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A Guide to Cool Copenhagen: From Vesterbro to Amager

Everplaces ambassador and guest blogger, Nana Hagel, continues her tour in lovely Copenhagen. Join her as she shares her discoveries in this wonderful Copenhagen collection. 

After having spent a day in Nørrebro, let’s move on to some of the city’s other neighbourhoods.  We’ll start the day in my second favourite neighbourhood: Vesterbro. Copenhageners often say that while Nørrebro is for the young, poor and rebellious at heart, Vesterbro has been occupied by the more settled families with 9 to 5 jobs. This may be partially true, but Vesterbro is as diverse as any other neighbourhood and there’s something for everyone here.

If you’re into fashion, Vesterbro has a pretty large variety of shops that will make your banker lose his mind. One of these is DANSK on Istedgade. Here you’ll find locally designed clothes that are colourful, comfortable and very pretty. A block south of Istedgade is Sønder Boulevard – a popular place to hangout during the summer. Buy a refreshing drink at the popular café Dyrehaven and watch the Copenhagen life pass by. 

One of the best things about Copenhagen is the amount of water and open space that characterize the city. Harbour baths are everywhere, and it’s perfectly safe to just jump into the water and cool off. Being able to swim in the middle of a city is like balm for a busy soul, but the popular spots can be a bit crowded in the summer. Nokken is a quick bike ride from Vesterbro, and this little gem is rather unknown to most people, so around here you’ll have the water all to yourself! 

From Nokken you have easy access to the island of Amager, home to some of the most interesting architecture in the city. Start off with a visit to the Tietgen Student Hall, a fascinating round dorm just next to the University of Copenhagen. Ride your bike south down Ørestad Boulevard and stop by the VM-Bjerget, another cool piece of architecture designed by the Danish darling Bjarke Ingels and his team at BIG. 

If your stomach has started to rumble, it’s time to ride your bike or jump on the new metro straight into the city centre. Though crowded and touristy in the high-season, Torvehallerne is definitely worth a visit. These two covered food markets are like heaven for anyone with a culinary interest, and there is a lot to both eat and see. Take your time and be sure to visit both the section with commodities and prepared food.

All that biking around calls for an ice cream break, doesn’t it? For that, there’s only one place to go: Hviids Is on Østerbro. You have to do another quick bike ride from the city center, but once you taste their homemade Italian popsicles, you won’t be sorry you came here. Actually, you’ll probably be screaming for more! So have as many as your conscience allows you to and be sure to enjoy them here on Olufsvej – a beautiful cobblestoned street with house facades in all colours of the rainbow. 

When it’s time for dinner, get back on your bike. Destination: the Meatpacking District of Vesterbro. Still home to the city’s meat production, this industrial area has actually become a hipster hangout. A few years back, the Copenhagen Municipality decided to rebrand the area and they have been successful in doing so – the place is filled with popular restaurants and bars. Have a tasty sourdough pizza at Mother and end the day with a drink and dance under the stars in one of the neighbouring bars.

You can check out and save Nana’s Copenhagen collection on Everplaces. Collections are a great way to share your favourite places on Everplaces, or create mini-guides for visiting friends & family.

Nana is a freelance travel journalist and a big food lover. She loves taking photos and uses the city as an inspiration.