Welcome to the second part of my affordable and fantastic things to do in Copenhagen! You can see the first issue here.
In this volume of things to do in Copenhagen, you’ll find:
- Places to eat, social, and relax in Copenhagen.
- What and where to shop for souvenirs and designer stuff.
- Addresses and links to Google map of each site.
- Notes and warnings about certain places (!)
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There are certainly more than 20+ things to do in Copenhagen. So, to continue from the first volume:
NØRREBORO – A Multi-Cultural District
One part of Nørreboro is a trendy neighbourhood with many hipster coffee shops, boutique stores. However, once you cross a certain street, you enter a whole new world that’s composed majorly of immigrants and has many halal butcheries. It’s quite fascinating.
We accidentally discovered an excellent cozy coffee house in the area: Kaffehuset 183. Their Duck Nami burger is to DIE for! (Fresh curly fries and delicious latte, too!)
Map: Nørrebrogade 183, 2200 København N
In case you haven’t noticed:
Copenhagen is the Food Mecca of Scandinavia.
Not just because the city has some of the top Michelin restaurants around the world, the diversity of the world cuisines Copenhagen has to offer is also a reason. I’ve written a post solely on Affordable Asian food in Copenhagen. Nevertheless, Danish food has its charm:
RØD PØLSE (Red Sausage)
A typical street food in Denmark. The bright red boiled pork sausage is served with bread with ketchup, mustard, and fried onions. You can find it in Skåne, too (the southern region of Sweden which used to be a part of Denmark.) This one we got was from the food truck at the City Hall Square.
SMØRREBRØD (Open Bread Sandwich)
Traditionally topped with fresh shrimps, herrings, horseradish cream, this Danish open-faced sandwich on freshly baked Danish rye bread is one thing I haven’t tried, and that’s totally unacceptable! Apparently, smørrebrød is a lunch thing. We were going to get some for dinner from Føtex (a large everything supermarket like Walmart in Denmark), but they were all gone. (It was all there at lunch time!)
But at the TORVEHALLERNE MARKET, they have smørrebrød at all times.
Of course, they have more than smørrebrød. In fact, this marketplace is a foodie’s heaven! We stumbled upon this market on the walk back from Nørreboro to the centre, and it was a pleasant surprise! Torvehallerne market has two buildings; inside there are grocery products from Italy to Asia, fresh seafood, ecological butcheries, local beer, vegetables, flowers, coffee, bakery, organic beauty products, chocolates, spices, cheese, and so much more!
Map: Frederiksborggade 21, 1360 København K
Or, are you looking for a souvenir to bring for friends, or simply just craving for some sweets? Go to:
SØMOD’S BOLCHER
A traditional handmade candy shop, Sømod’s Bolcher has been producing delicious sweets for over 120 years. You can see the candy makers in action at their workshop in the back of the store. If you’re lucky, you may even get a fresh warm hard candy straight out of their hands! Recognised by the Danish royalty with the official sign Kongelig Hofleverandør, the Danish royal families order sweets from them, too. It’s a perfect place to pick up a gift for friends and family.
Map: Nørregade 36, 1165 København K
Here are some other things to do in Copenhagen:
FREETOWN CHRISTIANIA – The Squatter Community
Christiania is a unique existence in Denmark and perhaps one of my favourite spots in Copenhagen because of the ideology behind the community. Danish law doesn’t apply in Christiania. Simply put, Christiania is a Freetown and an anarchist community composed of families of hippies, artists, grassroots movement peeps, and rockers. Formerly a military base, it has become Freetown Christiania for over 40 years. Throughout the time of the occupation, Christiania has transformed from a sketchy gangster district to the peaceful, little tourist trap today. You can also purchase and indulge some herbal remedies (which is still illegal in Denmark) inside the fence freely without any worries, but hard drugs, weapons, and running are prohibited inside. (Running is not allowed because they don’t want to panic the dealers. Usually, when people are running, that means the cop is there to raid the place.)
Note: Due to a gun shooting incident at the end of 2016, Christiania has changed since then. Change how? Wait for my post that’s dedicated to this beautiful community.
Map: Bådsmandsstræde 43, 1407 København K
Where to Eat in Christiania: MORGENSTEDET
Morgenstedet is a vegetarian restaurant that offers homemade hot meals with organic ingredients. Although it’s mostly vegetarian, they still make delicious chicken from time to time! I feel incredibly healthy after I’ve had lunch there. Each serving is charged by weight, and it’s usually under 100 DKK unless you eat a sh*t load. You serve your own food and put the dishes after you finish.
Map: Fabriksområdet 134, Christiania, 1440 København K
AMALIENBORG PALACE
The palace is the home of the Danish royal family, and they still live in here (!) You can watch the change of guard at its courtyard, but it is so much less fancy than their neighbouring country Sweden. (The change of guard in Stockholm was a brass band concert for more than 30 minutes.) When we watched the Danish guard change, a young guard tripped on himself. I shouldn’t laugh at him, but I couldn’t help it! I am a terrible person, I know.
Map: Amalienborg Slotsplads 5, 1257 København K
RUNDETAARN (Round Tower)
If you want to get a splendid view of Copenhagen from above, Rundetaarn is the place to go. This iconic architecture has been in the heart of Copenhagen for over 350 years! The building itself is worth a visit. (Hint: You don’t take the stairs to go to the top!)
Inside the tower, there are also rooms that host exhibition, concerts, and events. We saw a beautiful historical photo exhibition of Scandinavian missionaries’ working around the world. Rundetaarn also has the oldest observatory on the top of the tower. You can glimpse through their telescope! The entrance fee is 25DKK for adults.
HAVNEBADET ISLAND BRYGGE – Only in Summer!
This summer pool is FREE to enter once it’s warm enough (in Danish standard,) and it opens every day from 11.00 to 20.00 until August 31. It consists a diving pool, a children’s pool, and a swimming pool. What’s cool about it: It’s situated inside of the city surrounding by high-rise buildings with plenty of eateries and vendors around.
Map: Islands Brygge 14, 2300 København S
Get social! Go to the bar of COPENHAGEN DOWNTOWN HOSTEL
One of the most fantastic things about travelling is meeting new friends, but the chance is lower if you stay at a hotel or rent an Airbnb apartment. (We like to rent Airbnb when the owners are not there.) We didn’t stay at the hostel, but they have a great bar on the ground level, and it’s open to the public. We came here for New Year’s Eve and made some great new friends. (Check out our NYE in Copenhagen here.) They had NYE dinner buffet for 100DKK. It was a deal!
Love Scandinavian designs and love shopping?
Copenhagen is expensive, but shopping doesn’t need to be! If you are looking for fun, cheap and quality designer things and home decor, local chain stores such as Flying Tiger Copenhagen (They have stores in the UK and Europe, Japan, and South Korea) and Søstrene Grene (Also has other stores in Japan and European countries.) If you are looking for daily necessities, Normal is a good place to go (I bought things for my dog at home here.)
Or, if you just want to browse through some Danish designer furniture/decor, you can go to:
ILLUMS BOLIGHUS
Favoured by the Danish royalty, Illums Bolighus also received recognition from the royal family. The store has several locations in Scandinavia, but the flagship store is on Amagertorv in Copenhagen. It’s a huge department store of designer stuff, and from little things to large furniture, they have everything a home needs.
Warning: The price ranges, but generally, it’s not cheap and typically not affordable for the average crowd, but it doesn’t hurt to look around! Anyhow, I assume you are not going to ship a piece of furniture home while travelling. 😛
Map: Amagertorv 10, 1160 København
Of course, Denmark has more to see than just Copenhagen. I am definitely planning to visit other parts of Denmark, but I am sure there will be more guides about things to do in Copenhagen in the future. Follow me on Facebook and subscribe to this blog, so you don’t miss a post!
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