Travel to Copenhagen

Last summer my wife and I travelled to Copenhagen for two weeks. I want to share some of the research I did for the trip, including flights, getting around town, bicycles, sights to see, hotels, and observations about life in Denmark.

Flying thru Iceland to Europe

We have now been back and forth thru Iceland 8 times, without yet leaving the airport. Iceland Air has direct flights from US cities to Keflavik (KEF), you change planes and go on to your European destination. Once you get thru Passport Control in Iceland, you are inside the Schengen Zone, which includes 26 European countries, and you are free to cross those borders without the hassles of stopping at customs and showing your passport.

Arrival in Copenhagen

After collecting your luggage you will need to get from Kastrup Airport to your hotel. The Metro M2 Line is quick and easy, and cheaper than a taxi. Get your ticket from the machines, there are uniformed personnel to help if you need. If you are staying downtown near Nyhaven, get off at Kongens Nytorv. For the Lakes area we got off at Norreport. For hotels near City Hall (Radhus) switch lines at Norreport to S-Tog (S-train) and go to Vesterport or Kobenhavn H (Central Train Station)

A Note About Public Transit in Scandinavia

People in Copenhagen (and other Scandinavian countries)  expect silence on public trains and buses, this includes tourist visitors. No chit chat, and no one talks on their phones!  You may hear a few whispers.  Just be quiet and polite. Everyone speaks English, if you aren't sure where you are going,  just ask someone.  But no need to tell your life story.

Hotel Considerations

I will review three popular areas of Copenhagen where you might want to stay.

Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn

The most popular tourist sights are downtown. You will want to visit the famous small harbor at Nyhavn with its colorful buildings and restaurants. But the shops and restaurants are busy with tourists and you may have longer waits.

The Hotel D'Angleterre is right on the square at Kongens Nytorv. This is a luxury, 5 star hotel,  and a good choice if you want to be close to the Metro Station and the downtown sights.

Admiral Hotel is on the waterfront downtown, near Nyhavn and the Amalienborg Palace.

Radhuspladsen

The City Hall Square is close to museums, Tivoli amusement park, and the Central Railway Station (Kobenhavn H). The Storget is a pedestrian only street, which goes from the City Hall plaza to the Kongens Nytorv square. There are interesting cafes, shops, and people watching. There are many hotels in this area. My friend stayed at The Square and was quite happy.

The Scandic Hotel Copenhagen is a modern Scandinavian styled hotel, near City Hall and the Lakes.

The Lakes

We stayed at Kong Arthur Hotel by the Lakes. The lakes were built as a defensive barrier hundreds of years ago. There are charming walks around the Lakes, and interesting neighborhoods where real Danes live. The stores and restaurants are not so busy with tourists, but it is still easy to get downtown. Another hotel here is Ibsens, which is owned by the same group as the Kong Arthur.

Getting Around Copenhagen

Bicycles

There are bicycles everywhere, this may be the most bike friendly city in the world. Most hotels have bicycles available, and there are many stores which rent bikes by the day or week. But you may want to take a bike tour first to get an introduction to bicycling in Copenhagen.

Bike Lanes

Most streets have dedicated bicycle only lanes, which are separated from the cars and sidewalks.

DO NOT WALK IN THE BIKE LANES.    Seriously, be aware of the bike lanes and look when crossing, as you could get hit by a bike. There are separate traffic signals for bikes, cars, and pedestrians. Be sure you know which signal is for you. The bikes may go at times cars and pedestrians are stopped.

Canal Boat Tours

Copenhagen was built with a system of canals, which connect to the harbors, and allow access to different parts of town. A boat tour will allow you to see places you couldn't walk to, and can give you ideas about where you might want to come back to visit later. There are several itineraries, and even a Hop on Hop Off boat tour.  We took the tour which starts near the Hojbro Plads statue of Bishop Absalon on a horse.

https://www.stromma.com/en-dk/copenhagen/

Taxis

There is no Uber service in Copenhagen, but taxis services have apps that work the same way. My wife used the taxi app Taxa 4x35 which worked well.  If you get lost, you can always get a taxi back to your hotel.

App for Taxa 4x35:  https://taxa.dk/en/download-taxi-app/

Trains

You will want a map or app of the Copenhagen Transit System. The Metro has 2 lines, M1 and M2. M2 goes to Kastrup Airport. The S-Tog has more lines servicing all parts of the City and suburbs. It is straight forward to buy your tickets and get on and off. The trains are clean, safe, and quiet.  Kobenhavn H Central Train Station has rail connections to Germany, Sweden, and the rest of Europe.

Hop On/Hop Off Buses

My wife loves these buses, as she doesn't need to memorize a map. These run to the popular tourist sights, and enable visitors to see more than they could by walking. There is also a Hop On/ Hop Off Boat.

Hotel Links:

Near the Lakes

Kong Arthur Hotel:   https://www.arthurhotels.dk/hotel-kong-arthur/

Ibsens Hotel:   https://www.arthurhotels.dk/ibsens-hotel/

Near Nyhavn

Hotel D'Angleterre:  https://www.dangleterre.com/

Admiral Hotel:  https://admiralhotel.dk/en/

Near City Hall

The Square Hotel:  https://www.thesquarecopenhagen.com/

Scandic Copenhagen:   https://www.scandichotels.com/

Next Post Copenhagen Part 2

Part 2   The Monarchy, Castles, and things to see.

Part 3  Impressions of the Danish people and life in Copenhagen.  Food and Drink.