Fiskebaren (Fish Bar) Restaurant in the Meatpacking District of Copenhagen, Denmark.
A heat wave was rippling through Denmark and I was dressed in a hooded parka in the capital city of Copenhagen.
I had just arrived after my long flights to Copenhagen from Vancouver and then Amsterdam. A fishy dinner at Fiskebaren (Fish Bar) in the meatpacking district – complete with a surprisingly large jellyfish tank, shrimp salad served in a canning jar, and Danish wine (yes, it exists, and this one was pretty good!) – was nightcap-ped with a trip to the ICEBAR.
ICEBAR at Hotel Twentyseven
If you remember from a month ago, I stepped into a -110°C sauna with shorts and a tank top on, so wearing a parka in a barely freezing room didn’t scare me. I did get really cold toes, though…
The ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL is “re-decorated” regularly with ice from the Torne River in Sweden. When I was in, there was a little alcove to sit in, a motorcycle ice sculpture to be photographed on, and a table hockey-like game: you slide little pucks along the surface, aiming for one of three holes for a “goal.” I felt like I was in Canada!
The ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL at Twentyseven Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark.
When I noticed the group of writers I was travelling with walking around with ice mugs in their gloves, I sidled up to the bar to see what was on offer. An eight foot list of cocktails was written on one of the support beams and I scanned down until I saw the Äpplemos (Absolut Vanilla, apple liquor, line and sugar syrup). It was the perfectly refreshing way to end a hot evening in Copenhagen.
The National Museum of Denmark
An official introduction to the Danes happened the next morning at The National Museum, where I learned how tough the Vikings were and got a glimpse of the outstanding Egtved Girl, whose tunic and cord skirt are almost entirely preserved from 1370 B.C. (not unlike the remains of the bog people, bodies almost fully preserved and on display: I will later see the best preserved bog body in the world in Århus).
The Danish Design Centre
Back to contemporary life, I was hugely impressed with the Danish Design Centre. I always imagine Sweden when I think of practical design (hello IKEA!), but the Danes know how to make life easier, too.
The Danish Design Centre Exhibition in Copenhagen, Denmark.
My favourite part of the centre is downstairs in the permanent exhibition, called Denmark by Design. Danish design from 1945 is set up by decade and it’s surprising how many chairs, playground sets and kitchen items I recognize from my own childhood in Canada.
The biggest hit for many other people is the gift shop, where people go crazy for the small Danish designs and travel items they can take home. Think the dust pan that doesn’t leave that pesky line of dust on the floor and the Panton miniature chair that looks like it’s laying back on itself.
The Queen’s Toilet in the Royal Waiting Rooms
Above being practical, the Danes love the Royal Family. I was incredibly fortunate, then, to get a tour of the Royal Waiting Rooms, a welcoming space for the Queen and important visitors.
A Canal Boat Tour in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Other than the security guard, the other Danish women who were with us had never seen the Royal Waiting Rooms before and were absolutely floored at the chance. This was a BIG deal.
A group of about 10 of us entered the first room to a hushed silence. We weren’t allowed to walk on the carpet or touch anything, to keep it as well-preserved as possible. Upstairs, there were some darling Danish plates hung on the walls and it was here we were shown the secret escape route. Of course, I can’t tell you where it is for fear of making Danish enemies…
The finale of the tour was the Queen’s washroom where we all peeked into the little room. Strangely, one of the main streets of Copenhagen buzzed by outside without people knowing that within a few feet of them, the Queen’s toilet sat.
Tivoli Gardens
Last but not least, I went for a frolic in Tivoli Gardens, the classic amusement park in the centre of Copenhagen that has been there since 1843.
Tivoli Gardens Fountain in Copenhagen, Denmark.
We all decided to hop on the Hans Christian Andersen ride (seeing as we were visiting his hometown of Odense the next day) and then had dinner at Nimb, what the Danes call an “institution” in Tivoli.
Upstairs of the restaurant (one of many in the park) is a 13-room hotel that looked like the perfect space for singles and couples, until I heard the price of one of the rooms: over $700 for a double room per night.
You pay for the location, inside Tivoli and this room overlooking the gardens, and the building is gorgeous enough that it would be fun to book it for one night if budgets allowed…
(I travelled as a guest of Eurail Group, Visit Denmark and Wonderful Copenhagen.)
Read more articles about Denmark here.
![[Reuse options]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.png){kind=small}
Recent Comments