Find a bike first. Remember, borrowing one from a friend or a host is a gamble. With the trips we have planned for you, a newly serviced bike is your best chance to get from A to B.
The rental service Donkey Republic is proud of the condition of all its bikes, and in Copenhagen you are never more than a short walk from finding one, as they are on pretty much every street corner in the capital!
Download the Donkey app in the App Store to find your nearest bike, buy a two-day rental for 139 kroner and let’s get started!
DAY ONE
9.00
Rent a bike near Østerbro near the famous Copenhagen lakes (Søerne). The city’s largest park, Fælledparken, is easy to find, and cycling on its trails is legal, making it a great place to practice if you have a few unsafe members on your trip. Look up at the sky and you can see the Parken Stadion national football team and a stop-off for many great music stars over the years.
10.00
When you are speeding, you cycle down two of the lakes to Dronning Louise’s Bridge, the exit to Nørrebrogade. Later in the day, the bridge becomes a hive of activity with a distinct hipster vibe, but right now your best chance for quality experiences is Assistens Cemetery Cemetery, which can be found just under a mile away (as ethnic tastes drown out hipster ethos) on the left. Keep an eye on Regnbuen, the LGBTI + part of the cemetery (N625), which is best accessible via Nørrebro Runddel Metro Station. Famous residents include Axil and Eigil Axgil, who formed the world’s first civil union in 1989, their reward for four decades of love for each other and campaign. However, do not expect to find Hans Christian Andersen (unless one day he is readmitted), as he and Søren Kierkegaard are far down at the other end near the entrance at Kapelvej 4. Once again, cycling is allowed as long as you do not t go too close to the graves … or the mourners.
11.00
Continue down Nørrebrogade to the end of the cemetery and turn left onto Nordre Fasanvej until you reach Frederiksberg Have. Enjoy a walk through the gardens to Copenhagen Zoo. Without entering, you can enjoy the elephant enclosure, a remarkable building. The hippopotamus and giant panda enclosures are just as impressive, but maybe save it for another day.
12.00
At Sløjfen 6 have lunch at the traditional Danish restaurant Café Lindevang. Established in 1938 and is one of the most authentic eateries in Frederiksberg.
14.00
Just west of Fredriksberg is Vesterbro, one of the most popular neighborhoods in Copenhagen. Istedgade is still home to the ‘red light district’ in Copenhagen, but it is ever shrinking under an onslaught of shops and vintage shops, shops selling antiques and trinkets, galleries and fancy restaurants. It’s time for some serious shopping!
16.00
One block away is Halmtorvet, the road that runs along Kødbyen, the city’s Meatpacking District, home to the famous LGBTI + gallery and venue Warehouse 9. Greetings to you are a number of bars and exclusive takeaway restaurants.
20.00
For the best selection of LGBTI + bars, go to the Latin Quarter, which is easily found a few blocks up from Strøget, especially along Studiestræde. Before you leave the area, you can find time to visit Centrahjørnet (Kattesundet 18), which proudly declares itself to be the oldest gay bar in Denmark / Europe / world. Founded in 1917, it may have a point that the oldest rival we could find, Café ‘t Mandje in Amsterdam, earned its first Cosmo in 1927.
22.00
Brave souls may stop at Ørstedsparken, which is convenient on the road – the most popular connection point in the city before Grinder came on the scene. To be drawn there is appropriate as it is named after the guy who discovered electromagnetism.
DAY TWO
8.00
If you surrendered, we have a perfect cure for the mini-jungle that rumbles inside your head. But before you head over Langebro, no trip would be complete without a quick visit to nearby Rainbow Square next to City Hall Square, even if it’s just for a sign before it overflows this weekend.
9.00
When you are over the bridge, take a sharp straight down to Islands Brygge and find a place that is not covered by shards of glass, to whip off the makeshift bicycle equipment and jump into the blue water in the Port of Copenhagen. Technically, this is the Baltic Sea, but at Islands Brygge Harbor Baths, heavy nets ensure that there is no danger of unpleasant uninvited guests – stinging jellyfish are surprisingly common the further you go out to sea. Ask yourself as you paddle around how many other capitals have harbor waters you can legally swim in!
10.00
Take a quick detour east towards Christianhavn, a small area of islands worth driving around. With freetown Christiania a few wheels away, you will not lack sights, but it is probably too early to visit its LGBTI + theater Gay House. From the opera house to the playhouse just opposite the waterfront, it is Copenhagen architecture and design at its best.
11.00
If you feel the mood and like what you see, keep stepping all the way to Refshale Island where you can try La Banchina or food trucks on the Reffen for an early lunch. Hands down, this is the best street food market in the country, with easily the most exotic line-up. Fuego Street Food serves the finest steaks from Argentina, Nomames takes you to the streets of Mexico City, and Big Easy wraps them in New Orleans soul food – and it’s just scratching the surface of America. Let’s not get started with Thrilla in Manila’s Philippine grill, panzerotti at PastaLab and the fried flatbreads at Malawa Truck.
12.00
Refuel, because this is the big one: We are on our way to the wilderness on Amager. Not only is it a district, but it is also the name of the whole island, and it contains two other municipalities: Dragør and Tårnby. One third of the 96 square kilometer island consists of protected nature areas, and we take you to the largest, Kalvebod Fælled (20 square kilometers). On the way away from Langebro, we challenge you to lose yourself in the rather massive wilderness that is Amager Fælled. As long as you have a sense of direction, you will realize that it is mostly flanked by straight roads that lead you to the city’s largest mall, Field’s.
13.00
Store drinks, and maybe find time for some shopping, but your biggest challenge lies ahead. Continue in the same direction, go to Den Røde Havn, the gate to Kalvebod Fælled, and choose the middle way, Granatvej (where, as the name suggests, they found some unexploded grenades in mid-July!).
14.00
Cycling down the glorious flat Granatvej can seem quite harmless, but do not forget that you are in an urban area. Look to the right and you will see pretty futuristic apartment buildings and maybe the weird locals who still can’t believe they ended up living in what appears to be the middle of nowhere. Look to the left and you can see one of the rare planes landing or departing from Copenhagen Airport. It is a lot to take in, but in a nutshell it is the very essence of Copenhagen, and if you are lucky, you will be so alone that you will feel secluded.
15.00
A timely left takes you into the woods. Do not wait too long as you will not get lost, but if you have camping equipment, there are plenty of places to look up along with communal fireplaces to cook at, as long as you adhere to the social distancing guidelines.
17.00
On your way back, choose Bryggebroen as your way back to the mainland – easily found near the corner of Amager Fælled and no further than 1 km from Island Brygge – as it leads almost directly into the famous Cykelslange (see main photo), a fascinating elevated, spiral construction with incredible views. Or maybe stop between bridges for another swim at Fisketorvet harbor baths and get a quick snack in the mall of the same name.
18.00
You are back, and after two days of exploration, you are finally ready to go to Tivoli or Nyhavn – the first two places tourists tend to visit in Copenhagen. If you choose the latter, you may have to pay tribute to the acclaimed LGTBI + author Herman Bang, whose bust can be found at nearby Sankt Annæ Plads.
But seriously, why follow the crowd when you can hop on a bike and discover so much more.
Source: The Nordic Page
