Copenhagen: Capital of Cool

Our swing through Scandi capitals ended in Copenhagen. Our home in the Danish capital was right in the middle of the red-light district, just down the road from a couple of safe injecting rooms and around the corner from the city’s meat packing plants. It was wonderful!

Of course the area wasn’t as bad as it sounds. While Copenhagen’s Vesterbro still is home to all those activities, it’s also a neighbourhood in renewal.

The area’s proximity to the centre has seen it surge in popularity; city couples and young families are returning to Vesterbro in their droves. Among the sex shops and tattoo parlours you now find trendy bars and designer boutiques. It’s all ‘Danish sophistication meets gritty street life’ and the result is a place you want to be.

Like Copenhagen itself. In this city past and present are valued as equals, but traditions exist to be tested. And that’s cool. In a laid-back, self-assured kind of way, Copenhagen is very cool. And a bit like the cool kids at school, you just want to hang around her as much as you can.

Once a 'salty old queen of the sea', Copenhagen today is a stylish and confident city

There's not much that gets under the skin of a Dane, but there is one thing ...

Copenhagen has more bikes than people

And the Danes take their cycling seriously

Walk in the bike lane and - if you survive - you certainly won't do it again

Danes are among the world's most handsome people; they look especially good riding along, elegant coats and scarves flying

Old meets new on the Copenhagen waterfront; the Royal Danish Playhouse

Old and new again - on the left is the famous Tivoli Gardens amusement park and pleasure garden; the park opened in 1843

Just west of the city centre, Vesterbro

And our own little corner of cool

Directly above the tattoo parlour and across the road from the church/theatre (we weren't sure what it was and in the end decided it was both)

This was a great apartment in a great building

Two doors away, 'Hats, Boots and Bourbon', probably the coolest store in Copenhagen 🙂

We could only concur! 'Care for a bourbon while you try on those boots, friend?'

Hygge vibes: 1. lacto-free yoghurt, choco-muesli, hazelnuts and orange compote; 2. rocket salad, strawberries, basil, edamame, melon and balsamic; 3. smoked salmon with smoked cheese mayo.

When you serve food as cool as that, you end up with crowds of people willing to spend half an hour in the freezing cold waiting for a table

Copenhagen's iconic Nyhavn; cool in a different - slightly snowy - way

Hans Christian Andersen lived in a couple of these houses at various times in the 1830s and 40s

Denmark is the home of Lego, the company founded by Kirk Kristiansen in 1932; Kristiansen's family still owns the company

Amalienborg Palace, the home of 'our Mary' (among other members of the Danish Royal Family)

The Royal Family is well-loved in Denmark, and well-protected

The Palace is a popular tourist attraction (though there's not much of a crowd for the changing of the guard in winter)

The Great Hall at Christiansborg Palace

The wonderful tapestries in the hall were a gift to Queen Margrethe from Danish business and industry

Designed by Danish artist, Bjørn Nørgaard, the tapestries depict history though the ages (detail from 'Older Middle Ages')

Christiana - the capital's fourth most popular tourist attraction - where about 1000 residents live an 'alternative' lifestyle

Marijuana is sold freely here, and while it's not legal in Denmark, it's generally tolerated in Christiana

The Royal Copenhagen shop, 240 years of porcelain history

Here's Greg really enjoying the porcelain exhibition at the Danish Museum of Design

Ah, that's better; relaxing in the Spanish Chair - created in 1958 by master designer Børge Mogensen

We spent hours at the Design Museum - it's fabulous!

In fact there's so much to like about Copenhagen

We really did want to hang out there for longer; maybe we'll be back