Clockwork metropolis
From the moment you arrive at the gleaming Kastrup airport in Denmark’s capital, everything works like clockwork. The regular connections on the Copenhagen Metro ensure you are in the city in just 14 minutes.
If you enjoy even the occasional cycle, you’ll be impressed by the bicycle culture of Copenhagen.
Well over a third of the city’s inhabitants cycle to work or school, making it the third most bicycle-friendly city in the world (after Amsterdam and Portland, Oregon). You can get a guided tour or rent one of the city bikes, simply insert a coin to release it, and use the bike for as long as you like. When you return the bike to one of many racks in the city, you get your money back.
To see Copenhagen by the water check out www.canaltours.com. You get to take in some of the major sights of the city, including the new Opera House, The Little Mermaid, The Black Diamond, (a stunning black marble addition to the Royal Library leaning gracefully over the water), The Parliament, The National Museum and the old Gammel Strand, where flea markets take place at the weekend.
Walk down Stroget, Europe’s longest pedestrian street, and smell the roasted chestnuts. This is the best place to shop for high to low-end finds. For popular Danish design, visit Illums Bolighus and Royal Copenhagen. While you’re in the area, climb the 209-metre spiral ramp to the top of the Rundetaarn, a 350-year-old observatory offering fantastic views across the city. South across the Knippelsbro bridge, you’ll find Christiania, colonised by hippies in the early 1970s and still a partially self-governing “free city” full of vegetarian restaurants and co-operative shops. Several attempts have been made to close down the place due to the selling of cannabis but it’s as vibrant today as ever.
If you need a break from it all, just off Stroget, have afternoon tea and cake at Conditori La Glace, the oldest bakery in Copenhagen (www.laglace.dk). Taste one of the authentic and delicious cakes or a danish pastry coupled with a traditional hot chocolate. Yum! Noma is the world’s best restaurant for two years running, but today all Nordic cuisine is thriving. Explore the trendy area of Versterbro with its new bars, restaurants and funky shops, and galleries are popping up all the time.
Check out Fiskebaren, (www.fiskebaren.dk/en/) the only fish restaurant in the Meat Packing District. It’s a lively, trendy restaurant serving super-fresh seafood in urban minimalist surroundings at modest prices and well worth a visit — the crown prince of Denmark dined there the same evening as we did!
Close by is Karriere, a cafe/bar/restaurant transforming into a cocktail bar at night. It’s an interesting experience. MadKlubben (www.bistrobooking .dk/tivoli/) is reasonably priced at DKK200 (about €30) for a three-course menu. While in Tivoli, look out for Nimb Bar where the bartenders are award-winning cocktail makers.
In fact, the Danes are caught up in a cocktail boom right now, each bartender competing to see who can come up with the greatest concoction. Taste the city’s very own signature cocktail — the Copenhagen — at the stylish Ruby Bar (www.rby.dk).
We stayed at the stylish Hotel Kong Arthur (www.kongarthur.dk) but Copenhagen has plenty of accommodation at all price levels, available to browse at www.copenhagen.com/hotels.
And for more information check out: www.visitdenmark.com www.visitcopenhagen.com. Fly direct from Dublin to Copenhagen from as little as €69 one way including all taxes and charges.
Check out Copenhagen’s world-famous theme park, the Tivoli Gardens (tivoli.dk). It’s more than fun rides, it also has amazing gardens, gourmet food restaurants, open air concerts, lots of theatre and creative firework displays at midnight, when the garden is at its most magical.
Tip: Buy the Copenhagen card, it gives you free admission to over 60 museums and attractions in the city. It also includes unlimited public transport, plus you will get discounts on accommodation and several attractions. You can get it at the airport or online. Also, if you fly with SAS direct to Copenhagen’s Kastrup airport, you can avail of child discounts, free baggage up to 23kg and free online check-in.
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