So, I will be heading to Copenhagen in four days (on Tuesday). My friend and I will be staying in the Latin Quarter for 8 nights.
I’m NOT looking for suggestions about lodging, fancy dining options or even “must see sights”. We are two gay men in our early 50’s who enjoy traveling but being low key on vacation. We are not the type to run around hitting multiple museums or tours every day. One major attraction a day, maybe two once is pretty much our pace. We really enjoy wandering aimlessly and getting the feel for a place.
If we manage to see Tivoli, Amalienborg & Christianborg , Rundetaarn, the Design Museum, Louisiana and Statens Museum for Kunst in this timespan I will find that quite an accomplishment.
What I want to hear about are good cheap eats (good lord does this town look expensive) and fun places for cheap drinks and good music. I know we should check out La Fontaine but if I want to see what is happening in small rock clubs with local bands, where should I go? Places with up and coming DJs or indie bands would be of interest as well.
And of course, anything you feel is an absolute must see. And WHY. Because, I know my fellow Dopers are going to quibble with what I’ve said above, because that’s just what we do.
Rent bicycles and ride up to the north coast, Tisvildeleje or someplace, stay in a B&B overnight and pedal back the next day. Easy ride, no fitness required, nice and flat on a fat-tire one-speed bike.
It’s about 60km from the centre of Copenhagen to Tisvildeleje - but you could always take the S-train up to Hillerød (cycles go free) if you wanted to cut some of the journey out. The coast up there is nice, and old fishing villages like Gilleleje are quite picturesque.
In Copenhagen:
Take a canal boat tour. Touristy, but takes you all around the harbour areas and gives a good overview of where things are.
If you are already at Amalienborg, look in at Marmorkirken (marble church), which I think is a really nice space. Also, you can climb the tower on Saturday and Sunday at 1pm (since it’s off-season at the moment), giving a nice view of the city.
Wander around Christianshavn (on the other side of the harbour). Visit Olafur Eliasson’s circle bridge which is directly opposite the main library (the black diamond). If you have a head for heights, climb the steeple at Vor Frelsers Kirke. If it’s windy, the steeple wobbles and feels very exposed. There are some nice cafés near the church, if I recall correctly.
Don’t go up Strøget. Except maybe to pop into Illums bolighus. Strøget is a ghastly tourist trap with expensive everything.
Do however wander around the streets north of strøget, either side of Købmagergade (which Rundetårn is on). You can probably find somewhere reasonable to eat here (at least by danish standards), and interesting little shops.
If you want a different sort of art experience, visit Cisternerne at Søndermarken. Bit of a walk from the centre, but you could make a tour of it through Frederiksberg gardens. And it’s quite near Carlsberg I haven’t seen the new exhibition yet, but the space is very atmospheric. Don’t wear fancy clothes (take a rain coat) because the ceiling drips.
If you are up by Statens Museum for Kunst, then take a walk through the botanic gardens (next door) or Kongens Have (good for picnics) with a view of Rosenborg Slot (where the crown jewels are kept).
Apart from the above - Avoid Tivoli. It’s pricey, crowded and not very fun. Go to the oldest amusement park in the world instead - Bakken. No cover fee and much nicer in all possible ways.
Prioritize Louisiana? It’s on the same train line as Bakken, so maybe you could do a twofer
Also, since I live across the water, a warning about the weather. It’s been unseasonably cold lately, with temps at midday rarely reaching 50F. Windy too. Plan accordingly. And check http://www.dmi.dk/en/vejr/ for up to date weather forecasts.
Thanks for the suggestions! Anyone else? Any music venues to suggest?
And Charlie Tan, yes, I’ve been watching the weather and noticed it seems to be on the cooler side of things from what I expected. Layers and rain gear will be packed for sure. That just means indoor things and likely more museums than we would do normally.
Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities, a place I have no problem seeing again.
You may not appreciate the city as much as I did. It is FULL of beautiful women.
I kinda liked Tivoli, it was pretty at night. We rented bikes for transport while there, I think there are way more bikes than cars. If you avoid obvious tourist places the food is very good. Vor Frelsers Kirke is cool. Hopefully it won’t be crowded at the top. The narrow stairs get smaller and smaller.
My BIL lives there and plays guitar in bars. He says his stage name is “Live Music”
He’s incommunicado at the moment so I can’t tell you where to go.
We will go see Vor Frelsers Kirke but no steatopygia, I don’t think I’ll be doing the climb all the way to the top. Heights make me very dizzy. Not a good place for that.
Just bumping this to thank the people who replied and to say this was a fantastic trip!
We loved Copenhagen and found the people to be wonderful! The weather was a bit rainy the first couple of days but then the sun came out and WOW. I can’t imagine many places as beautiful on a sunny day! The weather was perfect - in the 60s in the sun - and we really enjoyed walking around, eating and drinking everywhere. A really amazing place.
I haven’t seen the new exhibition yet, but the space is very atmospheric. Don’t wear fancy clothes (take a rain coat) because the ceiling drips.