Travel

Culture Lovers Copenhagen: Five highlights from our long weekend in spring

In March we made our first trip outside of the UK since the summer of 2020 due to pandemic restrictions, and we chose to return to the Danish capital of Copenhagen for some art and culture.

Our trip was timed to coincide with the Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival, and we did a mix of work and pleasure, and we were lucky enough to have wonderful weather for our entire stay. There are endless opportunities for art and culture in Copenhagen, but here are just 5 we got up to this spring.

  • When we went: March
  • Flights: Norwegian Airlines from Gatwick direct to Copenhagen
  • Hotel: The Square, Rådhuspladsen 14, 1550 København, Denmark. This 4* hotel was in the perfect central location, making everything in the city walking distance.

Our top 5 highlights:

1. Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival and
Charlottesborg Palace

Every March the city hosts a documentary film festival that is now one of the biggest in the world, showcasing documentaries from around the globe at various cinema locations in the city, as well as hosting screenings and events in Charlottesborg Palace.

Charlottenborg Palace is a large town mansion located on the corner of Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn, and has served as the base of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts since 1754. The building now consists of a gallery displaying the works of both Danish and international contemporary artists. This artistic hub became the high-ceilinged centre for the film festival, with a convenient fab restaurant and bar next door called Apollo.

While we were there, we covered the Nordic Documentary award category, and you can find more about this here.

Anyone can visit the festival and enjoy the screenings, you just need to buy the appropriate tickets.

Find out more here: https://cphdox.dk/

2. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

On the Saturday morning we strolled down to the train station and bought a city travelcard. We used it to travel less than an hour north of the city to the beautiful Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. After a walk from the station through the suburbs, the sun beamed down on this stunning mix of architecture and landscape.

Set above a bay surrounded by trees and natural scenery, we spent close to 3 hours exploring the maze of modern art sculptures, paintings, and installations. Tickets cost in the region of £16 which gives great value for money, as you could really spend all day here enjoying the art, the building architecture, the walks in the surroundings, and the café.

For more information visit https://louisiana.dk/en/

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art / Photo Credit: Ulrik Jantzen

3. The Happiness Museum

Denmark is often called the happiest country on earth, so it’s only right that it has a Happiness Museum.

Down an inconspicuous side street in xxx you’ll find the the Happiness Museum, set up by Meik Wiking who also founded the Happiness Research Institute that studies the science behind happiness, focusing on well-being and quality of life.

As you go down a few steps and through the door, you’ll find the reception and gift shop, where you can buy your ticket. Then take your time discovering the fun facts, figures, videos and interactive elements that make up this wonderful deep dive into the data behind the elusive emotion of happiness. You’ll also understand the popular Danish concept of ‘hygge’ and how it links to Danish people’s happiness.

It’s a well-organised exhibition and is a lovely way to spend a morning – you’re guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face.

For more information visit Happiness Museum

4. Curated Copenhagen shop

Curated Copenhagen is an art shop located in Østerbro and curated by sisters Mille and Rikke Israelsen. The gorgeous gallery is beautifully minimalist and monochrome, allowing the art on show to truly stand out. You can view and buy prints, posters, one-of-a-kind artworks, and frames. If you fall in love with something and can’t fit it in your suitcase then don’t fear, they ship to the UK and around the world.  


Find out more at https://curatedcopenhagen.com/en

5. Another Round Filming location

And for a bit of a wild card, we threw in a visit to one of the spots featured in one of our favourite films of 2021, Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round, which was all filmed in and around Copenhagen. One of the most iconic scenes, and Alex’s personal favourite, is the final celebratory dance scene by the port in Nordre Toldbod. This waterfront area is covered in cobblestones, not far from the Little Mermaid, Citadel and famous Nyhavn harbour.

One morning we went there, enjoyed a coffee by the waterfront, located the exact spot from the scene, and took the obligatory photo:

Too shy to dance so we took a selfie from the spot the excellent Another Round film concludes!

Want to go to Copenhagen?

Spring is a great time to go, but it’s also wonderful any time of year! We even went in January and you can read here about what we did and where we ate in our 48 hours in Copenhagen blog.

If you would like to visit and want any help organising your itinerary or ideas what to do based on your interests – then feel free to get in touch with us!

For more information you can also go to Visit Copenhagen.

And if you want someone to do that all for you then get in touch with Off the Map Travel who will be able to help design a bespoke trip for you!

Feature by Claire Minnis