After an incredibly easy and pleasant journey on the fully autonomous metro from the airport straight into the centre of Copenhagen, you'll find that choosing just a few places to visit isn't that simple at all: we've learned this for ourselves, and we visit Denmark regularly at DesignVille. Therefore, equipped with several years of experience, we choose only the best places to which we are excited to always come back. Whether it's food places, cafes, walks or cultural spots. And because we like to be user friendly, you'll also find a helpful map with all the locations at the end of this article.
Where to eat in Copenhagen?
- RizRaz – Mediterranean cuisine in a charming space, including lunch and evening buffets that will also appeal to your wallet + it has two branches
- Broens Gadekøkken – streetfood right in the centre of Copenhagen and conveniently on the shore walk route – we recommend trying the traditional Scandinavian Smørrebrød
- Reffen – a harbourfront streetfood park full of culinary delights from all corners of the world, worth a visit if you have a real passion for food and its culture
- Andersen & Maillard – a bakery offering incredibly fluffy croissants in all shapes and flavours
- Brus – the design tasting beer bar in the old ironworks takes the experience of already good Danish beer another notch higher
- Den Økologiske Pølsemand – a hotdog stand conveniently located next to Rundetaarn and other places, hotdogs of several flavours and varieties will quickly drive away hunger and delight the senses with thoughtful flavour combinations... they don't leave out vegans either
Cafés in Copenhagen
- Atelier September (below left) – one of the must-see places with good food, great coffee (not only filter) but also tea and wines, design lovers will be pleased with details like the details like the Muller Van Sveren lamp
- Frama + Apotek 57 (below right) – located near Atelier September, Frama Studio Store selling a curated range of accessories and cosmetics includes Apotek 57, where they cook, bake and make filtered coffee
- Seks – a café run by two Polish travellers boasts great cuisine, and even better filter coffee that drips for 22 hours on a special tower, plus it's close to Rundetaarn
Where to go for culture?
- Design Museum Denmark – where else to visit a design museum than in its tradition-rich capital... the collections here include many original pieces and drawings, so you can study how iconic design ages and which materials have borne the passage of time with the greatest grace
- Copenhagen Contemporary – the art centre's generous spaces encourage the creation of unexpected installations and visual objects; if you want to experience art in a less traditional way, make this a must-visit... you'll come across impressive work by James Turrell, for example
- Botanical Garden Copenhagen – you can also admire nature's art in the centre of Copenhagen. The botanical garden here has a long tradition and offers a view of a great variety of plants and landscape art - the greenhouse with butterflies flying everywhere is also magical
What to see in Copenhagen?
- A walk around Nyhavn and the surrounding area – definitely not to be missed, due to the popularity of the location, a walk on a weekday will be a bit more peaceful... be sure to visit the opposite bank as well, the whole area is worth exploring and the views will not disappoint
- The Silo building and its surroundings – the sought after architectural landmark of the Silo was one of the lovely stops on the Nordhavn walk, you can admire it from the rooftop workout park for example, which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area. There is also the aforementioned bakery in the neighbourhood, or the magnificent Audo showroom
- Rundetaarn and the view of the city – the famous 17th century baroque astronomical observatory building is not only fascinating for its story, but also for its winding path instead of stairs and the impressive view of the city from the top
What else to experience?
- Tivoli – the iconic amusement park can be found on all the lists and ours as well, it's one of the places you must experience for yourself
- Take a public transport boat ride – Copenhagen's comfortable public transport infrastructure is complemented by water routes that are ideal for exploring multiple sites at once, we recommend planning one
- sink your feet in the sand, sit in the park – the Scandinavian lifestyle and the ubiquitous reflecting waves are best appreciated in a relaxed position surrounded by a quiet harbour, beach or right in the water. Weather permitting, Danes live primarily outdoors, so it's not hard to come across enjoyable events involving music and a laid-back atmosphere.
It wouldn't be a proper DesignVille guide if we didn't also recommend design showrooms where you can get a good dose of inspiration straight from the source. Of the open ones, HAY House in the very centre of Copenhagen, Ferm Living and Bolia, which are conveniently adjacent to each other, also have a magnificent space, Audo Copenhagen, which you can combine a visit with a tour of Nordhavn.
Below you will find all the locations mentioned clearly and thematically arranged on a map:
