This has been the year of weekends away for me. It's a great way to break up the work life treadmill because a couple of days out of your normal routine can feel like a week depending on how much you are able to cram in to the available time.
Copenhagen has been on my list for a long time. My best friend and frequent travel companion and I picked this last weekend just gone to go. Flights are reasonable at this time of year, and although we had no idea how the weather would pan out, we were so lucky to get beautiful late September sunshine for the two days we were there. We stayed at the Copenhagen Marriott, which is in a great location right on the river and within easy reach of the city centre and the train station. You can get a train directly from the airport for 36DKK (approx. £4 or US$5) which takes 15 minutes.
Deciding what to do is key with the time you have available. We had no desire to shop, although it's always nice to see what's around, so we made the choice to head out of town about an hour north on the train to visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. I had heard so many positive things about it and it was perfectly doable for day one and yet still have time to do the other things on our list.
Our day started with breakfast at the hotel, in the Midtown Grill. We wanted an authentic Danish pastry and I have to say it was the freshest, lightest pastry I have ever tasted.
We walked the few minutes to the station and bought a combined ticket which included our return train journey and museum entrance fee for 210DKK each (approx. £26 or US$32 at current exchange rate).
With a Museum ticket each paying adult can bring two children under 12 years on the train and travel free of charge. Children over 12 have to pay for the train ticket but can get free admission to the museum if they are under 18.
The walk from Humlebæk Station to the museum takes about 10 minutes. There was a line for ticket purchase but having pre purchased ours we could just walk in. The museum exhibits mostly modern art and sculpture from the mid-twentieth century to the present from its own extensive collection and a variety of temporary exhibitions. The house and grounds are beautiful with woodland trails and sculptures around every corner. We were lucky to have such a beautiful clear day and could see Sweden across the water.
The café overlooking the sea to Sweden was very busy given the day that we had so we didn't stop for coffee, but it was the perfect place for a picnic and some last of the summer sunshine to enjoy.
We strolled back to the station and returned to Copenhagen early afternoon. Feeling a little peckish we walked to the Tivoli Hotel for lunch at the rooftop restaurant Sticks n Sushi Skybar, where you can get a great view of the river and the city.
There was a wide choice of dishes on the menu and we took some recommendations from the staff. Hotate kataifi - scallops, miso aioli, trout roe and cress, Ebi bites (right) - tempura shrimp and Imo Yaki (right) - sweet potato teriyaki. All absolutely delicious and just enough for lunch.
I definitely plan to go to the new Soho restaurant when it opens in October!
After lunch, we headed into the centre of town to have a walk around and take in the sites and culture. There are people riding bikes and bike lanes everywhere so do take care when walking and stick to the sidewalks. Saturday afternoon was very busy, even though a lot of the shops close at 4pm. People were out in the autumnal sunshine and enjoying the outdoor cafes and bars. We went into the Illum department store and decided to head to the rooftop where there are a number of different restaurants and bars to choose from.
As you can imagine, it was quite busy but we managed to get a table on the outdoor roof terrace at Brasserie Jacobsen where we enjoyed a glass or two of our favourite Whispering Angel rose. I can understand why it's called the city's coolest rooftop with the best view in town. With a DJ playing fab tunes and a diverse mix of clientele, it's a lovely place just to hang out.
We still wanted to get to the see the Little Mermaid situated at Langelinie promenade at the end of the harbour. It was about a half hour away by foot, so we started our walk as the sun was going down and hoped that we would make it before it actually went dark. It was so beautiful along the waterfront witnessing the changing light of the evening.
I have always wanted to see this iconic statue, based on the fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen about a mermaid becoming human. It has been in existence since 1913 and was created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen.
We continued our walk at pace as the sky dimmed by the minute and we made it in time. We were so glad to see it in the fading light. Another childhood dream fulfilled.
From there we hailed a cab. We were done with the walking after clocking up over 20,000 steps during the day. We went to a recommended fish restaurant in the Meatpacking district Kødbyens Fiskebar. Serving fresh seafood they have a preference for choosing local and sustainable products. My friend had Danish Oysters and I had fish and chips. Delicious food and wines with a buzzy atmosphere and we even bought the t-shirt!
Day 2 and with a few hours to spare before our respective journeys home, we visited the Danish Museum of Art and Design. The building it is housed in was once a hospital and it sort of has that stark feel about it. There are lockers to leave your bags in as they don't like you to carry anything remotely big inside. Entrance is 115 DKK (approx. £14 US$17). Free if you are under 26. You will need a 20 DKK coin to lock it and retrieve the key but you get it back afterwards.
The museum has an extensive permanent collection of Danish designed furniture - predominantly chairs, arts and crafts, lighting, porcelain, books and a current exhibition until December on the Bauhaus Centenary. There is also an interesting shop and lovely café with an outdoor area to sit if the weather is nice. They are closed on a Monday.
We went back to the hotel to check out and had lunch and the obligatory glass of champagne outdoors in the sunshine overlooking the river. A perfect way to end a wonderful weekend away.
Today is the autumnal equinox when the sun is over the equator and marks the official start of autumn here in the northern hemisphere. Days are getting shorter and darker and winter is on the horizon.
In just under 2 months, I'll be heading a little further afield to a more exotic location and some winter sunshine which I cannot wait to see, experience and tell you about.
