Copenhagen

Why go

Go for an unbeatable package: a super-efficient city with sophistication and cultural clout. Don’t miss Tivoli as night falls and don’t leave without splashing your cash on some super-stylish contemporary homeware and distinctive fashion.

When to go

In midsummer it hardly gets dark at all and the evening light can last past 11pm. However, winter is cold, wet and dark and some tourist attractions are closed. May and June are usually fresh and bright, with reasonable temperatures. Summer peak season is in July and August, when Copenhagen offers plenty of festivals and open-air events.

Best for

Sightseeing , Restaurants , Art , Nightlife

How to get there

Copenhagen is served by its airport, six miles south-east of the city centre. Principal airlines fly from Heathrow and London City. Budget carriers fly from Stansted and Gatwick. Driving from Calais would take 10hrs 50min and cover 665 miles.

Shopping

Running from Rådhuspladsen to Kongens Nytorv, Strøget and its side roads contain some of the best shopping in northern Europe, from names like Louis Vuitton to high-end Danish design. Silversmith Georg Jensen, glass nirvana Holmegaard and Royal Copenhagen Porcelain, among others, gather under the Royal Shopping banner (6-10 Amagertorv, www.royalshopping.com). Kronprinsensgade is for Danish fashion, while Ravnsborggade is for fine antiques.

Alternative Perspectives

The crime rate is low and it is considered one of the top five cities in the world in which to live: a good record except for bicycle theft, which for some reason exists beyond the Danes’ moral boundaries

Must see

Wander into Tivoli for candy and thrills before watching the changing of the guard and visiting the royal palace. Head to one or two of the museums before walking around the free state of Christiana. Shop splendidly before a night out in one of the city’s stylish bars or clubs.

Family activities

Playgrounds (there are over 100) are modern and well kept and there are plenty of specialist attractions. Tivoli (the city-centre park), of course, is the number one kids’ destination, but there is also a fine zoo, special children’s sections of the Statens Museum For Kunst and Nationalmuseet (www.natmus.dk), as well as the wonderful hands-on science museum Experimentarium (www.experimentarium.dk). And if the weather is fine, you are only 15 minutes away from clean, sandy beaches.

Sports activities

Golf

Local customs

Elevators. To reach the ground floor in an elevator you will usually have to press a button marked ‘S’, for ‘stuen’.

Smoking. The Danes are slow to catch on to the public smoking bans, being adopted by some other Europen cities – it is permitted in nearly all cafés and restaurants

Tipping. Tipping: Service is often included on restaurant and hotel bills, so any further tips should only be given for unusually good service.