Georgia, the sales and marketing associate on The Face Planner team recently got back from a city break in Copenhagen. She put together a selection of her favourite spots from her trip to share with you. Make sure to bookmark this page for your next visit to the Danish capital.
How was your time in Copenhagen?
Copenhagen was amazing. I was there for 4 days and did so much in that time. I love to explore cities as if I live there so that tends to include lots of cafés, galleries and wandering around. But I had a few places saved on my google maps in preparation. It’s definitely somewhere I could move to, though I may be bias as the weather was so good the whole time. Lots of sun and a manageable heat.
Were there any standout coffee spots?
So many but my favourites were ORSA, Prolog and Lagkagehuset. ORSA do a great strong iced coffee where you pour in the espresso yourself. Their whole brand identity is so cool and makes for a great instagram story photo. They also served an incredible banana bread with espresso cream, as well as the classic sourdough roll with cheese and jam - a typical Danish breakfast I learned. Prolog supplies coffee beans to a lot of the cafés in the city which is great because you know you’re getting a good coffee when you see their name. If you consider yourself a coffee “specialist”, I would recommend stopping at one of their own cafés dotted around the city. For a large iced coffee made to last, I would say Lagkagehuset is the place. They make a £6 iced latte worth it. It’s a bit more of a chain in Copenhagen but great for picking up coffee to explore (or shop) with. If you like your coffee with a pastry definitely try Andersen & Maillard. The espresso croissant and the pistachio cube are worth waking up early to queue for.
How was the dining culture there? Any noteworthy places for the foodies visiting?
There was a huge range of places to eat at different price points. Almost every restaurant menu looked good so I had to narrow it down to the personal must-visits. Delphine in Vesterbro was really good, especially if you like fish and seafood. The vegetarian options are pretty good too. You have to try the crispy aubergine and fish crudo if you go. I will be going back for the frozen greek yoghurt. For a more casual vibe, stop at Gasoline Grill for burgers. Both the regular and vegetarian options were so good. If you’re a little less adventurous, I would recommend Fabro for good value pasta & pistachio tiramisu - but a very long wait for a table - and Another Pizza next door for the best pizza. They hand-stretch the dough in front of you and it’s a very chill dinner spot.
What did you notice about the lifestyle there, and approaches to wellness if any?
In their approach to both living and dining, they don’t hurry. A server in Delphine told me that they’re “in no rush” when it comes to their small plate service and their patrons. There is a definite sense of slow living but in a city setting. It may be because the sun was out this month, but groups were sitting and chatting over coffee and meals for hours everywhere I went. It seemed like a really social place to be. The city is super walkable and I was hitting 20,000 steps a day without realising. Everyone cycles and there are lots of green spaces throughout the city which is so nice. I’ve never felt so relaxed in a city before. The public transport is easy to use, and a bus ride can take you to Refshalevej where I definitely recommend swimming in the natural waters near La Banchina - a café/restaurant with a sun deck. It was packed with people sunbathing and swimming in the cold water and it was my favourite day there.
Where should we go for some retail therapy?
Vesterbro has some great vintage/second hand spots. I recommend Rosy Vintage in the Jerome Vintage store and the Von Eco store for some great archival designer pieces. For more budget-friendly vintage, the UFF Humana Second Hand shop is full of great finds and some good labels if that’s your thing. In the city centre, I would say you have to visit Hay House for all sorts of homeware and Tekla for gorgeous textiles. If you like magazines, zines and artist books definitely check out New Mags. If you love a skincare browse, stop at Matas which is kind of like Boots in the UK but more skincare focused. I wish I could’ve fit more into my carry-on to be honest.
What about arts and culture?
An absolute must is the Louisiana Museum of Art. It’s about 40 minutes out of the city on the train but easy enough to get to. Then you could spend a whole day there. I saw 6 exhibitions and (of course) had to stop for an iced coffee and wander around the sculpture garden. The gift shop is like an exhibition in itself so I got a poster as a souvenir. I’d also recommend the Glyptotek which is full of sculpture, art and ancient artefacts as well as a botanical garden. It’s quite spectacular and worth it if you have time to get lost in the building corridors and exhibitions. Places I didn’t get to but have to include are Tivoli for theme park rides and the Design Museum for an insight into Danish design culture.
We’re convinced! Where should we stay on our next trip to CPH?
Vesterbro was definitely my favourite area. It’s so easy to get to places and you’re not far from the central station. I stayed in the Grand Joanne Hotel which I cannot recommend enough. I would happily stay there again. They have lovely staff, a great rooftop bar and good coffee (by Prolog). The interior design and decor is also very cool. I’ve also heard Norrebro is a good area to stay in, and would consider airbnb-ing there for a more authentic experience of Danish living.
