A place that does not shy away from doing the extraordinarily bold. Biking lanes with parents taking equal turns to drive their kids to school or the playground, street techno parties where they literally hoisted a fire truck 100 feet into the air to symbolise the clearing of public spaces for the people to enjoy, “party buses” hired for graduations with disco lights and the most evocative ’80’s hits, perfectly sculpted residents (of all ages) sweating it out running along the main streets, rowing kayaks, or simply soaking up the sun (clothes optional, of course!). And the meal, oh the meals. Perfectly fresh and crisp rye bread, sourdough breads, a dizzying array of Danish cakes (“sneglekage” being one of the most popular and one of my favourites!). And an array of events absolutely every weekend- you just need to look out for the banners declaring “Copenhell“- the rock music festival, “Distortion“- the techno street party, Copenhagen Pride or some of the alternative parties that only a “true local” can lead you to!
Places to visit
- Ameliaborg Palace and Frederiks Church- symbols of one of the oldest monarchies of Europe and also one of the most popular ones. There is a certain level of austerity and lack of Baroque decadence that does make the royals feel much more accessible to the common folx
- Art spaces- the Nikolaj Kunsthal, Statens Museum for Kunst, Glyptoteket, Thorvaldsense Museum, Museum of Copenhagen- among the many thriving art spaces in the city. The Danes are also tongue-in-cheek with contemporary artists juxtaposing their work or additions to the plaster-of-Paris sculptures that were are replicas of the best Renaissance European art and patronised by the Danes of the 1800s. Art is constantly evolving and fluid here.
- There are also a few galleries that are slightly away from city centre- but easily accessibly by public transportation such as the Louisiana Museum of Art, ARKEN (also by a super beautiful beach). Copenhagen Contemporary in Reffen is also a beautifully curated space (that I headed to for a techno party during Distortion)
- Beaches- my favourite is Amager Strand (they have a bunch of water sports- kite-sailing, kayaking, beach volleyball and the like), but also a chance to dip right into the deep sea and sunbathe (also without clothes, if you so wish)
- Freetown Christiania- probably one of the most unique places in the world- taking hipster to the next level. They have communally owned properties, an underground art scene, “Pusher Street” – a former street where the sale of the most psychedelic of substances was “tolerated” by the authorities till violent gangs started to take hold and even a (naked) sauna for all genders and ages! Nearby is also the “Church of Our Saviour”- where you can climb up the spiral stairs for (yet another) breath-taking and panoramic view of the city
- Langelinie (“the long line”) are perfect garden spots to sit and bask in the sun (when there is any) and they are also next to the botanical gardens, which has a nice butterfly exhibit. Also worth strolling by to the Little Mermaid close by – which is often draped in the latest protest symbols (“keffiyahs”, for instance), that makes it, in my opinion, the site of political activism and vocal disapproval- two traits cherished by the nation and its people
- Nyhavn- a stunning harbour with colourful Danish-style homes that house an array (of what I would definitely consider touristy) restaurants. Probably also the image most tourists have of the city because this is what pops up on Google searches and most fridge magnets
- Strøget- one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in Europe, at 1,1km long. This is where you can also spot a bunch of banners for what is happening over the week (end). They also have the “round tower” which provides a panoramic view of the city. Rådhuspladsen, or the main City Hall is also a popular destination- this is where queer couples get married too and there is a square opposite the bell-tower that continuously flies the Pride flag!
- “The Lakes”, close to Nørrebro – are a fun place to watch ducks and swans paddle furiously through the water (yes, even the birds and animals and very health conscious here), just amble about, buy a bite at the cafés or probably head to one of the fun night clubs (do not try going before midnight, the city parties start then and go way into the daylight- often until 09:00 am or later!). The Nørrebro is very hipster- with kebab shops galore, more niche ones (such as this one catering to Portuguese Pastéis de Nata at Andersen & Maillard). Do also remember to stroll by the Assistens cemetry close by, with the grave of Hans Christian Andersen and the very alluring line of linden trees that is a favourite for locals on a sunny weekend
Places to eat at
Danish pastries (these are truly world famous) and smørrebrød at the following bakeries-
- Andersen Bakery (they also have an interesting Danish-Japanese twist)
All the hipster restaurants in Kødbyen (the former meat-packing district)
- Bang & Jensen– beautiful interiors and set in a decadent neoclassical building, with a bunch of home-made salads, sandwiches and (what I found super interesting- “dahl” or the Indian version of a spicy lentil soup)
- Gaza Grill– no fuss middle eastern with generous portions
Ismageriet– honestly one of the best ice-cream shops I have ever been too. Quality, variety of flavours, creaminess- unmatched! - Masseria– for some royal southern Italian cuisine with a live kitchen (and some really good looking chefs) you can peer at
- Prolog Coffee Bar– for some quiet space in a cosy space, with coffees from Colombia, Brazil and exotic places as well
At the north end of the city, is a bunch of street-food pop-ups from across the world (India, Nepal, pakistan, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, South Africa, Iran, you name it). Here are some of my favourite spaces fro Reffen
- La Banchina– the coolest place in town- with an outdoor sunbathing deck by the sea, a sauna (book well in advance) and some of the most aesthetic blues of any eatery I have been to
At the iconic Nyhavn (pronounced “new-hown”- or new harbour). Probably the most butchered Danish words by foreigners, but this is an easy win
- Cap Horn
- Heering
- Restaurant Havefruen
- Told & Snaps
- Vaffelbageren- for cute desserts
- Venezia
Restaurants and experiences that are a class apart (since Copenhagen has 15 Michelin starred- restaurants as of 2024)
- Tivoli- the Japanese pagoda or tower often has interesting pop-ups. I went to my very first 1-star Michelin experience with Alejandro Serrano– the chef from the Basque country with an enthusiasm for mushy pink dishes and flavours and smells of the sea. Do check online for a bunch of what is the latest in the area
- Silberbauers Bistro– a quaint space (Michelin bib), with the most delicately flavoured lemon zest cheesecake I have ever had in my life. We sampled the ~DKK400 (~EUR40) 3-course meal and did not regret it. The crème brûlée was also just out of this world, and I would definitely head back for more!
Queer spaces
There is no dearth of queer-friendly spaces, the whole city is one. But I am noting some spaces that curate events, are popular with queer folx and have a reputation for the alternative. Much more to be added to this list as we go along as well, of course!
- Den Anden Side– a techno club that is very politically active (“Free Palestine” and support for Ukraine), conscious about curating spaces for consent and mindful partying, and has some of the best parties I have been to (they do have checks at the door, so would recommend reading up about the event of the day, the DJs and be confident yet not ebullient so make the cut)
- Bøssehuset– a cosy space in the middle of Christiania- with drag nights, events for all of Christmas, New Year and other holidays and overall a place that really fosters a deep and warm (read “hygge”) sense of community
- Never Mind– I am honestly not the best purveyor of pop music, but this is a fun club in the centre of the city known for its no-nonsense queer dance parties and special events. A tip would be to register yourself for the VIP pass online to skip the queues!
- Studiestræde- is the “queer” street and has a bunch of queer bars- Jailhouse, Men’s Bar (they have kinky night events), SLM (a leather-fetish group that also has a volunteer base that manages the bar, so be kind!). Also check for the dress code at SLM, and they do have a compulsory registration fee (25-70 EUR for a 3-6 month membership)
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