Do you really need a reason to visit Copenhagen? Probably not. Traveling to the Danish capital—which oozes charm thanks to its quaint buildings, cozy cafés, and chic shops—is always a good idea. Now, thanks to ample new openings, we have a few more excuses to hit one of Europe’s coolest cities.
New, only-in-Copenhagen experiences
Refshaleøen, a burgeoning neighborhood, is home to the largest urban farm in the nordics, Øens Have, which opened in May 2021. If you, like everybody else, have picked up gardening during the pandemic and are eager to get your hands dirty, the farm invites volunteers to weed, water, and sow every Tuesday between 10 a.m and 4 p.m. All you have to do is show up. If gardening isn’t your thing (we get it, you’re on vacation), the café, set in an adorable yurt, serves dishes like granola or romaine with halloumi, all prepared from organic ingredients, many of which are from the garden.
In November this year, GoBoat (a boat rental company) launched a floating sauna, made from sustainable wood, in the harbor. The sauna–which fits up to 12 people–has large windows that look onto the water and city (as well as Christiansborg Palace!). It’s the perfect spot for visitors to thaw after a long, cold day. Then, take a dip in the icy harbor—a true Danish experience.
Come for the wine, stay for the cocktails (or tea)
Is it surprising that a city like Copenhagen—known for its artisanal and organic food movement—would have a slew of bars dedicated to natural wine (made with no additives)? New to the scene is Bar Vivant, which opened in the hip hood of Nørrebro earlier this year. Here, Copenhagen’s cool kids can be found sitting underneath the neon green sign all hours of the afternoon and night, sipping glasses of orange wine from Austria. Another new arrival is Roots, which opened two new spots in Sydhavn and Østerbro. Customers can swing by for an afternoon glass of wine or join the weekly tastings with one of their sommeliers, which commence every Thursday and Friday.
At Roots, wine drinkers can make their way through a list of sustainably made wines—and a menu of seafood-inspired dishes.
Courtesy of Roots
If you’re more of a cocktail connoisseur, Curfew recently opened in Vesterbro. Founded by Humberto Marques (whose international bartending résumé includes Gleneagles and celebrity chef Tony Singh’s Oloroso, both in Scotland, along with cocktail competition awards), the windowless space feels like a speakeasy, with exposed brick walls, dangling lights, and vintage iron barstools, plus a hand-cranked cocktail-mixing machine. Expect an array of cocktails, shaken and stirred, like the First Aid: Beefeater gin, aloe vera honey, lime citrus, and dry port served in a tin mug.
At Vakka, thirsty guests will find organic teas, tea lattes, kombucha, and much more.
Photo by Mads Nissen-Politiken
For tea lovers, Vakka tea shop in Nørrebro offers an assortment of organic brews to enjoy in the cozy café or to take home. On the menu you’ll also find delicious kombuchas produced from reused frozen tea leaves.
Bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Another thing Copenhagen has no shortage of: bakeries. Yet despite their abundance, the city keeps on getting more—which is fine by us! On a sunny corner in Nørrebro, Rondo is the ideal spot to sit on the sidewalk and sink your teeth into a croissant or slice of wholegrain rye. Come lunchtime, the team prepares focaccia with tomatoes, olive oil, and anchovies, which will immediately transport you to Italy. Another new bakery raising interest is Seks, by a Polish couple who loves to travel (and first opened a café in Poland) and relocated to Copenhagen in August last year. It specializes in sourdough bakes, such as buns and hotcakes. It also serves specialty coffee and—you guessed it—natural wines.
New hotels to check into
Comwell Copenhagen Portside
Book now: from $109/night, expedia.com
For those traveling to Copenhagen for work, try the new Comwell Copenhagen Portside, which offers guests free access to the coworking space. Bonus: You’re close to breakfast and lunch (try the beloved café Andersen and Maillard bakery) and postwork weekend fun (harbor baths and bike trails).
Make Zoku, with its loft-style rooms and shared laundry space, your home away from work from home.
Courtesy of Zoku Copenhagen
Zoku
Book now: from $115/night, expedia.com
Another option for remote workers: Zoku, a new hotel-apartment-office hybrid in Sundholmskvarteret, south of the city center. The hotel has regular rooms as well as nifty lofts with snug beds, kitchenettes, and workspaces, designed for longer stays. There’s even a laundry room and shared kitchen.
NH Collection Copenhagen
Book now: from $148/night, expedia.com
In September 2021, NH Collection Copenhagen—with its simple, petite rooms—arrived in Christianshavn, an area known for its canals lined with houseboats. Book a harbor room and revel in your proximity to popular places like the Christiansborg Palace and some of the city’s best restaurants, including Noma.
Coming in 2022
Design Museum Denmark will reopen in June 2022.
Photo by Rasmus Hjortshoj
After 18 months of renovation, the Design Museum Denmark will reopen in June with new visitor experiences. Set in a building from the 1750s, which has been home to the museum since 1926, they’ve restored some of the older elements, like the stone facade and marble floors that were installed by Kaare Klint, the renowned Danish designer responsible for the museum’s design back in 1926.
Enigma is an interactive museum of communication that will relaunch in August after closing in 2015 for an overhaul. Its primary focus will be timely topics like surveillance, digital communication, and fake news.
The 25 Hours Hotel Indre By is expected in March 2022. Set in a 19th-century porcelain factory later used as a university building, it’s fitting that the design of some of its 243 rooms will be inspired by “knowledge,” meaning thinkers like Charles Darwin and Tycho Brahe.
