Tales Like These

Copenhagen is the most edgy and vibrant city in the Nordics. In Copenhagen you'll find anything from industrial bars to great designer shops and an amazing array of restaurants and cafés. Copenhagen is also home to one of the oldest monarchies in the world, beautiful museums and old cobbled streets. In this city everybody bikes around to get to their destination, so be prepared to see a lot of bikes. The city has some quite diverse areas so make sure to check them all out to get the full experience. Enjoy!

➳ WHERE TO have DINner in copenhagen

Paté Paté: Located in the trendy meatpacking district of Copenhagen known as Kødbyen. The food is Spanish- and French-inspired with a variety of small, fresh plates that are perfect for sharing among friends. The atmosphere here is great on a weekend and is a great place to start your evening before heading out into the Copenhagen nightlife.

Pony: Recently chosen as one of the best new restaurants in Copenhagen. The place is small, maybe 10 tables in total, dimmed lights and simple interior. Pony has overall a very homey feeling that allows you to really enjoy the experience. We tried the "menu of the day", which consisted of four dishes. 

Gorilla: A newcomer to the food scene in the meatpacking district. The food is based on Mediterranean cuisine. The concept is based around tasting menus which will allow you to go through a foodie adventure throughout your evening. The menu consists of shareable snacks and a la carte dishes, big and small, as well as a menu for DKK 350 for 10 shareable servings.

Noma: Named the world’s best restaurant several years in a row. Noma is known for its reinvention and interpretation of the Nordic Cuisine led by René Redzeppi. The dishes are based on local food, thus there are plenty of fish and vegetables. All dishes are unique and surprising, and obviously delicious. It is recommended to purchase the wine-pairing menu in order to have the full experience. Book months in advance. 

Condesa: The best Mexican food place in town and also one of the hippest bars. This place turns into a proper bar with a dancefloor at night. Try all of the tacos and wash them down with a jug of margarita.

Mother: Organic sourdough pizzas. The pizza's are nice and the look and feel of the place is even better. The location used to be an old butcher house. This makes is really cool and edgy. This has become the most popular pizza place in town and a stone throw away from the bars in the meatpacking district. Try the Bufala.

Manfred & Vin: Situated in one of the coolest streets in Copenhagen - Jaegersborgsgade. Try the tasting menu for a tastebud experience. The set menu works best for groups of two, which allows the tiny kitchen to turn out a total of eight dishes to share. Very cosy place, ideal for a date.

Spuntino: Modern Italian cuisine at a reasonable price. Spuntino offers a 5 course dinner with 2 options for each course - all of the dishes are equally delicious. A great place for good Italian. Situated in Vesterbro this place is close to tons of cool bars.

Madklubben Bistro De Luxe: Danish and French food with a twist. Simple Scandinavian interior and a great atmosphere. Madklubben is an institution in Copenhagen and an ideal place to have a good meal that you can afford.

Pluto: This place has received a great review in the Michelin guide. Rustic interior and great service. Try the tasting menu with a great bottle of wine. 

➳ WHERE TO BRUNCH in copenhagen

Café Dyrehaven: Probably the most trendy café on Vesterbro. Great place to go for brunch or drink at night. Have a Hønsesalat, an avocado sandwich and wash it down with a Sports Cola.

Granola: Inspired by New York. This place looks like an old café from the 1940's. Go here and have pancakes, an omelet or a croque monsieur. A local favorite.

Nordisk Brødhus: The Nordisk Brødhus is very rustic in its interior design. The bread here is freshly baked and the whole place has a scent of bread hanging in the air. A great place to try a lot of Danish bread, have a cup of coffee and relax on a Sunday morning.

Torvehallerne: A farmer's market in the middle of the city. Torvehallerne was built a couple of years ago to bring in quality good to the people of Copenhagen. Here you'll find the best cheeses, olive oils, fish, meats and wines. There are a ton of restaurants in here too, giving you the feeling of being in a Spanish food market. A must see in Copenhagen. Try the Duck Confit Sandwich if you go here.

Bang & Jensen: Seriously excellent brunch venue that turns into a cool bar at night. Very laidback decor that attracts a hipster crowd. The brunch here will keep you going all day and you'll feel like a Copenhagen local here.

➳ WHERE TO DRINK in copenhagen

Ruby: Voted Copenhagen's best cocktail bar for years. This place has been serving up some of the best cocktails in Europe for a while now. The interior is amazing, with leather chairs and dim lighting.

1105: This place is great for cocktails. From first entering the you feel that the ambience, lighting, and lets you know that you are in for a treat. The cocktails are top notch. The mixologists know what they are doing and can help you find the perfect cocktail for you. The place is tucked away in a small street and has very dim lighting with a DJ playing the perfect tunes all night.

Eiffel Bar: One of the old greats in Copenhagen nightlife. A classic bodega. Go here for a bottled beer, a cigarette and a good mix of all age groups.

Bobi Bar: A tiny bodega in the middle of Copenhagen. The place has red velvet walls and old oil paintings. This is one of the oldest bars in Copenhagen and has been a favourite of famous Danes throughout the years. Smoking is allowed.

Lidkøb: Vesterbro locals call this the best cocktail bar in the area. The place is hidden away in a small courtyard and serves up any drink that you like. The place has several floors and is a great place to go for a quick drink before you head our for dinner or the nightclubs.

Bakken: A mix of nightclub and bar. This is where a lot of the Copenhagen hipsters go out. Situated in an old butcher house this place has a realy cool feel to it. Go here for cans of beer, an outdoor garden and anything from rock 'n' roll to electronic music. 

Sunday: The hippest night club in Copenhagen. Go here if you want a night out. Quite posh, but a great place for music and to experience the Copenhagen nightclub scene.

➳ WHERE TO STAY in copenhagen

Kong Frederik: Situated right next to Rådhuspladsen this hotel is a classic hotel, with clean rooms and nice furniture. Good value and close to all of the Copenhagen areas.

Central Hotel & Cafe: This 'hotel' has one room - so book in advance. The hotel is built on top of a small cosy café and is situated right next to the lakes - on the Vesterbro side. Highly recommendable, if you can get the room. Definitely the most unique hotel experience in Copenhagen. 

D’Angleterre: A 5 star hotel in the centre of Copenhagen. Probably the fanciest hotel in Copenhagen (and most expensive). The champagne bar and the restaurant will not disappoint. A classic hotel, where most celebrities visiting Copenhagen stay.

Hotel Alexandra: This gem pays homage to classic Danish designers. Very centrally located this hotel is like stepping into a time capsule from the 6o's. All rooms are decorated with iconic Danish design and all rooms will surely create a memorable stay.

➳ WHAT TO SEE AND TRY in Copenhagen

Over the last couple of years Denmark has been ranked as one of the happiest nations on earth and it's easy to see why with a capital like Copenhagen. Here are some of the things the city is famous for:

1. The best restaurant in the world - NOMA. Copenhagen is also famous for Smørrebrød (open faced sandwiches) and sausage stands.
2. One of the most bicycle-friendly capitals in Europe. Everybody bikes here. Rent a bike and take a tour of the city.
3. The second-oldest amusement park in the world. Check out Tivoli for it's roller coasters, restaurants and treat stalls.
4. Danish Design. Copenhagen is famous for it's interior design shops and fashion designers. Most of these designers have stores in Copenhagen.
5. Danes love their beer and the world loves Carlsberg. Check out the bodegas around town. Many of these still look like they did 100 years ago.
6. Copenhagen is home to the little mermaid - probably one of Copenhagen's most visited attractions.
7. The old harbour area - Nyhavn - which is a historical place in Copenhagen. Sit here in the summer with a cold beer and watch the old boats
8. This city is home to a lot of great museums. Check out Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Louisiana and Statens Museum for Kunst.
9. One of the oldest monarchies in the world resides here. Check out Amalienborg Palace to see the royal guard and the beautiful palace.
10. A Danish Pastry. Go to one of the many bakeries and try some of the delicious pastries.

➳ Copenhagen AREA GUIDE 

København K: The city centre. This is where you want to go for a lot of your shopping. Here you'll find Strøget (the main shopping street), but make sure to check out a lot of the smaller side streets and alleys as they are full of good shopping. Go to Krystalgade, Gammel Mønt and Kronprinsessegade for a lot of designer stores. Wander around København K's cobblestone streets to see beautiful old buildings and grab a beer. Some of the best museums in Copenhagen are in København K, so there's lots to see here.

Nørrebro: In Copenhagen there are 2 neighbourhoods competing for the title of being the coolest. Nørrebro is one of these. Walk across Dronning Louises Bridge and your journey to Nørrebro begins. Walk along the lakes where you'll find coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants. Make sure to stop by Sankt Hans Square as this is one of the most energetic parts of Nørrebro. Grab a coffee from one of the many coffee shops around the square and do some people watching. After your coffee, walk down Elmegade for shopping. Close to Elmegade you'll find The Assistens Cemetery, which is a park/cemetery in the middle of Nørrebro. This is where H.C. Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard (among other famous Danes) are buried. Continue your journey north down Nørrebrogade and find your way to Jægersborggade - one of the coolest streets of Copenhagen. Here you'll find a lot of independent shops selling anything from hand-made ceramics to artisan chocolates. Nørrebro is known for all of their kebab shops, so make sure to try one here (we highly recommend the one from Dürum bar).

Vesterbro: The other cool area in Copenhagen. Over the last 5 years this place has become super-trendy. What used to be the red-light district of Copenhagen has become hipster-heaven and know has coffee shops, bars and restaurants everywhere. Make sure to go Værnedams vej for brunch/coffee to get a real Copenhagen feel during the weekend. Take some good walks down Istedgade and Sønder Boulevard to get the full feel of this part of town. Sønder Boulevard is a great place to be if the weather's good. Grab a beer from a kiosk, a pizza from one of the local pizzerias and sit down on the grass with all the other locals. If you want a bite to eat or want to experience Vesterbro's nightlife then head down to Vesterbro's Meatpacking District (Kødbyen), where you'll find some of the best restaurants in Copenhagen as well as wine bars and hipster bars. Vesterbro can not disappoint.

Østerbro: This area is regarded by many as the posh part of Copenhagen. It's a bit more quiet in this neighbourhood than Nørrebro or Vesterbro, but there's plenty to see here. Go to Østerbrogade and check out some of the shopping. You'll also find some really good coffee shops at Boba Plads, which is where a lot of the locals go. Make sure you also head down to the lakes. By the lakes you can do some good people watching and enjoy your coffee. From here it's only a 15 minute walk to Nørrebro. 

➳ USE OUR GOOGLE MAP

Navigate the city with our Google Map, to which we've pinned all of the places in our guide. Simply go to the map when you're online to find your way around the city. If you don't have wifi when you're walking around the city, just make sure to load this map when you have access to wifi (at your hotel or at a café) and you'll be able to find your way around even if you're offline.

Journal posts about Copenhagen