Copenhagen: This Is Where The Nordic Adventure Begins
Copenhagen kicks off my 4-city Nordic immersion.
Some of the itinerary is weather dependent but, in a perfect world, this is the schedule. The sun, by the way, sets at about 10pm…..
I’ll be blogging over the course of the entire 5 weeks. Many days will include a nomadic work experience either from a co-working space or from my hotel which, in Copenhagen, is ideally set up for lobby working.
Read on below for the full itinerary.
COPENHAGEN: June 7 – June 15, 2018 (9 days)
DAY 1: THURSDAY JUNE 7
- Arrive at 7:15am at airport from NYC
- Pick up City Card at Terminal 3
- Take Metro to Norreport (15 mins from airport to hotel)
- Walk to my hotel (approx. 10 mins)
HOTEL: SP34 (In Latin Quarter, near Tivoli Gardens)
MORNING: CENTRAL COPENHAGEN
Canal Tour: ticket included in Copenhagen City Pass
- Head to Nyhavn, check out the colorful buildings, hop on a canal tour at Netto Badene (most canal tours last 60 mins)
AFTERNOON: Rosenborg Castle
AFTERNOON: Torvehallerne
- Food hall/ pick up few things to take back to hotel
- Open 10am – 7pm
DAY 2: FRIDAY JUNE 8
MORNING at 9:45am: CYCLING COPENHAGEN (3 Hour Bike Tour)
Meet up at Westend 4 in the Vesterbro area – excellent way to get the layout of the city and adapt to Copenhagen cycling culture
LUNCH at Hija de Sanchez (Slagterboderne 8) in Meatpacking area. Taco place from former Noma pastry chef who I believe is American.
EVENING: Refshaleoen area and Copenhill/Amager Bakke (with Mads and Anita)
Refshaleøen island is an old industrial area that was once home to one of the world’s largest shipyards. Now, the Refshaleøen peninsular is home to cozy restaurants, cool bars, creative office spaces. Only about a 15-minute-bike ride away from the city centre, this place is like a peaceful, undiscovered island in the middle of bustling Copenhagen.
- La Banchina cafe – FANTASTIC
- Reffen (AMAZING)
- Urban Rigger (BIG concept for student housing)
- Amager/Bakke
- Halvandet – sauna, drinking, swimming
- Blocs and Walls
DAY 3: SATURDAY JUNE 9
MORNING: EXPLORE NORREBRO (BY BIKE)
- Assistens Cemetery (and public park): bike thru and see gravesites of Niels Bohr, Søren Kierkegaard and Hans Christian Andersen.
- Jaegersborggade – start at the Coffee Collective (#57) and walk down to Istid (Ice Cream Shop)
- The street is home to the only caramel cookery in Copenhagen, Karamelleriet, Meyers Bakery, Ro Chokolade, Manfred’s wine bar and the underground wine bar Terroiristen.
LUNCH at Manfred’s, Jægersborggade 40 (casual spot from the same chef as Relae, across the street)
AFTERNOON: FREETOWN CHRISTIANIA
- A self-proclaimed autonomous anarchist district of about “1,000 residents.
- A mix of homemade houses, workshops, art galleries, music venues, cheap and organic eateries, and beautiful nature.
- “For your own safety, visitors are advised not to film nor photograph in Christiania, especially not in the area in and around Pusher Street.”
- At the entrance, look for signs indicating ‘do’s and don’ts‘ in the area. Strongly advised to take them seriously and follow them for your own safety.
LATE AFTERNOON: Kulturtaarnet Cafe on the Knippelsbro Bridge (look for the white flag)
- Hours: 12-10pm (closed Monday/Tuesday) – FABULOUS!!
DAY 4: SUNDAY JUNE 10
ALL DAY: EXPLORE OSTERBRO AREA BY BIKE
Grundtvigs Church
- Rare example of expressionist church architecture.
- One of the best known churches in the city.
SUPERKILEN PARK
Superkilen Park is a contemporary urban space with a jogging track, a playground, a basketball court & a skateboard ramp.
- Designed by the arts group Superflex in collaboration with Bjarke Ingels and Topotek1, a German landscape architecture firm
LUNCH at Baest Pizza (by Relae chef) – 29 Guldbergsgade
- Hours: 12-2:30pm; 5-10:30pm
OSTERBRO, FAELLEDPARK, BRUMBELY
Known for its upscale, family-oriented community.
- Brumleby, a gorgeous enclave of terraced houses, is an early example of Danish socialized housing. Originally created for indigent workers in the healthcare industry.
- Exclusive Danish design stores and restaurants line the main street
- Wander down Sortedam Dossering beside the lakes to see some of Copenhagen’s most beautiful houses.
DAY 5: MONDAY JUNE 11
MORNING: Kastellet
Star-shaped 17th-century fortress with ramparts & a museum
AT NOON: Amalienborg Royal Palace (home of the Danish Royal Family)
- Changing of the Guard – precisely at Noon. Get there early, it gets packed!!
Frederik’s Church (Marble Church)
- 18th-century Lutheran church with the largest dome in Scandinavia
- Kierkegaard statue in grounds.
Rundetaarn – entry included with City Card
AFTERNOON: FREDERIKSBERG/ VESTERBRO/MEATPACKING
- Start at 5 Værnedamsvej (Granola) on one of Copenhagen’s loveliest streets.
- Highlights: flowers at Blomsterskuret (#3) and homewares at Dora (#6), which stocks items by Hay.
- There’s a concept shop, Playtype (also #6), for font nerds, selling posters and T-shirts.
- Istedgade is Vesterbro’s best shopping artery.
- Bicycle-lovers are especially well catered to – look for the stylish cycling capes at Kyoto at 95 Istedgade (kyoto.dk) and the sit-up-and-beg bikes at Cykelfabrikken
- Return to meatpacking and check out Space 10 (Ikea’s Future Living Lab)
DINNER at Kodbyens Fiskebar (Flæsketorvet 100) Opens at 5:30pm – EXCELLENT!!!
- Opened by a former protégé of Redzepi, Fiskebar offers the finest fish menu that Copenhagen has to offer.
DAY 6: TUESDAY JUNE 12
LOUISIANA ART MUSEUM (45 mins train trip)
- Outstanding waterside art museum & sculpture park with international works from 1945 to today.
- Changing exhibitions – currently Gabriele Munter show.
- Permanent collection includes a Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room.
- Their outdoors sculpture collection is stellar – especially the Richard Serra (planted among the trees), Dan Graham and the Calders by the cafeteria. They also have a vast collection of Henry Moore sculptures.
- Closed Mondays
DAY 7: WEDNESDAY JUNE 13
LATE MORNING: CHRISTIANSBORG PALACE (by bike)
- On islet of Slotsholmen (central Copenhagen)
- Take a guided tour of the royal palace’s lavish reception rooms – v. informative!
- Also check out the royal kitchen (amazing!!) and the stables (altho horses are not there from June thru August)
- Check to see if the Ruin Tour is available (12th-century castle remains).
- Good views from the tower but not essential if you’ve been to the Rundetaarn.
LUNCH at Tarnet – in the tower of the palace.
- Nice space but absolutely not a must-do. Service and food mediocre.
AFTERNOON: Danish Museum of Art & Design
- Under construction at the moment but still extremely interesting.
- Closed Mondays
EVENING: Tivoli Gardens
Not recommended unless you have small children.
- 19th-century amusement park with antique roller coaster & live entertainment program (close to hotel)
- Oldest amusement park, key inspiration behind Disney World(?)
DAY 8: THURSDAY JUNE 14
MORNING:
Galleri Susanne Ottesen, Gothersgade 49.
- Recommended by Kirstin Weiner.
Tage Andersen Flower Store (Ny Adelgade 12) Open 10am-6pm
- Kunsthal Charlottenborg is one of the largest exhibition spaces for contemporary art in Europe.
- Opens at noon. Closed Mondays.
LUNCH: Restaurant Geist (Kongens Nytorv 8)
DAY 9: FRIDAY JUNE 15
- Depart for airport by metro at 7:00am
- Flight to Oslo leaves at 9:10am Terminal 2
MISCELLANEOUS TIPS/OTHER:
- Use CityMapper App to get around
- Get Copenhagen Card: https://copenhagencard.com/ Order online for delivery to NYC/ buy enough for 8 days
- bike rentals: https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/transportation/copenhagen-bike-rentals
- ART EXHIBITION: CISTERNS (may be too spooky for me)
- https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/only-way-out-cisterns-gdk1099813
- Underground reservoir & dripstone cave transformed into a space for art exhibitions and events.
- Refshaeleoen – old industrial area now super cool. MUST SEE!! Also Amager Bakke (waste disposal mega site with ski hill, restaurant etc).
- https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/culture/what-see-and-do-copenhagens-refshaleoen
- Galeri Susanne Ottesen — Lawrence Weiner has been showing with Susanne Ottesen for years. Beautiful gallery and interesting crowd.
Restaurants/Bars Etc.
- Gro Spiseri (rooftop garden situation near Osterbro) 5:30pm – 1am ; closed Tuesday/Wednesday
- La Banchina – very cool cafe/restaurant in the rustic Refshaleoen area (Refshalevej 141A) Open every day 9am-11pm
- Conditori La Glace, Skoubogade 3 (Kirsten Weiner recommendation) ****
- Ved Stranden 10 (opens at 12 noon) – highly recommended for wines