Copenhagen
The Short Guide to Hygge Discovering
As promised, this is the part of the story where I make the big disclosure of my favorite spots in Copenhagen, but I’m pretty sure I’ll have much more to discover and I can’t wait to keep sharing here my precious findings.
STAY: if it’s your first time in Copenhagen and you want to stay comfy, I have couple of hotels that will definitely worth to stay, eat a bite or enjoy a drink, if some days are slower or lazier. Coco Hotel is 10 mins walking from central station - which is not a dangerous area here - it’s really cool and lively, with a lovely internal courtyard, ideal for a pre dinner drink or an afternoon tea. Bedrooms perfectly reflect the fine and clean interior Scandinavian style. Hotel Sanders is the boyish grown up version of Coco Hotel, located in the center of the city, bar and restaurant are appreciated in town and the interior interprets the colonial style.
EAT: food in Copenhagen is a real thing, they have a great culinary culture and a good eye for creating cozy and elegant spaces. Bakeries are everywhere and pastries are heaven, I really enjoy to have a grab and go breakfast at Hart Bageri, which is everywhere in town, or Orsa coffee, on the other side of the street of Coco Hotel. It’s really nice to seat along the street, eating a tasty pastry and sip a hot tea.
There are few spots that I love for breakfast, that serve also brunch or lunch. They offer bakery products but also savoury snacks and hot meals, the Danes have the strong capacity/need to create little universes, merging a little food place with other commercial activities, making sure the clients enjoy the stay in their places. During a walk along the canal, stop at Apollo Bar, in the courtyard of Kunsthal Charlottenborg museum, Apotek 57 is the food&drink spot of Frama store, selling furniture, tableware and home accessories, and The Roe Bar located in Louise Roe Gallery, a steel and concrete environment, serving from breakfast to mid afternoon in fine tableware, that you can physically buy there (not at the cheapest price).
Speaking about lunch and dinner, my favorite place to stroll around and choose where to seat for a drink or a meal is the Meatpacking District. It’s a super cool industrial compound, a former butchers area where the big spaces have been converted in restaurants, bars, bakeries or clubs. During the evening is full of people and it’s really enjoyable. I’ve also slept there once, the hotel is Scandic Kodbyen, it’s ‘average’, but well located and really nice. My selection here is Mother for a good wood oven pizza, Tommi’s Burger Joint for authentic saucy burgers, and Fiskebar, my favorite in Copenhagen and one of the best fish restaurant I’ve ever tried, if you are around you must try it to taste the best fish dinner in Danish style.
Out of the Meatpacking District, I’ve loved Sanchez, this Mexican restaurant is founded by one of the former Noma chef, and Italo Disco, a Danish-Italian tiny restaurant with a strong Scandinavian touch, don’t be skeptical and order pasta, it’s really really good!
VISIT: on top of my list you find Louisiana Museum, the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, the location is stunning in the way the nature is perfectly balanced with the structure and the artworks. Take the train in central station and be there in 50mins. If you look for some fun time, don’t miss the chance to spend an afternoon in Tivoli, the third oldest amusement park in the world, opened in 19th century, has maintained that vintage taste. All the attractions look beautiful in their old style, they are surrounded by stunning nature and the park is full of restaurants and coffee places.
The ideal spot in summer is La Banchina. First, it’s a lovely bike ride to get there, you’ll cross the city and enter a natural area rich of green with few houses here and there, La Banchina is the best place to chill all day, sunbath sipping some wine, have a dip in fresh water or a sauna and morning yoga. The kitchen is open from breakfast to late afternoon/dinner based on the season, serving organic and local food (no meat). It would be a perfect day by the water, just 15/20mins from the city.
If it’s your first time in Copenhagen, you should explore Cristiania, without expecting too much in my humble opinion.. it should have been inspiring and exciting in the 70’s, once a group of hippies established there founding a free city, autonomous from Danish government where its population follows a regime of self-determination and collective ownership, producing everything they need to survive and allowing the use of cannabis and hashish, which is forbidden in the rest of the city. Nowadays, the government has recognised Cristiania as a legal self-determined city but the vibe is not so eclectic and peaceful as it was.
Lastly, a regenerating walk or a morning run, a lovely breakfast or a deep read in one of the beautiful parks of the city are highly recommended, my favorite is Royal Library Gardens, but also Rosenberg Castle Garden is stunning, with a quick visit to the Palm Tree House in the close botanical garden.
SHOPPING: I would close my post with a carousel of my favorite shopping spots. Along the same street, you’ll find Louise Roe Gallery for fine vases and tableware, Tekla and Lié Studio, a chic jewelry brand founded by a Danish twin duo. Grocery for cool technical wardrobe pieces and Le Petit Voyeur for niche magazines and coffee table books. Casa Shop for furniture and accessories, Griegst for fine jewelry, tableware, cutlery and vases, they are almost works of art, CRD Studio for ceramics and canvases, Tage Andersen for beautiful vases and flowers, this store is like a wonder land, and Frama for home accessories.
xx A.
