LANGUAGE
Danish
CURRENCY
Danish Krone
BEST TIME TO VISIT
March to May and June to August
NEAREST RAILWAY STATION
Copenhagen Central Station
NEAREST AIRPORT
Copenhagen Airport (CPH)
EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER
112
INTERNET ACCESS
Free wi-fi is available at many museums, cafes and restaurants, as well as the overwhelming majority of accommodation options, from hotels and hostels to self-catering apartments. It’s also offered at the Copenhagen Visitors Centre and the main public library, Københavns Hovedbibliotek. The library also has computer terminals with internet access.
VISA
Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days. Not required for members of EU or Schengen countries.
No entry visa is needed by citizens of EU and Nordic countries. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need a valid passport to enter Denmark, but they don’t need a visa for tourist stays of less than 90 days. Citizens of many African, South American, Asian and former Soviet bloc countries do require a visa. The Danish Immigration Service publishes a list of countries whose citizens require a visa at its website at www.newtodenmark.dk.
If you’re in the country and have questions on visa extensions or visas in general, contact the Danish Immigration Service (see details on www.newtodenmark.dk).
HOTEL
The best place to stay in Copenhagen is near the Old Town, where many of the major attractions are concentrated. The center of the Old Town is the Kongens Nytorv public square, with its statues, historical buildings, and cobblestone streets. Major sights in the surrounding area include the famous Stroget pedestrian shopping mall and the Nyhavn Canal. More moderately priced accommodation can be found in the trendy Vesterbro area, also known as the Meatpacking District.
Luxury Hotels: In a wonderful location overlooking the Tivoli Gardens, just a short stroll from the Town Hall, the boutique Nimb Hotel offers luxurious, individually designed rooms and suites. The modern Copenhagen Marriott Hotel occupies a prominent waterfront location on the city’s harbor, a short stroll from the Tivoli Gardens and a couple of kilometers away from the Kongens Nytorv area. In the up-and-coming Orestad area and adjacent to Scandinavia’s largest mall, the Crowne Plaza is a unique property, designed using sustainable principles and offering spacious rooms with expansive views. The Metro stop is right outside the hotel and the Old Town is a 10-minute ride away.
Nimb Hotel
Copenhagen Marriott Hotel
Crowne Plaza
Mid-Range Hotels: In the hip Vesterbro neighborhood is the Andersen Boutique Hotel. Rather than a specific check-in and check-out time, this hotel offers a 24-hour rental, starting at the time you arrive. Also in the same area is the Axel Guldsmeden hotel, with a Balinese-inspired décor and a wonderful courtyard with comfortable seating. Conveniently located next to the main train station is the modern 161-room Absalon Hotel, with a variety of spacious rooms.
Andersen Boutique Hotel
Axel Guldsmeden hotel
Absalon Hotel
Budget Hotels: The recently renovated Hotel Rye includes a free breakfast and is near the Kastellet and the Little Mermaid statue. With two-bedroom suites, perfect for families, the Wakeup Copenhagen is a block from the waterfront and a 10-minute walk to Tivoli Gardens. For basic, low-cost rooms in a central location try the Hotel Nebo, a short stroll from the train station.
Hotel Rye
Wakeup Copenhagen
Hotel Nebo
COST OF LIVING
Yes, Copenhagen is expensive to visit, but so is every city if you do not research. With low-cost flights to Denmark, it would be a shame to miss out on the beautiful city of Copenhagen due to expense. Copenhagen is a beautiful city and a notoriously good-looking population, but unless you are coming from Sweden, it’s also very expensive. Hotels are of pricey even during the off season, and are worse during the peak summer months. There are a few hostels, including four run by the government’s Danhostel program, and they can give your budget a break as long as you don’t expect much fun at the same time. Most of the attractions are also shockingly expensive, so it’s good that strolling around the beautiful neighborhoods and the long Stroget shopping street are free. There are other free things to do, thankfully.
Food and drinks are also quite expensive, with a cheap meal in a restaurant nearly impossible to find. Self-catering by going to a supermarket can help keep costs down if that’s important. Beer in Copenhagen is quite expensive as well, and wine and spirits are even worse. Again, self-catering for the early part of the evening can really help. Hotels in Copenhagen are expensive all year, and especially during the high season, which lasts from mid June through the end of August, plus the period around the Christmas holidays. The low season, or cheapest time of year, is from mid January through March, and during this period you’ll have your pick of hotels and you might find a good deal as well.
July and August can really get crowded in Copenhagen so if you want to come then you should book well in advance. Hostels also get full and there aren’t many of them, so it’s best to commit and pick your place early. During most of the year you can definitely find a room once you arrive, but still you might find the best deals by booking online and looking for a discount rather than going door to door.
