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In 1971, squatters moved into the barracks on an abandoned military base and established Freetown Christiania, an autonomous district in the middle of the city. Later, many dwellers built their own homes on the 86-acre property. Although the Danish Supreme Court ruled this year that the state owns the land, the area’s nearly 1,000 residents have yet to be evicted. Today, visitors can bike along tree-lined paths and check out the handmade structures before they disappear. christiania.org. This appeared in the July/August 2011 issue.

A great relaxed wine bar with a wine happy hour which is extremely popular. There’s a nice wine selection which stretches beyond the bar’s namesake wine, a quirky interior atmosphere, and a very relaxed environment. This isn’t the type of wine bar you have to put a jacket on for, which makes it a perfect fit for Vesterbro and a huge hit among locals. This is the sister location to Malbeck Vinoteria, located in Norrebro. Photo: Malbeck Vinbar

Copenhagen’s grandest hotel, and one of its oldest, the d’Angleterre originally opened in 1755 as a restaurant, the brainchild of Jean Marchal and Maria Coppy, who met and fell in love while working at the royal court. The current building, on Kongens Nytorv, across from the Royal Danish Theatre, was renovated and reopened in the 1870s and has hosted royalty, foreign dignitaries, luminaries, and celebrities throughout the years. The hotel reopened in 2013 after extensive renovations, restored to its original glory and luxury, with each room decked out in elegant Danish design intended to give the feeling of a stately private residence worthy of royalty. Antiques and historic works of art like a portrait of Queen Victoria by Winterhalter demonstrate the hotel’s dedication to its heritage, while modern touches like a Warhol portrait of Queen Margrethe II and the latest modern technology in all rooms keep it contemporary and accessible.

The insistence on luxury is also apparent in the eateries: a Michelin-starred restaurant and a champagne bar are both as popular with locals as with guests

If you’re on the hunt for semi-reasonably priced, quasi-fancy smørrebrød around the city center Hallernes’ is a popular option. With a small stand in the modern and hip Torvehallerne shopping center, they prepare a mixture of traditional and more modern versions of smørrebrød. When ordering, remember that you’ll want at least two pieces and that it is almost expected that you never order two pieces of the same type.

Foodies, rejoice. Torvehallerne is a one-stop shop for several meals, snacks, and gourmet groceries or gastronomical gifts. It’s an airy, light-filled building with all kinds of purveyors, from fantastic coffee shops, chefs cooking fresh pasta and serving it hot to you at the counter, a farmers market outside, a tapas bar, you name it. If you’ve ever been to Florence, think of Mercato Centrale, but in a nicer setting and housing more variety. Ride your bike there to grab a bite or to spend the day enjoying its bounty.

Tucked away unassumingly in Copenhagen‘s hip Meatpacking District is one of the city’s top seafood restaurants, Kodbyens Fiskebar Restaurant. The industrial-style interior has design elements taken from the neighborhood and may not seem the setting for a Michelin-worthy meal, but the casual vibe in my opinion, only enhances the experience. The chef is fanatical about sourcing the freshest seafood. If you haven’t booked a table in advance, try going early and score a seat at the bar. The bartender will insist you have a glass of white wine with your oysters (try the briny Marennes). And don’t miss the excellent razor clam with maltbread, fennel, tarragon and dill.

AOC takes a New Nordic–inspired elemental approach to food. Ingredients are sourced locally with a focus on maximizing the complete experience, which includes rich colors, presentation, smells, and flavor. The restaurant is small, with room for roughly 45 people and located in the cellar of a 17th-century building. The design is simple and clean, and it avoids anything that might distract from the food. The restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star. Photo: cyclonebill (flickr)

You’ll find branches of Emmerys, a popular bakery and café, throughout the city—there are more than 30 of them in Denmark, and the majority are in or around the capital. These bright, friendly places are perfect to pop into when you’re feeling peckish, and because they use 100 percent organic ingredients, you can have a hearty sandwich or salad—or indulge in one of their exceptionally tasty hazelnut chocolate croissants or brownies—with a clear conscience. The arabica coffee beans are also organic.

I absolutely love the interior courtyard of Christiansborg Palace. It is the type of place that seems straight out of a Disney fairy tale. Stand in the courtyard and close your eyes, imagining carriages, lanterns, and a steady stream of affluent Danes attending a grand ball—it’s a magical place. Started in 1733, the palace was completed in its present form in 1928. Over the years various stages were added and expanded in response to fire damage, periods of prosperity, and the latest design trends. The Palace currently serves as the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Supreme Court, The Royal Reception Rooms, and the Royal Stables which are the reason that the middle of the inner courtyard is a large dirt space (still used as part of the Royal Stables). You can access the ruins from the previous castle through the Christiansborg Palace museum.

We went to the Viking Ship Museum while visiting Copenhagen. It’s about 1/2 hour train ride from the city and another 10 minutes or so on the bus (#203). I expected to spend about a half day here entertaining the kids but we ended up spending much more because it was so engaging. They have actual kid activities that are interesting and fun -- view old viking weapons, learn how to sword fight with wooden shields and sword (a staff member will show you how it’s done), decorate your own shield and sword to take home, learn how to make rope -- and this is just one small part of the whole experience. Inside you can view the remnants of the 5 viking ships that were discovered in the harbor and learn about how they recreated them. You can also watch a film about how a crew sailed a recreated ship from Roskilde to Dublin (while seated in a replica ship). The kids can try on traditional viking costumes. And finally, but not least, you can pay a small fee to take one of the replicated viking boats out on the water! There’s no motor -- just oars to row out and then use the wind to sail back in. It’s beautiful out on the water and to have a view back to town. The kids can participate or just watch all the activity. There was so much to do and a variety of offerings that engaged the whole family. Definitely a must-do with kids on a visit to Copenhagen.

Situated in a position that allows Amalienborg to beautifully frame it, Frederiks Kirke, more commonly referenced as the Marble Church, adds to the beauty of the palatial complex. Started in 1749, the church wasn’t completed until 1894 and sports the largest dome in Scandinavia and one of the largest domes in Europe. While simple, it is well worth a visit and has a beautiful interior with a wonderful dome. While the cathedral itself is interesting, the best part of the church is actually the hardest to get to. Available twice a day, a guide offers trips up to the overlook above the dome. This is worth it for two reasons. First, the view out over Amalienborg Palace and the harbor towards the Opera house is fantastic and not something you’ll see many photos of. Second, the path to the overlook actually takes you inside and above the dome. So, you’ll get to see the void between the interior of the inner dome, and the exterior dome. Even more, you’ll climb stairs that wrap over it—a fun thought when you consider what’s just a few feet below you!

Building on the success of AOC, the minds behind one of Copenhagen‘s only 2-star Michelin Restaurants have opened a second restaurant. Søren Selin, co-owner and chef de cuisine at AOC, has overall responsibility for the menus while the resident chef at no. 2 is Nikolaj Køster. Despite being the younger sibling to AOC, Restaurant No. 2 is far from just a clone. It has its own special areas of focus and specialization In their own words at No. 2 you’ll find, “Here you will find the same uncompromising approach to raw ingredients, the same combination of flavours praised by the reviewers and a wine list composed with the same attention to detail as the one that has won AOC several awards. All in a more relaxed and laid-back ambiance.”

This shop is run by a 4th generation smørrebrød cook. Ida’s family has been preparing and selling smørrebrød since 1888 with a reputation for having one of the most extensive smørrebrød menus in Denmark. Not only is it worth trying her smørrebrød, but her family story is also well worth a read.

I’d like to believe that had my public library been as stunning as the Black Diamond in Copenhagen, I would have spent more time studying at the library and less time doing whatever one does when one is supposed to be doing their reading. But the reality is that I probably would have spent most of the time staring out at the water and at the handsome people who wander through its naturally lit halls. The Black Diamond is the newer annex to The Danish Royal Library. It gets its name from the black granite, tinted windows and trapezoidal design (isosceles I think; perhaps I would be more sure had I worked harder on that geometry homework). When you turn the corner, it peers out like a large warship: dark, massive, and slightly foreboding. But the people and bicycles scattered about near the library’s entrance bely the need for concern. At the library’s entrance there is a cafe perfect for you to steady yourself with coffee, pastries, and more people watching. The library holds an art exhibit, concerts, The National Museum of Photography, The Museum of Danish Cartoon Art, as well as its own collection. But the pièce de résistance is the atrium that overlooks the harbor. Take the escalator up a few floors and turn and seize the view. But don’t gasp too loudly: there are people probably trying to do their geometry homework.

The kitchen at this elegant Thai restaurant, complete with lotus pond, at the Siam Kempinski Hotel makes everything fresh and by hand, including the fish sauce and prawn crackers. Interestingly, Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin was founded by Henrik Yde-Andersen, whose Thai eatery in Copenhagen, Kiin Kiin, has earned a Michelin star. And so did the Bangkok restaurant for its creative approach to modern Thai cuisine and ten-course tasting menus that use Thai flavors and modern gastronomic cooking techniques in tastes such as basil foam and frozen red curry.