Already on his day we call him ... COPENHAPPY
“Welcome to the happiest country in the world” is the promising watchword upon arrival at the modern Copenhagen airport. I don't quite believe it, really, no matter how much the statistics insist on such a fact. But what I can assure you is that this city out of a book of fairy tales will allow you to live unique experiences and get to know the gears of the nordic mentality , so different and peculiar. Here are the keys to know its true essence:
1. DO NOT HESITATE: GET ON A BIKE
Traveling by bicycle in Copenhagen is more than just a habit, it is a ritual that reflects more than any other the Nordic mentality: the idea of community, speed and pragmatism.
And it is that Copenhagen, with permission from Amsterdam, is considered the best city in the world to travel by bicycle , with bike lanes separated from motor traffic that make them extremely safe. It is estimated that u n 37% of all journeys in the city are made in this means of transport, a figure that the authorities hope to increase up to a 50% in 2015.
So don't hesitate rent a bike and explore the city on it . Don't miss out for anything in the world amazing rush hour show (around 4pm) on Nørrebrogade street right where it connects with Droning Louises Bridge: a sea of bicycles and a unique atmosphere that will not leave you indifferent. *
Where do I rent one?
You will find them everywhere. We propose several options:
The GoBike public bicycle system offers sophisticated bikes with GPS and navigator (It could not be otherwise in one of the most advanced countries in the world).
A cheaper option is Baisikeli. Also, Almost all hotels offer bicycles for rent to their guests.
Riding a bike, a 'must'.
two. EXPERIENCE NORDIC CUISINE: "WILL I GET A TABLE IN NOMA?"
In the late 1970s, Bent Christensen , a renowned food critic wrote to the Michelin Guide proposing visit a few Danish restaurants. Those responsible for the guide responded, dying of laughter, that they highly doubted that there was any restaurant worth visiting in Denmark.
Just three decades later, the Danish food scene is considered one of the most innovative on the planet and the ** Noma ** restaurant, proclaimed the best restaurant in the world for three consecutive years, the most outstanding reference of the new Nordic culinary movement . This one was born in 2004 with the famous Nordic Cuisine Manifesto sponsored by Claus Mayer , the man who founded Noma together with chef Rene Redzepi, with the aim of creating his own gastronomy based on products grown in Scandinavian regions.
**NOMA, is it possible to reserve a table?**
We imagine that It is possible but we, of course, were not so lucky. The procedure to get one of the desired places is almost an impossible mission: you can only reserve a table a specific day of the month for the three subsequent months. I swear and perjure that I connected punctually at the time and just when the system announced "You can now make your reservation at NOMA" I discovered that there was 10,000 people I don't know thanks to what technological prodigy they had managed to get ahead of me. Disheartened, I decided to put myself directly on the waiting list but I came face to face with reality again: 1000 people already made a virtual queue truncating my dream of eating, dining or whatever in what was the best restaurant in the world.
René Redzepi, the thinking head and the creative hands of Noma
But not everything is NOMA
Don't despair. Noma is undoubtedly the emblem, but far from the only one in which to experience the renowned Danish gastronomy. There are other very interesting options, many of them run by chefs who previously worked at Noma, the so-called 'alumnos'. Here are a few options:
** Relay, ** Directed by Christian Puglisi , is a perfect option.
** Geranium **, commanded by another former Noma School pupil, Soren Ledet.
Host - declared one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world. We loved everything, the service, the decoration and of course the food.
Another very interesting option is **Aamanns**, where a young chef has reinvented the art of Danish open sandwiches, the smørrebrød.
If you are looking for a more casual atmosphere, do not miss the Torvehallerne market, a gourmet market opened at Israels Plads in 2011 in the place of a old market closed in 1950. The two glass buildings house a selection of Nordic delicacies and a relaxed atmosphere.
Relae, ode to the product.
3. BUY SOME OBJECT (ANYTHING) OF THE FAMOUS DANISH DESIGN
Maybe you haven't noticed but danish design is everywhere . Back in the 1960s, the chairs seen by viewers of the historic debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon were the Danish chairs by Hans J. Wegner. Today the elegant and functional design of Bang & Olufsen, the famous egg chair by designer Jacobsen or the same brand Lego , which has elevated a set of pieces to the category of art, are recognized worldwide. And we have good news, Copenhagen is undoubtedly the best place for a quick immersion in Danish design.
First stop , a bit of culture with a visit to the ** Danish Design Center **, just opposite the famous Tivoli Park . Designed by the famous architect Henning Larsen, it has a extensive exhibition of danish design , since Lego and Vipp cubes to the products of Bang & Olufsen.
Next stage: on the hunt for the object . We assure you, even if you have never had a special sensibility at the design level, in Copenhagen you will suddenly feel some irrepressible desires to acquire a lamp, an ultra-design pepper shaker or whatever... These are the best stores to make a purchase:
- There's House: with its art-noveau beams and contemporary furnishings to take your breath away.
- ** Normann Copenhagen :** occupies an area of 1,700 m2 of an old cinema in the Østerbro area. In 2014, the New York Times included it in the list of the 12 treasures to buy in Europe . Safety pin.
- In ** Illums Bolighus ** I bought myself a pepper shaker and a salt shaker with which I triumph at every dinner.
- In the ** Designer Zoo ** you will find crafts from all over denmark , from glasses to jewelry, passing through textiles, at quite affordable prices.
Irresistible Nordic design at Normann Copenhagen.
Four. LIVE A FAIRY TALE
Copenhagen already has that fairytale town air , with their perfectly aligned houses , their pedestrian streets and its towers looming in the distance, but if there is something that makes this city a perfect destination to relive the magic of childhood is the famous statue of the Little Mermaid inspired by the great story by Hans Christian Andersen.
Legend has it that all Danish sailors believed that the waters of Øresund were full of mermaids and that the home of all of them was the Mermaid Banks in Øresund , the same place where today is the ** Little Mermaid (really tiny because only 1.25 meters) ** sculpted in bronze by the sculptor Edward Eriksen.
The Little Mermaid: turning her back
If you want to continue immersing yourself in the world of fairy tales, be sure to visit the oldest amusement park in Europe , the Tivoli, a true land of dreams and an icon of the city that includes a Ferris wheel with more than 100 years, the so-called "Rutschebanen" , a lake and a Victorian park.
Until Michael Jackson , after a performance in the early 90's I fell completely in love with this place, trying, without success, buy.
You will enjoy like a child
5. STROLL THROUGH THE 'DRUG DEALER' STREET IN THE FREE CITY OF CHRISTIANIA
"You are entering the European Union" reads the sign outside the main gate of the Christiania district in the Danish capital. So radical and so special is this neighborhood located halfway between the brand new Opera building and René Redzepi's Noma. Christiania is much more than just a neighborhood: It is a lifestyle.
Christiania was born in 1971 when an abandoned military area in the Christianshavn neighborhood was taken over by squatters. The area was claimed as a free city without taxes and administered by its own laws. New settlers arrived in this alternative area, and the social experiment of a few freethinkers became a permanent feature of the city.
Here it is the sale and consumption of soft drugs is allowed , have their own currency and flag... a tiny state with its own laws.
To flank the front door is to enter a different world that has little to do with the order and efficiency of the Danish capital , walking along its main road, the **Pusher Street (Street of the Narcotics Seller) ** is an experience that does not leave indifferent: hippies, drunkards, various characters pulling weird.. but above all a unique community atmosphere hardly describable. Indeed, don't try to take pictures . It is strictly prohibited.
Christiania is independent from Denmark
(*) If the subject fascinates you (as it does me), be sure to check out the curious blog www.copenhagencyclechic.com created by the journalist Mikael Colvile-Andersen, where you will find a large repertoire of photographs of 'Kobmendenses' (inhabitants of Copenhagen) mounted on their bicycle and dressed in a colorful way.
*You may also be interested...
- Copenhappy or why Copenhagen is the happiest capital in the world
- The 25 cities where you live best in the world
- Eat and sleep in Copenhagen
- Five things to do in Copenhagen
- The black diamond of Copenhagen
- Border tourism: binoculars, passports and checkpoints - Tivoli, the Copenhagen park where you can be a child again - Copenhagen also cycles in winter - Copenhagen: savoring and dreaming of the most dynamic city in Europe - All articles by Ana Díaz-Cano
Summer in Copenhagen.
Sunset on Copenhappy channels