Flights to Copenhagen

Fly with SAS to Copenhagen Kastrup Airport, and you’ll touch down ready and raring to begin your holiday feeling relaxed and well rested.

Copenhagen Kastrup Airport

MARCH 2024

Spend a day or two in Havnen, the new and still changing area between Nordhavn and Sydhavn, and you’ll discover a Copenhagen that is trendy, modern and still very much laid back. Amazing food, great hotels and lots of places to go for a swim – it’s all here.

The waterfront – or Havnen as it is called in Danish – was named one of the world’s 40 coolest neighborhoods by Time Out in 2023. With good reason. In Havnen, there are simply lots of great eateries, architectural masterpieces and cool outdoor spaces where you can hang out with the locals.

It was in 2015 that the municipality of Copenhagen decided to develop the green and blue spaces of the city over the coming decade and since then, the waterfront has blossomed with urban spaces for both relaxation and physical activities, restaurants and modern architecture in line with its surroundings. Even the water quality in the harbor is of such a high standard that the locals go swimming all year round.

From Nordhavn in the north to Sydhavn in the south, the waterfront stretches out about ten kilometers (six miles), but with the public harbor bus servicing the whole area it is easy to jump on and off wherever you want to explore. Another great way to get around is the Danish way, by bicycle.

The two ends of the waterfront – Nordhavn and Sydhavn – are the most newly developed and modern areas, while the center part is a charming mix of historic buildings and new architectural gems. Each area has its own charm and comes with the amazing cuisine, culture and laid-back vibe that Copenhagen is known for. Here are our favorite spots in Havnen.

Where to eat

Burgers of all kinds

POPL Burger

Welcome to the home of the Noma burger. Located right by the bridge to Nyhavn, this restaurant serves a variety of burgers such as organic beef, fish, deer, lion’s mane or vegetarian – and they do not disappoint. The décor is inspired by Japanese izakaya bars with an open and warm Scandinavian feeling.

Heavenly Danish pastries

Hart Bageri

Sourdough bread, cardamom croissants or the local tebirkes (pastry with poppy seeds) and fastelavnsboller (a seasonal pastry with cream and jam) are some of the heavenly baked goods at the bakery of Richard Hart, formerly at Tartine in San Francisco, and René Redzepi, the founder of Noma. Stop by for some of the best pastries and bread you will ever try in your life.

Japan meets Denmark

Sushi Anaba

One of the best sushi restaurants in Copenhagen is located on a dock in Nordhavn and fits just eight people. After having worked in Japan, the Danish chef and owner Mads Battefeld is combining the Japanese sushi style edomae with the incredible seafood from the Nordic oceans.

Italian and local

Cecconi’s

In the iconic customs house right in the center of Copenhagen, you will find the member’s club Soho House. Their Northern Italian restaurant Cecconi’s is from April 2024 open to the public as well. In between the more traditional Italian courses on the menu, like spaghetti lobster or cacio e pepe, you will also find locally inspired dishes. During summer time, make sure to grab a table outside and watch the world go by.

Get to know the locals

La Banchin

A small farm-to-table restaurant and wine bar with just 14 seats inside, but on sunny days the pontoon is filled with locals and tourists alike drinking natural wine while enjoying the weather and jumping in the water. This is a great spot for people watching and getting to know the locals. The on-site sauna is genius for the adventurous winter swimmers.

Places to visit

For architecture lovers

Dansk Arkitektur Center

The impressive building BLOX, designed by the international architectural firm OMA, has been a significant part of the transformation of the waterfront. It houses the Danish Architecture Center (DAC), which features both a permanent exhibition on Danish architectural heritage and changing exhibitions related to sustainable architecture, urban planning, and more. The building itself is a modern work of art and can be explored independently.

Photo: Unsplash

Modern art for the whole family

Copenhagen Contemporary

What used to be the welding hall of a shipyard is now a massive contemporary art space with changing exhibitions by international artists such as Bill Viola, Yoko Ono, Anselm Kiefer and Carsten Höller. It is a great place to spend an afternoon, and on the weekends their workshop for kids is open.

The best bathing spot

Kalvebod Bølge

Although you can jump in the water at most places along the waterfront, this is a great place to take a dip in the refreshing Danish ocean water. You will meet the locals here come rain or come shine. Or snow. Or frost. In the summer, there are afternoon DJ sessions on the weekends, drawing a fun crowd.

The best hotels

Sweeping views of the city skyline

NH Collection Copenhagen

Located right by the landmark bridge, Knippelsbro, this five-star hotel has only been open since 2021. The room décor is kept in an updated, warm, and elegant style from the 1960s, when the building was originally constructed. The jewel in the crown is the rooftop bar on the eighth floor, offering sweeping views toward the city center and the Copenhagen skyline, featuring a mix of historic and modern buildings.

A very Copenhagen experience

Kaj Hotel

If you are into the life aquatic, this is the place to stay. Kaj Hotel is, according to the owners, not a hotel, nor a houseboat, but something in between. But one thing is certain: It is a true Copenhagen experience staying on a two-story chic houseboat in the center of the city – with amazing views. Kaj hotel also has kayaks at your disposal for exploring the city’s waterways.

Soft and quiet charm

Audo House

In a building dating back to 1918, Audo House is a stylish addition to the otherwise modern area of Nordhavn. It was created by the Danish interior brand Audo in their own domicile and the multifunctional house works both as a showroom for the brand, as well as a hotel, shop and restaurant. Staying away from the city center has its quiet charm, especially in this soft minimalist home-like hotel.

JANUARY 2024

Bjarke Ingels’ inventive and playful architecture fascinates architecture experts and ordinary people alike. Take a bike and go on an architectural tour of the Danish capital to see these 10 BIG highlights and discover gems like the artificial CopenHill, the apartment complex Bjerget and the colorful Superkilen in Nørrebro.

Copenhagen’s first outdoor harbor pool

Islands Brygge Havnebad

The water in Copenhagen port is so clean, you can swim in it, and in 2003, Copenhagen’s first outdoor harbor pool opened at Islands Brygge. Bjarke Ingels’ and Julian de Smedt’s design studio PLOT were behind the harbor pool, that has since become a landmark. The pool is one of the most popular places to spend a summer day in Copenhagen. The pool is free to enter and open to all from 1 June and 31 August.

BIG’s student housing development

Urban Rigger

BIG’s student housing development using recycled containers is in a class of its own. The students live in 12 apartments floating on the water at Refshaleøen, with communal outdoor space, roof terrace, a diving point into the water, common room, fitness room and kayak dock. The apartments in Urban Rigger range from 24 to 27 sq. m. with fantastic views and interiors designed by HAY and IKEA. And Urban Rigger is not just easy on the eye, it’s also both CO2 neutral and relocatable.

A spectacular combination

Amager Bakke/Copenhill

With Amager Bakke, BIG has created a spectacular combination of Combined Heat and Power plant and urban mountain sports center with artificial ski slope and climbing wall. The power plant has been converting waste to energy since 2017, while the ski slope is opened in 2019. The 180-meter slope also features a forest landscape with jogging trails, bushes, plants and trees, outdoor fitness equipment and an après ski café. On the other side, an 85m high climbing wall with spectacular views at the top.

Photo: Daniel Rasmussen / Copenhagen Media Center

The world’s best restaurant

Noma 2.0

Naturally enough, BIG also played a part in designing the world’s best restaurant. René Redzepi closed Noma in Christianshavn in 2017 before reopening the restaurant one year later on a site between Refshaleøen and Christiania. Here, BIG has renovated a former naval mine depot and created a variety of new units, that together comprise a restaurant and urban farm in one. The structure aims to bring to mind a Nordic mountain farming landscape, dominated by wood, stone, bricks and plenty of natural light. Noma 2.0 won the Danish Design Award in 2017.

The 8-shaped residential complex

8-tallet

BIG’s award winning residential and commercial development is beautifully situated at Kalvebod Fælled nature reserve in Ørestad. The controversial residential complex, that resembles a figure 8 from above, offers plenty of light, space and views, and won the best housing development award in 2011 at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona. Special features of the development include two courtyard areas and that you can walk or cycle from top to bottom past homes.

Built of concrete, glass and steel

VM-husene

The V & M buildings were constructed in 2005 and one of the earliest illustrations of how BIG's architectural innovation offers the best possible light and space for residents. The V building in Ørestad is built of concrete, glass and steel, with staggered V shaped balconies that all offer spectacular views. The M building contains apartments created with staggered blocks, in many cases, spanning several levels. The development was designed in partnership with Julien de Smedt and inspired by Le Corbusier. There are 76 different types of apartment in total.

Apartments designed as “houses”

Bjerget

Bjerget is a neighbor of the M Building, and features apartments designed as “houses”, that rise up and along the ‘mountainside’. The building is on 10 storeys, and each of the 80 apartments in Bjerget has a green, sun drenched roof garden with evergreen, self-watering plants and lovely views. At the bottom is an indoor car park, and outside a giant mural of Alpine peaks. Bjerget won the 2008 Award for the Best Housing Development award in 2011 at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona.

The colorful city park

Superkilen

BIG, artist group Superflex and German landscape architects Topotek1, are behind the colorful city park and traffic artery that runs through Ydre Nørrebro. Superkilen is part of an urban regeneration project and consists of a Red Square, a Black Square and a green area, all located along The Green Cycle Route. The park has been designed for modern urban living, with swings, ice skating rink, picnic areas etc., and includes different elements that represent the over 50 nationalities that live in the area, such as swings from Iraq, fountain from Morocco, palm trees from China and trash cans from England. The area was opened in 2012 and has won numerous international awards.

Rental homes with an unusual box structure

Dortheavej

Public housing developments are not normally associated with stellar architecture. However BIG is behind the rental homes on Dortheavej in the north west district of Copenhagen, with an unusual box structure, panoramic windows and timber cladding that offer an aesthetic appeal not often associated with such housing. The development includes 66 apartments that, as in Copenhagen upper class residences of old, have high ceilings, plenty of light ingress and balconies. As an added bonus, there is a public path through the development, so non-residents can also enjoy the grounds. The development from 2018, has won several architectural awards.

A headquarters in the harbor

BIG HQ

BIG’s new headquarters sit on the waterfront in Nordhavn, Copenhagen. A building in keeping with its surroundings, its facade is reminiscent of the harbor’s warehouses with its gray concrete (specifically designed to emit less carbon) and large windows leading to balconies from each floor. Inside, each floor has been divided into two and stairs run between levels—an open-plan solution where the whole building seems to appear all at once.

DECEMBER 2022

Days of fun in Copenhagen

With its centrallylocated Tivoli, Copenhagen is a paradise for kids. While the merry-go-round and ice cream with flødeboller are a must, there’s in fact more to the Danish capital than just this incredible amusement park.

A few quicksuggestions: check out the Round Tower – Europe’s oldest, functional observatory, enjoy a traditional Danish frokost lunch in picturesque Nyhavn, and window shop along the Strøget pedestrian shopping street.

The National Museum is filled to the brim with history. The Viking Age, in particular, never fails to fascinate kids of all ages. From June 2023, the museum will be showing Togtet (The Raid) – an acclaimed new exhibit on the Vikings, where you can follow them as they set sail for Rome in the year 859.

Teens and adultswho have followed the hit series Borgen will enjoy a tour of Christianborg’s Palace on the tiny island of Slotsholmen, which served as the Danish seat of power for around 800 years.

Is it a niceday outside? Pick up some local delicacies at Torvehallerne and enjoy an outdoor picnic at Rosenborg Garden. While there, look for the bearskin caps of the royal guards as they march in procession toward Amalienborg Palace, the home of the Danish royal family.

Don’t forget that Copenhagen is also very bike-friendly, and it’s quick and easy to get around!

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