I’ve really recommended this guide a lot – and I can see it still is used a lot too – so now I think it’s time to update it and complete the guide with a third day!
So this is a re-published post, much inspired by Garance.
I love doing guides and to reveal the beauty of cities to others. So, as promised on the “Why the World needs our blog”-page, I’m going to write you a guide for Copenhagen.
Day 1 starts with a walking tour around Nørrebro, as this is the place I live and love the most.
A) Start on Nørrebrogade, close to the Stefans-church and walk down Stefansgade, the new upcoming Street with Riccos,(thee place to buy the best croissants in town) the obligatory record store, a nice flower shop, Stefanos (best Pizzas eva) and a cheap second-hand dealers ☜don’t know where he moved.
B) Arrive at Jægersborggade and notice all the nice shops and cafes. My favourites are the record store, Trykker Tøsen☜ they closed too, damn you crisis, CMYK, the various second-hand dealers, art shops (apropos, don’t miss the old toy shop/hipster hairdresser close the the “bottom” at the street i.e. assistens kirkegården), the caramel store (Karamelleriet), Lyst (newly opened café), Manfreds with the best and cheap brunch ever, Musiksmag with records and fine Lambrusco and first and foremost The Coffee Collective AND MEYERS BAGERI (try their cannelès during weekdays!).
- yes, looks empty, but don’t be fooled – it’s full of treasures!!
C) Take a rest at The Coffee Collective. Get yourself a café latte and a croissant and do some people watching or read in the good collection of newspapers (Weekendavisen and Politiken –well, good in my opinion ) and magazines like Vize, Dazed and all kind of artsy fartsy stuff (If you’re into that of course).
don’t know about Politiken anymore but love Weekendavisen
D) Cross Jagtvej and get lost in the fantastic churchyard Assistens kirkegård.
To see: H.C. Andersens, topless chicks taking sunbathes and all kinds of other people enjoying the atmosphere, which is much closer to a park’s than a churchyard’s.
E) Follow Nørrebrogade down to Elmegade and discover all kinds of shops with homemade clothes, great, great clothes!, Danish brands and in case you didn’t get a coffee before or are much more into rye bread than croissants, you should go into Kaffe Bar and get yourself a coffee (ask for the Darterra bean in your coffee) and some rye bread with a boiled and organic egg (my favourite) or some other more regular breakfast or cake stuff.
And Malbec is a really cool and cosy new winebar, that is definitely worth going too (though you might risk the bartender hit on you buy selling you a glass of wine that tastes like “kæk bondegård”/cocky farm???!)
F) I’m all about food, so the next stop is Sankt Hans Torv where you can either get yourself some Paradis ice-cream (terribly good chocolate taste and this years’ best vanilla ice-cream, with very few calories), some Frost factory ice-cream ( a bit like Coldstone, but with less calories too), or the best durum falafel in town from Torvets Kebab. If you’ve had enough of food, buy a Sommersby in the 7eleven –NO MATTER WHAT you buy, you have to sit down on the torv and do some more people watching while consuming whatever you bought. Well, ok, in case it rains – you can go into Soupanatural as well (LOVE this place too), or into Kaffeplantagen (not for the sake of the coffee, but the view) or into Plenum (for the sake of the view or the quotes on the walls).
F++) Not on the map, but important: while on Griffenfeldsgade remember that you can have nice and cheap dinner at Spiseriet and Scarpetta – the latter is perfect when you want to try many different things, or just into small sizes but REALLY DIG Italian food.
G) Now go down Sankt Hans Gade and notice all the tiny shops and the galleries in the cellars. (L.) There is a fantastic new café called Kind of Blue (don’t drink the Gingerbeer!!) on Ravnsborggade and loads of nice antique shops, so take a stroll down that street too. Ravnsborggade is GREAT for shopping, antiques and fashion stuff!
H) Walk along the lakes and notice all the people running, all the mummies with their strollers and all the metrosexual guys having coffee together on benches (we’re talking about summertime here, minor detail).
Walk up Baggesensgade up to Blågårdsgade and take a good look at the happy mix of art stores, galleries, café’s, bars and restaurants. FYI there are real good jazz-jam-sessions at Blågårds-apotek on Mondays (and they have nice beer here too). Props and Harbobar are also great places, to hang out and have a coffee during days and having some beers/ glasses of wine at night.
I) Now walk back to Nørrebrogade and up to Møllegade (notice Dadhra Foodstore on the way and on your right hand side, as mentioned earlier).
On Møllegade there is a place called Litteraturhaus, which is an institution with lots of cultural and literary events. Quite cool, though maybe too much for some.
Not to forget Generator on Ahornsgade/ corner of Guldbergsgade – the Art Store/ Gallery where they display/ sell my art!!!
J) This is quite an insider, but I love this place SO much and only discovered it when I live in the neighbourhood. It is called Sabotøren and it is an organic Winebar that also sells vegetables. Try the tasty prosecco for only 25dkk (NB: AFTERNOON SUN!). Hm, haven’t been there in a while…
If Sabotøren is closed, Wascator is also around the corner. It is a really, really cozy place too and the food is also really, really good here. Don’t take the grumpy but hearty bartender personally, that’s Copenhagen-charm .
K) Finally you have to go to Café Viking and Leifs Pizza Bar. Here you get the BEST pizza in town (Leifs) and the best Beer (Viking, worth a visit only to see Jane, the bartender and owner – cool ladey with attitude, style and heart: let’s the homeless in on tuesdays for a meal and a beer) on Nørrebro, for fair prices.
Now rest your feet and recall the charm of Nørrebro, with all its graffiti, skin colours, contrasts and passions for arts and crafts.
PS: I forgot to mention Underwood (close to Ravnsborggade G. & L.), a great book cafe with loads of afternoon sun, book receptions and fantastic tapas and wine! (Ryesgade 30A, 2200 Copenhagen N).
PPS: Oh yes, and also forgot the Route 66 – a great, great record store close to Sankt Hans Torv (F) Fælledvej 3, 200 Copenhagen N.
AND Empire Bio a really cozy cinema on Guldbergsgade on the way from Sankt Hans torv (F) to Sabotøren (K).
/Isabella Ampoule
Pictures: my own and from good old google.com
The door closed, I took off my black shirt and wrapped it as a turban around my head. This way my lace-body-top became part of my outfit, my hair which could’ve needed some styling was almost hidden and I didn’t have to hide my shirt with my jacket (so uncool). Red lipstick, Perfume-Shower. Tadaaa. I was able to enter the arena. And take pictures. And learned the following lesson:
