Introduction

Inner City

All Denmark's roads, trains, and bicycle paths lead to the heart of the Capital. The Inner City is the unrivalled commercial and cultural center in the entire country; and, if Slotsholmen is included, also the political. Always buzzing with activity and crammed with people, the city is only completely empty on Sundays, as very few people actually live here. This is a picturesque area with many buildings dating back to the early 18th Century. The street plan dates back to the Middle Ages, which goes some way to explaining the many seemingly irrational twists and turns.

Pisserenden

Cornered by Vor Frue Plads and Rådhuspladsen, Pisserenden's name translates into “A Stream of Piss,” a reference to the area's bygone status as one of the last bastions of inner-city slums. Today, Studiestræde is all about male fashion, with In Circus heading the more daring and experimental scene and Samsøe&Samsøe leading in the no-nonsense Copenhagen trademark style. Floss and Sabines are both excellent cafes on Larsbjørnsstræde, and Baden Baden is probably the best record store in Copenhagen for new sounds.

Slotsholmen

The monstrous Christiansborg, the seat of the Danish Parliament, stands on wooden pillars constantly threatening to rot and break. Slotsholmen is the very core of the Danish state. The semi-artificial island holds the Parliament as well as the offices of everything from the Supreme Court to the royal horses, the offices of the Prime Minister, the Danish Stock Exchange, the Castle Church, Thorvaldsens Museum, the Royal Court Theatre with the adjoining Theatre Museum, the Royal Brewery of Christian IV as well as the Royal Library, including its recent addition, Det Kongelige Bibliotek (Diamanten), arguably the most astonishing new piece of architecture north of Bilbao.

Christianshavn

Looking like a supremely idyllic little piece of Amsterdam, Christianshavn is actually built on garbage dump between Copenhagen and Amager. History aside, a Kanalrundfarten is recommended to take you floating past the beautiful old houses, watching Copenhageners prepare for the sea or just taking it easy on the deck of a home-made house-boat. Christiania, a squatted “free town” unlike anything you have ever seen, further emphasizes the Amsterdam-feel of Christianshavn.

Holmen

Holmen was closed off to the public until a couple of years ago, when film students and architects claimed the former naval base and turned the area into an unique colony for the arts. Thorsen delivers a spectacular sunset over the city.

Islands Brygge

This is an up and coming trendy area with stylish galleries opening left and right. At the moment, Islands Brygge is still in the making; instead, look for galleries on Njalsgade.

Vesterbro

The old queen of the Copenhagen boroughs! Gentrification always had a hard time here, despite the city's ongoing attempts to clean up the area and polish the buildings. Istedgade still has plenty to offer, with big hotels and an ever-increasing number of students and artists. Vega is the center of its nightlife; cafes Høegs and Bang&Jensen are where all of Vesterbro meets.

Frederiksberg

A city in its own right, Frederiksberg Slot is surrounded by Copenhagen on all sides, still maintaining its formal independence. While not exactly Broadway, this area boasts quite a number of small theaters. There is a certain Parisian quirkiness to Frederiksberg which many people find charming. It is mainly residential, belonging to a mostly conservative, well-to-do, over-40 crowd. There are plenty of good-quality restaurants, wineries, tailors and so on. Deeper into the city, Frederiksberg Have is a beautiful park, with a Københavns Zoo in it.

Nørrebro

Nørrebro may not have the best reputation, but it remains one of the most colorful and ethnically diverse areas of Copenhagen (and very safe, generally speaking). A stroll up Nørrebrogade is a sightseeing tour in itself, as is Assistens Kirkegård, one of the city's oldest cemeteries, boasting a star-studded lineup with Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard at the front. It now also functions as a park, with locals often seen having picnics among the gravestones. Sankt Hans Torv features cafes Sebastopol and Funke. Clubs like Rust, Stalingrad and Propaganda Spisehus, and late-night bars such as Barcelona and Props, make for a bright night out.

Nørrevold Stretching along Søerne, on the city side, Nørrevold looks like the outer boroughs but is a city in itself. Stroll down Nansensgade, an intellectual hang-out, for great alternative shopping opportunities in an intimate setting. Don't miss the bathroom decor at Bankeråt. Stay out of H.C. Ørstedsparken at night unless you know people there.

Frederiksstaden

From the jolly beer-swingers in Nyhavn to the sanctuary of Kongens Have/Rosenborg Slotshave, Frederiksstaden is the royal district, laid out in a regular grid with the royal castle Amalienborg at the center and Marmorkirken towering above the lawyers, antique stores and galleries of Bredgade and Store Kongensgade. Kunstindustrimuseet shows various exhibitions on modern design and design history. Rosenborg Slot is a fancy country house now open to the public.

Nyboder

This area features small, yellow, terraced houses originally laid out by Christian IV in the 17th Century and until recently inhabited solely by the navy.

Kastellet

Historic defense-guard, still maintaining its army presence. Open to the public.

Langelinie

Where you can personally greet none other than the Little Mermaid! North of the marina, a new upscale residential area has been built and shops and restaurants are opening on the waterfront.

Østerbro

The largest of the Copenhagen neighborhoods, Østerbro is bigger than most Danish cities. The broad streets cut like canyons through endless uniform tenement buildings in red brick. Exceptions to this are Øster Farimagsgade, Nordre Frihavnsgade and Østerbrogade, all offering shops and leben to the many inhabitants. Østerbro is also home to the national stadium, Parken, the largest park in the city, Fælledparken, as well as most embassies. Kartoffelrækkerne (literally "the potato rows") by Øster Farimagsgade have given their name to a Danish phrase describing a certain political mentality, as these former humble, working-class houses now are sold at soaring prices to mostly professors, artists, public administrators and the like.

Strandvejen

Going all the way from Østerbro to ye olde Elsinore, Strandvejen spells money, tennis courts and long drinks by the marinas. An extraordinary cab ride will lead you past very beautiful and impressive estates and villas. Dyrehaven, with its tame deer, controlled wildlife and exclusive restaurants, is the favorite outing of all Copenhageners at any time of the year.