From quaint local traditions to its picturesque streetscape, the beauty of Copenhagen is that it's nothing like home, writes Georgina O'Halloran
BRINGING GLASSES home from the pub to replenish the kitchen cupboard was common practice among the student population during my college days, as was the raid at the end of a weekend home to stock up on "free food" for the week ahead.
Danish students wouldn't stand a chance, though. In Copenhagen, if you decide to quench your thirst with a half-yard of beer, the barman takes a shoe as security and won't give it back until you've returned the glass. Within a matter of hours of arriving in the heart of this lively Scandinavian capital, we witnessed this rather peculiar ritual. Seated at a pavement cafe in Indre By (the inner city), glasses of Carlsberg in hand, we watched as a waiter presented two men, both of whom had received beers seconds earlier, with a woven clog in exchange for a shoe each.
And therein lies the charm of the Danish capital, which is criss-crossed by canals and is infinitely picturesque. It's just so different from home.
Take cycling for instance. Absolutely everyone - from trendy teenagers and businessmen to parents transporting their younger offspring in carts attached to the front of their bikes - seems to cycle, making it the obvious mode of discovering this bustling capital. When in Copenhagen . . .
But for those more inclined to meandering around the maze of medieval, cobbled streets that make up Indre By, the city equally lends itself to discovery by foot.
From the city's fun park, Tivoli, which dates from the 19th century and is Denmark's biggest tourist attraction; to Strøget, the mile-long shopping street; and the city's historical heart of Slotsholmen, the majority of sights are easily within strolling distance.
Walking around also offers endless opportunities to drop in to one of Copenhagen's countless cafes and sample smørrebrød (the ubiquitous open sandwich) or just settle for a cool beer. (The Carlsberg is infinitely better here - although it'll set you back a cool € 8 for a glass.)
And surprisingly, despite its northern European climate, with rather cool nights even in June, cafe culture is very much alive in the Danish capital, with proprietors providing outdoor heaters and blankets to patrons come evening.
Arguably one of the prettiest waterside areas of the city, and there are lots of them, is trendy Nyhavn (New Harbour), which, with its canalside restaurants and bars, becomes a hub of activity at night.
If you don't want to spend a fortune there on food and drink, there's always the option of joining the droves of locals for a few cans and takeaway pizza on the canalside.
An hour-long boat tour is a great way to see the city. Many tours leave from Gammel Strand, and include the chance to glimpse the hippie, partially self-governing "free city" of Christiania in Christianshavn from the water.
We didn't have time to visit, but as we sailed past the party atmosphere was infectious, with music and drum beats and lots of people swimming in the harbour, including some naked bathers, whom our polite guide decided to ignore.
It also included a view of the city's world-famous landmark, the Little Mermaid (no irony intended here - blink and you'll miss her), which honours one of the most famous Danes of all, Hans Christian Andersen.
True fans of the author, however, will want to factor in a trip to Odense, his birthplace on the island of Funen, which is an hour's train ride from Copenhagen's central station.
If you haven't done enough relaxing at the pretty waterside cafes, the beautiful park of Kongens Have and the Botanical Gardens, just across the road, are oases of green in the heart of this most wonderful of cities, and are well worth a visit for a total chill-out factor, particularly if the weather is good.
One of Kongens Have's biggest attractions is the arresting Renaissance castle of Rosenberg Slot, which is like something out of a fairy tale.
The day we visited, however, a group of locals were defending a different castle from attacking Vikings. The popular game of Kubb (or Viking), involving a wooden castle that ruthless Vikings seek to defeat or knock over with wooden batons, was in full swing.
The Vikings, it would appear, are still making their presence felt in the Danish capital all these hundreds of years later.
Where to stay, where to eat and where to goif in the Danish capital for the weekend
5 places to stay
D'Angleterre. 34 Kongens Nytorv, 00-45-33120095, www.remmen.dk. A luxurious five-star hotel located in the city centre near the picturesque Nyhavn area, the D'Angleterre is a good choice if you've a big budget to blow. A standard double room is €420 a night.
Hotel Imperial. 9 Vester Farimagsgade, 00-45-33128000, www.imperialhotel.dk. A four-star hotel near the Tivoli gardens. It's a short walk from Copenhagen's Central Train Station and near Strøget, the main shopping street. Double rooms start from €270 a night with special deals for advanced booking.
Somandshjemmet Bethel. 22 Nyhavn, 00-45-33130370, www.hotel-bethel.dk. This one-time haven for seamen en route to foreign ports today opens its doors to all. Located in a stately building in Nyhavn, the views are spectacular. Double rooms cost from €110 a night.
Hotel Twentyseven. 27 Løngangstræde, 00-45-70275627, www.hotel27.dk. Situated in the heart of Copenhagen, just a few metres from Rådhuspladsen (the town square), this hotel is a perfect location if you're interested in shopping. It's also home to the Absolut Icebar, built with ice from the Torne river in Lapland. Double rooms from €165 a night.
Copenhagen Admiral. 24-28 Toldbodgade, 00-45-33741414, www.admiralhotel.dk. This great hotel is located in a converted 200-year-old granary beside the water and near Nyhavn. It's also near Amalienborg (the winter home of the Danish royal family). The grand, rustic wooden beams give the rooms individuality. Double rooms cost from €230 a night.
5 places to eat
La Glace. 3 Skoubogade (off Strøget), 00-45-33144646, www.laglace.dk. If you want to sample delicious Danish pastries, this traditional confectionary cafe serves the very best of flaky delights, although it's not cheap.
Cafe Norden. 61 Ostergade, 00-45-33117791, www.cafenorden.dk. This chic and contemporary cafe overlooks the lively square of Amager Torv and is one of Copenhagen's best. It serves delicious lunches, snacks, pastries and yummy nachos.
Cap Horn. 2 Nyhavn, 00-45-33128514, www.caphorn.dk. This quayside restaurant is a good choice for tasty, simple meals including steak, veal and lamb. It also serves a wide range of seafood, including lemon sole, shrimp and prawns. Part of the attraction is its location, in the idyllic charm of Nyhavn.
Thorvaldsens Hus. 34 Gammel Strand, 00-45-33320400, www.thorvaldsens-hus.dk.
A canalside cafe and restaurant that offers both lunch and dinner, and serves traditional Danish food such as herring smørrebrød, fried plaice and Norwegian king crab.
Rio Bravo Restaurant. 86 Vester Voldgade, 00-45-33117587, www.riobravo.dk. If you're looking to eat late, this is a real gem. With its wild west theme, the steak and burgers are absolutely mouth-watering. It stays open until 4am, a real rarity in the Danish capital.
5 things to do
Walk along the Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard on Christians Brygge and pay a visit to the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (00-45-33418141, www.glyptoteket.dk), one of Copenhagen's most impressive art galleries. First opened in 1897, it includes a glass-domed Vinter Have (Winter Garden) with its tropical plants, as well as works by the French sculptor Rodin and masterpieces by Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh.
Pay a visit to Det Kongelige Bibliotek - the Royal Library (00-45-33474747, www.kb.dk/en) on Christians Brygge and check out the National Museum of Photography, which hosts some 50,000 works, including an exhibition by American photographer Sally Mann until September 20. Then relax on waterfront deckchairs outside and enjoy a bite to eat. www.kb.dk/en.
Visit the island of Slotsholmen, the historical heart of Copenhagen, including Christianborg Palace (00-45-3392630, www.ses.dk/ christiansborg), home to the Danish parliament and the reception rooms of the Danish royal family. There are numerous museums in the complex, including the Dansk Jodisk Museum (Danish Jewish Museum). The impressive Christiansborg Slotskirke dates from 1862. www.ses.dk/ christiansborg.
Spend an evening at the Tivoli gardens (00-45-33151001, www.tivoli.dk), which date from 1843 and are Denmark's most popular tourist attraction. Located near Radhus, the fun park opens from April to September and includes landscaped gardens, fairground stalls, bandstands, theatres and concerts halls. There are also 25 rides to choose from.
Visit the Rundetårn (round tower) at 52 Kobmagergade on Strøget near Hojbro Plads (00-45-33730373). The 42m high tower was built between 1638 and 1642 as part of the Trinitatis complex, a combination of library, church and observatory. The observatory is Europe's oldest.
Hot spot
Hviids Vinstue (19 Kongens Nytorv, 00-45-33151064, www.hviidsvinstue.dk). Founded in 1723, this is Copenhagen's oldest wine bar and is well worth a visit. Located on the bustling Kongens Nytorv square, it has a lively atmosphere and never wants for patrons. Hans Christian Andersen was a regular in his day.
Shopping
With Strøget at its heart, Copenhagen is a great place to do some spending, although bargains are hard to find. Strøget begins at Rådhuspladsen and ends at Kongens Nytorv, and is full of international chains. You can pick up traditional Danish hand-painted porcelain and designs in glass, silver, and stainless steel at Illum Bolighus (10 Amager Torv , 00-45-33141941, www.illumsbolighus.dk).
Go there
SAS (www.flysas.com) flies twice a day from Dublin to Copenhagen Airport - Kastrup. Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) flies once a day from Dublin to Copenhagen Airport - Kastrup.