Unsurprisingly, my camera worked hard on my recent trip to the Danish capital of Copenhagen; constantly hanging from my shoulder, ready to capture every effortlessly stylish scene we came across. Apart from my husband, my other trusty companion was the Copenhagen Style Guide which led us direct to many photo worthy hotspots, whilst we stumbled upon many other great places to stop for a bite, browse for a moment or pause and admire. I’ve selected a few of my favourite spots to get carried away with your camera, all while enjoying great food and drink and shopping the Scandi way….
The Coffee Collective – We were staying in an Air BnB in Frederiksberg, and were thrilled to realise on our first morning, that The Coffee Collective’s largest cafe was just around the corner. Tucked down a side street off Godthåbsvej, the airy industrial space also houses their roastery, so you can watch the coffee being produced while sipping your first cup of the day. I actually don’t drink coffee, but instead I enjoyed one of the best hot chocolate’s I’ve ever had. As we paid, we chatted with the barista who gave us lots of recommendations for places to check out during our trip, cementing my preconception that the Danes are a very friendly bunch!
IG: @coffeecollectif
Explore Jagersborggade – One of our friendly barista’s recommendations was to head to Jagersborggade – a street lined with cool indie shops, bars and cafes. Vanishing Point describes itself as a ‘craft shop’ on it’s website, but rather than being a supplies shop as this might imply, it is filled with objects from ceramics and jewellery to art prints and textiles handmade by craftspeople. It’s concrete walls and rustic fittings are the perfect way to showcase their carefully curated range of products. A few doors down is Kaktus selling an abundance of those spiky little specimens we are all so taken by. Sadly a cactus is not a hand baggage friendly souvenir, but worth the visit nonetheless!
Vanishing Point / IG: @vanishing_point_studio
Kaktus / IG: @kaktus_kbh
Later on in our trip we returned to Jagersborggade, and enjoyed an early evening beer in Gonzo Cafe. Here it felt almost like hanging out in a cosy living room – a wood burning stove roared in the centre of the room, and comfy sofas were draped with soft throws, along with a wall of unusual plants interspersed with twinkling candles. It became clear very early on that the Danes have a plant obsession to rival our own here in the UK…. I was in houseplant heaven!
IG: @gonzocafe
Torvehallerne food market – Foodie fans don’t want to miss an afternoon stroll around Torvehallerne food market. This is definitely one of the smartest most stylish food markets I’ve ever visited (no surprise really!) and it’s not restricted to food only – I came across some gorgeous plant and flower stalls, as well as a lovely skincare brand selling their wares.
Rundetaarn – If you haven’t been to Copenhagen before, it’s worth spending half an hour walking the spiral ramp of the Rundetaarn to get some great views across the city. I’m not sure if we were just lucky, but the day we visited there were no queues and not that many folk inside, making it easy to get some lovely shots of the curved shapes and contrasting textures inside. Ascending a tower is this way seems so much more civilised than trudging up hundreds of stairs – even in the 17th century the Danes were getting design just right!
IG: @theroundtower
Hay House – No interior junkie’s trip to this city is complete without a visit to Hay House. You will have to venture into the busier part of the city (we combined it with seeing the Rundetaarn) but it’s totally worth it for the two floors of beautiful furniture, homewares, stationery and lifestyle products. It’s impossible to leave without treating yourself to a little something. I bought a small mirror but could’ve bought much more if it wasn’t for pesky baggage allowances!
IG: @haydesign
Shop & eat on Værnedamsvej – Spend a morning strolling along this lovely street in Frederiksberg, although remember that shops open late in Copenhagen. (we were often found peering through the windows waiting for them to open!) You can pop into Granola for breakfast while you wait though, and then head next door to the glorious flower and plant shop Blomsterskuret – unusual plants and flowers styled to perfection. Pop across to home store Dora which is filled with beautiful pieces for all areas of your home.
Blomsterskuret / IG: @blomsterskuret
Bak – When we were exploring Jagersborggade, I was disappointed that Bak, one of the shops listed in the Style Guide, was no longer there. The next day, while wandering the streets of Frederiksberg, I was elated (I mean, literally elated!) to spot Bak shop across the road! (it’s now located on Gammel Kongevej) I’m so pleased we stumbled across it as it was probably my favourite shop we visited. It’s a small store but it is packed with beautiful homewares, prints, stationery, magazines and books and LOTS of plants. There is even a dreamy little potting area at the back! I chatted with the lovely owner who was thrilled to see her shop in the book, despite it being listed in it’s old location. This is a must visit, I could have lingered here for much longer than is probably acceptable…
IG: @bak_shop
Bloom – I’m so pleased we choose to stay in Frederiksberg as there are so many lovely little independent shops and cafes in the area. One of note is Bloom, which, on our first few days was always closed when we happened to be passing, and I’d gaze in at the beautiful interior and that pink sofa! Thankfully, on our final morning it was open! It was indeed as lovely inside as it looked, as was the owner of the shop who I enjoyed a good chat with. If only I could’ve smuggled a few of these green beauties back in my bag!
IG: @bloom_cph
Vakst – Greenery and plants were a definite theme to our stay in Copenhagen, so we thought it appropriate to have our last evening meal in a restaurant with a greenhouse in the middle! Vakst didn’t disappoint both in the style stakes and the food. It certainly wasn’t our cheapest meal ever, but then nothing is particularly cheap in Copenhagen! It was a great meal in a beautiful setting and well worth a bit of a splurge.
IG: @cofocodk
All photos by Caroline Rowland unless otherwise stated.
Check out our previous Instagrammers Guides: Rye in East Sussex and Stockholm, Sweden.
