48 hours in Copenhagen

Looking for things to do in Copenhagen? Not much time to do them in? Here's our quick-stop guide to the city's best restaurants, bars, museums and more.

Day one

10am

Start the day with a traditional pastry at one of the city’s most popular bakeries: Lagkagehuset (Torvegade 45, Christianshavn, 32 57 36 07). There are now several branches, but this was the first, overlooking the Christianshavn Canal.

11am

Head round the corner to Vor Freisers Kirke (Sankt Annoegade 29, 32 57 27 98). You can walk up around the gold spire for fantastic views – including of nearby Christiania – but hold on tight, as it gets windy at the top.

12noon

A visit to the Christiania district is essential for anyone wanting a greater understanding of the city. The alternative residential area was founded in 1971, and is home to some 1,000 people. Photography is forbidden on Pusher Street, where soft drugs are openly sold. The more interesting zone is on the eastern side.

1pm

Café Wilder (Wildersgade 56, 32 54 71 83), on Wildersgade in Christianshavn, is a good nearby bet for lunch. Unless, of course, you’ve been lucky enough to secure a booking at restaurant-of-the-moment Noma (Strandgade 93, Christianshavn, 32 96 32 97) on Strandgade, near the canal.

3pm

After lunch, head across Knippelsbro bridge to Slotsholmen, the island on which the city was founded. The area has several draws, including Christiansborg Slot, housing parliament; the Thorvaldsens Museum (Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2, 33 32 15 32); and one of Copenhagen’s most-striking modern buildings, the extension to the national library, (pictured above) the Black Diamond (Søren Kierkegaards Plads 1, 33 47 47 47).

4.30pm

From Slotsholmen, head west to Rådhuspladsen, the city’s focal point. From here turn right and along Strøget, the main shopping street. The better shops are at the western end, near Kongens Nytorv. Cross over the square for a wander down Nyhavn. The canalside path is full of camera-wielding tourists, but we defy you not to take a photo of the colourful buildings.

7.30pm

Salt (Toldbodgade 24-28, 33 74 14 48) is a good bet for dinner. Aside from the decent modern Scandinavian food, the restaurant has wonderful views of the Opera House across the water.

Day two

10am

Start the day in Østerbro, one of Copenhagen’s most well-do-do neighbourhoods, and home to some excellent cafés. Take a coffee at Café Bopa (Løgstørgade 8, 35 43 05 66), located in a charming square.

11am

Østerbro is lovely to amble around. Head up Østerbrogade and you’ll come to Brumbleby on your left, an enclave of cute terraced houses. Now a desirable address, the ‘village’ is one of the earliest examples of social housing in Denmark.

12noon

Take a wander down Sortedam Dossering beside the lakes, a popular path for jogging, cycling and leisurely strolls. Some of the Copenhagen’s most beautiful houses line the route.

1pm

Turn right up Læssøesgade to reach Ryesgade, running parallel, home to some of the city’s hippest shops and eateries, including Underwood Ink (Ryesgade 30A, 35 35 55 53) and the pioneering Nørrebro Bryghus (Ryesgade 3, 35 30 05 30). The latter is a nice spot for a traditional smørrebrød lunch (with a modern twist) and a local beer from its own microbrewery.

3pm

After lunch, set off down Ryesgade and turn right at Sankt Hans Gade. Stroll up to Sankt Hans Torv, one of Nørrebro’s best-known squares; full of cafés and bars, the place buzzes in summer. Then make your way to Elmegade, one of the city’s best independent shopping streets. From here, it’s a short walk to Nørrebrogade, and on to the Assistens Kirkegård (entrances on Jagtvej & Nørrebrogade, 35 37 19 17) the final resting place of Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard.

5pm

Head back along Nørrebrogade to witness one of Copenhagen’s most spectacular phenomena: the bicycle rush hour. Some 35,000 cyclists travel along this street every day.

8pm

The neighbourhood of Vesterbro, further south-west, is at its best in the evening.
Head to Kødbyen, the now-trendy Meatpacking District, where you’ll find a handful of cool restaurants and bars. You can’t go far wrong at Mother pizza parlour (pictured above, Høkerboderne 9-15, Vesterbro, 22 27 58 98) or Fiskebaren (Floesketorvet 100, 32 15 56 56).

Go

easyJet flies from London Gatwick to Kastrup, with return fares starting at £70.

Stay

For those with money to burn, the Copenhagen Plaza (Bernstoffsgade 4, 1577 Copenhagen V, 33 14 92 62) is hard to beat. Commissioned by King Frederik VII in 1913, it's recently been transformed from an old English-style hotel into something a little more 'Scandinavian'.

At the other end of the scale, DanHostel Copenhagen City (pictured above, HC Andersens Boulevard 50, Vesterbro, 33 11 85 85) claims to be 'the largest designer hostel in Europe', with trendy Scandinavian furniture setting off a modern, edgy aesthetic.

Copenhagen is also home to a number of internationally recognised green hotels, including Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers (Orestads Boulevard 114-118, 2300 Copenhagen S 88 77 66 55), which sources energy from huge solar panels and regulates temperature with a groundwater-based cooling and heating system.

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