36 hours in Copenhagen
In the Danish capital, the only problem is keeping up with everything new
What a difference a decade can make. Copenhagen today is a city transformed, a polestar across creative fields from art to architecture, design to dining. No longer a sleepy Scandinavian capital, this good-looking city found success by tinkering with expectations. Cyclists own the avenues even in the depths of winter. The near-barren land gave birth to a culinary movement. And despite its distance from Europe’s vineyards, the Danish city is considered among the best in the world for natural wine. The only problem for travellers visiting today is keeping up. FRIDAY 3 p.m. Bridge the city Your introduction to the evolving nature of the city is Inderhavnsbroen (the Inner Harbour Bridge), a cycling-andpedestrian bridge that connects the Nyhavn and Christianshavn districts. Completed in 2016, the structure is the final link of the Harbour Circle, an 13kilometre route for cyclists and pedestrians traversing this maritime city’s myriad waterways. Although the bridge itself is unremarkable, the impressive panorama spans both the past and future: historic Nyhavn with its colourful row houses and 17th-century canal; influx Papiroen island; the grey stone building that formerly housed Noma (the acclaimed New Nordic restaurant ); and modern architectural landmarks, including the neo-futuristic Opera House and the Royal Library. 4 p.m. Style upgrade Danes are known for their design savvy, but the innate sense of style extends to their wardrobes. To appropriate an understated Scandinavian look, visit Project 4, a small Latin Quarter shop packed with canvas Sandqvist backpacks, woollen Klitmoller Collective sweaters and leather jackets from Copenhagen-based Ventil Studios. The spinoff store downstairs, Concept 4, is stocked with Rains raincoats and items ranging from Kinfolk tomes to Nomess notebooks. Browse the showroom of Hofmann Copenhagen, a niche brand for women.
7 p.m. Beer and pizza After transforming a once-derelict stretch of Jaegersborggade into a culinary destination with the Michelin-starred restaurant Relae and the eco-bistro Manfreds, the chef Christian Puglisi turned his attention to a forlorn stretch of Guldbergsgade. Today the lively block is home to two Puglisi-run establishments as well as Brus, an enormous new brew pub opened by the local brewery To Ol in an old iron foundry. Later, stumble across the street to Baest, Puglisi’s version of an Italian trattoria serving housecured charcuterie and artisan cheeses made with milk from the restaurant’s herd of Jersey cows. 11 p.m. Tipple tips In a city filled with excellent watering holes, one of the most impressive newcomers is Himmeriget, an unassuming bar in a former butcher shop. At this allare-welcome neighbourhood hangout, the cocktail list is handwritten on the white tile wall and ten taps pour wellchosen craft beers. If wine is what you’re after, look for the neon-pink teardrop marking the entrance to Gaarden & Gaden, a nearby bar specializing in natural wines with some 300 bottles in the cellar. SATURDAY 10 a.m. Good morning, Norrebro Whatever you wake up craving, it’s likely being served at Moller Kaffe & Kokken, a bustling Norrebro cafe favoured by locals serious about their “morgenmad” (“breakfast”). From the menu of two dozen or so small dishes (all under 50 kroner), create your ideal smorgasbord: maybe Danish porridge with sea buckthorn jam, tart apple slices with lime and sea salt, fried eggs with herbs, crushed potatoes with yogurt and parsley, and waffles with marmalade and crème anglaise. Noon Home improvement
Denmark’s design roots run deep. At Hay House, a flagship shop for the acclaimed Danish design firm, resist the urge to buy everything, from brass scissors and lilac toothbrushes to canary yellow armchairs. At Stilleben No. 22 find geometric wall lamps, oak-and-leather trays and dreamy works from Copenhagen-based artist Anne Nowak. And at MK Studio, a ceramics workshop that supplies discerning local restaurants, shop for hand-thrown cups, plates and bowls that blur the line between tableware and art. 2:30 p.m. Art artery Bredgade stretches from Nyhavn canal to the moats of Kastellet, but this street is more than a convenient thoroughfare. It’s also home to a cluster of world-class contemporary art galleries, including Galerie Mikael Andersen, where exhibitions regularly feature noteworthy Danish artists, like Kristian Touborg and Elisabeth Toubro. Across the street, find art of a different form at Designmuseum Danmark, where graphic design and fashion are spotlighted alongside an exhibition of the 20th-century Danish chairs. 4:30 p.m. Wine time What’s all the fuss about natural wines? To understand the drinking trend that has swallowed this city whole, descend a half flight of stairs to Den Vandrette, a harbour-side wine den. Here, enthusiastic servers sing the natural wine gospel, pouring tastes from a magnum of Bodega Cueva’s Tardana Orange. Order a jar of olives and stay a while, or continue a wine pilgrimage to the under-abridge locale of Rosforth & Rosforth, an influential wine importer that hosts weekly tastings and summertime pop-ups on the quay. 8 p.m. Pedigreed plates There’s no escaping Noma’s influence on the local dining scene, where nearly every top chef has logged time with René Redzepi. But no restaurant is as closely tied as 108, the first Noma spinoff that opened in a spacious stone building in 2016. The chef and co-owner Kristian Baumann (formerly of both Noma and Relae) adheres to the foraging-pickling-fermenting culinary philosophy. What distinguishes 108 is its accessibility: There’s an à la carte menu, prices are comparatively modest (most dishes are under 200 kroner, or $41), and there are seats for walk-ins in the lively, laid-back dining room. SUNDAY 11 a.m. Coffee stops Atmosphere is paramount in a country so adept at making things cosy that the Danish term — “hygge” — became a worldwide trend. Down a halfflight of stairs on Boldhusgade, CUB Coffee Bar nails the concept, with fur pelts draped on chairs, an adorable bear-cub logo and aromatic roasts from Copenhagen Coffee Lab. For a different brand of hygge, visit the fashionable Café Atelier September, which serves lightroast coffee from Sweden’s Koppi roastery and the city’s most photographed avocado toast. 1p.m. Palatial art A 17th-century Baroque brick palace on tourist-thronged Nyhavn doesn’t look like a venue for daring contemporary art, but the exhibition space located inside, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, is just that. The elegant palace hosts ambitious tempo- rary exhibits, such as a recent Ai Weiwei installation that barricaded the palace windows with thousands of refugees’ life vests salvaged from the Greek island of Lesbos. 3 p.m. On the water There’s no better place to laze away an afternoon than La Banchina, a waterside café where you can sip sparkling rosé on a wooden pier with views across the harbour. This endearingly ramshackle refuge — the name means “the pier” in Italian — is on the northern island of Refshaleoen, a long bike (or quick ferry) ride from the centre in a former industrial area now colonized by fine-dining establishments and moored houseboats. Lodging There’s a theatrical ambience at the Hotel Sanders, a boutique property opened last November by an acclaimed Danish ballet dancer.
A perennial favourite of design-conscious travellers, Hotel SP34 offers 118 roomsin a central Latin Quarter location. There’s also a private movie theatre, rooftop terrace and three dining locations.