Insight Guides Explore Copenhagen (Travel Guide eBook)

By Insight Guides

Insight Explore Guides: pocket-sized books to inspire your on-foot exploration of top international destinations. Now with free eBook.

Practical, pocket-sized and packed with inspirational insider information, this will make the ideal on-the-move companion to your trip to Copenhagen
Enjoy 14 irresistible Best Routes to walk, from royal palaces to the Little Mermaid and the city's Viking past at Roskilde
Features concise insider information about landscape, history, food and drink, and entertainment options
Invaluable maps: each Best Route is accompanied by a detailed full-colour map, while the large pull-out map provides an essential overview of the area
Discover your destination's must-see sights and hand-picked hidden gems
Directory section provides invaluable insight into top accommodation, restaurant and nightlife options by area, along with an overview of language, books and films
Includes an innovative extra that's unique in the market - all Insight Explore Guides come with a free eBook
Inspirational colour photography throughout

About Insight Guides: Insight Guides has over 40 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps aswell as picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture together create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Mar 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781786714992

Insight Guides

Pictorial travel guide to Arizona & the Grand Canyon with a free eBook provides all you need for every step of your journey. With in-depth features on culture and history, stunning colour photography and handy maps, it’s perfect for inspiration and finding out when to go to Arizona & the Grand Canyon and what to see in Arizona & the Grand Canyon. 

Book preview

How To Use This E-Book

This Explore Guide has been produced by the editors of Insight Guides, whose books have set the standard for visual travel guides since 1970. With ­top-­quality photography and authoritative recommendations, these guidebooks bring you the very best routes and itineraries in the world’s most exciting destinations.

Best Routes

The routes in this book provide something to suit all budgets, tastes and trip lengths. As well as covering the destination’s many classic attractions, the itineraries track lesser-known sights, and there are also ex­cursions for those who want to extend their visit outside the city. The routes embrace a range of interests, so whether you are an art fan, a gourmet, a history buff or have kids to entertain, you will find an option to suit.

We recommend reading the whole of a route before setting out. This should help you to familiarise yourself with it and enable you to plan where to stop for refreshments – options are shown in the ‘Food and Drink’ box at the end of each tour.

Introduction

The routes are set in context by this introductory section, giving an overview of the destination to set the scene, plus background information on food and drink, shopping and more, while a succinct history timeline highlights the key events over the centuries.

Directory

Also supporting the routes is a Directory chapter, with a clearly organised A–Z of practical information, our pick of where to stay while you are there and select restaurant listings; these eateries complement the more low-key cafés and restaurants that feature within the routes and are intended to offer a wider choice for evening dining. Also included here are some nightlife listings, plus a handy language guide and our recommendations for books and films about the destination.

Getting around the e-book

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights mentioned in the text are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of the destination. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.

© 2018 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

Table of Contents

Recommended Routes For...

Art Enthusiasts

Children

Design Copenhagen

Food and Wine

Hans Christian Andersen

Renaissance Architecture

Royalists

Shoppers

Explore Copenhagen

Strategic Link to Europe

The City

Copenhagen Today

Copenhagen Districts

An Eco-friendly City

Food and Drink

Daily Meals

Eating at Home

Eating in Restaurants

Where to Buy Food

Eco-labelling

Shopping

The Shopping Map

Away from the centre

Danish Household Design

Entertainment

Tivoli

Concert Halls

Theatre, Opera and Dance

Jazz Clubs and Dinner-dances

Bars, Clubs and Discos

Listings

Activities

Swimming

Watersports

Kayaking and boat hire

Wakeboarding and kite-surfing

Ice-skating

Activity Tours

Spectator Sports

Football

Handball

History: Key Dates

Viking Period

Middle Ages

Renaissance

18th and 19th Centuries

20th and 21st Centuries

Vesterbro

Outside the Station

The Freedom Pillar

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel

Into Vesterbro

Kødbyen

Værnedamsvej

The Carlsberg Brewery

The Carlsberg Visitor Centre

Bakkehuset

The Old Inner City

Gammeltorv

Nytorv

Into the Latin Quarter

Gråbrødretorv

Church of the Holy Ghost

Amagertorv

Georg Jensen, Royal Copenhagen and Stork Fountain

Højbro Plads

Church of St Nicholas

On to Købmagergade

Round Tower

Trinity Church

Krystalgade

Nørregade

Church of St Peter

The University

Church of Our Lady

The Harbour Area

Kongens Nytorv

Hôtel d’Angleterre

Magasin du Nord

The Royal Theatre and Kunsthal Charlottenborg

Equestrian statue of Christian V

Nyhavn

Nyhavn’s north side

Side streets

Boat trips round the harbour

The Royal District

Amalienborg

The palaces

The Marble Church

Alexander Nevsky Church

Along the Harbour

Towards the Little Mermaid

Kastellet

Towards Nyboder

Designmuseum Danmark

The Medical Museum

Around Rosenborg

King’s Gardens

Krumspringet

Hans Christian Andersen

Hercules Pavilion and Statue

Rosenborg Castle

The Workers’ Museum

Botanical Gardens

Hirschsprung Collection

The National Gallery of Denmark

Level 1

Level 2

European Art 1300−1800

French art 1900−30

Danish and Nordic art 1750–1900

Danish and international art from 1900

Nørrebro and Along The Reservoirs

Assistens Kirkegaard

Frederiksberg

Frederiksberg Church

Allégade

Storm P Museum

Frederiksberg Gardens

The Zoo

Søndermarken

Museums And Pleasure Gardens

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

Level 1

Level 2

The modern wing

Dansk Design Center

Museum of Copenhagen

National Museum

Ground floor

First floor

Rådhuspladsen

Town Hall

Tivoli

Slotsholmen

Slotsholmen in a Day

The ruins of Absalon’s Castle

The State Rooms

Thorvaldsen’s Museum

The riding ground

Theatre and Stable Museums

The Arsenal Museum

The Old Royal Library and the Danish Jewish Museum

The Lapidarium of Kings and the Black Diamond

Christianshavn and Holmen

Christian’s Church

Strandgade and the Docks

Our Saviour’s Church

Christiania

Holmen

Roskilde

To the Cathedral

Roskilde Priory

Tourist office and Roskilde Museum

The Cathedral

To the Viking Museum

St Jorgensberg’s Church

Viking Ship Museum

Back to Town

Back to the Station

Helsingør

Maritime Museum of Denmark

Kronborg Castle

Sankt Anna Gade

Carmelite Priory and City Museum

The Cathedral

Technical Museum

Art Tour

Ørdrupgaard

Louisiana

Accommodation

Tivoli and Radhusplådsen

Strøget and Around

Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn

The Royal District

Rosenborg and Around

Vesterbro and Frederiksberg

Christianshavn

Copenhagen Airport

Restaurants

Tivoli and Rådhuspladsen

Vesterbro and Frederiksberg

The Latin Quarter, Strøget and Around

Kongens Nytorv, Nyhavn and Around

Rosenborg and Around

Amalienborg and Around

Slotsholmen and South of Strøget

Christianshavn and Holmen

Nørrebro and Østerbro

Nightlife

Bars and Pubs

Microbreweries

Nightclubs

Jazz Clubs

A-Z

A

Age restrictions

B

Budgeting for your trip

Business hours

C

Children

Bakken and Bellevue Beach

Experimentarium

National Aquarium Denmark (Den Blå Planet)

Climate

Clothing

Crime and safety

Customs regulations

D

Disabled travellers

E

Electricity

Embassies and consulates

Emergencies

F

Festivals and events

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November–December

G

Gay travellers

H

Health

L

Lost property

M

Maps

Media

Money

Cash machines

Credit cards

Currency

Tax

P

Post

Public and school holidays

R

Religion

T

Telephones

Time zones

Tourist information

Transport

Getting there

Getting around

V

Visas

W

Weights and measures

Language

Vowels

Useful words and phrases

General

Numbers

Food and drink

Getting around

Money

Medical

Time

Calendar

Books and Film

Books

History

Non-fiction

Fiction

Film and TV

Recommended Routes For...

Art Enthusiasts

Explore the National Gallery (route 6), the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (route 9), the Thorvaldsens Museum (route 10) and Rosenborg (route 5). Outside the city visit the Arken, Ørdrupgaard and Louisiana galleries (route 14).

Wonderful Copenhagen

Children

Treat the kids to a trip to Tivoli (route 9), day or night, and watch their fascination grow at the zoo (route 8) or Experimentarium (click here). Be dazzled by the crown jewels at Rosenborg (route 5).

iStock

Design Copenhagen

Lap up serious modern design at Illums Bolighus on Strøget (route 2). The Radisson Blu Royal is a design icon (route 1) and Designmuseum Danmark has wonderful displays (route 4).

Wonderful Copenhagen

Food and Wine

Copenhagen has 15 Michelin-starred restaurants. Værnedamsvej (route 1) is Copenhagen’s gourmet food street, while Magasin du Nord (route 3) offers an excellent food hall.

Wonderful Copenhagen

Hans Christian Andersen

Wander through his stamping ground around Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn (route 3). Visit the Bakkehuset (route 1), The Little Mermaid (route 7) and the Church of Our Lady where his funeral was held (route 2).

Wonderful Copenhagen

Renaissance Architecture

Visit the Round Tower and Trinity Church (route 2), Rosenborg Castle (route 5), Kastellet and Nyboder (route 4), the Stock Exchange (route 10) and Christianshavn (route 11).

iStock

Royalists

Follow in the steps of kings at Slotsholmen (route 10), Rosenborg (route 5), Church of Our Lady (route 2), Amalienborg (route 4) and Roskilde (route 12). Don’t miss the Royal Copenhagen store (route 2).

Rudy Hemmingsen/Apa Publications

Shoppers

Resist temptation in the department stores on Strøget (route 2) and Kongens Nytorv (route 3), the boutiques off Strøget, in Nørrebro (route 7), and the independent shops in Vesterbro (route 1).

Wonderful Copenhagen

Explore Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a pretty seaside city with a thriving nightlife, the sophisticated gastronomic and cultural offerings of a far larger city and a visible history going back 900 years.

Copenhagen (København), the capital of Denmark, is located on the eastern side of Sjælland (Zealand), the largest of Denmark’s 407 (named) islands, with only the Øresund (Sound) separating it from Sweden. It was founded by Bishop Absalon in 1167, and these days, including its greater metropolitan area, is home to about 1.2 million of the country’s estimated 5.7 million people. The smaller municipality of Copenhagen – made up of 15 districts that extend beyond the geographical scope of this book – accounts for approximately 763,000 inhabitants.

Copenhagen has over 450km (280 miles) of cycle paths

Wonderful Copenhagen

Strategic Link to Europe

Connected by the south of Jutland to Germany, Denmark is the only Scandinavian country physically joined to the European mainland and, as such, is the bridge between Scandinavia and the rest of the continent. It is also literally the bridge to Sweden with the Øresund road and rail bridge linking it with the city of Malmö.

Consequently, Denmark shares many of the characteristics of its Nordic neighbours: liberal welfare benefits coupled with a high standard of living, and a style of government that aims at consensus and the avoidance of petty bureaucracy. Yet Denmark is also more ‘European’ and accessible than the rest of Scandinavia, and its appeal is universal.

Copenhagen by night

Wonderful Copenhagen

The City

With its strategic location at the mouth of the Baltic Sea, Copenhagen has always been an important hub and, as such, a tempting prize for pirates and traders. As a small fishing village in the 12th century, it attracted the protection of Bishop Absalon and the dastardly attentions of Wendish pirates. One century later, German traders of the Hanseatic League were pounding on its doors. By the 15th century, the Sound was even more of a cash cow with its herring salted and exported all over Europe and the king charging a toll on every ship that passed on its way to the Baltic.

Over the centuries, Copenhagen grew but always, even today, remained reasonably compact, its residents moving out gradually from the central conurbation. In the 12th century, Slotsholmen was the centre; by the Middle Ages, the town had expanded across the water to the banks of what is now the Old Town.

The medieval citizens put up walls surrounded by a moat, which enclosed the city to the north, east and west. With the exception of Østerport (East Gate), which stood on Gothersgade until the 17th century, near to what is now Kongens Nytorv, the gates in the walls were on or near the sites still called Nørreport (North Gate) and Vesterport (West Gate). The fortress of Slotsholmen and the watery boundary of the Sound stood to the south. The five reservoirs to the north are all that remain of the medieval moat.

In the 16th century, under the aegis of Christian IV, the city’s fortifications were extended east. The fortress Kastellet (for more information, click here) was built, and the East Gate and rampart were located next to it, thus bringing Rosenborg (1606–34) within the walls and practically doubling the amount of space inside the city walls in what was known as ‘New Copenhagen’. To the south, Christianshavn (for more information, click here) was built up and a series of new islands created with naval yards and protective bastions. Nyboder, near Østerport, was built to house the naval workers. At the same time, Christian IV created some of the most lasting buildings of the entire city, including Rosenborg Castle, Kastellet, Børsen and the workers’ district of Nyboder. Boasting an elegant Renaissance style, they are still standing today.

One century later, the city expanded again, as Frederiksstad (for more information, click here) was built in ‘New Copenhagen’ on the land acquired by Christian IV. It was (and is) the most aristocratic area in town, and was constructed on the site of a former royal country palace that had burnt down. On the banks of the Sound, Kongens Nytorv was developed and Nyhavn was excavated and the merchants built their houses along its wharfs, to be close to the precious goods in their warehouses.

The Danes

Copenhagen’s inhabitants are as appealing as their city; liberal, generally law-abiding, socially responsible (just look at their generous social security system, paid for with huge taxes that few complain about), gregarious, and – at the same time – charming and sarcastic. They are skilled at enjoying life, especially when it comes to hygge, a word that loosely translates as a combination of warmth, well-being and intimacy, usually involving the combination of family, friends, food and copious amounts of alcohol. They are also informal in dealing with people and put a lot of focus on their personal freedom.

Fire was always a threat in a town made of wood, and the 18th century saw two shocking blazes that destroyed almost the whole of the medieval centre. With the odd exception (including, fortunately, most of Christian IV’s marvellous buildings), what the visitor sees today is 18th-century neoclassical architecture.

By the 19th century, Copenhagen was too compact: it was packed with people and had no sanitation to speak of; certainly not enough to deal with the effluence that the heaving city spat out daily. In 1853, cholera broke out, killing several thousand people, including the well-known Golden-Age artist, Christoffer Eckersberg.

In 1856, the old ramparts were pulled down to improve conditions and the populace spread into the countryside, which soon became the districts of Nørrebro, Vesterbro, Østerbro and Frederiksberg (although this is still technically a separate municipality from Copenhagen).

Thanks to the architect and town planner Ferdinand Meldahl (1827–1908), these districts were conserved as the parks that ring the inner city today, stretching from Kastellet, via Østre Anlæg behind the National Gallery of Art, the Botanical Gardens and Ørsteds Parken. Tivoli, also