Denmark Itinerary ::
Flight from Oslo to Copenhagen July 2 2015
Radison Blu Royal Hotel (7 nights) – Hammerichsgade 1, Copenhagen, 1611 Denmark
Flight from Copenhagen – Singapore July 9 2015
Quick links :: Little Mermaid | Nyhavn | Christiania | Kronborg Castle | Louisiana Museum
I first touched down in Copenhagen on June 10. I flew in from Singapore that morning. Copenhagen was going to be my first stop…you know what they say about plans…later that afternoon, I took a flight to Stockholm to start my month-long trip in Scandinavia. So I was back in the Copenhagen early July to meet up with my friend. There must have been a huge convention or several in town the previous month. My friend and I couldn’t book any hotel room. So we started looking at all the neighbourhoods for an Airbnb – that did my head in. Information overload. In the end we decided to make Copenhagen my last stop.
I knew very little about Copenhagen and Denmark. To me, it was great design, hygge, the biking culture, Hans Christian Andersen, the Little Mermaid, Christianshavn, Lego, its healthcare and education system, the Danish pastry, Hamlet …
Copenhagen
I took the train from the airport into the city, my luggage a bit heavier and fuller than when I landed in Scandinavia a month ago. This is why I bring an extra bag on my travels. A few items I bought: for Luna, a cute green and white blanket with a cat motif from Vaxholm, a couple of books, and Swedish glassware. That’s what I brought back in my hand luggage. I also had a beautiful tea cup that the gallery shop in Svolvær shipped home for me.
It was easy to navigate Copenhagen, public transport being so accessible and reliable. For an overview of the city, my friend and I hopped on a city bus tour and a canal boat tour. Together, we visited Nyhavn, Little Mermaid, Christiania, and The Church of Our Lady. After she left, I still had a couple of days and I went to Louisiana Museum, Kronborg Castle, and the Royal Library on my own. And attended Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s concert.
Being a fan of the Danish furniture company Hay, I also dropped by their Copenhagen location. I had some questions about my beloved pink chair. After about six years of consistent use, some of the weaving is now worn. It’s Abby’s favourite chair and it looks like Luna’s too.
For shopping, I went to Strøget, Copenhagen’s famous pedestrian shopping area, and Nørrebro.
Radison Blu Royal Hotel
We stayed at the Radison Blu and we reserved a larger room for while my friend was in town. Our corner room, with windows on both exterior walls, had a near-panoramic view of the Copenhagen. I don’t remember why we chose Radison Blu. Being so close to København H and Vesterport stations, it turned out to be a great choice for travelling to the different parts of the city. Walking to København H, we passed the Tivoli Gardens and its crowds almost every day. From this station, we could easily get to Østerport, a short walk to the Little Mermaid and the spots we wanted to visit.
Being so close to the Tivoli Gardens, I could even hear Elton John’s concert through an open window. Too tired to be in crowds, I was happy to enjoy the music this way, even if it was a little muffled. When I saw the massive crowd leaving the park, I was relieved to already be relaxing in my room. Last year, Tivoli Gardens had over four million visitors. I did ask Concierge to get me tickets to the Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga concert July 8.
The Little Mermaid
In Danish and Norwegian, “Havfrue” means “sea maiden” or “sea wife”. We have mermaid myths around the world. A Havfrue is said to have foretold King Christian IV’s birth. A big fan of mythology, legends, and folklore, I love looking into each country’s tales.
First published in 1837, Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale, “The Little Mermaid” (Den lille havfrue), makes up part of a collection of stories for children. The Little Mermaid lives in an underwater kingdom and is intrigued by the world of humans. She is first allowed to swim to the surface when she turns fifteen. She discovers that while humans can only live a short time, they have an eternal soul. Merpeople, such as herself, live a very long life and turn into sea foam upon death. She first gives up her beautiful voice to be human and to be with the Prince, ultimately relinquishing her own life. Much to her surprise, instead of disappearing into nothingness, she becomes a daughter of the air.
Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid statue is one of the most famous attractions of the city. It’s based on the fairytale. Made of granite and bronze, this statue has been on the waterfront, south of Langelinie pier in Østerbro since 1913. It’s surprisingly small in size. This statue is one of the stops on the hop-on-hop-off city bus tour.
Nyhavn
Copenhagen Harbour includes several port areas. From Inderhavn (Inner Harbour), we took a canal tour. It was a fun way to see the city.
Nyhavn is one of the most famous places for tourists visiting Copenhagen. Here we also find The Royal Opera, The Royal Danish Playhouse, and The Royal Library.
A 17th century port, this is where ships around the world docked. Sailors found pleasures and entertainment here. Hans Christian Andersen lived here for eighteen years, in a few houses – No. 20, No. 67, and No. 18. Aside from “The Little Mermaid”, he also penned many other fairy-tales, including “The Princess and the Pea”. A memorial plaque stands at No. 67 and a souvenir shop is at No. 18. It’s a cute shop that’s worth a visit.
Colourful townhouses from the 17th and early 18th centuries line both sides of the canal. This area was revitalized and restored, with the quay being made into a pedestrian zone in 1980.
At the end of Nyhavn is Kongens Nytorv metro station. All the lines of the city metro stop here, making it easy to get to Nyhavn.
Islands Brygge Harbour Bath
Opened in 2002, Islands Brygge Harbour Bath was Copenhagen’s first public harbour bath. Once an industrial and dock area, now fashionably redeveloped, it is a popular recreation and entertainment zone. The harbour bath here is opened year-round for swimming, except April when it’s closed for maintenance. Each morning, the water quality is checked before bathers can enter at 6 AM. Lifeguards are also on duty in the summer months.
While on our canal tour, we passed by two harbour baths – Islands Bryggae, which is just across from the city centre via a bridge. And Kalvebod Bølge, on the other side. We were sailing closer to this second bathing zone.
Islands Bryggae has several pools, some shallow ones for the kids. Here you can freely swim in the canal (cold) water. Inspired by ships, designer Bjarke Ingels and his firm included a diving tower shaped like a ship’s bow and wooden walkways.
As it was a sunny day, the water was full of people enjoying the brief Danish summer. We watched lots of people jumping into the water and swimming.
Christiania
A unique neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Christiania is not for everyone. We enjoyed our time there.
Freetown Christiania flies its own flag – three yellow dots on a background of orange.
Founded in 1971, this collectively-owned village began when a group cut through the abandoned military barracks’ fence in Bådmandsgade. The area is a short stroll from parliament. Here, what came to be Pusher Street, stalls sold pot and hash. These stalls were destroyed in 2004 though it is still the main “street.” The Green Light District. You can still buy cannabis here. As cannabis remains illegal in Denmark, this activity is officially discouraged.
Many of the original 700 residents still live here. Christiania has an eclectic feel, partly because residents are free to build their homes as they like. This community is also unique; new residents are invited to join when someone leaves. It’s not just for anyone.
Until the Foundation Freetown Christiania was founded in 2012, residents and the Danish government clashed. For one, since the “squatters” occupied the land, real estate prices have shot up. So from 2012, the residents collectively own the land. The government had offered it to them at below market rate. The purchase was also backed by guaranteed loans, which are being paid off from monthly rents contributed by all those above eighteen years of age.
Visiting Christiania, it’s important to abide by their rules, which are posted by the main entrance. The biggest rule for me to remember was not to take photographs, though a potter we visited invited me to. Some of the other rules include no cars, no hard drugs, and no guns. And no running, since it is a peaceful place and running causes panic. We casually strolled through Christiania’s cobblestone streets, stopping to have some vegetarian food. There were also shops, with everything proudly handmade.
Kronborg Castle
My trip out to Kronborg Castle was unplanned. I had hopped onto a train for Louisiana Museum. I ended up sitting near two American couples and overheard them talk about the castle. So I decided to ride to the last stop, the town of Helsingør (Elsinsor in English) and walk to the castle first.
In high school, we read several Shakespeare’s plays. Hamlet was one of them and Kronborg Castle is its setting.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, Kronborg Castle has a long history. When it was built, Denmark also controlled the southern provinces of Sweden.
The narrowest point of the sound is four kilometres. It was here at Helsingør (Denmark) and Helsingborg (Sweden) that two fortresses were strategically built. This allowed Denmark to control and tax the passage of ships in the Baltic Sea, under the threat of cannon fire. The Øresund toll ensured that the king’s private coffers grew for centuries, until 1857 when the waters became international.
The Øresund Bridge now connects Denmark and Sweden. Opened in 2000, this toll bridge first runs eight kilometers from Sweden to Peberholm, an artificial island in the middle. Then the four-kilometer Drogden Tunnel goes to the island of Amager in Denmark.
The current castle, completed in 1585, was built upon the first one that dates to the 1420s. King Frederik II renamed it to Kronborg, meaning “Crown Castle” and it became his royal residence in 1638.
In 1629 a fire destroyed the copper roof, interior decorations, furniture, etc and the castle had to be rebuilt. Just a few decades later, during the Dano-Swedish war of 1658-1660, the Swedish king plundered the castle and his queen made it her residence. Kronborg Castle was returned to Denmark in 1660. By 1785, no longer a royal residence, the castle was used as barracks until 1923.
Café Olai Helsingør | Visit Helsingør | Kronborg Castle
Helsingør
When I arrived at Helsingør Station, I didn’t go straight to the castle. I walked around the little town, contemplating on getting an ice cream on such a warm day. There were lots of cute restaurants and cozy-looking cafes. I also popped into a few stores, taking in the feel of the town. Then I headed to the castle and ended up following the two American couples through the rooms and the various buildings. I enjoyed looking at the materials used as well as the interior design elements and art. It’s easy to spend hours here.
On the way to Kronborg Castle, you pass by some interesting views. There is the Maritime Museum of Denmark, which opened in 2013. Designed by Danish architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the concept was to build it within a dry dock and so it is below ground. The idea is to keep the view of the main attraction, Kronborg Castle, clear.
Louisiana Museum
I loved Louisiana Museum. Leaving Kronborg Castle mid-afternoon, I hopped back on the train, heading toward Copenhagen. My stop was Humlebæk Station. It’s just about ten minutes from Elsinore. As light began to fall ever so slightly, I left the station and correctly guessed the way to the museum by the directions others were taking. It was another ten or so minutes.
By the time I arrived, the light was already clearly dropping. I had about an hour or so before closing time. Before my trip, my friend Nici, who used to live in Denmark, suggested a visit to Louisiana Museum. I found the name curious, which first drew me to look into it. Turns out it was a story of the three Louise. Before it was a museum, it was a villa originally built in 1855 by Alexander Brun who married three women, all named Louise. And so the name of the home, Louise.
Opened in 1958, the Louisiana Museum first focused on modern Danish art before shifting to include international collections. The founder, Knud W Jensen, believed that art was not only for the elite and that art was not pretentious.
With only a bit of time, I began my visit. The museum halls were quite empty, and I followed my own pace through the many different exhibitions. My favourite must be Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms. The Gleaming of the Souls is part of Louisiana Museum’s permanent collection.
After looking at the exhibitions inside, I went outside to walk through Sculpture Park. There is also a great view of Øresund Sound. Before leaving, I stopped at the museum shop – I love museum shops – and then I went to the café for some dinner. It was a most satisfying day.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Gl. Strandvej 13
3050 Humlebæk