A Weekend in Copenhagen

TRAVEL GUIDE | CABANA TRAVEL | WORLD OF CABANA

With its world-class museums and gastronomic scene, homegrown design brands and impressive sustainability credentials, Copenhagen firmly flies the flag for the globally-influential 'Scandinavian chic'. The Danish capital - regularly voted one of Europe's happiest cities - makes for an unmissable weekend break too. Copenhagen-based designer and editor, Caroline Feiffer, shares an insider’s guide.

BY CAROLINE FEIFFER | CABANA TRAVEL | 24 JANUARY 2024

Copenhagen © Daniel Jurin.

Where to Stay

Hotel Sanders: In the heart of Copenhagen, just off the Royal Ballet, Hotel Sanders is a wonderful place to stay, with warm-hued interiors, colorful textiles and an ambient sense of home. You’ll find it hard to leave the crackling fireplace and idyllic open-sky courtyard.

Hotel d’Angleterre: For a grand dame experience in a landmark building overlooking the King’s New Square, Hotel d’Angleterre is the spot. Since opening in 1755, it’s been one of the city’s most prominent hotels. The French-inspired rooms are opulently decorated, and the spa is real sanctum.

Falsled Kro: For a city-country experience within two hours of Copenhagen, it would be remiss not to mention Falsled Kro. This 16th-century thatched inn has a lovely dining room overlooking the garden and charming cottages furnished with antiques, painted tiles and open fireplaces.

Kanalhuset: An ode to Danish mid-century modern in the pretty canal neighborhood of historic island, Christianshavn. Housed in a protected 18th-century building, Kanalhuset is a delightful stay with views of colorful, half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets.

Where to Eat

Auren’s Deli: Wines fill the racks, while vinyl sets the soundtrack for a lovely lunch. The menu at Auren’s has an unpretentious deli feel, but don’t be misled—a farmer couple and star sommelier are behind this place, pouring passion and attention-to-detail into flavor-packed dishes every day.

Restaurant Bobe: Housed in a beautiful 18th century building with original pine floors, painted tiles and a grand open fireplace, Bobe is a treat. Reserve a table by the fire, order the spinach with curly kale and walnuts, the turbot with fennel ravioli on gruyère and the salted butter caramel.

Apollo Bar: The Baroque palace of Charlottenborg (also worth visiting) sets the frame for this artist’s grown-up playground with beautiful food. Frederik Bille Brahe is the chef and aesthetician behind this tiny veggie-led restaurant with a grand personality and one-of-a-kind interiors.

Admiralgade 26: In a historic building dating back to 1796, Admiralgade’s corner dining room is part wine bar, part café-bistro with minimalist, warm decor—it feels like dining at a friend’s place. Expect beautiful plates, with elegant vegetable and fish-led dishes inspired by Japanese simplicity.

Kong Hans Kælder: In a cozy cellar with whitewashed walls and vaulted ceilings, Kong Hans Kælder is a fine restaurant at the forefront of Danish gastronomy—the first national restaurant to receive a Michelin Star. Dishes are rooted in French cuisine using timeless, high quality ingredients.

Peter Liep’s Hus: Don’t miss Danish smørebrød—an open-faced sandwich of rye bread topped with fish, egg, meat, pate, pickles and more. Peter Liep’s, a 100-year-old thatched house in Dyrehaven is a favorite. Stroll in the surrounding forest before eating smørebrød by the fire or on the terrace.

What to See and Do

Museums & Galleries: Copenhagen’s museums all deserve a mention: the National Museum for important art and antiquities; Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, the Hirschsprung Collection and the National Gallery for Danish Golden Age Art; and the Louisiana Museum for its Giacometti Gallery and mesmerising permanent installation by Yayoi Kusama. It also has a brilliant children’s wing.

Christiansborg Palace and Rosenborg Castle: These glorious examples of Danish royal architecture are must-visits. Christiansborg is the former royal palace nd current Danish parliament, while 400-year-old Rosenborg was built for the colorful Christian IV. Don’t miss the crown jewels and newly restored Winter Room.  

The David Collection: Hidden in the city center, the fantastic David Collection features one of the largest collections of Islamic art in the Western world with beautiful ceramics, fabrics and calligraphy. You’ll also find European 18th-century art and a small representation of Danish early modern art.

Thorvaldsen Museum: It’s likely you’ve seen rich-hued corners of this exceptionally photogenic museum online, but the reality will not disappoint. Denmark’s oldest museum is dedicated to the works of Neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, whose marble statues are quite something to behold. Visit too for the frescoed ceilings and the sculptor’s collections of antiquities. 

Frilandsmuseet: One of the oldest open-air museums in the world, Frilandsmuseet showcases period buildings from the 1650s to the 1940s, meticulously rebuilt in a small community representing the Danish realm. They are brought to life by a team who practice the daily routines of the time.

Where to Shop

La Bagatelle: Everything in this lovely studio-house is meticulously imagined by Malene Malling, a former magazine editor, now pouring all her passion into La Bagatelle. Here, magnificent vintage fabrics sway on antique brass stands, each more enticing than the next.

Tage Andersen: This acclaimed floral artist’s shop in Ny Adelgade is like entering a fairytale. Birds in grand aviaries are singing and chirping, setting the scene for the gallery shop where flower arrangements and Tage’s artisanal iron and glass objects decorate every corner.

The Apartment: This gallery and shop is laid out like an elegant apartment. It’s a true work of art by the decorative mastermind behind it, Tina Seidenfaden Busck. Here, you’ll find antiques and unique design featured in shifting installations—an impeccable source of inspiration.

Green Square: An antique hall in Kastrup just outside Copenhagen with 40 years in business. Their immense collection features antiques from every important period, be it Baroque or Rococo to Louis XVI, Gustavian, Empire, Biedermeier, Regency, Art Deco and Contemporary design.

Antik K: The narrow cobblesone streets of Strædet (The Alley) houses numerous small antique shops, each worth a visit. Antik K in Knabrostræde, just off Strædet, has a lovely selection.