Scandic Copenhagen
For the family-friendly suites
Copenhagen
CPH
If you’re expecting hygge at the source, you won’t be disappointed. After all, what could be cozier and more delightful than a city with a chain of porridge bars, a royal garden oasis and freewheeling bicycle culture? Of course, you’ll have to be less laid–back to snag a table at the best restaurants, where scoring reservations can feel like a competitive sport.
Where to Stay
Wakeup Copenhagen Bernstorffsgade
For the budget-friendly rates
Nimb Hotel
For the perks
Hotel Kong Arthur
For the spa experience
Hotel SP34
For the wine hour
Hotel Alexandra
For the central location
Skt. Petri
For the city views
Eat & Drink
Hija de Sanchez
Ex-Noma chef Rosio Sanchez serves the city’s most authentic tacos at her four outdoor taquerias in Copenhagen. Grab a spot at a picnic table and dig into the El Paul (crispy fish skin, gooseberry salsa, onion, cilantro and avocado). Or stick with the classic pork carnitas: braised pork belly, pasilla salsa, onion and cilantro.
Hart Bageri
After leaving his post as head baker at Tartine in San Francisco, Richard Hart started this bakery in Frederiksberg that serves fresh takes on traditional Danish pastries. A line formed around the block on opening day and the buzz hasn’t waned, thanks to cardamom buns, glossy viennoiseries and Hart’s signature sourdough bread.
Vækst
Located in Hotel SP34, Vækst is a greenhouse restaurant in the Latin Quarter that offers farm-to-table cuisine. Chef Jonas Christensen’s menu is informal and mostly vegetarian with a focus on eco-friendly ingredients; think salt-baked kohlrabi with burnt hazelnut purée, organic buttermilk and white asparagus served with butterhead lettuce, fresh cheese and roasted yeast oil. Hanging potted plants, vines and natural light create a feeling of dining in a secret garden.
WarPigs Brewpub
Locals and visitors alike flock to Warpigs, a hip brew pub in the Meatpacking District, for pints of their house-brewed beer and other offerings from some of Copenhagen’s best breweries. Grab a spot on the patio and order a six-beer flight, a sampling of the American-Danish-style draught beers from the bar’s 22 rotating taps. And don’t miss the daily selection of Texan BBQ, (think smoked brisket, pork shoulder and spare ribs) paired with your choice of four signature sauces.
Grød
A favourite breakfast spot among locals, Grød is a porridge café that serves a seemingly endless combination of toppings and flavours, with a focus on seasonal and local fruits. The chia–porridge rhubarb comes highly recommended, but you can create your own concoction with toppings like apple–vanilla compote, cocoa nibs, freeze–dried raspberries and caramel sauce. The restaurant is open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., so if you don’t want to wait in line, head there for a snack later in the afternoon when it’s less busy.
Reffen
Cross the river to Paper Island to visit Copenhagen Street Food, a covered market full of food and drink stalls. (To get there, walk across the Inderhavnsbroen or Trangravsbroen bridges or take harbour bus 991 or 992.) Join the queue at Cheesy Dreams for the best raclette in town or head to Holy Krapow for a generous helping of pad krapow, a popular Thai dish. Beer Garden, Reffen’s biggest bar and gathering place, offers a wide selection of beers on tap.
Kødbyens Fiskebar
This relaxed spot in the Meatpacking District serves up some of the most delicious fish and shellfish in Copenhagen. The menu varies depending on the fresh catch. Past favourites include seared trout with Brussels sprouts and oyster mushrooms, and haddock with Jerusalem artichokes and fermented pear pearl barley.
The Bird & the Churchkey
This East London-inspired beer and gin bar near Nyhavn hosts a daily happy hour that offers many two-for-one drink specials. Grab a stool at the bar or sink into one of the vintage leather armchairs and order the Monkey Business: Monkey 47 Gin, grapefruit, thyme, and Fever-Tree Tonic. Or let the staff happily guide you through the options.
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What to Do
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Located 35 km north of Copenhagen, Denmark’s most visited art museum boasts an impressive permanent collection of 20th-century modern art, including a Yayoi Kusama installation and works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. The serene Sculpture Park, which features roughly 60 pieces by artists including Max Ernst and Joan Miró, is worth the visit alone.
HAY House
For souvenirs, design lovers should head to Hay House, the flagship store of Scandinavian interiors brand HAY. Spread across the second and third floors of an former apartment on Østergade, the boutique sells everything from rugs and designer pillows to geometric-shaped trays and vases.
Nørrebro
Spend an afternoon strolling through Nørrebro, Copenhagen’s hippest neighbourhood, teeming with art galleries, wine bars, restaurants and more. Walk down Jægersborggade Street and check out Superkilen, a public park that boasts a Moroccan fountain and Japanese sculpture.
Royal Copenhagen
Collectors of the world-famous Danish kitchenware brand, which dates back to the 18th century, flock to its flagship store for iconic hand-painted, royal-blue porcelain plates and bowls. Shop pieces from fit-for-royalty Flora Danica – the line was originally commissioned by the king of Denmark-Norway in 1790 – along with more contemporary collections like HAV and Fluted Contrast.
Islands Brygge
Islands Brygge is a trendy neighbourhood next to the harbour and a popular spot for locals to sunbathe and swim in the harbour sea baths. With five baths in total (two reserved for children), it’s a unique city experience. Don’t miss a post-swim ice cream cone at Bryggen 11, which features unique flavours like licorice and white chocolate with blue birch and lemon.
Acne Archive
Celebrating its neighbour’s best style export, Copenhagen’s Acne Archive is a must-see destination for Swedish fashion fans. The sleek outlet in Nørrebro stocks collections from previous seasons at a fraction of the price.
Torvehallerne
This upscale version of Reffen is a bustling covered market chock full of artisanal food and drink stalls. Make like a local and head to Arla Unika for specialty cheeses. For a caffeine fix, go to the Coffee Collective, and stock up on pale ales from Mikkeller & Friends.
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