Guide to the Øresund Region - Copenhagen & Skåne

Our Local Expert Says:

For many, this is Copenhagen's most beautiful museum.

Description:

Carlsberg Brewery founder Carl Jacobsen and his wife were some of the biggest art benefactors of the time, and presented their extensive collection to the Danish state in 1888/ 1899 - calling it 'Glyptoteket' after the Greek word for a collection of sculpture. The beautiful building was then built to house the huge collection, and is worth visiting for the architecture alone - which includes a delightful winter garden at its centre. Home to the largest collection of ancient art in Northern Europe - including Egyptian and Etruscan artifacts - it also houses an impressive range of French impressionist paintings, most notably by Gauguin and Rodin. Extensive modernizations have vastly improved access and facilities without destroying the museum's unique atmosphere, which is best experienced with an extended sojourn in the garden's café.

Our Local Expert Says:

Quite magical.

Description:

The world-famous Tivoli Pleasure Gardens first opened its doors on August 15, 1843. It's said that the park's founder, Georg Carstensen, said that Tivoli would never be completely finished and, staying true to that statement, a new ride is added each year. Another story is that Walt Disney was moved enough after visiting to attempt to purchase the gardens and after being refused, went on to design his own Disneyland in California.

But Tivoli is more than just rides: In addition to the daily Pierrot pantomime shows, there are also regular classical concerts in the concert hall and free Friday night rock concerts with big international and local names performing on the Garden's open air stage. Tivoli is also famous for its extravagant firework displays, which take place a handful of times a year. In addition to its summer season, Tivoli's Christmas opening recreates a magical winter wonderland experience, while the most recent addition is the week-long Halloween season (which actually coincides more with the school autumn holiday than October 31).

Our Local Expert Says:

A totally unique attraction: only in Denmark.

Description:

In 1971, a band of hippies decided to squat a collection of deserted army barracks close to Copenhagen's Christianshavn neighborhood, proclaiming the area as a Free State to be self-governed as a collective. Almost four decades later, Christiania continues as one of the country's biggest attractions, confirming the global view of Denmark as a tolerant nation able to accept Christiania as a 'social experiment'. It's possible to walk around the 32-hectare, car-free area, which houses a music venue ( Loppen), various vegetarian cafes and bars as well as a surprisingly classy restaurant (Spiseloppen). Since the notorious open-air marijuana market 'Pusher Street' was shut down in 2004, Christiania has seen a steady police presence, yet despite all attempts to gradually 'normalize' the area, it remains as a testimony to the tenacious free spirit of liberal Scandinavia.

Our Local Expert Says:

Four castles in one.

Description:

There have been castles on Slotsholmen since the island was first settled in the 12th century, on the site from where the country is still governed. Along with the Houses of Parliament, Christiansborg is also home to the Prime Minister's Office and the Supreme Court, and still used by the Royal Family, who moved out in 1794. Put simply, Parliament (Folketinget) uses the southern half of the building and the Royal Family the northern section, though you can't get from one end to the other without leaving the building. The current building, built between 1907 and 1928, is the third version of Christiansborg, one having burnt down and another torn down. Christiansborg's 106-metre high tower is the highest in the city, and its façade contains granite collected from the entire country, including Greenland. While much of Christiansborg is closed to the public, it is possible to visit the Royal Reception Rooms, including the Great Hall, where the Queen's Tapestries hang, as well as a far older piece of history: underneath the modern palace are the remains of the original Absalon Castle, built by Bishop Absalon in 1167 and discovered accidentally by workmen in 1907. The ruins were reopened... read more

Our Local Expert Says:

A tourist must.

Description:

This small harbor street is one of Copenhagen's biggest visitor attractions, and while its row of timber-built, brightly-painted 17th-century buildings-most of them cafes-are an obvious tourist trap, there is something delightful about sitting here by the water on a hot summer's day. While all the cafes offer outside seating in spring/summer as well as a mostly traditional Danish lunch menu, a cheaper alternative is to buy a bottled drink from a local supermarket or an ice cream and sit on the edge of the pier. Nyhavn has two very different sides, with the Charlottenborg side much quieter. It also has a lively and chequered past: Just 30 years ago, the street was a rowdy collection of notorious drinking dens frequented by sailors. Heavily cleaned up for tourists, traces remain in the tattoo parlor and the all-night Hong Kong Bar. Note that should you be visiting Copenhagen in wintertime, off-season Nyhavn is virtually deserted.

Our Local Expert Says:

Situated in attractive grounds, Rosenborg is filled with the mysteries of Denmark's most fascinating king

Description:

When King Christian IV ordered Rosenborg Palace to be built in 1606, he imagined it as his summer house outside of the city. As with many of Christian IV's plans, he could never quite finish his dream castle, and additions continued right through his reign and long afterwards, the last being in 1758. Apart from in times of emergency (when the British laid siege to Copenhagen in 1801, for example), Rosenborg has not been used as a royal residence since 1710, and now functions as a museum, its most treasured artifact being the nation's crown jewels. Every day at noon, guards march from the barracks outside Rosenborg through the city to the other royal palace, Amalienborg. Though the city has grown around Rosenborg, the surrounding King's Gardens (Kongens Have) serve as one of Copenhagen's most popular parks, full throughout spring and summer with picnic-goers and sunbathers.

Our Local Expert Says:

This world-class art museum makes a perfect day trip.

Description:

You could visit Louisiana Museum of Modern Art for its collections, or you could enjoy it for its surroundings, its views and its architecture. Throw it all together, and the experience is breathtaking whether you're a modern art lover or not. Built in 1958 right on the North Zealand coast, Louisiana was conceived as an interaction of art, architecture and landscape; with its challenging architecture and panoramic views over the Øresund Channel, the vision appears to have succeeded. The museum houses a large permanent collection as well as 4-5 temporary exhibitions annually, and includes a children's annex where the youngest visitors can play creatively. With some of the biggest international names in modern art over the past century on show, you could easily spend a day wandering around the many different galleries, the restaurant and the surrounding sculpture park - which is even more possible since the museum began evening opening in 2008.

Description:

The Oresundsbro bridge opened to create a new connection between the neighbouring countries of Sweden and Denmark on 1 July 2000. Along with a new highway on Amager and a fast train connection from the Central Station across Amager to Sweden, Oresundsbro unites the two countries not only geographically, but also culturally. The bridge is a hanging construction, beautiful in its engineering simplicity. The turns it takes across Oresund make the experience all the more extraordinary when you cross it. The bridge has so far not had the greatest possible success, because the users - especially the Danish ones - complain about the high prices for crossing. But the management is working on it, and price changes are on their way in the near future. The bridge makes it possible to take a day trip to the Swedish side, where a lot of exciting places await you. The shopping facilities in Malmo are quite good too.

Description:

Situated in the heart of Malmo, just a few minutes' walk from the central train station, Hotel Mäster Johan offers the warm, friendly welcome of a true home-away-from-home. Its 69 rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated in classic Nordic style. Natural elements such as stone, wood, metal and glass, loads of natural light and fine amenities make every stay in Hotel Mäster Johan a relaxing one. The stunning, light-filled atrium courtyard, the Pillar Garden, invites guests to relax and enjoy a drink in comfort. The basement area offers gym facilities and a traditional steam sauna. The hotel's modern conference rooms all have wireless broadband service and are furnished with state of the art conference equipment to guarantee an inspirational meeting. There is also a large hall with a podium, ideal for lectures, product demonstrations, evening activities and dining events. Hotel Mäster Johan is part of the WORLDHOTELS First Class Collection.

Description:

Despite living in the shadow of neighboring Copenhagen, Malmö is a great little city in its own right, with an attractive old town area combined with a dynamic harborfront that includes architectural wonders like the Turning Torso (pictured). Easily reached from Copenhagen on a daytrip thanks to the Øresundsbroen - the train takes just 45 minutes - shoppers can get more out of the Swedish kronor and enjoy the hospitality and easy pace of Swedish culture. Malmö has its own, smaller version of Copenhagen's walking street Strøget, a large pedestrian square (Gustav Adolfs Torg) and the charming old town of Gamla Västera, which is home to some small boutiques specializing in different handicrafts. There is also the green oasis of Folkets Park, and numerous cultural attractions, including Malmö Konsthall, Malmö Opera and a brand new museum of modern art, the Moderna Museum - an offshoot of the internationally-renowned museum of the same name in Stockholm. For summer sunseekers, there are also plenty of attractive beaches situated along the coast on either side of the city. read more

Description:

The tiny island of Ven (Hven in Danish) is just 9km sq. and has a population of some 370 and is situated in the Øresund Sound between Denmark and Sweden; it can be reached by ferry from Landskrona, some 20 miles north of Malmo and 10 miles south of Helsingborg. With beautiful, unspoiled countryside it makes a lovely summer vacation retreat regardless, but the island's main attraction is its connection to the 16th century Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (hence the huge statue that greets visitors to the island). Successful Brahe, headhunted by the leading universities of Europe, was given Ven by the Danish crown to persuade him to remain in Denmark, where he built a lavish and expensive observatory. A fantastic and imaginative man, Brahe spent state money on bringing his dreams to reality, and his spectacular castle "Uraniborg" can still be visited today, along with its underground observatory "Stjerneborg" and grand renaissance garden. There's much to do here, with a weather station, outdoor exhibition and for those with kids, a historically-themed playground and "Planet Path". The museum is open daily from April to September and costs SEK 60 to visit, including a multimedia show in the... read more