Hostelworld Guide for Copenhagen

Copenhagen, the largest city and capital of Denmark, is hugely popular with visitors thanks to a mix of

modern attractions and old school charm. From the Little Mermaid to the free-town of Christiania, this city

has its own unique character, where historical buildings rub shoulders with slick shopping streets, and this
is all brought together by a network of canals. It's an easy city to get around, with a particular fondness for

bicycles and a great public transport system. Whether you're looking for a wholly cultural experience or

something a little more hedonistic, Copenhagen will provide.

In this Guide...

Useful Information

After Dark

Places to Eat

Top Attractions

Budget Tips

Where to Shop

The Essentials

Climate

Getting There

By plane: Copenhagen Airport is in Kastrup, a town
8km southeast of the city. Trains depart from the
station at Terminal 3 for the city centre at regular
intervals. The journey takes around 12 minutes.

By train: If you come to Copenhagen by train, you'll
most likely arrive in Central Station. Frequent
services connect the city with other parts of
Denmark, as well as many European cities.

By bus: Central Station is also the main hub for
buses arriving in Copenhagen. Services run from
here to all over Europe, with Eurolines operating the
bulk of these.

Getting Around

On foot: Copenhagen's a flat city, so it's easy
enough to explore on foot. A lot of the main
attractions are within walking distance of each other
and the city centre.

By S-Train/Metro: The S-Train runs on 7 lines with
all the trains on the network passing through
Central Station. Metro services run daily from
5am-12pm, and all night on Thurs-Sat.

By bicycle: Public city bikes, lots of bike paths and
flat roads, make cycling a great choice for getting
around Copenhagen.

Copenhagen facts

Name: Copenhagen, which is the capital of
Denmark, is known as København in Danish.

Location: You'll find the city of Copenhagen on
the island of Sealand, one of many islands that
make up Denmark.

Population: Around 1.7 million people live in
the Greater Copenhagen area.

Area: Copenhagen is the largest city in
Denmark and covers an area of over 88 square
kilometres.

Founded: The city was officially founded in
1167.

Copenhagen has a mild maritime climate, meaning
it's generally cold in winter and warmer in summer.
The coldest months are January and February, with
temperatures sometimes dropping below zero.
Usually, the city gets snow in winter. July is both the
hottest and wettest month in Copenhagen. Highs
tend to hover around 18ºC and there's about 71mm
of rain. August and September are also wet months.

Good to know...

Language: Danish
Currency: Danish Krone (DKK)
Electricity: 220 Volts AC/50Hz, 2-pin plug.
Area code: +45 (Denmark), no city code.
Emergency codes: Ambulance 112, Fire 112,
Police 112.
Time Zone: Central European Time (GMT +1)
Central Post Office: Tietgensgade 37
Main Tourist Office: Wonderful Copenhagen
Tourist Information, Vesterbrogade 4A

Embassies

USA: [phone]
Canada: [phone]
Australia: [phone]
South Africa: [phone]
UK: [phone]
Spain: [phone]
Germany: [phone]
Italy: [phone]
New Zealand: [phone]*
France: [phone]

*Number is for the General Consulate

Hostelworld Guide for Copenhagen

www.hostelworld.com

Cheap Eats

After Dark

Ems Deli, Frederiksborggade 10, Nørrebro Along
with its breakfast and brunch offers, this café also
has a wide variety of sandwiches, bagels, pastries
and coffees. The music playing inside is quite lively,
and a cup of coffee here is a great way to shake out
the cobwebs first thing in the morning. Open Mon-Fri
7am-9pm, Sat-Sun 9am-9pm.

Let them eat cake

Conditori & Café Hans Christian Andersen,
Rådhusarkaden, Vesterbrogade 1 Denmark is
known for delicious Danish pastries, and this
café is a great place to try one. These, and other
tasty treats, can be enjoyed with a pot of coffee,
which can be refilled at no extra charge.
Sandwiches and salads are also available. Open
Mon-Thurs 8am-6pm, Fri 8am-7pm, Sat
8am-6pm, Sun 12pm-6pm.

Sunset Boulevard, Købmagergade 43, Strøget A
great place for lunch, Sunset Boulevard serves hot
and cold sandwiches, and a selection of salads.
Meal deals made up of a sandwich, fries and a drink
are good value. The interior's pretty funky too, with
lots of places to sit. Open Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun
11am-9pm.

Riz Raz, Kompagnistraede 20, Straedet Offering
all-you-can-eat buffet specials, the difference with
this restaurant is that its buffet is entirely vegetarian.
You can choose from a huge range of hot and cold
dishes, while there are also some meat dishes on
the main menu. Open daily, 11am-12am.

Mama Rosa, Østergade 57, Strøget Found on
Copenhagen's main shopping street, this restaurant
offers mostly Mexican and Italian dishes. There are
daily lunch specials, set 2-course tourist menus and
4 different 3-course menus. It's a colourful spot, with
bright tablecloths and potted chilli plants continuing
the Mexican theme. Open daily, 11am-12am.

The Scottish Pub, Rådhuspladsen 16, near
Tivoli Check out the backpackers' nights held here
on Mondays and Tuesdays to sample the drinks on
offer and to meet travellers from all over the world.
There's live music six nights a week and a DJ on
Fridays and Saturdays. Brave souls might like to try
one of the pipes, which hold four litres of Carlsberg,
more than enough to have you dancing up a storm.
Open Mon-Thurs 4pm-3am, Fri-Sat 4pm-5am, Sun
4pm-2am.

Vega Musikkens Hus, Enghavevej 40, Vesterbro
Here you'll find both the Ideal Bar and Vega music
venue and club. The Ideal Bar hosts events like
poetry slam nights, which are fun even if you can't
always understand what's being said. Lots of bands
from all over the world play in Vega, making it one
of the best places in the city to see live rock music.
Open Wed 9pm-1am, Thurs-Sat 9pm-5am.

The Dubliner, Amagertorv 5, City Centre Live
music every night of the week and TVs showing
major sporting events are just part of what makes
this such a popular bar. Inside you'll find a mix of
long benches, tables and couches under a big
dome skylight. You can take your beer to the seats
outside too. Open Mon-Thurs 10am-2am, Fri-Sat
10am-4.30pm, Sun 12pm-1am.

Gay/Lesbian Copenhagen

Copenhagen has a pretty large and lively gay
scene. Some of the more popular places
include Centralhjørnet (Kattesundet 18), which
is the city's oldest gay bar, Rocco (Axeltorv
12E) and Cosy Bar (Studiesstraede 24), which
is popular with both gay and straight people.
VELA (Viktoriagade 2-4) is a bar specifically
targeted at lesbians.

The Moose, Svaertegade 5, City Centre Slightly
off the beaten path but still close to Strøget, this bar
i s s m a l l a n d s m o k e y i n s i d e . I t h a s a g r e a t
atmosphere and friendly staff. Happy hours are long
here, lasting from 9pm to closing time on Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday. Open Mon-Wed 1pm-6am,
Thurs-Sat 1pm-7am, Sun 1pm-3am.

Rosie McGee's, Vesterbrogade 2A, Vesterbro
Spread over 2 floors, Rosie McGees has 4 bar
areas and 3 dance floors, one of which vibrates. On
Fridays, this bar offers a selection of drinks
promotions. Check out the musician playing
a c o u s t i c g u i t a r i n s i d e d a i l y . O p e n M o n - F r i
12pm-1am, Sat 12pm-5.30am, Sun 12pm-4.30am.

Don't Miss

Mark Your Calendar

The Little Mermaid, Langelinie The Little Mermaid,
introduced to the world in 1913 and created by
Edvard Eriksen, is one of the most recognisable
landmarks in the world. Sculpted in bronze and
based on the Hans Christian Andersen character,
she's visited by around a million people each year.

Canal Tours Lasting about an hour, these canal
tours are a great way to get a different view of
Copenhagen. From the water you'll see some of the
main attractions and learn lots of interesting facts.
You'll also pass underneath some of the very low
bridges stretching over the canals. Tours run from
March-Dec, opening hours vary; admission 60 DKK.

The Round Tower, Købmagergade 52A, City
Centre Completed in 1642, this tower is Europe's
oldest functioning observatory and is 35 metres high.
Walk up the spiral ramp, climb the last few stairs,
and then step outside for great views out across
Copenhagen. Open 7 days, May-Sept 10am-8pm,
Oct-April 10am-5pm; admission 25 DKK.

Carlsberg Visitors Centre, Gamle Carlsberg Vej
1 1 , V e s t e r b r o H e r e y o u c a n s e e t h e l a r g e s t
collection of beer bottles in the world, which right
now consists of around 18,000 bottles. Here you'll
learn about the production of beer and the history of
Carlsberg. End the trip by enjoying your two free
drinks. Open Oct-June Tues-Sun 10am-4pm,
July-Sept 7 days 10am-4pm; admission 65 DKK.

All thrills, no spills

Tivoli Gardens, Vesterbrogade 3 Tivoli
Gardens is one of the world's oldest amusement
parks. It boasts the highest carousel in the world,
40 restaurants, 3 open-air stages and an
aquarium. Opened in 1843, the park is visited by
around 4.5 million people annually. Open 7 days
at 11am Apr 17th-Sept 21st, Oct 10th-19th, Nov
14th-Dec 30th; admission 95 DKK.

February - Copenhagen Fashion Week The
Danish Fashion Institute organises this event,
where established and emerging Danish designers
can showcase their work. Another Fashion Week
takes place in August.

March-April - NatFilm All of Copenhagen's
cinemas take part in this festival where Danish
distributors show everything from Hollywood
blockbusters to small indie movies. Retrospectives
and Danish films are important to the festival too.

J u n e - D i s t o r t i o n D i s t o r t i o n i s b i l l e d a s a
'celebration of Copenhagen nightlife' and runs over
5 days. It was founded in 1998 and showcases
some of Copenhagen's different cultures, including
music and fashion. The club and street scenes are
also on display, with lots of parties held across the
city.

July - Roskilde Festival Famous international acts
take part in this well-known rock music festival
alongside up and coming Nordic bands. Roskilde
has been around since 1971 and today, bands play
on 7 different stages over 4 days.

July - Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2008 marked
the 30th anniversary of this festival. It has grown to
encompass over 900 concerts in 100 venues, with
more than 200,000 visitors.

July-August - HamletScenen Every year Kronborg
Castle hosts a selection of performances of some of
Shakespeare's best-loved works.

August - Kulturhavn The Kulturhavn, or Cultural
Harbour, festival takes place each year and
provides locals and visitors with a wide range of
activities to take part in. The festival lasts for 3
days, covering music, dance, theatre and more.

August - Copenhagen Cooking Over 10 days you
can sample some of the most delicious cuisine
Copenhagen has to offer. The festival also includes
wine tasting sessions, a cooking competition and
other special events.

September - Golden Days This major festival
takes place at locations across the city. It was
designed to promote Copenhagen's cultural side,
from music to film to dance to museum visits.

November - CPH:DOX This is Scandinavia's
biggest documentary film festival. For 10 days, the
city plays host to documentaries from all over the
world. Seminars and forums also take place.

Hostelworld Guide for Copenhagen

www.hostelworld.com

Neighbourhood Watch

Retail Therapy

Hellerup A short trip from the city centre on the
S-Train, this part of Copenhagen is filled with things
to see and do. You can visit the fun science centre
called the 'Experimentarium', walk along by the sea,
or check out the many exclusive boutiques and
stores along the tree lined streets. There's a good
choice of places to eat and drink here too.

This is our town

Christiania This 'free town' has been in
existence since 1971 and is built on the
concepts of communal living and alternative
lifestyles. You'll find many stalls here, offering
handmade jewellery, scarves, food and drink,
and more. There's a large stage area too, where
many different bands play. Tours Sat-Sun all
year at 3pm, Jun 26-Aug 31 every day at 3pm;
admission 30 DKK.

Nyhavn A more touristy area, Nyhavn canal leads
out into the harbour and is flanked by lots of
restaurants. At one time, writer Hans Christian
Andersen lived here. Why not join the locals, and sit
beside the canal with a traditional sausage from one
of the many 'pølser' stands nearby.

C h a r l o t t e n l u n d T h e b e a u t i f u l b e a c h e s i n
Charlottenlund, just outside the city and close to
Hellerup, are only a small part of this area's
considerable charm. Here, you can also take a walk
in the Charlottenlund Park or stop by Danmarks
Akvarium. This aquarium houses over 300 species
from sharks to anemones.

Vesterbro Not just the home of the red-light district,
Vesterbro has a lot going for it in terms of popular
spots to eat and drink, as well as places of interest.
Along Enghavevej, you'll find a mix of small shops,
cafés and bars. While in this area of the city, you can
a l s o v i s i t t h e C a r l s b e r g B r e w e r y , o n e o f
Copenhagen's most popular attractions.

Illum, Østergade 52, Strøget In operation since
1891, this huge department store is a treasure trove
for serious shoppers. Spanning five floors, it's home
to over 450 Scandinavian and international stores.
And for those worried about the bank balance, you'll
be happy to hear that shopping in Illum is tax free.
Open Mon-Thurs 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-8pm, Sat
10am-5pm, 1st Sun of every month 12am-5pm.

Strøget Made up of streets like Købmagergade,
Østergade, Amager Torv and Frederiksberggade,
Strøget is the main shopping area in Copenhagen.
Packed with tourists and locals, there's a huge
number of well-known brands including Mango, Foot
Locker, Puma, and Monsoon.

Let's strike a bargain

Flea Markets, various locations You could find
genuine antiques nestled on tables alongside
china and old Smurfs figurines at one of the
city's flea markets. The Gammel Strand market
is a little pricier than some of the others, but has
a great location alongside the canal. Near
Nørreport Station at the Israel Plads market,
sellers offer bargains on everything from
second-hand books to ceramics.

Magasin du Nord, Kongens Nytorv 13, near
Nyhavn A huge department store with a long
history, Magasin du Nord is located right in the heart
of Copenhagen. Every year around 20 million
shoppers stroll through its doors. Here you'll find
everything from clothing and toiletries to things for
t h e h o u s e . O p e n M o n - T h u r s 1 0 a m - 7 p m , F r i
10am-8pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm.

Østerbrogade This long street is located in the
Østerbro area of Copenhagen. There's a great range
of smaller stores here, with places selling everything
from clothes to shoes to sunglasses. Shops also
offer a great selection of second-hand items.

Copenhagen For Free

A Day in Copenhagen...

W a l k a r o u n d t h e K i n g ' s G a r d e n s B e s i d e
Rosenborg Castle, this large park was created in
1606, at the same time as the castle was built. Filled
with trees and flowers, it's also home to a large
number of interesting statues. The gardens are
v i s i t e d b y m i l l i o n s e a c h y e a r . O p e n 7 d a y s ,
7am-9pm; admission free.

Wander through the Statens Museum for Kunst
The Danish National Gallery is home to around
10,000 paintings and sculptures by both Danish and
international artists including Rembrandt and
Picasso. It was initially opened to the public in 1896.
Open Tues, Thurs-Sun 10am-5pm, Wed 10am-8pm,
closed Mondays; admission free.

See Hans Christian Andersen's grave Visit the
Assistens Cemetery in Nørrebro to see the final
resting places of notable Danish citizens like author
Hans Christian Andersen and physicist Niels Bohr.
Filled with trees and plants, it's also a peaceful park
to wander though on a sunny day. Open Nov-Feb
8am-4pm, Mar-Apr Sept-Oct 8am-6pm, May-Aug
8am-8pm; admission free.

Visit Trinitatiskirke (or Trinity Church) on
Købmagergade Inside you'll find high ceilings
elaborately decorated with hanging chandeliers. At
the back of the church, a huge organ faces the altar.
Choral performances and concerts are often held
here. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm; admission
free.

All about artefacts

Check out the National Museet At Denmark's
National Museum you'll learn about the Danish
people from the Ice Age to the present day. The
Eskimo display is a must-see, from the harpoons
to the animal hide underwear. There's also a toy
exhibit here, with teddy bears, dollhouses and
more. Open Tues-Sun 10am-5pm, closed
Mondays; admission free.

Start the day in one of the city's many cafés,
like the Conditori & Café Hans Christian
Andersen. Try one of the delicious Danish
pastries with some coffee.

From here, why not hop on board one of the
canal tours. See the city from the water and
learn a lot about the history of Copenhagen.

Pick up a tasty lunch from one of the many
sausage stands (see above) scattered
throughout the city and enjoy it while sitting
alongside the canal in Nyhavn.

Wander along by the harbour where you'll
find the Little Mermaid statue. After that,
catch the S-Train back to the city centre.

Walking distance from Central Station is the
National Museum. It's well worth a visit for its
displays of weird and wonderful artefacts,
from dolls to ceremonial masks.

After all that culture check out Strøget,
Copenhagen's famous network of shopping
streets. Designer names to local brands,
there's plenty here to tempt your wallet.

Many of the streets and narrow lanes off
Strøget are filled with great places to eat.
Stop at one of these for dinner, like Riz Raz
on Kompagnistraede.

Have a drink in The Moose on Svaertegade.
Small but with a lively atmosphere, this is a
great place to start the night, especially
during its long happy hours.

If you're looking for somewhere with a bit
m o r e s p a c e t o d a n c e , h e a d t o R o s i e
McGees on Vesterbrogade, which has 4 bar
areas and 3 dance floors.

Hostelworld Guide for Copenhagen

www.hostelworld.com