<p>I’m going with my spouse to a conference in Copenhagen in two weeks. Any recommendations on what to see, where to go, museums, restaurants? We’ll only be there for four days; we’re staying at Hotel Skt Petri.</p>
<p>I would definitely go to the Tivoli - the amusement park & gardens. Of course, that is the no-brainer suggestion. Perhaps also a brewery tour.</p>
<p>Have a fun trip. I have a co-worker in Copenhagen who was supposed to fly here this week - but wasn’t permitted to because they had their first case of the swine flu. (He is an expert in the area.)</p>
<p>You might want to see - </p>
<ul>
<li>‘The Little Mermaid’ (statue of a mermaid sitting on a rock in the water)</li>
<li>Tivoli Gardens</li>
<li>Kronborg Castle</li>
</ul>
<p>I lived in Copenhagen for about a year over 20 years ago, so I can’t comment on current restaurants,but I can make a few suggestions for getting a feel for the city. Copenhagen is extremely bike friendly, with bike lanes and lights, so I would rent some bikes and ride around the city. Most people speak good english and are very friendly and helpful. Check out the main pedestrian street (a bit touristy but pleasant) called Stroget. The country is so small that if you rent a car for a day you can go up to Hamlet’s castle (Elsinor?)) which is less than an hour out of the city and worth seeing, esp. if a Shakespeare fan. Eat a smorrebrod or open-faced sandwich; drink Carlsberg (brewery tour?); shop for exquisite but fantastically expensive Royal Copenhagen china (they do have a “seconds” floor in their shop on Stroget where I purchased my china); the Rundetor (sp?) or Round Tower is a very cool old walk-up tower with a great view of the city (one long curving ramp if I remember correctly - not too strenuous). Get yourself a good guidebook (DK perhaps) - there is much to see and it is a very easy city in which to travel. I second Tivoli - not just charming rides and gorgeous flowers, but some highly touted new restaurants (check out some recent food or travel mags for suggestions of restaurants). Oh, and Nyhavn (sp?)is a refurbished harbor area (fixed up since I left) that has nice restaurants and hotels I believe. The crown jewels are impressive in whatever castle is there (can’t remember) and they even have a changing of the guard if I remember correctly. You can have a coffee or a beer before a movie (very civilized). Nice open air markets. There are canals, a big old city square, mod and funky areas, old school charming areas - just a wonderful place. I’m sure that I have forgotten many other worthwhile outings so definately do some research - and have a fabulous time! I’m envious!</p>
<p>We went to Copenhagen many years ago when the children were small. We visited the National Museum and the Art Museum, climbed the Round Tower (this the kids enjoyed the most) and walked along the Stroget. It was around this time of the year and there were plenty of street performers out. We had lunch at a restaurant off the Stroget that served herring in all sorts of combinations. Dinner was at a family-friendly restaurant that had a stack of Asterix magazines to keep children entertained while waiting for the food to arrive. It was a wonderful couple of days.</p>
<p>We spent 4 days in Copenhagen last summer. Rick Steves’ book has several itineraries of walks around the city and you will hit all the highlights. You can spend several full days doing that. A canal ride will be lovely and you can see the Little Mermaid from the boat instead of crowding with all the tourists as the statue is quite small. If you want to venture into the countryside for a day, take the train to Helsingor to see the Kronberg Castle. On a clear day, you can see Sweden across the sound. On the day when we were there, the weather was perfect and the view was simply gorgeous, so peaceful and calm and you can watch the ferries plying between Denmark and Sweden.</p>
<p>Don’t go to Tivoli. It’s no different than 100 American amusement parks. The Little Mermaid falls into the category of “you feel like you have to do, but once you get there, it’s disappointing”</p>
<p>SO you want to hang out in Nyhavn or Christianshavn to see life with the locals. The Design museum in Christianshavn is excellent, if you are into that.</p>
<p>^^ You’re right on the mermaid but it’s like seeing the Arch De Triumph, Big Ben, and a plenty of other things in that it’s famous, you see it, then you’re done, but the mermaid is just a small sculpture on a rock. It’s not a bad walk though. It all depends on what people like to see/do.</p>
<p>Second the suggestion for the Rick Steves guide.</p>
<p>I second/third everything everyone else says–I also recommend the (WWII) Resistance Museum; the Danes were exceptionally canny in how to drive the occupying Nazis crazy. </p>
<p>Great hot dog/sausage stands. Get something fantastic from a bakery [there are lots of them–know that the Danes call “Danish” pastry Wienerbroed (Viennese bread)]. </p>
<p>Too bad it’s only four days!</p>
<p>Take the train to the Louisianne Museum (SP) It is lovely and you can do it in a half day. If it is a nice sunny day have lunch at the cafe and then sit on the lawn and look at the ocean. One of our favorite things we ever did. If you want to make a whole day out of it then get back on the same train and go to Hamlet’s castle, Kronburg. We did it all in one day and it was fantastic. Copenhagen is beautiful. Enjoy.</p>