Wonderful Copenhagen, Denmark

The most famous things in Copenhagen are probably the Little Mermaid and the Queens National Guard called "Garden" in Danish. However many people are disappointed with the Little Mermaid because they expect her to be the size of the statue of liberty - she is only the size of a small woman.

You can catch the Queens Guard marching on St. Kongensgade most weeks days in summer around noon.

However Copenhagen has many other attractions you can read about in this journal such as the Royal Theater, Nyhavn, Stroget, The Kings Garden, Rosenborg Castle, Frederiksberg Garden, only to name a few.

Quick Tips:

When to visit:

I would suggest visiting from May to September where is chance of nice weather is much larger. However you can never be sure of the Danish weather even in June to August. You could be lucky and get sun and 25 degrees celcius or it could be raining and 14 degrees celcius. In nice weather you should enjoy the beaches north of Copenhagen or find a cafe in Nyhavn or Gammel Strand. Alternatively you could have a picnic in parks like "Kongens garden", "Fælled Parken" or "Frederiksbergs garden". If it is cold or rainy try to visit the museums or castles like "Rosenborg Castle" or "The National Museum".

Best Way To Get Around:

The best starting point for seeing Copenhagen is "Kongens Nytorn. From here you are in walking distance to "the royal theatre", "Nyhavn", "Stoget (shopping street)" and the castles "rosenborg" and "Amalienborg". If you wish to explore the beautiful nature and beaches north of Copenhagen I would suggest to rent a car.

Living in Copenhagen I have not stayed in too many hotels, however I have tried the Admiral a few times for weekend business conferences.

Location:
About 1 KM away from Kongens Nytorv the location of the Admiral very good for any tourist. Furthermore many of the rooms have a nice view over the Copenhagen harbor. The hotel has a very impressive neighbour –Amalienborg Caste where the queen lives -

History and atmosphere:
The hotel was build in 1780 and was used to dry corn. In 1978 the building was totally renovated and turned into a luxury hotel. However the interesting architecture remains and thus the hotel is probably the most interesting in a historic sense. However there no compromises made in terms of comfort and the most modern features one can expect from a 4 star hotel.

The hotel has about 400 rooms that are all equipped with a phone and television. The rooms are mid size and very clean. The most apparent feature is the solid wooden construction that goes through many of the rooms giving a raw simplistic atmosphere together with the luxury.

The service at the front desk was good and professional but a little bit unpersonal.

"Pinafore" is the hotel restaurant with an international kitchen, which is very good but not fantastic. The Nightclub "Nautilus" is in the basement, and it seems quite nice. However some of my colleagues were approached by Russian prostitutes which is a problem I hope The Admiral hotel has solved since then.

In the lobby there is a small newspaper kiosk with international newspapers, and on the 6th floor the quests can use the Sauna and solarium.

All in all I can definitely recommend a stay at the Admiral hotel when visiting Copenhagen.

For the ultimate no expense spared fine dining experince the best option is Kong Hans. The restaurant is called the Rolls Royce of fine dining in Denmark.

Kong Hans is situated near Kongens Nytorv in a celler on a small side street. The atmosphere is very stylish in this small exclusive restaurant and the lightning is perfect for a romantic dinner.

You have the option to taste two different menues (normally 5-6 dishes) or go ala carte. I would definately recommend going with one of the menues (about $ 75) if you are ready to try new and interesting foods.

The food is French but expect a slight twist of fusion from the excellent cook Thomas Rode Andersen.

I have had the pleasure to eat at Kong Hans twice and every dish I have tasted have been cooked perfectly. If you choose the menu I can also recommend the wine menu to accompany it. It is a great way to taste many different wines specially selected for each course.

The service is very professionel and kind - but don't ask for ketchup or french fries. If you want things like that you are in the wrong place. The cook is preparing works of art in the kitchen that should not be destroyed by ketchup, mustard, etc.

At the end of the meal you'll be presented with the cheese table. A fantastic selection of cheeses - many of which you have probably never heard of. Let the waiter guide you to choose the ones you like.

Dining at Kong Hans takes a long time and you should reserve 3-4 hours for the experience. The bill will be around DDK 2500-3000 for two people or about $350. This is a lot of money but I think it is worth it.

Tivoli is situated in central Copenhagen between the main train station (hovedbanegaarden) and the main square (Raadhuspladsen). Tivoli is one of the most famous amusement parks in Europe. It is the historic atmosphere rather than the size of the roller coasters that make Tivoli a unique place to visit.

Tivoli is a beautiful place that consists of water fountains, a Chinese garden, restaurants and lots of different rides. Tivoli was founded in 1843 and is thus more than 150 years old. One of the special features of Tivoli is the Pantomime Theater which is the oldest building in the park.

The rides include the ramous historic roller coaster and the Ferris Wheel that gives a nice view of Copenhagen. Every Friday there is a free rock concert on stage, check out the program sometimes you’ll find big names such as Sting or Elton John.

In the concert hall you’ll find ballets, modern dance or classical concerts. The park features a wide range of restaurants. Most are expensive fine dining restaurants however the Chinese tower offers a buffet at a reasonable price - $10-15. Some of the really good restaurants worth mentioning are: Divan 1, Ketchup and Paafuglen.

Tivoli is a nice place for both kids and adults. The kids will appreciate the many rides and the adults will enjoy the beautiful atmosphere, the restaurants and the concerts.

The park is open from 19 April to 22 September. The entrance price is DDK 55 ($7) for adults and DDK 30 for kids under 13. The entrance fee does not include the rides. A pass for all the rides costs DDK 180 ($24).

NASA has been the most trendy nightclub for the Copenhagen jet set in the last 5 years. If you are looking to party with famous people this is the right place to go. NASA is a members club but it is possible to get on the guest list if you call them on 33 93 74 15. The crowd is wearing expensive designer brands you so should you if you want to feel at home. The age limit is 23 for women and 25 for men.

Every thing at NASA is white which creates a futuristic atmosphere. The drinks are quite expensive around DDK 80-150. You can expect people to be a bit reserved and snobbish at the club and you should not expect to meet new friends NASA if you are not introduced. It is possible to book a table but you are expected to buy drinks for at least DDK 3.000.

Whether you’ll love or hate NASA depends very much what you are looking for. For watching the jet set and looking at very trendy people partying nothing in Denmark can compete. If you want to relax, interact with the locals or keep the budget down don’t go near NASA.

Bellevue beach is situated about 10 KM north of Copenhagen and is the best option for a nice but crowded beach near the city.

The beach is about 1 KM long and can be very crowded on a sunny day. The quality of the beach is quite good and there are no stones in the sand or in the water.

Across the road you'll find the good but quite expensive restaurant called Jacobsen. The name is from the famous Danish designer Arne Jacobsen and all the furniture in the restaurant is designed by him. Definately worth a visit if you are interested in classic Danish design.

Being the preferred beach of many people living Copenhagen it is sometimes hard to find a parking spot for your car, and a good option is to take the train to Skodsborg station which is very close to the beach.

The crowd on the beach is quite young and you might find people with ghettoblasters (stereos), etc. Because of the popularity of the beach you will not find too much privacy.

The cleanness of the water is OK but you'll find it even cleaner further up north at beaches in Rungsted or Hornbaek.

Beach wear:
The Danes are quite liberal and the women are not expected to wear a top on the beach, about 50% don't. If you want to go nude you can do so at the North end of the beach, which is also know as the homosexual area.

You should select Bellevue if you want a beach close to the city and want to look at the young crowd of Copenhagen. If you want more privacy, cleaner sand and water you should head further north.

Hornbaek is a very nice beach city about 70 KM from Copenhagen. The best way to visit the beach is by car. Alternatively you can take the train from Copenhagen to Helsingør and a small train called "Grisen" from Helsingør to Hornbaek. However this can take up to 2 hours.

Hornbaek beach is very long and the quality of the sand and water is very high. The crowd is mixed with both families and younger people.

Beachwear:
The Danes are quite liberal and the women are not expected to wear a top on the beach, about 50% don't.

It is definitely worth to rent a house or stay at a hotel in Hornbaek, if the weather is nice. You have a nice selection of different restaurant from budget to fine dining.

Mia Mills is a small but exclusive fashion shop situated in the part of Copenhagen called Osterbro. The boutique is targeted at women between 20-45.

The shop is very romantic and personal with owner Mia Mills helping her customers with their fashion needs.

Mia Mills combines some of the best fashion from Scandinavia and Europe including: Benedicte Utzon, By Groth, Blues and the Italien designer brand Cinque. She also sells DKNY from the US.

The shop is definately worth a visit.

Location:
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is situated in Denmark on the North Zealand coast in a spacious, old park with a fine view across the sound of Sweden. It is best to get here from Copenhagen by car it is about 1 hours drive on the beautiful ocean road - Strandvejen. An alternative is the train and taxi from Humlebaek station to the museum.

Permanent Collection
The artists include:
Arp, Francis Bacon, Calder, Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Sam Francis, Giacometti, Kiefer, Henry Moore, Picasso, Rauschenberg and Warhol.

Further you can see the Danish artists such as: Heerup or Kirkeby

Temporary collection -
The Temporary collection changes 6 times a year so there is always something new to see at Lusiana

The Museum also has a small concert hall for classical music.

The museum is worth a visit alone because of the beatiful drive from Copenhagen to Humlebaek. Many people find the fixed collection a little strange, which is often the case with modern art.

Daily 10.00 – 17.00, Wednesday 10.00 – 22.00