While sitting outside Cafe Vivaldi, wrapped up in a cafe owned blanket and watching the world pass by I wonder, between shivering fits, just how I am going to survive when I eventually reach the Arctic Circle.
Starting my Day of Exploration
Retracing last night’s footsteps I set out for a day’s sightseeing.
Starting out from the hostel I remember that I have no local currency so it’s off to the station’s bureau de change for money – 30 Euros buys 210 Krona, whatever they are. The exchange rate at the station is not that good but it’s convenient. Hopefully, I can use a credit card for most purchases anyway.
Seeing the entrance to Tivoli Gardens in the daylight is much less magical than its image at night. Less people around also, but at least it’s not as cold as last night.
City Hall and Strøget
My first stop is the City Hall for a photograph or two and a quick look at Google Maps to see where I want to go.
Strøget seems a good place to start and it’s generally going in the right direction. Entering the pedestrianised street from City Hall Square my first impressions are that it’s a bit run down, considering it’s supposed to be the main shopping street of the city. Lots of souvenir and clothes shops, with pavement displays outside.
However, as you progress along the street (after it changes its name), the quality of the shops gradually improve and by the time you reach Amagertorv you are in the world of Prada, Gucci, Burberry and Cartier.
I suppose in a capital city like Copenhagen, where average salaries are around £5,000 per month it’s not surprising to find such shops. However, it always amazes me that exactly the same type of shops exist in the central areas of many Asian cities such as Jakarta and Manila. In such places the majority of the working population earn much, much less, with average monthly salaries being less than £1,000 per month. One has to wonder if these upmarket shops ever make a profit in such places.
Perhaps, to emphasise the costs of living in Copenhagen this bill board, seen just after turning out of Strøget, demonstrates that Netto, at least, realises that not everyone is lucky enough to earn a Copenhagen resident’s £5,000 per month.
By the way, as an alternative to walking along Strøget with its named retail offerings, the narrow streets to the southeast, between Strøget and Gammel Strand, are much more interesting. These streets are packed full of local shops and a wide variety of restaurants and bars.
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Nyhavn
Leaving Stroget I pass adjacent to Kongens Nytorv on my way to Nyhavn. As a brilliant example of self promotion this poster is seen covering much of the south western face of the French Embassy at the corner of Kongens Nytorv and Bredgade. A good example of exploiting free advertising opportunities to promote the culture of your country. I wonder if they needed a planning permit to put that there.
Talking of self promotion, Nyhavn is the picture postcard symbol of Copenhagen. As is to be expected, it is teaming with tourists and the setting of the 17th Century buildings along its north side are somewhat compromised by the tat at ground level.
Nonetheless, like the Albert Dock in Liverpool, it is a very good example of the urban regeneration of a decaying former dockside area.
Nearly every building, in addition to their obligatory umbrelled sun terraces outside, now contains a bar or restaurant. Here you can presumably while away the day and say ‘I was here’ and take the photograph to prove it. What I had not appreciated from the ‘postcard’ images of Nyhavn is that it is actually just a narrow canal dock and not a fully fledged waterfront.
Interesting facts that you may or may not know are that Hans Christen Andersen lived, at different times, in three of the houses fronting onto Nyhavn and No 17 Nyhavn apparently houses the world’s oldest functioning tattoo parlour – I’m pretty sure though, someone will come back and challenge this latter fact.
Amalienborg
Moving on from the massed regiments of tourists I make my way down Nyhavn to the point where it meets the waterfront of Copenhagen Harbour and then proceed along the waterfront to the entrance into Amalienborg – the palace home of the Danish royal family.
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For all the talk about the Danish royal family living a much more modest life style than our British monarchs, the Amalienborg still looks to me to be a cut above your typical family residence. Nonetheless, like our own royal family, they seem to be doing a pretty good job in attracting tourists to their home, albeit not perhaps as popular as the bars in Nyhavn.
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The Danish royal family also have their very own Royal Guards to look `after them, complete with furry hats, rifles and bayonets – God, standing on point duty outside the palace for hour after hour must be one of the most boring jobs out there. It hardly fits the hype around joining the armed forces and seeing the world. It’s more like, join the armed forces and let the world come and look at you.
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Frederik’s Church
Not to be outdone, the Evangelical Lutheran movement (the Danish State Church) has its own building just to the north of the Royal Palace. This building, the Frederik’s Church, is known locally as the ‘marble church’ on account of much of it being built of marble.
Apparently, although its construction was first proposed in 1740, it was not completed until 1894 due to funding issues – Gaudí‘s Sagrada Família in Barcelona is not unique then in its construction time scale.
Copenhagen Harbour Waterfront
From Frederik’s Church it is a short walk back to the waterfront of Copenhagen Harbour and onward to the Little Mermaid.
The walk is worthwhile if only for the views across the Harbour and also towards Copenhill (also known as Amager Bakke).
This is a heat and waste-to-power plant that doubles as an artificial ski and snowboard slope. This multi-purpose building is promoted as one of Denmark’s leading contributions towards the achievement of ‘net zero’. I’m not sure if this claim is based on the fact that it saves the need for Dane’s to fly to the Alps for their holidays or the design of the power plant. Either way, it must be more sustainable than Dubai’s equivalent artificial ski slope.
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The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid, although obviously a must see attraction for any visitor to Copenhagen, is actually a bit underwhelming. Surprisingly though, at the time of my visit at least, it is not as thronging with tourists as I expected.
Perhaps this reflects the long walk required to reach it or maybe the fact that there are no beer bars nearby. Nevertheless, I did notice tourist coaches parked nearby so perhaps I was just lucky.
A Farewell to Copenhagen
On my way back to my hostel, unknown to me, I walk past the Kastellet, apparently one of the best preserved star fortresses in Northern Europe – I really must make more use of Google Maps when out sightseeing.
Anyway, I make use of the nearby Østerport Station to catch a train back to Copenhagen Central Station and return to the hostel for a laundry session, followed by a couple of expensive beers before retiring to bed.
Tomorrow it’s a very early start to cross the Øresund Bridge to Sweden, before travelling onward to Malmo and Stockholm.
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Other Attractions in the City
Buildings and Gardens
- Rosenborg Castle: A renaissance castle with elegant rooms and beautiful gardens
- Christiansborg Palace Once home to kings and queens, it now houses the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of State. You can visit the state rooms and walk in the footsteps of royalty. (Tickets here)
- The Round Tower: A 17th-century observatory tower providing panoramic views of Copenhagen’s rooftops.
- The Botanical Gardens: A tranquil oasis of lush greenery, beautiful flowers, and exotic plants.
Museums and Art Galleries
- The National Museum: Provides an insight into Danish history and culture through it’s extensive collection of artifacts (Tickets here}
- The National Gallery: Displays an extensive collection of art from the Middle Ages to the present day, including works by Danish and international artists.
- Design Museum: Exhibits the best of Danish design, from furniture and fashion to graphic design and industrial products.
- Thorvaldsens Museum: Contains the works by the famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen in a stunning neoclassical museum.
Other Attractions
- The Carlsberg Brewery: Learn about the brewing process while tasting some of Denmark’s finest beers. (Tickets here)
- Christiania: A unique self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood known for its alternative lifestyle and colorful street art.
- The Meatpacking District: A neighbourhood of trendy bars, restaurants, and clubs
If you have visited any of these attractions please leave a comment on your experiences.
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Local Foods to Try While in the City
Bread based Delicacies
- Rugbrød: A dense rye bread with various toppings.
- Smørrebrød: An open-faced sandwich with various toppings.
- Sol over Gudhjem: A rye bread with smoked herring, egg, and radish
- Leverpostej: A liver pate spread placed on bread.
Soups
- Hønsekødssuppe: Chicken soup with vegetables and dumplings.
Meat based Dishes
- Flæskesteg: Roast pork, typically served during holidays.
- Stegt Flæsk: Crispy pork belly.
- Biksemad: Hashed meat and potatoes, often served with a fried egg.
- Frikadeller: Danish meatball.
- Rød Pølse: Red sausages often served in a hot dog bun.
Fish Dishes
- Gravad Laks: Cured salmon with mustard sauce.
- Smoked Herring: Smoked herring fish, often with onion
- Stjerneskud: “Shooting star” – a fish dish with shrimp and caviar.
Vegetable Dishes
- Kartoffelsalat: A Danish potato salad.
Desserts / Pastries
- Æbleskiver: Rounded pancake balls with powdered sugar and jam
- Kringle: A sweet pastry, similar to a pretzel.
If you find any other local foods that are a must try please add them to the comments on this post.
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