Expensive Copenhagen at a good price - a city break in the Danish capital
Can Copenhagen be a good choice for a "city break" for Poles? The city is undoubtedly interesting and offers a wide variety of attractions, but can our wallets cope with the cost of such a trip? Scandinavia means a high standard of living and contented residents, but also some of the highest prices in the world. Here are our tips on how to spend your money wisely and enjoy everything the Danish capital has to offer.
Copenhagen Card - is it worth buying
Probably the biggest dilemma before arriving in Copenhagen will be: to buy or not to buy the "Copenhagen Card"? The card comes as an app or a plastic card, and you can pay for it in advance or buy it on arrival, at the airport or at several points in the city centre. The card is sold by the hour - in multiples of 24 hours - and depending on how many days you buy, it will cost between 31 and 60€ per day. After that, 89 attractions, including more than a dozen museums, and all city transport become free. The journey from the airport, a few kilometres from the city, is also covered. The card also lets you use regional transport and take an interesting sightseeing cruise along the city's canals. Buying it seems a good idea, because even a quick look at admission prices and the cost of public transport shows that you can save a lot of money. In other words, with the card you will see a great deal, at a favourable cost per attraction.
Where to stay and eat in Copenhagen
And where should you stay in Copenhagen to be close to the centre without spending a fortune? The a&o hotel-hostel chain combines both standards under one roof. The company started out in Berlin in 2000 and now has 39 properties in 23 cities, 2 of them in Copenhagen. The design is simple, pared-back and Scandinavian, the rooms are spacious and the breakfasts generous. From the a&o in the Sydhavn district it is only 2 stops by train to the very centre, and you can also use buses. In its hostel version the chain can be an interesting option for single travellers or younger visitors, and in its hotel version for families. Proof that it has tailored its offer well to the needs of the latter is the "Service Value" survey, which found that "a&o properties meet the needs and expectations of travelling families in an exceptional way", awarding them a "High Satisfaction" rating.
And where to eat in Copenhagen? A good idea here is to visit the post-industrial area of Refshaleøen. That is where, a few years ago, a huge food complex moved, creating a veritable street food festival. You will find stalls representing cuisines from almost all over the world. There are loads of stands and plenty to choose from. Add to that beer, cocktails and other drinks. It is an interesting place and a little cheaper than other parts of the city.
Canal cruise and Tivoli Gardens
And what to see in Copenhagen? It is worth starting your "city break" with a canal cruise. The cruise is a roughly hour-long introduction to the city, spiced up with stories from the guide on board. From the water you will see places you can later return to on foot. You will get to know the layout of the city and get a sense of distances. You pass palaces and the historic stock exchange building, see several examples of modern architecture, such as the Opera House, and the boat even comes close to the symbol of Copenhagen, the Little Mermaid statue.
A place you cannot miss is Tivoli. This amusement park was founded in 1843 and still attracts Danes and visitors alike. All the buildings are surrounded by beautiful greenery, and there are plenty of good restaurants on site too. The concert stages host performers, especially on weekend evenings. What it all has in common is a slightly surreal, fairy-tale atmosphere.
City Hall Tower, the Round Tower and Jens Olsen's clock
In several places in Copenhagen you can take the opportunity to see the city from above. It is a different perspective, and it is worth doing at least once. The best view is from the City Hall Tower, built in 1905 and 105 metres high. From its terrace you can take in the city's different quarters. Another similar place is the so-called Round Tower - although it is much lower ("only" 35 metres), it is considerably older (17th century) and more popular with tourists, perhaps because, unlike at City Hall, you do not have to gather in groups at a set time to go up.
While at City Hall, you have to see its extraordinary clock. The mechanism is the size of a large wardrobe, and you can watch the individual gears and rods at work up close through the glass. Jens Olsen designed it and was ready to build it in 1924, once he had completed all the mathematical calculations. Unfortunately, for the next 20 years he was unable to raise enough money. The clock was finally built in 1955, 10 years after his death. Today it shows the time, the date, the days of the week, the phases of the moon and the movements of the planets. It is designed to run... forever, and one of its wheels will complete a full turn only after 25,753 years.
Christiansborg, Copenhill and Kastellet
Denmark is a kingdom, so you really must pay attention to Copenhagen's royal residences. One of them is Christiansborg, a palace on an island in the centre of the capital. To enter its huge courtyard, you cross a bridge spanning a narrow canal. You can buy a single combined ticket or focus only on the part that interests you most. The options are the reception rooms, the archaeological excavations, the stables or the kitchen. Inside the palace, tourists linger longest in the Great Hall, where unusual tapestries hang. They document 1,100 years of Danish history, right up to the present day. The one depicting the most recent times shows scenes of war, the Holocaust and the Berlin Wall, and some people spot Hitler, while others see The Beatles. These colourful, comic-book-style works - unveiled to the public in 2000 - may shock and in a sense clash with the solemnity of the place, but they stay in your memory for a long time.
Can a waste incinerator be a tourist attraction? It turns out it can, because "Copenhill" is not only a waste-to-energy plant, but also a ski slope, a climbing wall and a hiking trail all in one. The sloping roof of this cleverly designed building made it possible to create a year-round artificial ski slope on top. A 70-metre climbing wall has been set up on the façade. There is also a bar, and a panoramic lift facing inwards lets you watch the machinery at work.
Copenhagen's Citadel, or Kastellet, is a good place for a walk. These fortifications were built from 1626 onwards, close to the sea, in the northern part of the city. The Citadel is a symmetrical structure with five bastions, surrounded by a moat. If you wanted to walk around it along the earth ramparts, you would have to cover as much as 1,750 metres. Inside there are barracks, guardhouses, the commandant's house and a church. However, the most photographed building is a charming Dutch-style windmill, the only one of its kind in Denmark.
Copenhagen for a city break - getting there and getting around
Can Copenhagen be a good idea for a "city break"? Definitely. The city is very well connected with Poland thanks to direct flights, including those operated by low-cost airlines. The airport is close to the city, and public transport is very well organised. You can choose between the metro (4 lines), the commuter train, buses and electric harbour buses. The city rarely sees heatwaves, and everyone speaks English. You will not get bored for several days, because there are plenty of attractions: those interested in history and historic buildings will be happy, as will those drawn to modern architecture. The range of museums is very rich. If you buy a plane ticket on special offer and find accommodation at a good price, you will discover that exploring the Danish capital need not cost a fortune.
