Mike's Copenhagen to do

Below are a few suggestions. Common for all are, that they are places I like myself. Things I like to do. 

The structure on the page is:
1/ A day in Copenhagen
2/ Places to eat
3/ Places to stay
4/ Other stuff
5/ Leaving town

You will not be surprised I am sure when you read my agenda for a great day in Copenhagen:

Morning

On your walk to Bike Mike make sure you have time to sit down and enjoy a coffee at one of the many cafees and take in the morning of Copenhagen life passing by right in front of you.

My favourite cafe is Old Mate in Nansensgade - just around the corner from Bike Mike departure point in Turesensgade. Then Bike Mikes City Tour, that will take you around to all the great sights plus many other spots, all together providing a fine impression of the city and doing the way the locals to it: by bike! Great introduction to Copenhagen.

Lunch

Enjoying a few of the classic "Open faced sandwiches", delicious and the only Danish food truly unique.
The place to go is the best in town:
Aamanns, Øster Farimagsgade 10 - 1.2 kms walk from Bike Mike base in Turesensgade.

Afternoon

Maybe a museum, if so, I would visit either:
1/ Glyptoteket, Museum of ancient and modern art,
7 Dantes Plads (next to Tivoli Garden), open: 10-17
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum of international stature in the centre of Copenhagen.  The Glyptotek houses over 10.000 works of art divided up into two principal collections. One is of works from the Mediterranean cradle of Western culture, the other of Danish and French art from the 19th and 20th centuries.
http://www.glyptoteket.dk/

2/ Copenhagen City Museum, 59 Vesterbrogade - open: 10-17
Excellent display of the history of Copenhagen including a permanent special eshibition on Søren Kierkegaard. Untill June 27th 2010 also an exhibition titled: Copenhagen by bicycle.
http://www.bymuseum.dk/en/

3/ Danish Design Centre, 27 HC Andersens Boulevard (across from
Tivoli Garden and Glyptoteket), open: 10-17
Not a museum, but a fine exhibition introducing aspects of Danish design.
http://www.ddc.dk/besoeg

4/ Danish Museum of Art & Design, 68 Bredgade, open: 11-17
The Danish Museum of Art & Design is one of Scandinavia’s central exhibition forums for Danish and international industrial design, decorative and applied arts.
http://kunstindustrimuseet.dk/en

5/ The Davids Collection, 30 Kronprinsessegade, open: 10-17
The museum comprises three permanent collections whose nucleus dates back to the days of its founder, C. L. David: the Collection of Islamic Art, the Collection of European 18th-Century Art, and the Collection of Danish Early Modern Art. The Collection of Islamic Art – internationally, the museum’s most important one – today encompasses so many and such important works that it enables the visitor to form a fairly comprehensive impression of art from this cultural sphere.
http://www.davidmus.dk/en/information

Or the greatest museum in any town: The Street Theater - life as it comes and passes by. Wonderful and inspiring.

Please notice museums are closed Mondays - except The Street Theater.

Following the museum visit a walk through some of the inner city historical and often cobblestoned streets like Lars Bjørn Stræde, Læderstræde with all the inviting boutiques for speciality shopping. If time allows also visit the Illum Bolighus on Amagertorv - http://www.illumsbolighus.dk/main.asp - for a fine intro to Dansih furniture and interior living.

After dinner

Bike Mike`s Evening Tour is a beautiful experience for all your senses. After the ride you can continue to Tivoli Garden - most magic after dark when the thousands of lanterns lit up the place. When in Tivoli make sure to hop on the ride: "The Flying Trunk": a journey through 32 of H. C. Andersens fairytales, very informative and great fun - I love this ride.

A fine mix is the Evening Tour and then finish the night off in Tivoli among the amazing lanterns turning the Garden magic.

Quality and price usually goes together. If you want your meal made from real food - bear in mind that 80% of all foods in the western world is factory made - then it comes at a higher cost. To me that extra cost is worthwhile and my choices of restaurants are characterised by their ability to use fresh ingridiencies.

Noma, Strandgade 93, Christianshavn
An absolute experience, a fascinating Nordic food journey through tastebuds, stomach and mind, expensive, but highly recommendable.
http://www.noma.dk/main.php?lang=dk&id=0

Bento, 16 Helgolandsgade, Vesterbro - close to Main Train Station.
Fresh japanese food at very affordable prices. Sushi and traditional.
Excellent service, operated by a japanese family with three generations present. My favourite Copenhagen restaurant!
http://www.uki.dk/169-information.htm

Dim Sum, 16 Sankt Annæ Plads - close to Nyhavn.
Modern and innovative chinese cooking, set menu with 15-16 tastes, extrodinaire quality in cooking and atmosphere. A little expensive, but definetely worthwhile. My second favourite one in Copenhagen.
http://www.restaurantdimsum.dk

Les Trois Cochons, 10 Værnedamsvej, Vesterbro.
Danish/french inspired kitchen, great food at reasonable prices. Good, local atmosphere.
http://www.cofoco.dk/ltc.php

BioMio, 19 Halmtorvet, Vesterbro - close to Main Train Station.
Organic, healthy cooking at good prices, local, trendy atmosphere right in the lively Meat Packing District - one of few vegetarian eateries in the country with the highest consumption of meat per capita in the world.
http://biomio.dk/?page_label=cms_content&cms__content_label=kontakt

Bastionen og Løven, 50 Christiánshavns Voldgade, Christianshavn
Wonderful setting on the centuries old rampart of Christianshavn, the garden is romantic for dining on a light summer eve, classic meals includes Danish open faced sandwiches at lunch time.
http://www.bastionen-loven.dk/?Adresse_og_kort

Peder Oxe, Gråbrødretorv 11 - center of the old town
A classic for open danish sandwiches right on the very cosy  square - Gråbrødretorv - in the heart of the old historic city. They stock all the classic ones of the legendary Danish sandwiches as well as a delicious salad bar. Good selection of akvavits - snaps.
http://www.pederoxe.dk/index.htm

Alberto K, Hammerichsgade 1 - top of Royal Hotel in town
Superb gourmet dining, exciting tastes of food and outstanding view of Copenhagen from the top of one of the tallest buildings in town.
Expensive - but worthwhile.
http://www.alberto-k.dk/uk/

Restaurant Kiin Kiin, Guldbergsgade 21 - Nørrebro
Thai/South East Asian cuisine at gourmet level, exceptional experience and the worlds only Thai Michelin star restaurant - positioned in the heart of Nørrebro. Fantastic and unforgettable.
Juice menu highly recommended with the food. Expensive.
http://www.kiin.dk/welcome.html

Rio Bravo, 86 Vester Voldgade, City - close to Tivoli.
Classic Danish "Grandma" food of yesterday including the all time favourite: "stegt flæsk med persillesovs" which in English comes at "panfried pork slices served with potatoes and parsleysauce". This dish comes at Dkk 108 for all you can take aboard!
http://www.riobravo.dk/2uk.html

Streets/areas like Nansensgade (next to Bike with Mike), Halmtorvet, Værnedamsvej, Skt. Hans Torv, Store Kongensgade, Nyhavn (expensive) and Christianshavns Kanal are places with lots of choices for having a good meal.

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Places to stay

Hotel Carlton Guldsmeden, 66 Vesterbrogade, Vesterbro
Lovely boutique hotel. Stylish and homy. Situated in lively Vesterbro with many good restaurants next door and 10 mins. walk to City Hall Square. Medium price bracket.
Right across from the City Museum.
http://hotelguldsmeden.com/explorehotels/carlton.html

Ascot Hotel, 61 Studiestræde, City
Medium price range good hotel 1 min. walk from City Hall Square.
http://www.ascot-hotel.dk/front-page.aspx

Marriott, 5 Kalvebod Brygge, City
Coorporate luxury right on the waterfront (thats what I like best here), 10 mins. walk to City Hall Square. Excellent service. Expensive.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cphdk-copenhagen-marriott-hotel/

Carstens Guest House, 28 Christians Brygge - 5th floor, City
This guesthouse catering for the gay/lesbian visitors is awesome situated right on the waterfront only few minutes walk from City Hall Square. Fantastic roof garden with great views, many kinds of accomodation, cool and tasteful decor.
http://www.carstensguesthouse.dk/index.htm

Copenhagen Downtown Hostel, 5 Vandkunsten, City
For hostellers, this is a good one, noisy of course, comes with hostelling. But nicely situated in the very oldest part of town right on the cosy "Vandkunsten" square. Only a few minutes walk to everything.
http://www.copenhagendowntown.com/uk/

Grethe Hein Private Acc., 102 1.tv. Ovengade over Vandet, Christianshavn.
Budget travellers, this is a great one. Fantastic location right on the canal of Christianshavn (my own part of town). One room only comes at less than Dkk 500,00 for a couple. 100 m. down the canal you can enjoy breakfast at Denmarks best baker: Lagkagehuset on the Square of Christianshavn with metro, buslines or just walk across the bridge to the city.
http://www.bedandbreakfastoverblik.dk/ehus.asp?Id=566

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Other stuff

Harbour Pools, 1/ Islands Brygge or 2/ Fisketorvet.
Take the plunge into the clean waters of the Copenhagen Harbour from one of the above harbour pools. The one on Islands Brygge - across from the Marriott - is centrally situated in an old suburb with a young population, comes very lively at night. The pool at Fisketorvet is namend "Copencabana"!

Baisikeli Rent-a-Bike, Turesensgade 10 - see map below.
Baisikeli is your answer for all in bike rentals - including long term stuff.
http://www.baisikeli.dk/

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Leaving town

Ystad in southern Sweden - only an hour away on the train from Copenhagen - is a beautiful, little town with rich history. and home of the Mankells fiction stories with police commisioner Wallander. Situated on the Baltic it also offers excellent beach time. Staying in Ystad at the Saltsjøbad Spa Hotel is worthwhile a journey itself, its a fabulous hotel with a great kitchen and soothing spa fascilities. Dining in the Nero Bistro while enjoying the view of the sea and the beautiful Nordic light is Scandinavia at its best.
http://www.ysb.se/?l=en

Bike Tour out of Copenhagen. Hop on the bike and head up to Helsingør (Elsinore) with the fabulous Kronborg Castle. Its a 55 kms bike ride along the coastline of Øresund. At Rungsted a visit to Karen Blixens home: Rungstedlund is a fine break from pedalpushing. Louisiana Museum of Contemporary Art in Humlebæk - 45 kms from CPH - is an absolute must. The garden is beaútiful too including grand views of the sea and the Swedish coastline. Its possible to travel back to Copenhagen with your bike on the train from Helsingør. Or carry on after a night in Helsingør and bike the North Zealand coastline up to Tisvildeleje, good place for second night out or hop on the train and travel with your bike back to CPH via Hillerød. If time in Hillerød youought to visit Frederiksborg Castle, the National Historic Gallery and with a stunning setting.

For more Copenhagen to do inspiration, please check this site:
http://ispot.wonderfulcopenhagen.dk/info