Denmark Archives - A Modern Wayfarer

The Great Danes: Copenhagen Travel Highlights

September 21, 2014

Copenhagen Travel Highlights It’s a well-documented fact that the Danes are some of the happiest people in the world, and after spending time in this charming and compact Scandinavian city it’s easy to see why. Hans Christian Anderson was onto something when he sung about this “Wonderful Wonderful” place in his 1952 musical, because Copenhagen is a city full of interesting (and might I add, extremely well-dressed) citizens who truly savour the simple things in life: good food, good work, good design, good friends/family and good fun – it’s all in a days work for the Danish. Their values are somehow aligned with the things that matter most. And I could definitely get used to this… With a bustling CBD without the conceited, high-stress vibe of most European capitals, Copenhagen is probably the most chilled and cultured of all the Scandinavian cities. Bicycles, the main mode of transport, seamlessly glide by in special lanes that stretch the entire grid-system, and there’s an excellent scattering of museums, art galleries, urban markets and quaint cobblestone streets for a truly whimsical atmosphere. The city is perfect for getting lost in, but is so ridiculously easy to navigate that it’s almost impossible to lose your way. And if you do happen to get a little disorientated, one of the impossibly good-looking and perfect English-speaking Danes will be very happy to help put you on the right path. The slightly chilly air in the cobblestone streets of the cities’ core is reminiscent of smoke-ovens, freshly baked bread and brewing espressos. Although not revered as a place where the nightclub scene flourishes, Copenhagen certainly has enough gourmet restaurants to rival New York. From traditional ground meats and fish to more contemporary twists, the food around town is truly delicious. Just quietly, I spent about half my time leisurely stuffing your face at many Michelin-starred eateries, and probably gained a couple of kilos in the process.. oh well it was all worth it. The best way to describe Copenhagen is like a warm comforting embrace for the unassuming creative kids, those who value lifestyle over living and culture over uncouthness. Copenhagen City Highlights See When In Doubt, Tour The Canal Much like the Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus, canal and harbor tours have their place in tourism society – even if you’re a seasoned sight-skipper. It’s the best way to get your bearings when you first arrive in Copenhagen,…

Courtyards and Cool Spaces: Avenue Hotel Copenhagen

September 14, 2014

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve found the best hotel courtyard in all of Scandinavia… and it just happens to live out the back of award-winning luxury Avenue Hotel Copenhagen. It’s a truly gorgeous and inviting space, with comfy pillows strewn all over the carved wooden benches, and in the warmer months it’s filled with the most divine Geraniums you ever did see. There’s nothing better than coming home from a day of exploring Copenhagen, grabbing your laptop (and a rose from the well-stocked bar of course) and daintily plonking yourself next to the big oak tree standing proudly in the centre of the courtyard. Can you tell I did this more than once? If you get bored chilling by yourself, there’s even some hula-hoops to play with (and embarrass yourself in front of other, more slightly conservative guests)! What more could you want from a city hotel? But as much as I love hanging out in courtyards (and like to think of myself as quite the courtyard aficionado), there’s more to this design hotel than the outside. Located in the “real Copenhagen”, between the trendy Nørrebro and charming Frederiksberg districts, the hotel places you exactly where you want to be for a quintessentially local experience. From trendy boutiques and upmarket eateries situated just across the road, to the finger-on-the-pulse guidance of the uber-hip and friendly hotel staff – the foodie, fashion and culture hunters will have a ball staying at Avenue Hotel. If you truly want to experience the city the way locals do, hop on one of the cute hotel bikes and cycle for fifteen minutes to Tivoli Gardens in the city, and then all the way to Nyhavn to see the canals and techni-coloured traditional Danish buildings. The Avenue Hotel, with its grand red brick walls and spire-topped turrets, also has a traditionally pompous Danish façade, but what’s intriguing is that the interiors couldn’t be more unpretentiously chic. This is what the hotel does best – mixing classy-style with a down-to-earth vibe. You won’t find snooty staff here. In fact, I don’t think I witnessed one employee who wasn’t willing to go out their way to help guests. No task or question was too difficult in their eyes, and a sense of genuine interest pervaded all interactions which is always refreshing in a smaller “hip” design hotel. The lobby and bar interiors are filled…

A Danish Doll House: The Hotel Alexandra Copenhagen

September 12, 2014

The warm, friendly vibe of Hotel Alexandra Copenhagen was the perfect start to my whirlwind Copenhagen trip. After landing at the airport and catching the train through what seemed like an actual full-force hurricane, complete with horizontal rain, 100 kilometre winds and requisite upside down street umbrellas to match, all I felt like doing was curling up in a ball somewhere that felt familiar. Sometimes when you’ve been travelling for a while you wish you could snap your bright red heels and chant “there’s no place like home” over and over, as if you were trapped in The Wizard Of Oz. It’s one of the most relieving feelings when you arrive at a hotel after a mammoth transit experience (and freak acts of insane weather) and feel instantly relaxed. The enchanting Hotel Alexandra seems to have the right balance of warmth and comforting design while still being a pinnacle of classic, quirky cool. It’s Scandinavian atmosphere is quite unique in that it’s about as far from minimal design as you can get, and yet the entire hotel hosts one of the largest retro Danish furniture collections in Europe. It’s basically a museum, but without the blank walls and echoing halls, and the vintage air makes for a refreshing change from all that sleek Nordic minimalism found elsewhere in the city. Thousands of quirky knick-knacks, antiques and retro Danish furniture from the design greats such as Arne Jacobsen, Ole Wanscher and Kaare Klint have been collected to perfection by the hotel’s General Manager Jeppe Muhlhausen, and are meticulously scattered throughout the hotel. When you wonder around the halls it feels like you’re in a Doll House – even the peculiar wallpaper is from another era (1964 to be exact). The rooms are larger than average and effortlessly inviting, and each features modern art, retro Danish decor and flat-screen TVs. Each room differs in design tremendously, with some rooms including traditionally restored Danish furniture, and others, in particular the Panton room (famously stayed in by Christian Louboutin) is more avant-guard in its approach, with colourful walls and rich, darker features. The location is right in the heart of Copenhagen’s CBD, directly on Anderson’s Boulevard, with Tivoli Gardens a one minute walk and Town Hall 200m. The staff are helpful and attentive, and the hotel even has an iPhone app that you can download, highlighting some of the employees’ picks for eating, drinking and…

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