The entrance to Tivoli.
Time to immerse yourself in romantic, chic Copenhagen. This city is about more than fabulous art collections and serious museums, although it has its fair share. Take to the cobbled streets to get right to its laid-back heart. See the city from the sea on a harbor cruise, then savor the casual vibe in the restaurants of Nyhavn. Discover the shopping streets of the old town, or delve into Danish history in Copenhagen’s biggest museum. Wind up your day at the iconic pleasure gardens of Tivoli to scream around roller coasters and feast on the finest Danish cuisine. START: Kongens Nytorv.
❶ ★★★ 
Harbor Tour. Boat tours leave up to six times an hour from the top of Nyhavn Canal, and I highly recommend taking one—not just to get your bearings, but also to understand how the city has developed from its medieval infancy to the cutting-edge destination of today. Take the Red Line boat trip to the north of the harbor and sit at the front of the boat if you want to catch the English commentary. As you leave Nyhavn, look left for the much-celebrated and handsome Det Kongelige Teater Skuespilhuset (Royal Danish Playhouse, p 121). Right across the water you’ll spy the innovative Opera House (p 119), with a curving four-story foyer and cantilevered roof, floating on its man-made island. On the left and just downstream from the Queen’s palace at Amalienborg (p 40) there’s a photo opportunity at the Little Mermaid statue (p 59), who sits on an empty shoreline gazing wistfully out to sea. On the return journey through the canals of Christianshavn (p 64) get cameras ready for the gold-topped Vor Frelsers Kirke, which appears on the left (p 64), and the sparkling Den Sorte Diamant (Black Diamond), housing part of Denmark’s royal library (p 29), which looms up as you turn out of Christianshavn Canal. Before returning to Nyhavn, the boat putters around the islet of Slotsholmen (p 39), site of Copenhagen’s first palace, built by Bishop Absalon, who founded the city in 1167 a.d. 
1 hr. Canal Tours, Nyhavn 1433 (at head of canal). ☎ 45 3296 3000. www.stromma.dk. Book in advance at Copenhagen Visitor Service, Vesterbrogade 4a. ☎ 45 7022 2442. www.visitcopenhagen.com. Tickets 80DKK adults, 40DKK kids; free with a Copenhagen Card (p 163). Daily June 27–Aug 16 9:30am–9pm, 6 tours per hour; Mar 12–June 26 & Aug 17–Sept 13 9:30am–6pm, 1–4 tours per hour; rest of year trips leave at 10am, 11:20am, 12:40am; 2pm & 3:20pm. Metro: Kongens Nytorv.
Passing the Danish Playhouse on a harbor tour.
❷ ★★★ 
Nyhavn. Built in the 17th century to connect Copenhagen to the sea, Nyhavn street is bisected by a canal and lined with crooked, brightly painted gabled houses. Once home to sailors and dockworkers, the street was notorious for seedy drinking dens. Today the crowds and venues are still here but they’ve both gone up-market. Welcoming cafes, bars, and restaurants offer cold beers and (mostly) excellent local dishes at tables spilling into the street. Choose somewhere to eat and settle down to watch the world go by—my preferences are Cap Horn (see p 95), Leonore Christine (p 98) and Heering (p 97), for quality seafood and piled-high smørrebrød. 45 min. Nyhavn. Metro: Kongens Nytorv.
★★ Cap Horn. My first choice at Nyhavn for a leisurely lunch plate of three open-faced sandwiches. If the sun is shining, grab a table in the street-side bar and order a chilled dark lager. Nyhavn 21. ☎ 45 3312 8504. www.caphorn.dk. $$.
Shopping on Strøget, Europe’s longest pedestrianized street.
❹ ★★★ Strøget. Europe’s longest pedestrianized shopping street runs 1.8 km (1.1 mi) from Kongens Nytorv down to the Rådhuspladsen, moving progressively downmarket as it goes. At the top end, have credit cards at the ready for Cartier, Gucci, Mulberry, and Chanel as well as department store Illum (p 76), beloved of wealthy Copenhagen matrons, and its delightful sidekick design emporium, Illums Bolighus (p 78), with its color-coordinated displays. Acclaimed silversmith Georg Jensen’s flagship store (p 81) is here too, next door to Royal Copenhagen (p 76), doing a roaring trade in its famous blue-and-white pottery. Among the chain stores popping up further down Strøget (Topshop, H&M, Urban Outfitters), Bodum stands out for selling quality Danish design at sensible prices. 11⁄2 hr. Strøget. Metro: Kongens Nytorv. Short stroll from Nyhavn.
Save Money with a CPH Card
Copenhagen Card: don’t go out without it. This brilliantly conceived card gives free entrance to 74 museums and attractions (all the major ones, including Tivoli, but not the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum, see p 138) plus free travel on public transport (bus, metro, train, and harbor bus, see p 162) throughout Copenhagen and beyond. At the time of writing, a 24-hour CPH Card cost 359DKK, a 48-hour card 499DKK, a 72-hour card 589DKK and a 120-hour card 799DKK. When ready to use your card, sign and date it, and write in your starting time; it’s valid from that point. Two children go free with one adult card. Buy the card online (www.visitcopenhagen.com), from the visitor center at Vesterbrogade 4a (☎ 45 7022 2442), or at the airport.
★★ 
Café Europa. At the heart of pedestrianized Strøget, Café Europa boasts an award-winning barista (coffee expert) and a selection of sinful teatime cakes. See p 94. Amagertorv 1. ☎ 45 3314 2889. $.
❻ ★★★ Strædet. Discover the romantic tangle of narrow cobbled streets to the south of Strøget, often referred to as the Latin Quarter. You couldn’t do better for hip boutiques, dusty old vinyl-record shops, and bustling cafes overflowing with students. Læderstræde and its continuation Kompagnistræde are lined with basement antique shops selling silverware, porcelain, and delicate glass (not many bargains to be found here). 1 hr. Latin Quarter. Metro: Kongens Nytorv. Stroll from Strøget to Rådhuspladsen.
Monday Closing
Don’t get caught out: many museums and attractions in Copenhagen close on Monday, including most of those mentioned in this chapter. There’s still lots to do; take a harbor trip past the Little Mermaid, enjoy smørrebrød (open sandwiches—they’re so much more enticing than they sound) overlooking the canal at Nyhavn, wander around Christianshavn (p 64), or visit the Viking Ship Museum at Roskilde (p 138).
❼ ★★ 
Nationalmuseet (National Museum). It’s time for a whistle-stop tour of Danish history at the National Museum, housed in an 18th-century palace with a new atrium just off Rådhuspladsen. The collection is broken down into themes (ethnographic, coins and medals, Middle Ages and Renaissance, Prince’s Palace) but don’t try to see too much in one go; the collection is vast, and navigating around it is time-consuming. I advise you to choose one of several 60-minute audio-guides (find near the ticket desk) to steer you through the highlights. If you’re travelling en famille, there’s an interactive children’s museum to spark little imaginations (p 34). Especially good are the ethnographic collections (ground floor, Rooms 151–172) where you can see an Inuit snow suit, an eerily beautiful Edo period golden screen decorated with frolicking horses, and a collection of Samurai costumes. Tour the state rooms of 1743, complete with fine Flemish tapestries (Rooms 127–134 on the ground floor) and don’t miss the mystical Iron Age Gundestrop Cauldron, decorated with carved Celtic warriors and dogs, the symbol of death, just off the atrium. 1 hr. Ny Vestergade 10. ☎ 45 3313 4411. www.nationalmuseet.dk. Free admission. Tues–Sun 10am–5pm. Closed Dec 24–25, 31. Bus 1A, 2A, 9A. 10-min. walk from Strædet.
Strolling around the Latin Quarter, you may be tempted to spend all your time gazing in shop windows—but don’t forget to look up as well, to see the colorful painted-iron signs projecting over the street at right angles. Relics of long-ago eras when many people couldn’t read, their symbols instantly tell what sorts of wares are sold within the premises. They’re now cherished by design-conscious Danes—in fact, alongside the authentically medieval signs you’ll notice plenty of hip modern versions.
❽ ★★★ 
Tivoli. Bewitching Tivoli weaves its magic after dark, when all its pavilions, pagodas, follies, and intricately landscaped boating lakes are brightly floodlit. Founded in 1843, the pleasure gardens are as Danish as bacon and maintain a sweetly old-fashioned appeal, pulling daily crowds by the thousand. You’ll find over 30 rides to choose among, from adrenaline-pumping coasters to gentle diversions specially aimed at young kids (p 33). But there’s so much more to Tivoli than fairground rides—see mini-tour on p 11. Food and drink options abound, whatever your budget: Grab a hot dog on the hoof, sink a pint of lager in the Beer Garden, or sit down for a formal dinner in one of Tivoli’s pricey restaurants (p 90). 3 hr. Vesterbrogade 3. ☎ 45 3315 1001. www.tivoli.dk. Admission 99DKK Mon-Thurs; 110DKK Fri–Sun; free entry children under 8. Multi-ride tickets 209DKK Mon–Thurs; 220DKK Fri–Sun. Apr–Sept Sun–Thurs 11am–11pm; Fri–Sat 11am–12am; reduced hours rest of year. Closed Jan to early Apr. Bus 2A, 5A, 9A. 10-min walk from Nationalmuseet.
★★★ 
Pantomimeteatret. The Chinese pavilion (p 117) to the left of the main entrance stages nightly performances of mime and panto. Opposite is the 
★ Promenade Pavilion, home to the Tivoli Promenade Orchestra. There’s rock music at the 
★★ Plænen (Open-Air Stage Tivoli), where local kids hang around looking for action (p 120).To your right, 
★★★ Nimb has a trendy restaurant, bar, and hotel (p 132). Walk to the ornamental lake and on the left is 
★★★ 
Tivoli Lake, with Dragon Boats (p 33) for children. Take toddlers on the 
★★ 
Trolley Bus to explore the rest of the gardens—it stops by the Illums Bolighus store (p 78) on your left. Straight ahead the 
★★ Tivoli Concert Hall provides music by the resident symphony orchestra (p 118) and mainstream concerts. Around the hall to the right are 
★★★ 
Rides including Bumper Cars, Nautilus and the Star Flyer for the brave (p 33).The 
★★ 
Amusement Arcades provide old-fashioned fun and cotton candy. A scary 
Demon Roller Coaster has high-speed inversions, while the Golden Tower boasts high-velocity drops of up to 63m (207 ft). Cross the 
★ Wooden bridge over the floodlit lake and follow the shore around to 
★ 
the Tivoli Glass Hall Theatre, where variety shows are held. Up ahead is the exit.
★★★ Grøften. The 40-plus food outlets in Tivoli range from hotdog stands to haute cuisine. Choose from all the smørrebrød classics. Tivoli. Vesterbrogade 3. ☎ 45 3375 0675. www.groeften.dk. $$.
Today’s the day to ingest a little more culture. You’ll see a rare and immense collection of antiquities and the very best of Danish decorative arts. Between times, visit the Royal Family at home and introduce your kids to the fairy-tale world of Hans Christian Andersen. There’s even a chance to stretch your legs along the seafront, maybe even see a mermaid or two. START: Rådhuspladsen.
❶ ★ 
Hans Christian Andersen Fairy-Tale House. If you are traveling with young kids or have a keen interest in the works of Denmark’s favorite storyteller, this is a good option to start the morning, with a series of tableaux illustrating Andersen’s fairy-cum-morality tales, plus letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs to appeal to older visitors. 1 hr. Rådhuspladsen 57. ☎ 45 3332 3131. www.ripleys.com/copenhagen. Admission 60DKK, 40DKK kids 4–11, free with Copenhagen Card. Mid-June to Aug daily 10am–10pm. Rest of year Sun–Thurs 10am–6pm; Fri–Sat 10am–8pm. Closed Dec 24–25 & 31, Jan 1. Bus 10, 12, 26, 33, 2A, 5A, 6A.
Jens Olsen’s immense World Clock, with 14,000 moving parts, can be viewed in the lobby of the Rådhus.
❷ ★ Rådhus & Astronomical Clock. If whimsical fairy stories are not your thing, head straight for the monumental architecture of the Rådhus (city hall), which dominates the eastern end of its busy square. It was built at the turn of the 20th century by Martin Nyrop (1849–1921), Scandinavia’s leading romantic architect. Influenced by the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena, the city hall is studded with carvings of mythical creatures and its 106m tower gives great views over the city and Tivoli (p 33). In a room off the main foyer, you can see Jens Olsen’s World Clock: Completed in 1955, it has 14,000 moving parts, perfectly exhibited in a double-sided glass case. There are guided tours of the impressive mock-Gothic interior, and separate trips up the tower. 30 min. Rådhuspladsen 1. ☎ 45 3366 3366. www.kk.dk. Guided tours in English (tower) 30DKK; (city hall) 50DKK. Tower tours Mon–Fri 11am & 2pm; Sat noon. City hall tours Mon–Fri 1pm; Sat 10am. Bus 10, 12, 26, 33, 2A, 5A, 6A.
❸ ★★★ NY Carlsberg Glyptotek (Carlsberg Collection). Cross over Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard to an unsurpassable collection of antiquities and 19th-century French and Danish paintings donated to Copenhagen in 1897 by scions of the Carlsberg brewing dynasty (p 50). The ancient sculptures, gathered from Egypt, Greece, and Rome, are laid out in two light-filled neoclassical galleries built around a charming sculpture-and-plant-filled courtyard garden. Make a point of seeing the gilded sarcophagus of Aurelia Kyrelia (300AD), the impassive head of Roman goddess Juno (she’s had a nose job), and the evocative Greek statue of an actress holding the head of Dionysus, dating from 200AD. For a change of pace, Helge Carlsberg’s collection of Danish and French art hangs well in local architect Henning Larsen’s minimalist three-story gallery extension. Highlights include Van Gogh’s stark 1889 Landscape from Saint-Remy, several of Gauguin’s Tahitian women, and a series of Degas’s ballet-dancer bronzes. There’s a delicious but pricey cafe in the palm-filled Winter Garden (p 94). 2 hr. Dantes Plads 7. ☎ 45 3341 8141. www.glyptotek.dk. Admission 95DKK adults, free for kids under 18, free with Copenhagen Card. Tues–Sun 11am–6pm; Thurs 11am–10pm. Closed Dec 24–25, Jan 1. Bus 1A, 2A, 5A, 6A, 9A, 10, 12, 33, 37, 250S. 2-min. walk across Rådhuspladsen from Hans Christian Andersen Fairy-Tale House.
★★ Bistro Royal. Cross town to Kongens Nytorv to find this bustling bistro serving quick and affordable classics such as burgers and steaks—perfect for a lunchtime pit stop. When the weather is good, grab a table outside for great views over the plaza. See p 93. Kongens Nytorv 26. ☎ 45 3841 4164. www.madklubben.dk/bistro-royal. $$.
❺ ★★ Amalienborgmuseet (Amalienborg Museum). Walk off lunch to the rococo palaces of the Amalienborg complex, built in the 1750s by Nicolas Eigtved (1701–1754, who also played a role in building the palace at Christiansborg). Ranged around an immense central plaza, they are still used by the Royal Family today. With your back to the imperious equestrian statue of Frederik V, look towards the dome of the Marmorkirken (p 15). The palace immediately to the left serves as luxury accommodation for visiting diplomats; there are guided tours between June and September. The next palace on the left is the winter home of the present Queen, Margrethe II. The first palace on the right was the home of Crown Prince Frederik and his Tasmanian-born wife Princess Mary until 2011 but they now live in the remaining fourth palace. Their former home is partly open to the public; a series of royal apartments house royal jewels, paintings, and costumes, plus fascinating family portraits. A recreation of Frederik VIII’s opulent study from 1869 is dominated by a very non-PC polar bear skin. 1 hr. Christian VIII’s Palace. ☎ 45 3315 3286. www.amalienborgmuseet.dk. Admission 90DKK, 60DKK students, free under 18, free with Copenhagen Card. Nov–Apr Tues–Sun 11am–4pm; May–Oct daily 10am–4pm. Closed Dec 23–26, 31. Bus 1A, 26.
❻ ★ Marmorkirken (Marble Church). Properly called Frederiks Kirke and designed as part of the Amalienborg palace complex (see p 56) in the 1750s, this Baroque church was eventually inaugurated in 1894. The 31m dome was to be clad in marble (hence its nickname), but, alas, the budget didn’t stretch to that. Still, they made up for it inside; the decorative dome is gilded and smothered with representations of the prophets and cherubim. Choral concerts are held here in summer. 30 min. Frederiksgade 4. ☎ 45 3315 0144. www.marmorkirken.dk. Church admission free; open Mon–Thurs & Sat 10am–5pm, Fri–Sun noon–5pm. Tours of dome 35DKK, 20DKK under age 18; tours June–Aug & Oct 11–19 Mon–Fri at 1pm, Sat–Sun at 1pm & 3pm; rest of year Sat–Sun at 1pm & 3pm. Bus 1A, 26. 5-min. walk from Amalienborgmuseet.
Most museums won’t allow bags and backpacks to be taken into the galleries: all baggage has to be deposited in lockers before entry so I make sure to carry 10DKK and 20DKK coins with me to operate the lockers. The coins are refundable when you reclaim your belongings.
Royal Copenhagen porcelain on display at the Designmuseum Danmark.
❼ ★★★ 
Designmuseum Danmark. This impressive collection of decorative arts is set in a former hospital backing on to tranquil lawns. Where else can you find blue-patterned drinking cups and tulip vases from the Golden Age of the Dutch and Danish guilds, Chinese and Japanese ceramics, embroidery, and avant-garde contemporary Danish design under the same roof? The late, great Arne Jacobsen and Scotland’s Charles Rennie Mackintosh are given floor space alongside an extensive lace collection, temporary exhibitions, and the Design Studio, where kids can handle ceramics and other crafts. 2 hr. Bredgade 68. ☎ 45 3318 5656. www.designmuseum.dk. Admission 100DKK, free students & under 26, free with Copenhagen Card. Tues–Sun 11am–5pm (Wed until 9pm). Closed Dec 24–26, 31, Jan 1. Metro: Kongens Nytorv. 5-min. walk from Marmokirken.
❽ ★ 
Kastellet. Built by Christian IV in 1626 as a star-shaped fortress to strengthen the city walls, Kastellet suffered damage during both the Swedish Siege of Copenhagen (1658–60) and by the British in 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars. Today the buildings inside the fortress are occupied by the army although the public can still enjoy a stroll outside and watch swans swim about the moat. 45 min. Churchilparken. ☎ 45 3311 2233. Admission free. Metro: Kongens Nytorv. 5-min. walk from Designmuseum Danmark.
❾ ★ 
Langelinie. Join Copenhageners on an afternoon’s promenade along Langelinie, following the shoreline along Øresund. The walkway starts by the bronze statue of mythical Gefion ploughing up land to create Denmark, atop a fountain next to the ramparts of the Kastellet (see above). A couple of hundred meters along Langelinie, look for Edvard Eriksen’s iconic Little Mermaid (p 59), perched on her rocky island since 1913. Carry on up Langelinie Quay to the cruise-liner port and turn left into Østbassin for another intriguing pile of stones with a mermaid atop. Dubbed the Mutant Mermaid, this sculpture is twisted like a figure in a Mannerist painting and sits opposite a sinister group sculpture called Paradise Genetically Altered, a distorted vision of the Holy Family; both are by anarchic artist Bjørn Nørgaard. From here walk back past Kastellet and follow Bredgade into the city center, or catch the number 26 bus. 15 min. Bus 26. 1-hr. round-trip walk to & from to Bredgade.
★★★ Café Petersborg. In atmospheric basement premises, this cafe is a real treat, serving the best herring in town, presented three ways: marinated, pickled, or curried. See p 95. Bredgade 76. ☎ 45 3312 5016. www.cafe-petersborg.dk. $$.
Along with more art and history, today offers a chance to peer across the Copenhagen skyline—obviously you will see more if you choose a clear day. Take a look at Slotsholmen, the island power-base of Danish politics for a thousand years, and visit a couple of unusual museums, one up the coast near the marina in Rungsted. Wear a pair of comfy shoes for walking along Copenhagen’s cobbled streets! START: Gammel Strand.
Cafe Diamanten. Stop off for a frothy café au lait and chocolate croissant, or indulge in a hearty and heavy full Danish breakfast. Gammel Strand 50. ☎ 45 3393 5545. www.cafediamanten.dk. $.
❷ Slotsholmen. Cross the bridge to the tiny island of Slotsholmen, the site of Bishop Absalon’s Copenhagen in the 12th century and subsequent home to the Danish Royal Family in a series of ever-more flamboyant palaces. Today it houses the Danish Parliament in Christiansborg Palace (p 39), as well as a grand neoclassical church and no less than seven diverse museums. The two described below are my recommendations, for their unusual content.
❸ ★★★ 
Ruinerne af Absalons (Absalon’s Ruins). The foundations of Absalon’s castle lie below Christiansborg Palace in an atmospheric little museum; entry is through the arched front gateway. See granite pillars from the chapel, remains of the castle’s protective double walls, and the ruins of Absalon’s Secret—a coy euphemism for the medieval bathrooms. 45 min. Kongeporten. ☎ 45 3392 6492. www.christiansborg.dk. Admission 50DKK, 40DKK students, 25DKK kids 4–17, free kids under 4, free with Copenhagen Card. May–Sept daily 10am–5pm; Oct–Apr Tues–Sun 10am–5pm. Metro: Kongens Nytorv. 5-min. walk from Gammel Strand.
Christiansborg Palace on Slotsholmen island nowadays houses the Danish Parliament.
❹ ★★ Danske Jødisk Museum (Danish Jewish Museum). Tucked away in a corner of the Kongelige Bibliotek (Royal Library), this little museum is worth a visit just to experience the startling slopes and angles of Daniel Libeskind’s extraordinary design. The collection tells the 400-year-old story of Jewish life in Denmark through a series of interactive and clearly labeled exhibits, including ornate Chanukah candlesticks and illuminated Torah manuscripts. The tranquil, fountain-filled garden outside is a secret spot to take a few moments out. 45 min. Proviantpassagen 6. ☎ 45 3311 2218. www.jewmus.dk. Admission 50DKK, 40DKK students & seniors, free for kids under 18, free with Copenhagen Card. June–Aug Tues–Sun 10am–5pm; Sept–May Tues–Fri 1pm–4pm, Sat–Sun noon–5pm. Metro: Kongens Nytorv. 5-min. walk from Gammel Strand.
❺ ★★★ 
Rundetårn (Round Tower). Head back to the city center to find the imposing brick Rundetårn, commisioned in 1642 by King Christian IV as an observatory for astronomer Tycho Brahe. It now hosts art exhibitions and concerts. Wend your way up the circular internal ramp to the top for the best views across Copenhagen’s Latin Quarter (p 9). At 35m high, you’ll see the Øresund, the rides of Tivoli, and the tower of Christiansborg Palace (p 39) as Copenhagen stretches into the distance. 45 min. Købmagergade 52a. ☎ 45 3373 0373. www.rundetaarn.dk. Admission 25DKK, 5DKK kids 5–15, free with Copenhagen Card. Tower open daily, May 21–Sept 20 10am–8pm, Sept 21–May 20 10am–6pm (Tues–Wed until 9pm mid-Oct to mid-Mar). Closed Dec 24, 25, Jan 1. Metro: Nørreport. 10-min. walk from Christiansborg Slot up Købmagergade.
A 17th-century astronomical observatory, the Rundetårn offers great city views from its top.
Buzzing Købmagergade and the surrounding streets offer plenty of food stalls selling hotdogs and burgers if you are after a quick snack. Croissant’en in Frederiksborggade does a roaring trade in tasty pizza slices.
❼ ★★ Rosenborg Slot (Rosenborg Castle). A fairy-tale castle bang in the middle of Copenhagen, Rosenborg was built as the summer residence for Christian IV, who moved in about 1634. The opulent interior, largely untouched for the past 100 years, now houses the Danish Royal Collections. There are a few sights you cannot miss: fat little cherubs encrusted on the marble ceiling of room 5; Frederick IV’s ornate ivory-inlaid mandolin in room 10; the strange mirrored floor of his dressing room (room 13a), and the majestic red, black, and white tiled Long Hall on the third floor. Downstairs in the Treasury, the Danish Crown Jewels sparkle in semi-darkness. The palace is surrounded with the lawns of Kongens Have (Royal Gardens, p 85), the perfect picnic venue on sunny days. 1 hr. Øster Voldgade 4a. ☎ 45 3315 3286. www.rosenborgslot.dk. Admission 90DKK, 60DKK students, free under 18, free with Copenhagen Card. Open mid-June to Aug daily 9am–5pm; May to mid-June & Sept–Oct daily 10am–4pm; Nov–Apr Tues–Sun 10am–2pm (until 3pm Feb 13–28, until 4pm Dec 27–30 & Mar 22–28). Closed Dec 23–26, 31, Jan 1. Metro: Nørreport. Bus 14, 26, 37, 42, 5 A, 6A, 184, 185, 173E, 150S, 350S. 10-min. walk from Rundetårn.
A Dutch Baroque gem, Rosenborg Slot was built for King Christian IV.
❽ ★★ 
Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark). Spanning art from the 14th century to contemporary work, this glorious light-filled gallery began life in the 19th century. Renaissance works, portraiture, and Danish art plus a few Rembrandts and Rubens are housed in the original section of the museum, while modern works are in a modern glass extension, linked by a wide exhibition space called Sculpture Street. Look for quality paintings by Braque, Derain, Matisse, Dufy, and Modigliano as well as the odd Picasso and interesting contemporary Danish work. A massive patchwork quilt by Kirsten Roepstorff in 1972 pre-dates Tracey Emin’s similar creations by decades. 11⁄2. Sølvgade 48-50. ☎ 45 3374 8494. www.smk.dk. Admission permanent exhibitions free. Fees apply to special exhibitions, free with Copenhagen Card. Tues–Sun 10am–5pm (Wed until 8pm). Closed Dec 24–25, 28, 31, Jan 1. Metro: Nørreport. Bus 14, 26, 37, 42, 6A, 184, 185. 5-min. walk from Rosenborg Slot.
❾ ★★ Karen Blixen Museum. Jump in the train from Østerport (a 10-min walk from Statens Museum) and to go Rungsted to visit the ivy-covered family home of Karen Blixen (1885–1962), Denmark’s favorite lady of letters, best known to the rest of us by her pen name Isak Dinesen, author of Out of Africa. The coach house is now converted into an exhibition of prints, photos, letters, and manuscripts charting the story of her tumultuous life; witness the striking black-and-white portrait by Cecil Beaton and cartoons featuring her with Ernest Hemingway; they shared a mutual passion for Africa. Born at Rungstedlund in 1885, Blixen moved to Kenya in 1914 with her aristocratic Swedish husband Bror von Blixen-Finecke. Controversially they divorced in 1924 and Karen returned to Denmark in 1931 after her lover Denys Finch Hatton was killed in a plane crash. Living quarters in the main house are virtually unchanged since Blixen’s death in 1962. Off the hallway is a gallery hung with her paintings; the two Kikuyu portraits shine out. The rooms are pleasantly but plainly furnished, with great wood-burning stoves and Kenyan furniture. A short film showcases Blixen’s life, and there are tapes of her reading her stories. The Corona typewriter she used is in the study at the front of the house. Outside, Blixen is buried at the bottom of Ewald’s Hill in the 14-acre garden. Follow the path from the museum through the orchard and her grave is under the beech tree. 1 hr. Rungsted Strandvej 111, 2960 Rungsted Kyst. ☎ 45 4557 1057. www.karen-blixen.dk. Admission 75DKK, under age 14 free, free with Copenhagen Card. May–Sept Tues–Sun 10am–5pm; July–Aug also Mon noon–7pm. Oct–Apr Wed–Fri 1pm–4pm, Sat–Sun 11am–4pm. Guided tours in English by appointment. Train: from Østerport to Rungsted departs every 20 min.; trip takes 25 min. It’s a 20-min. hike to the museum, or take bus 388 from station. Return to Hovedbanegården (Central Station) in Copenhagen.
Nam Nam. Round off a long sightseeing day back in Vesterbro, just behind Central Station. Order delicious hoisin-marinated spareribs or a slow-cooked chicken curry; there’s even take-away service if you want to head straight back to your hotel. See p 98. Vesterbrogade 39. ☎ 45 4191 9898. www.restaurantnamnam.dk. $$. •
