CNBC Business | Downtime in Copenhagen

Downtime in Copenhagen

Th ere's so much more to Copenhagen than the UN Climate Change Conference

Copenhagen is a 1,000-year-old hipster. This centre for Scandinavian finance, culture, high-tech, education and much more is proud but relatively modest, laid-back but only to a point, expensive but with low-cost options, and stuffed with cars but aware of the environment. Speaking of the environment, tens of thousands of diplomats, officials, activists and media representatives will flock here for the COP15 global climate conference, from 7—18 December. If you’re planning to be here then, you may want to rethink: many hotels will be full; and expect roadblocks for dignitaries and plenty of demonstrations. But COP15 is not the only action in town — the city has more than enough to keep a seasoned business or pleasure traveller intrigued.

Recharge COP15 aside, Copenhagen typically offers a complete range of hotel properties and prices. Of course, there are the fullservice international brands: the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, opposite the main station, is a gathering point for business travellers; the Copenhagen Marriott Hotel is comfortable and convenient. There’s also the elegant, understated Bertrams Hotel Guldsmeden, which will get you deeper into Copenhagen’s cool Vesterbro quarter. In the touristy Nyhavn district, the modern Scandic Front is a good option. Also nearby, in a renovated 18th-century quayside warehouse, the Copenhagen Admiral Hotel has plenty of buzz about it, as does its bar/restaurant SALT. Or just dive into the five-star accoutrements of Hotel D’Angleterre. Starting at €367 a night, this historic duchess overlooks Kongens Nytorv, right in the heart of town. Also in the centre, First Hotel Skt. Petri, a big, sexy design hotel close enough to benefit from the busy Strøget pedestrianised area, but nestled in a charming street, Krystalgade, with an old-time Copenhagen feel. Skt. Petri also has a sleek, comfortable cocktail lounge.

Refuel Eating is a leading draw for regional visitors to Copenhagen — not too surprising, given the sumptuous options. In fact, Copenhagen now boasts 13 Michelin-starred restaurants; one of them, Noma, has two stars itself. Whatever cuisine you favour, Smørrebrod — small, traditional, open sandwiches — are a must; and they are particularly good at Restaurant M, a small, business lunch or dinner eatery in the city centre. In Amerikakaj, near where the cruise ships dock, try M/S Amerika. Then there’s the fish and seafood: torsk (cod), hummer (lobster), sild (herring), makrel (mackerel); smoked, pickled, baked or fried. Try some at SALT restaurant, in the aforementioned Copenhagen Admiral Hotel. If Asian fusion is your thing, head into Copenhagen’s Vesterbro to Kung Fu Izakaya Bar, where the grilled fish and seaweed salads are excellent. Also in Vesterbro, you can’t go wrong with the entrecôte and red wine at Les Trois Cochons, and a few blocks away, Sans Souci is informal, cosy and extremely Danish.

Relax No worries — there’s always something happening in Copenhagen. At visitcopenhagen.com you can buy the CPHCARD, which offers free and discounted transport, museum admissions and more, for 231DKK (€31). Among the upcoming event highlights: Bright Green, an exhibit of the latest in environmentally sustainable enterprises (12–13 December), is running at the same time as the COP15 conference, whose delegates may be milling about; for everyone else there’s a €10 entry fee. Head to the exquisite Royal Theatre Old Stage for Napoli a classic ballet considered to be the masterpiece of Danish choreographer August Bournonville (10 November — 16 December). Also for classical music lovers, there are free concerts every Wednesday at various locales — again, see visitcopenhagen.com. For art lovers, the 35-minute train ride to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, where there’s a full calendar every month, is certainly worth the effort. Lastly, Danes deeply prize the feeling of hygge (cosiness), and it’s never more evident than during the holiday season. See, taste and experience it at the Tivoli Christmas Market in Copenhagen’s iconic amusement park (20 November — 30 December). Touristy? Sure, but worth it. Head to Amager for Amager Beach, a beautifully engineered system of beaches reclaimed from the sea and a popular spot for windsurfers, strollers and cyclists.

BEST WAY TO ARRIVE
Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup, is attractive and relatively easy to navigate. For rail connections, go to Terminal 3 and follow the signs. If the centre is your destination, you are likely to want to go to Copenhagen’s central rail station: take InterCity, regional or S-trains, and head for Hovedbanegård, København H. Those tickets, defined as 3 zones, cost 32DKK (€4.30). Cab rides to the centre, which is 8km away, take about 15 minutes, depending on traffic, and cost roughly 200DKK (about €27). Waiting for flights isn’t too tough at Kastrup —there are plenty of eateries and retail shops, with fashion outlets leading the pack.

ON THE MAP: HEAD-TURNERS
When in Copenhagen, many foreigners, particularly Americans, are struck by the volume and variety of cyclists and their bikes: students, senior citizens, nattily dressed business executives, you name it. And for this cycle-loving city, one Danish company, Yakkay, has come up with a stylish way to keep both the cyclist’s head and heart happy. Yakkay sells designer bicycle helmets — small, lightweight hard hats with stylish, interchangeable covers fashioned from textiles and elastic — an idea that seems intrinsically Scandinavian: function with style. The safety accessories — or, as the company calls them, “brainwear for smart people” — sell for around €100, and since its founding in June 2008, have spread to the shelves of retailers in 17 countries, including the UK and Japan, and the company is currently sorting through international distribution offers. The helmet was the brainchild of a team of five freelance Danish designers, who brought their concept to Yakkay chief executive Michael Eide, says company spokesperson Britt Jørgensen. The helmets won a Eurobike industry award in August, and were nominated for a German government ministry award as well as a product design award last year. The helmet covers come in a variety of shapes and materials, and the designers frequently unveil new styles, as well as rolling out a smaller size in October. Design, manufacture and distribution are all outsourced, and business is good, although Jørgensen declines to give figures. One other thing, if on foot and not sporting one of Yakkay’s hip helmets it is a good idea to stay clear of rush hour in the commuter-filled cycle lanes — they are no place for dawdling pedestrians.

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