Copenhagen Travel Guide

Copenhagen the capital of Denmark is an exciting experience for every traveler with its palaces, castles and modern buildings and the marvelous bridges of modern engineering. Colors and senses that evoke a fairytale world and at the same time a living metropolis of modern architecture and design.

Its cafes and restaurants are full of people all year round, while the canals and squares are full of life. A crystal clear, user friendly city, with a system of urban transport that gives another meaning to the word “consistency”, it is not surprising that in recent years it has been declared one of the cities with a high standard of living.

Ride a bike and head from Radhuspladsen (Town Hall Square) to Stroget’s most historic pedestrian street with its shops, cafes and itinerant artists. Another alternative is to book a sea tour across the Christianshavn canals, where the old warehouses have been adapted to today’s needs.

This is dominated by the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of the Savior), an elegant 17th-century Baroque church. If you climb its 400 steps, you will be compensated by the magnificent view. The Copenhagen trademark, the bronze statue of Lille Havfrue (The Little Mermaid), as well as the Gammel Strand (the old fish market) with 18th- and 19th-century houses, restaurants and cafes can be reached by boat.

You will also be impressed by the port of Nyhavn with its colorful houses, reminiscent of Amsterdam, and then you will take a leisurely stroll in the equestrian suburb of Christiania. You will also be thrilled by the Operaen Port building, built by Henning Larsen in 2005, while the shops in Norrebro (a vibrant and multicultural area) and Vesterbro will be unforgettable.

What to see

Nyhavn

The picturesque port was created at the end of the 17th century. Gradually the great growth led to the construction of warehouses and narrow houses for the merchants. Today the area is ideal for walks, food and entertainment. You will not see merchant ships moored, but sailboats. Here it is said that Andersen wrote most of his fairy tales.

Tivoli

One of the largest amusement parks in Europe and definitely the most popular in Denmark: trains, collisions, carousels, the house of Hans Christian Andersen etc. The lake, the 400,000 flowers and the 110,000 Venetian lanterns give a special color to this park, which opened in 1843 and has been operating continuously since then. You will also find restaurants here, as long as you have booked. In its central square, if it is summer, you can achieve a concert.

Christiansborg

The original construction was completed in 1745, but within a few years it was burned twice, rebuilt and expanded. The palace was severely damaged during the first fire in 1794, when the royal family was forced to move to Amalienborg Palace, where it still resides today. Christiansborg now houses the Danish Parliament and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Amalienborg

Built to order by Frederick V, the palace consists of four Rococo-style buildings with an octagonal square in the middle. This is a typical example of classic urban design. With the addition of the marble church to the north of the square, Amalienborg is now a diplomatic center, retaining the aristocratic air it had when it was built. The flashes sparkle every time the royal guard changes in front of the palace.

Rosenborg Slot

In 1606 Christian IV bought a huge plot of land outside the city walls and turned it into a garden, known today as the Royal Garden. Now, of course, it is a busy park in the city center. The Rosenborg castle was also built here, which had e.g. bathrooms with running water and a suspension bridge that went up and down from the winter living room. The treasures of the crown (www.rosenborgslot.dk) are kept in its basements.

Rundetarn

The Circular Tower was built (like so many other buildings in Copenhagen) on the initiative of King Christian IV in the mid-17th century. The Danish philosopher Kierkegaard spent much of his life in this tower (35 m high), which was intended to be used as an astronomical observatory. Today it is the place that tourists prefer for the amazing view it offers.

The Royal Library

The Royal Library was founded in 1653 by King Frederick III. It has been open to the public since 1793. Since 1999, the Danes have called it the “Black Diamond”, as this is its exterior shape (made entirely of Zimbabwean granite) after the works. renovation and expansion. Its entrance at a height of 29 m. Is bathed in ceiling light. On the first floor you can see manuscripts and authentic first editions of books by H.Kr. Andersen, K. Blixen, S. Kierkegaard as well as handwritten scores by the composer Carl Nielsen.

Christiania

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Copenhagen. In 1971, about 800 hippies occupied a former camp and have lived here ever since, opening restaurants, having children, entering the system somewhat, but denying state control. They describe it as a kind of museum of hippies.

Τhe little Mermaid

Crafted by the Danish artist Edvard Eriksen in 1913, the Little Mermaid is inspired by the fairy tale of the same name by H.K. Andersen. In fact, it is considered a symbol of the city, although most Danes consider it small as a symbol. Indeed, there are many who are disappointed when they get close to her, expecting something more impressive.

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

One of the founders of the world-famous Carlsberg Brewery, Carl Jocebsen (died 1914), created the museum in 1882 to house his collection. It has the largest collection of ancient art in Northern Europe (the wing with Etruscan statues is impressive), Egyptian and Roman (and Greek) statues and a collection of 19th and 20th century French art. The works of the Impressionists and the Post-Impressionists stand out. The building itself is a distinct architectural project next to Tivoli. If it is summer, do not forget to take a walk in his garden.

National museum

The history of Denmark from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, the Vikings, the Middle Ages to the present day is on display at the National Museum, housed in the Prince’s Palace (1774) and connected to Christianborg via the Marble Bridge (www .natmus.dk).

National museum of Art

The main building presents Danish and international art until 1900 divided into two sections: European from 1300 to 1800 and Danish and European art from 1800 to 1900. The Sculpture Road connects the old building with the new, which exhibits works of the 20th century, such as Scandinavian painting, works by Matisse, works of the CoBra movement, cubism, etc.

Day trips

The picturesque and historic cities within 40 km, such as Helsingoer with the legendary Kronborg castle (known as “Hamlet”), Hillerod with the palace in the middle of the lake and Roskilde with the tombs of the kings and the Viking Museum are great destinations, not more than an hour away by train. Another suggestion is Malmo, Sweden, and the crossing of the Oresund Underwater Tunnel and Bridge.

Gastronomy and Gourmet Cuisine

Danish chefs are opening up new avenues on the world stage and gourmets from around the world are flocking to Copenhagen to enjoy nature-loving artistic gastronomy. It was a great success for the Danish that they managed to seize the lead of the gastronomic avant-garde from the Spaniards.

A huge change of standards took place when René Redzepi’s nature-loving gastronomy succeeded Ferran Adrià’s molecular technomotional style.
The Protestant desert of Danish cuisine was suddenly transformed into an oasis of new naturalistic ideas and this, not coincidentally, permeated all aspects of everyday life.

At the moment, for example, in Danish schools there is a lesson in collecting food from nature! But even when the wave that started from “Noma” and spread throughout Scandinavia brought a rain of Michelin stars to the north, their top chefs and restaurants did not stop evolving into ideas and concepts.

Gurmet Restaurants

Noma 2
Surely many called him a crazy ton René Redzepi when he closed a restaurant that was in its heyday and had emerged four times better in the world to rebuild it a mile away! but he is not one of those who rest on their laurels, receiving the assurance of a well-tuned success.

His vision “Everything shows that in the future we will live in huge cities and we must make them cleaner and more sustainable, not just concrete and skyscrapers.

Geranium

But “Geranium” is also radically renewed, the only restaurant in Denmark with three Michelin stars and No. 19 in the best restaurants in the world in 2018. The black on the walls and the lighting that focused complacently on the food have given way to more open colors, chic tablecloths were rolled off the tables, to reveal a cool, elegant style, made of wood and marble, and fine dining acquires new human content.