COPENHAGEN

My family and I had a lovely midweek winter break in Copenhagen, although there were a couple of hiccups (none the fault of Copenhagen itself) that I will come to later.

Copenhagen is both the largest city and capital of Denmark, a small country of 5.2 million people.Greater Copenhagen has a population of about 1.5 million people. The city is located on the island of Sealand (Zeeland) just across the Oresund Straight from Malmo, Sweden. A new bridge/tunnel was = completed in July 2000 linking those two countries.
It is the largest city in Scandinavia and is also the seat of Denmark's 179 member parliament (the Folketing).
Before I went to Copenhagen all I really knew about it was through the fairy stories of Hans Christian Anderson, I was very much looking forward to finding out much more.

We booked our break through Expedia, as we had done several times before, with no problems.
All started well, we got our early flight from Manchester Airport, we went straight through all he checkouts, our SAS plane was on time, and we virtually had it to ourselves. It was a very relaxing 1 hour and forty minute flight.

We landed in Roskilde Airport at 9.00 a.m., feeling very optimistic about our holiday, it was the first week in December and very cold, but we were all wrapped up nice and warm against the chilly Scandinavian weather.

According to Expedia our Hotel was only 20 minutes from the airport so we got in a taxi for our journey, we knew that we would be too early to book in but a least we would be able to leave our luggage and explore, as the hotel was close to the city centre, we had chosen one in that location for ease of getting around the city.
The taxi drive was hilarious; the driver had virtually thrown our luggage into the boot and every time we turned a corner (very sharply I may add) the luggage rolled from side to side, and the driver cursed in Danish. Eventually however, we got to our hotel, it certainly looked very nice.
We went to reception to book in and leave our luggage - that is when things started to go amiss,
When the two receptionists started talking quickly to each other in Danish and looking a little perplexed, we did begin to worry, we worried more when the receptionist informed us that Expedia had not made the booking and that there were no rooms available.
We were sent through to a lounge and given coffee and Danish pastries ( jack was given a huge bowl of Haribo sweets which are manufactured in Denmark) while they 'sorted it out'; this took nearly two hours, and we were found another hotel - this one though was near to the airport, albeit a higher standard of hotel it wasn't the type or location we wanted, but we were desperate and so a taxi was called to take us to our new hotel.
Anyway, sorry, I digress, this review is not about Expedia but about the lovely city of Copenhagen. (Go on admit, it you're tempted to sing 'Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen' aren't you!!)

Copenhagen certainly is a great place to visit, is about as varied as it gets and offers the visitor a wonderful assortment of modern architecture, Renaissance buildings, incredible houses dating back to the city's mid-12th century origin, interesting and colourful Viking history, Hans Christian Andersen and a wonderful 160 year old amusement park located right in the heart of town and you'll quickly realize that this is no run of the mill city.

ATTRACTIONS

LITTLE MERMAID

Mention Copenhagen to anyone and ask about the attractions there and I expect that about 90% would reply, 'The Little Mermaid statue', I know before my journey that I certainly would have done so.

This statue certainly is one of Copenhagen's most famous attractions (if not the most famous), it is estimated that throughout the year, 75% of all tourists visiting Copenhagen see The Little Mermaid.
The statue sits on a rock in the harbour of Copenhagen and was a present from brewer Carl Jacobsen (The Carlsberg Breweries) to the city of Copenhagen, made by a then little known sculptor called Edvard Erichsen. The Little Mermaid was unveiled at Langelinje in 1913. The Little Mermaid symbolizes the fairy tale by Danish author and poet Hans Christian Andersen, the story of a young mermaid who fell in love with a prince who lived on land, and often came up to the edge of the water to look for her love.

The statue is tiny compared to the many other great statues in the city, and I have to admit, a little of a disappointment, but it does seem to draw some of the biggest crowds. The mermaid has not been treated well over the years and has had to endure having her head and arm cut off, was almost blown to bits with the help of dynamite and, most recently, was stolen, then thankfully returned! Most any guided tour, either by bus or boat will either stop for a photo opportunity, or give you a close look from the water. Here's a little tip from me when you do try to photograph her. Check the background. If you move somewhat to the left/North of her, you'll get the Holmen area as background, which is far better e to the industrial cranes and chimneys you get if you just walk down in front of her and take a quick picture. Actually she's easiest to photograph when the weather's grey and overcast.

AMALIENBORG PALACE

Situated between Bredgade and the harbour, just north of Nyhavn, is the spectacular Amalienborg Palace. This lovely building has been home to the Danish royal family since 1794, and is now their winter residence.
If the flag is up, the Royal Family is in! You can watch the changing of the Guard (at noon) with the usual pomp and circumstance, but only if the Royal Family is in town. We were lucky enough to witness this as 70 guards in high, fur-covered helmets marched toward Amalienborg Square from their barracks.
Amalienborg Square, with the statue of Frederik V on his horse, is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe and a major tourist attraction in Copenhagen. Guided tours are conducted in English July-September, as it was December when I visited I'm afraid
that I can give no details on these tours.
But for more information go to http://www.ses.dk/amalienborgpalace.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON MUSEUM

I am sure that you all know of the wonderful fairy stories of Denmark's favourite son - Han's Christian Anderson, he was the writer of some of the world's most beloved fairy tales, from "The Little Mermaid" and "The Ugly Duckling" to "Thumbelina" and "The Little Match Girl" to "The Princess and the Pea" and "The Emperor's New Clothes.

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was born and raised in city of Odense on Fyn, but his vocation always lay in Copenhagen. He dreamed of travelling there as a boy, and finally arrived as a poor, skinny 14-year-old on the morning of Monday 6 September 1819. Today, thanks to the excellent preservation of much of its historic centre, Copenhagen looks much as it did in Andersen's day.

The Hans Christian Andersen museum is situated in City Hall Square. This museum is well worth a visit, especially if you have children with you. At the museum technology, lectures, performances and displays show off Andersen's life and work, bringing the magic of his story telling to life.

ROSENBORG CASTLE

Rosenborg Castle is just outside of the centre of the city next to the National Gallery and Botanical Gardens. The Castle is situated next to "Strøget" and Nørrebro Station. It is King Christian IVs Castle he built Rosenborg in the early 17th Century, he lived all his life at Rosenborg and he died at Rosenborg. It is and has been the summer home to four centuries of Danish Royalty.
Rosenborg Castle is not only a beautiful building, it is also a fascinating museum that is filled with an incredible collection or art, period furniture, tapestries, china, glassware, even the Crown Jewels. English speaking tours are offered.
If you do visit, don't miss the lovely isTraktørstedet, the café/restaurant of the Museum, which is next to the Castle . You will find delicious snacks and cold and warm Danish specialities here.
Across the street from the castle , the Botanical Gardens warrants a leisurely stroll, especially since the rest of Copenhagen is not particularly 'green'.

NYHAVN

Nyhavn is part of the original Copenhagen Harbour. It goes all the way back to the founding of Haven, as Copenhagen was then called, in the 12th century. A beautiful place, it is lined with colourful 500 year-old gabled houses, and Hans Christian Andersen once lived here.
Today, outdoor cafes and restaurants occupy almost every inch of real estate, along with a few quaint shops.
You will also be able to take a lovely boat ride from here.

RUNDETAARN

Rundetaarn, Rundetårn or Round Tower was built b by King Christian IV between 1637 and 1642. It is a part of Trinity Church. The view from Rundetaarn is spectacular and the cupola at the top of Rundetaarn contains what is Europe's oldest functioning observatory.

TIVOLI GARDENS

Tivoli is in fact the oldest amusement park of the world . It is said that it was Tivoli that inspired Walt Disney to build Disneyland.
The park opened on August 15, 1843 and was designed by Georg Carstensen who said of Tivoli in 1844, "Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished," and he was right, it has changed and grown over the years.
Tivoli is situated in the heart in Copenhagen at Vesterbrogade, it is situated right beside the Town Hall Square and Central Station, there is no missing it and the buses all stop at the garden entrance.
Let me set the scene - it was December, it was Denmark, it was VERY cold - not snowing but with a heavy frost that made everywhere look magical.
If you are in a 'Bah humbug' mood, Tivoli at Christmas is just the place to go the place to put you in the Christmas spirit,it is full of delights of Christmasses past and present.
The wonderful gardens of Tivoli are transformed into small villages filled with lights and life and an incredible selection of Danish christmas décor, gift ideas and Danish food and drink suitable for Christmas. The stalls are delightful, they have pine branches attached to the roofs - pine branches are also laid out alongside the paths and everywhere you go it smells beautiful - a real Christmas smell.and atmosphere.
The main draw are the lights, stalls, food and drink and generall fun of the place but added to that are the thrills and spills of the white knuckle ride or more gentle varieties, real ice skating on the lake, fireworks and water displays and so much more. The lights at Tivoli are a story in their own right; there are one thousand eight hundred light chains are needed for the willows around The Tivoli Lake, another 5000 metres are needed for all the Christmas trees and a further 1000 metres for the buildings at Tivoli - the results are truly magical.
There is an incredible water and light display every hour from 5pm onwards with music on the lake. We sat with a drink at the Faergekron Restaurant which sits on the lake and - what a sight, we had front row seats!
All around the grounds coal fire pits are dotted , very welcoming to warm the old fingers on a cold Copenhagen winter night.
The range of gifts and decorations on sale for Christmas were excellent and also suprisingly of good value. I was really impressed with the 'Christmassy' look of the decorations on offer, really traditional and beautifully made, we were surprised at first to see lots of decorations in the shape of pigs but the pig is to Danes like our turkey at Christmas.
Denmark is not the cheapest country iN the world, so be prepared to pay slightly more for your food than in an average 'theme park'.
The price of admission is :
Adults 12 years + DKK 85 10 euro
Adults, Fridays after 20.00 p.m. 12 years + DKK 125 18 euro
Children 3-11 years DKK 45 5 euro
Children 0-2 years Free
But see my note about the CPHCard below

COPENHAGEN CARD

For a trip to Copenhagen I would recommend that you purchase a CPHCard at the following prices
Adults
DKK DKK 225 / Euros 30 ( 24 hours)
DKK DKK 450 / Euros 60 (72 hours)
Children
DKK DKK 115 / Euros 15 (24 hours)
DKK DKK 225 / Euros 30 (72 hours)The adult card is for 16+ and childs card is for aged 10-15.
Two children aged 0-9 are free with an adult CPHCARD .
For this you get free entry to about 60 museums and attractions (including Tivoli, free transport by train, bus and Metro - also from/to the airport and discounts on restaurants, car hire, shops and attractions.

EATING

Denmark is expensive, but there are many ways to save money and still enjoy a good meal in Copenhagen. Eating lunch on a budget can and should include smorrebrod for a real Danish treat at lunchtime. Smorrebrod comes in so many varieties that it is hard to decide which one is best. Smorrebrod is an open-faced sandwich served on rye, pumpernickel or white bread - my favourite was the rye, these really are delicious. Another popular option for lunch is a chain of Chinese restaurants called China Box/Sam's Bar. These are takeaway shops where you get rice or noodles and a choice of 2 (or more) other items such as chicken, prawns, spring rolls, etc. Your meal comes in a small box (along with a fork), and you can then find a pleasant place to sit and eat. The helpings are generous and their prices are good, you will notice lots of people wandering round with these little boxes.
No one visiting Copenhagen should miss a lunch-time visit to Ida Davidsen's at Støre Kongensgade 70, the world's greatest sandwich shop. They serve so many different varieties of Danish open

sandwiches that the menu is two metres long! They are all delicious and all reasonably priced.
There are also the usual McDonald rextaurants around if you REALLY have to!

National Specialities

Smørrebrød is a traditional lunchtime Danish dish consisting of a slice of dark bread with butter, topped with sliced meat, fish or cheese.
Buffet-style lunch (the koldt bord) is also popular with a variety of fish, meats, hot dishes, cheese and sweets, usually on a self-service basis.
A normal Danish breakfast, or morgen-complet, consists of an assortment of breads, rolls, jam and cheese, often also sliced meats, boiled eggs and warm Danish pastries.
Many Danish foods contain a lot of cream.
Here are some of the normal foods you will see on a Danish menu

Frikadeller -- Danish meatballs, the "national" dish
Chopped steak patty (Hakkebøf)
Medisterpølse -- Finely ground pork and bacon sausage
Parisian steak, (Danish: Pariserbøf)
Veal medallion (Kalvemedaljon)
Liver with sauteed mushrooms and onions
Danish-style hamburger on rye bread with fried egg on top (Dansk bøf med spejlæg og rugbrød)
Pork tenderloin (mørbradbøf) with sauteed onions and pickle slices (surt)

National Drinks

Scandinavian coffee is usually drunk strong and black.
Denmark also has many varieties of beer, famous breweries being Carlsberg and Tuborg. Most popular is pilsner (lager) but there are also specialist beers, notably those produced by Jakobsen, whose brewery is located at the original Carlsberg installation.
Akvavit, popularly known as snaps, is meant to be drunk with cold food or at Christmas, preferably with a beer chaser. It is served ice cold.

SHOPPING

Although shopping in Copenhagen might be a painful experience when it comes to prices, the city is considered to be a mecca for 'shopoholics'. Pedestrian only Stroget and Kobmagergade (main shopping streets) offer just about anything you might be looking for. Amber, the gold of the North, can be found in store after store. Amber is specific to the Baltics and quite beautiful, this petrified resin comes in a variety of colours is a favourite with the tourists. Glassware and porcelain are popular as well. Most of us are familiar with .
We went in December and we bought some beautiful traditionalstyle decorations from there.

SOME USEFUL INFORMATION

Airport

Copenhagen international airport is situated on the island of Amager, only eight kilometres southeast of Copenhagen.
.The transfer time from the airport to the city centre by the Metro is approx. 12 minutes.

Banks and Currency

The currency in Denmark is Danish Kroner (DKK).
Danish Krone (DKK; symbol kr) = 100 øre. Notes are in denominations of kr1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of kr20, 10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50 and 25 øre.
Most hotels and shops accept all major credit cards.
Automated cash machines, which you can use with your credit/debit card, are available all over the city.
Banks are open Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m., Thursday to 18:00 p.m.

Tipping

For taxi and restaurants the service charge is included in the price.

Legal drinking age

18

Voltage

Electricity in Denmark is 220-volt current. Plugs are European standard with two round pins

The Metro

The Copenhagen Metro has two lines, which run from suburban Vanløse to Vestamager and Copenhagen Airport, both situated on the island of Amager.
This makes the Metro both the fastest and cheapest way of getting from Copenhagen Airport to the city centre.
You can purchase Metro tickets from the Metro ticket machines located in all Metro stations (also on the Metro station in the airport). A single-ride two-zone ticket costs DKK 21 while a two-zone multi-ride ticket with ten clips (rides) costs DKK 130
The Metro trains are driverless, but there are staff on board to assist customers.

Crossing the Roads

There are two kinds of zebra crossings in Copenhagen. One set are a pedestrian crossing with light (ie green man, red man) which correspond with the traffic lights. These should be treated as pedestrian lights green man. However, note that this doesn't stop cars edging slowly around from a side road keenly waiting to speed forward - that's because their light is on green too even though the 'green man' is telling you to walk, so you need to be vigilant..

The other crossing consists of two sets of very high orange blinking lights that only drivers can see above the road. These can and must be treated as normal zebra crossings like those in Britain.

Bicycles

A popular mode of transportation in Copenhagen is the bicycle.
All streets have separate, paved bike paths, some even with their own small traffic lights.
You can get a bicycle for use in the city centre from special stands, free of charge. A deposit of 20 DKK is required which will be refunded upon return of the bike.

Language

Danish, the native language, is closely related to the other Scandinavian languages, but most people speak very good English, as well as some French and German. English is a mandatory language in school.

Here are a few Danish words and phrases.

Welcome Velkommen
Hello Hej
Good Morning Good morning
Good Afternoon God aften
Good Night God nat
Goodbye Farvel
Where is the toilet ..Hvor er toilettet?
Thank You Tak

Shopping Hours

Mon-Fri 0900/1000-1730/1800, Sat 0900-1700.
Supermarkets are often open Mon-Fri 0900-2000.

IN CONCLUSION

We found Copenhagen a lovely and interesting place to visit. There was plenty to do, we enjoyed the food and drink, the people were friendly and we felt very safe there, even at night. One exception might be the train station and bus station, a haven for pick-pockets. I speak here from experience, I had my purse very cleverly taken from my handbag as we waited for a bus outside Tivoli Gardens, still at least I got to see inside a Danish police station!!!

Summary: A lovely city that is worth a visit