Copenhagen

As the Vikings yearned for Valhalla, so their modern-day ancestors dream of the candy floss innocence of this pleasure park-come-beer garden. In many ways, a visit to Tivoli is the definitive Danish experience. It is the ultimate expression of ‘hygge’, the unique type of cosiness Danes strive to create in their lives: there are thrill rides, hot dogs, ice cream and beer; and a whole host of family entertainments.

Phone:

+45 33 15 10 0/+45 33 15 10 01/ticket centre +45 33 15 10 12

Opening hours:

Mid Apr-mid June, mid Aug-mid Sept 11am-11pm Mon-Thur, Sun; 11am-midnight Sat; 11am-12.30am Fri. Mid June-mid Aug 11am-midnight Mon-Thur, Sun; 11am-1am Fri; 11am-12.30am Sat. Christmas Market: (late Nov-23 Dec) 11am-10pm Mon-Thur; 11am-11pm Fri; 10am-11pm Sat; 10am-9pm Sun.

Address:

Vesterbrogade 3

The Free State of Christiania is a residential area unlike any other in Denmark. This mess of historic military buildings, makeshift housing and ramshackle businesses, which straddles the defensive moat and 17th-century ramparts to the east of Christianshavn, is home to around 1,000 people. Until very recently it was a community that existed within Copenhagen, but outside of its laws and conventions. Recently it has had to follow a ‘legalisation’ process.

Phone:

n/a

Opening hours:

n/a

Address:

East of Christianshavn

Slotsholmen is the city’s most historically important site. It is defined by canals (dating from Christian IV’s time) on three sides and the harbour facing Christianshavn to the east. The largest building on Slotsholmen is Christiansborg Slot, the modern day parliament building. Copenhagen’s most beautiful ‘hidden’ garden, Bibliotekshaven lies behind the old ivy-covered Det Kongelige Bibliotek and its new striking extension nicknamed the Black Diamond.

Phone:

Slotsholmen +45 33 92 64 94), Kongelige Bibliotek +45 33 47 47 47

Opening hours:

Slotsholmen: Tours (in English) May-Sept 11am, 1pm, 3pm daily. Oct-Apr 3pm Tue-Sun. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: Main building 10am-7pm Mon-Sat. Library 10am-7pm Mon-Fri; 10am-2pm Sat. Exhibitions 10am-7pm Mon-Fri; 1am-5pm Sat.

Address:

Slotsholmen and Søren Kierkegaards Plads 1

The Louisiana Museum For Moderne Kunst is located in blissful surroundings. The collection includes works by many notable post-war French sculptors like Herbin, Albers, and Alexander Calder and paintings by Dubuffet, Bacon, Rothko and Reinhardt. Picasso and the Pop Art movement of the ’60s is well represented and ‘70s German art is strong. In the garden you’ll find sculptures by Calder, Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Max Ernst and Giacometti, among others.

Phone:

+ 45 49 19 07 19

Opening hours:

10am-5pm daily; 10am-10pm Wed.

Address:

Gammel Strandvej 13, Humlebæk

Housed in a sumptuous former royal palace, boasting some of the finest rooms in the city, Denmark’s Nationalmuseet surpasses the equivalent institutions of many larger nations, in terms of its content and its skilful presentation. The museum is Denmark’s oldest historical collection, with its origins as Frederik II’s Royal Cabinet of Curiosities (c1650). It focuses, naturally, on Danish culture and history, but there are also world-class Egyptian, Greek, Roman and ethnographic departments.

Phone:

+45 33 13 44 11

Opening hours:

10am-5pm Tue-Sun.

Address:

Frederiksholms Kanal 12

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek has a breathtaking line-up of ancient sculptures, the largest collection of Etruscan art outside of Italy, as well as an exceptional array of more recent Danish and French paintings and sculpture. Its pieces can be roughly divided into two groups: ancient Mediterranean, and 18th- and 19th-century French and Danish.

Phone:

+45 33 41 81 41

Opening hours:

10am-4pm Tue-Sun (Reopening June 28 at noon)

Address:

Dantes Plads 7

Denmark’s national gallery and largest art museum was founded in 1824 and has its origins in royal collections from centuries earlier. The collection includes Danish and European art from the 20th century onwards. Some say the new gallery fails to provide appropriate rooms in which to exhibit the paintings, others find its mixture of vast glass windows (overlooking Østre Anlæg park) and unrelenting stone offers a pleasing spatial puzzle.

Phone:

+45 33 74 84 94

Opening hours:

10am-5pm Tue, Thur-Sun; 10am-8pm Wed.

Address:

Sølvgade 48-50

Four rococo palaces surround a grand cobbled square that make up Amalienborg Slot. Home to the royal family since 1794, the current, Dronning (Queen) Margrethe II lives in Schack Palace. The changing of the guards begins beside Rosenborg Slot at 11.30am, from where the soldiers parade through the streets with the military band of the Royal Life Guards to Amalienborg Slotsplads (the palace square) at noon. There is the Amalienborg Museum within Levetzau Palace.

Phone:

+45 33 12 08 08

Opening hours:

May-Oct 10am-4pm daily. Nov-Apr 11am-4pm Tue-Sun.

Address:

Frederiksgade, Frederiksstaden

Vega is more than just a nightclub – it is one of Copenhagen’s biggest and grooviest clubs and live music venues. Located in bohemian Vesterbro, the venue has a capacity of 2,000, and is split into Store Vega where concerts and club nights take place; Lille Vega, the Friday and Saturday nightclub venue; and Ideal Bar, a stylish, lounge bar area that typically has Latin and rare groove DJs at the weekend.

Phone:

+45 33 25 70 11

Opening hours:

Ideal Bar 9pm-5am Thur, Fri, Sat. Lille Vega/Store Vega varies according to event. Vega Natklub 11pm-5am Fri, Sat.

Address:

Enghavevej 40, Vesterbro

Ketchup is one of those places Copenhageners go to be seen. The ground floor is divided into a café at the front, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the street, restaurant tables to the rear, and a bar along one wall. Below in the basement are more restaurant tables and an open kitchen. A DJ plays on Friday and Saturday nights when the crowds can become fairly intense. Great ‘world’ food; very smart, very cool, very pricey.

Phone:

+45 33 32 30 30

Opening hours:

Restaurant noon-10.30pm Mon-Sat. Bar 11am-midnight Mon-Thur; 11am-2am Fri-Sat. Closed Sun.

Address:

Pilestræde 19