London,
08
August
2016
|
18:04
Europe/Amsterdam

Copenhagen: A guide to Europe's happiest city

The popularity of Denmark as a holiday destination has surged over the last couple of years. With their friendly culture, gastronomic delights, Viking history and the fact it is often voted one of the happiest places on earth, it’s no wonder this has become the ideal holiday destination for all ages. What’s more, Booking.com data can reveal that Denmark is included in the top five destinations endorsed by UK families for family travel![1] 

Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travellers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, offers every type of accommodation in this beautiful city – whether it’s a hostel or hotel, apartment or boat. With over 99 million real guest reviews, you can get the inside scoop from previous customers, so regardless of your budget, you can plan the stay away to suit you.

With this in mind, Booking.com has put together a selection of ideas and insider tips for making the most out of a break in Copenhagen – be it with the whole family, a solo adventure or a romantic getaway.

[1] Top endorsed destinations on Booking.com by UK families for family travel as of May 2016

Getting around:

http://files.guidedanmark.org/files/382/382_16898.jpg?qfix&width=562&aw=562Copenhagen is well known across the world as a cycling city, so to truly see everything it has to offer we recommend grabbing The City Bike: a user-friendly bike rental system whereby you simply enter your card details into the touch screen pad on the bike and away you go! You can drop the bikes at any station once you’re finished exploring.

Having said this, Copenhagen does have an extensive public transport system so if you’d rather save your energy for sight-seeing and shopping, hop on any of the S-Trains, Movia Buses or Metro.

  • S-Train is the suburban train network with services running every four to twenty minutes from 5am until 12.30am. All night services run hourly on a Friday and Saturday
  •  Metro has two lines, M1 and M2 that run all day and night, every two to four minutes during peak times and every seven to twenty minutes at night. Both lines connects Nørreport with Kongens Nytorv and Christianshavn and M2 also runs to the airport.
  • Movia Buses run along seven primary routes with night buses running along some of the major routes between 1am and 5am.

The Copenhagen Card is well worth an investment if you are going to be taking public transport during your stay. One payment will offer you total access to the public transport system as well as free admission or discounts to 73 museums, attractions and a range of restaurants. As a bonus, you can bring along two children under the age of 10 for free!

http://www.copenhagencard.com/?ld=0&currency=eur

Shopping

http://www.visitdenmark.com/sites/default/files/styles/galleries_ratio/public/vdk_images/Press-international/Copenhagen/amagertorv-oppefra.jpg?itok=MX7OYPGrStrøget is not only the longest pedestrian street in the world, but is also the main shopping street in Copenhagen. Offering designer labels through to well-known department stores, Illum and Magasin.

Jægersborggade is just behind Strøget but offers a charming, quieter shopping experience. Wander the street to find yourself some gorgeous jewellery and have a well-earned coffee in a quiet café.

 

Bredgade runs past the Amalienborg royal palace so you can admire the architecture before purchasing antiques or fine art at the many boutiques lining this street.

Attractions

Copenhagen has a long history dating back to the early 11th century and consequently it has amassed many an attraction to delight every age, from historical and cultural museums to amusement parks and castles.

http://www.insidesources.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Tivoli-Gardens.jpg Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park is an absolute must see for all ages as the park dates back to 1843 and was the inspiration behind the Disney theme parks. Here you can experience theme park rides such as roller coasters and a hall of mirrors, as well as theatre, music and a range of culinary delights.

The National Museum is Denmark’s largest historical and cultural museum so is a go-to for anyone wanting to discover the true history of Denmark. It has a wide range of fascinating exhibitions as well as activities and guided tours running throughout the year.

Rosenborg Castle was built in the early 17th century by the famous Scandinavian King, Christian IV and still stands today to display 400 years of Danish royalty. Head to the Knight’s Hall to see the old coronation throne or walk through the palace to discover the crown jewels.

http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/sites/default/files/styles/galleries_ratio/public/asp/visitcopenhagen/Visit-sites/1024x576/Attractions/Christiansborg/christiansborg1_poto-finn-christoffersen.jpg?itok=ce8NBKFfIf you’re an art enthusiast then you can’t miss a visit to The National Gallery of Denmark. Home to over 700 years of artwork, this gallery is Denmark’s largest collection of art. From Renaissance to contemporary art, this gallery has it all!

A trip to Christiansborg Palace is another one to add to your agenda. This palace is located on the tiny island of Slotsholmen and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court of Denmark and houses the Danish Prime Minister’s office. Lucky for us, much of the palace is open to visitors so you can take in a guided tour or pop down to the stables to admire the royal stallions in all their glory.

Booking.com top tip: all of these attractions are discounted if you have the Copenhagen Card!

Must-visits in Copenhagen:

http://www.roughguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/AB13163_10-1680x1050.jpgCopenhagen was once home to the famous author Hans Christian Andersen who wrote many a beloved fairy-tale, including Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea and The Little Mermaid. In 1913, the latter fairy-tale was immortalised through the building of The Little Mermaid statue by the waterfront in Langelinie, and she now enjoys more than 1 million visitors per year and is thought of as a symbol of Copenhagen.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Christiania_indgang_20140414_3_(13956521506).jpgChristiania is one of Denmark’s most loved tourist attractions and it’s not hard to see why! This year, Christiania will be celebrating 45 years since its establishment and its history is far from boring – a group of hippies occupied the abandoned military barracks there in 1971 and established their own society, completely independent of the Danish government. The town operates with its own set of laws and currency and is definitely one to add to the bucket list.

Rundentaarn, or the Round Tower, was another building built by King Christian IV and is your first stop if you want to see a stunning, birds-eye view of Copenhagen. Climb the 209m long winding spiral walk to the top and look out over the viewpoint or see what’s going on at the Observatory – Europe’s oldest functioning astronomy observatory!

Eating out:

Until recently, Denmark as a location for foodies was unheard of. However, over the last decade, Danish cuisine has broken stereotype, with Copenhagen itself being the home to over 15 Michelin-starred restaurants. Fusing traditional, locally sourced ingredients with a modern twist, you’ll be able to find the classics or porridge, smoragasbords and pork all of which can be washed down with one of Denmark’s famous beers.

If you’re looking to splash out, head to two-Michelin starred restaurant Noma which has won World’s Best Restaurant four times. Don’t forget to try the Nation’s dish of ‘stegt flæsk med persillesovs’ or do as the Danes do and grab a hotdog on the go!

For the kids:

The Children’s Museum is an institution aimed directly at kids aged 4-10 to give them an age-friendly introduction to the history of Copenhagen, from clambering upon a scale replica of a Viking ship to trying on typical historical fashion from ‘Grandma’s Wardrobe’.

http://www.detail-online.com/fileadmin/_migrated/pics/blue_planet_2_aerial.jpgDyrehavsbakken, just north of Copenhagen, is the world’s oldest amusement park! Kids can enjoy over 30 amusement rides, catch a show or explore the park area itself and catch sight of hundreds of deer that roam the park!

The Blue Planet is Northern Europe’s largest aquarium. With eight sections, thousands of animals and 7,000,000 litres of water, you’ll be able to spend hours wandering around, gazing at the incredible animals that call this home.

Where to stay on Booking.com:

With a wide range of diverse accommodation available in Copenhagen, Booking.com has brought you a selection of the best places to stay from hotels to apartments and even a boat! These are based on customer reviews and traveller endorsements. Prices are based on stays between 8th – 21st August.

Rated best apartment: Europahuset Luxury Apartments

Price for one night: £203 for a studio apartment

These modern and well-equipped apartments are located on the 17th floor of the Europahuset Building in central Copenhagen, offering stunning views of either Tivoli Gardens or the canals. You will find a seating area, dining area, flat-screen TV and a kitchen in each of these apartments and guests will have access to a bar, TV lounge and children’s playroom, all on site.

Rated best boat: Copenhagen Houseboat

Prices for two nights: £856 for the whole boat suitable for 7 people

http://r-ec.bstatic.com/images/hotel/840x460/343/34383470.jpg http://r-ec.bstatic.com/images/hotel/840x460/343/34383485.jpg http://q-ec.bstatic.com/images/hotel/840x460/343/34383480.jpg

Copenhagen Houseboat is docked in Copenhagen Harbour and features free WiFi, a fully equipped kitchen and an outdoor dining area. Enjoy the novelty of sleeping on a houseboat without having to sacrifice any amenities and still being centrally located with many of Copenhagen’s main attractions less than a 15 minute walk away!

Rated best hotel: Nimb Hotel

Price for one night: £833 for a junior suite

Located within Copenhagen’s famous Tivoli Gardens, Nimb Hotel is a five-star stylish boutique hotel offering elegant bedrooms. This is the perfect location for families as it offers an incredible proximity to one of Copenhagen’s most famous attractions for the kids to enjoy, but also offers fine dining and luxury accommodation for adults to indulge in, as well as live music on the open air stage throughout the summer months. Guests will be able to sample exceptional Scandinavian cuisine as well as a range of other European dishes.

Rated best for location: Hyskenstræde Apartment

Price for one night: £259 for a three-bedroom apartment suitable for 6 people

Rated 9.6/10 for location, the Hyskenstræde Apartments are in the heart of Copenhagen, only 900 yards from Tivoli Gardens and Nyhavn. Guests will have their own private kitchen area, dining room and flat-screen TV so after a day exploring the delights of Copenhagen that are right on your door step, you can stroll back and relax in the privacy of your own apartment.

How to get there:

EasyJet return flights from London Gatwick to Copenhagen start from £94 per person (departing August 8th)

Book here: http://www.easyjet.com/en/

CONTACT DETAILS

Booking.com Press Office: Lon-booking@ketchum.com / 020-3755-6400