"Dear" Copenhagen

As always the trip is entirely DIY. In this short account I'll try to give some useful information for a stay in Copenhagen, avoiding the historical commentary you can find in every guidebook.

Trip

Organised online, through Air One and Expedia. I bought the flight and the hotel separately because I found a good deal for the Air One flight from Rome to Copenhagen, while I bought the hotel on Expedia.

Hotel

We stayed at the Comfort Hotel Esplanaden (of the Comfort Hotel chain). I must say the value for money is terrible: for a double for 3 nights WITHOUT breakfast we paid 400 euros. But I assure you I searched online for other options without much success. The hotel is in the northern part of Copenhagen: it's near the Little Mermaid, near the Royal Palace, three bus stops from the historic centre of the city. The area doesn't have many cafes, restaurants, pubs... venues... it's an "in" area and the few venues there are don't have cheap prices (and to say that in Copenhagen means the prices are outrageous!)

Public transport

Perfect. From the airport there's the M2, the metro line. There are two metro lines in Copenhagen, but there are also lots of trains running on urban routes. Not to mention the bus lines (especially those with the suffix "A" which cover very long and scenic routes). Prices: a ticket for 2 zones costs 20 DKK and lasts 1 hour (you can make as many changes as you like between metro-bus-train within the 2 zones). With 2 zones you stay within the city of Copenhagen. From the airport the zones go up to 3 and so you pay 30 DKK. There are also cumulative tickets of 10 rides that for 2 zones cost 125 DKK and are very handy because you can use the strip of 10 tickets for two people as well. I wouldn't get the Copenhagen Card or longer passes unless you intend to stay in the city a long time. Public transport runs all night but if I remember rightly, after a certain hour you pay a bit more.

DKK

The Danish krone has an exchange rate of 7.40 DKK = 1 euro. You can change money at the airport or at the many exchange offices or at the bank. Watch out for the offers: they often rave about stratospheric rates but they're "buying kroner" rates, not selling, and they hide high commissions unless you change a lot of money. I also recommend withdrawing with a credit card from local ATMs.

Credit card

Change little, the credit card is accepted everywhere. Use it a lot, it's the only way to get a fixed rate and no cash problems. Just watch out for a few tricksters, especially in the centre: without telling you, they add commissions to the final price if you pay by card. Ask beforehand. On that note I ADVISE AGAINST going to Cafe Europa, Amagertorv 1. On a bill of 96 DKK they added almost 6 DKK of commission...I reported it to Mastercard; it's a dishonest attitude you don't expect from a country that boasts unequalled morality and seriousness.

Climate

In August we found 18-20 C by day and 14-15 C at night. It rained for two half-days and we always found wind (it seems to be a constant in Copenhagen). Always carry an umbrella, even if you see gorgeous weather. The weather changes quickly, VERY quickly!

Language

Everyone speaks English, even 80-year-olds. Television broadcasts in the original language with Danish subtitles, so everyone learns English (even against their will). We should take a leaf out of their book...

Dangers

Sincerely, I saw none. There's the odd drunk idiot in the evening who maybe acts daft, or pisses in the alleys. I saw several in the central area of Copenhagen, many were actually English...

Cost of living

Beyond logic. It's a city (but I'd say a country) that's really very expensive. You always pay and you pay rather dearly. A few numbers: a Carlsberg beer (1 pint) 45-55 DKK, a coffee with a pastry 55-65 DKK, lunch (main dish with a drink) 80-110 DKK, dinner (understood the Italian way!) 150-200 DKK, museum entry 60 DKK. For eating I advise against going to the nice Danish restaurants: they all do nouvelle cuisine, you pay no less than 80-90 euros a head. Go to the pubs or the cafes: at lunch there are special menus that for about 15 euros let you eat "typically"; for dinner sort yourself out in a cafe or a pub. There are also two "special" places that do a buffet offer (see below).

Buffet offers

If in the evening (or during the day, obviously) you don't know where to go and eat, I'll point you to two places in Copenhagen where you can stuff yourself to excess, eating buffet-style. Usually the offer is very generous in the city centre: many restaurants do a flat price, but I'd like to tell you that the best one (even according to resident Danes) is Riz Raz (Kompagnistrade 20): in the evening it offers a buffet at 69 DKK a head with lots of dishes, all excellent and fresh. There are lots of people (many locals) and obviously you can also order a la carte (the usual Copenhagen prices!). Another place is Samos (Skindergade 29), a Greek restaurant where there's an excellent buffet and also magnificent Greek menus (between 99 and 120 DKK). It's worth it.

Smorrebrod

It's the typical dish for Danish lunch. A slice of bread on which smoked herring, small shrimp/eggs, lumpfish roe, salmon... basically whatever you like, is laid. The bread is (normally) rye and the cost varies a lot: from 50 to 110 DKK depending on the place and the topping. At first sight it seems like a snack, but the substantialness of the topping will fill you up. Watch out for the flavours: all very bold, so if you don't like the taste of "marinated" fish, opt for meat.

Nyhavn

It's the old port of Copenhagen, very beautiful and characterful. Wander as much as you like, have a beer in one of the many venues but don't eat. The prices are high and they're tourist traps. If you like, take a trip around the canals of Copenhagen by boat. I'll point out the only tour that does the trip with guides in Italian: it's called "Linda" and sets off every day at 17.45 from the Nyhavn quay. Near the quay you'll find a girl/lady with an Italian flag and a cap with the tricolour selling tickets (15 euros each, they take euros too). The trip lasts 65 minutes and lets you see the city easily with a view from the canals. Very nice. Be careful because in the stretches where the canals are open the wind will soak you! In any case the boat also has a covered part and so you won't have problems even if it rains (possible!)

Breakfast

Having breakfast is really difficult outside the centre. The bars (that is, Danish cafes) open very late and nobody seems interested in breakfast except the Irish pubs! I'd like to suggest a good place: it's called Amadeus - Store Kongensgade 62. You can have breakfast with a coffee and a pastry (made in their own bakery) and above all you can also eat in the morning (around 8). I'm pointing it out because having breakfast before 10 outside the central area was really difficult. And at the hotel they asked us for 115 DKK a head...