Life in Copenhagen

Settling in
The challenges of starting life in a new place can be daunting. Luckily, there are a lot of resources available to help you navigate your first days this beautiful city. A good place to start, whether you are about to move to Copenhagen or have just landed here, is the University of Copenhagen’s International Staff Mobility website, which has a lot of useful information for newcomers on matters such as residency, housing, taxes, health care, etc. The International House Copenhagen is another excellent source of invaluable information on all matters related to living in Copenhagen. From help with getting your CPR to useful housing resources and access to opportunities to learn Danish, it’s all here.

Because life is so much more than dealing with residency permits and other bureaucratic matters, the next section will introduce you to the more enjoyable side of life in lovely Copenhagen. Read on!

Perfect days in Copenhagen
Welcome to Copenhagen! Our city is vibrant and full of activities. You may know it for its usual touristic attractions, like the Little Mermaid, but we want to offer you more personalized options. Below, you can find a list of suggestions by different members of our Center, giving you all the necessary ingredients for an ideal day in Copenhagen!

Evelyn: If you want an adventure outside Copenhagen, you can take a train (either from Østerport, Nørreport, or from Copenhagen Central Station) and go north towards Helsingør or to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (approx. 1 hour). Helsingør hosts the famous Kronborg Castle, known as the setting for Shakespeare's "Hamlet”. The castle offers tours of its grand halls, towers, and dungeons. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is one of the most renowned contemporary art museums. You can check their website for current exhibitions. Louisiana is also close to Bellevue Beach, making it a perfect spot to combine art and nature in one trip.

My pick to conclude the day is either opera/ballet at Operaen Gamle Scene or DKDM Music Conservatory, which often hosts free classical music concerts by students.

Jose: Copenhagen is all about water, so you should definitely swim! On a sunny summer day you will see that everyone is swimming everywhere, so don’t be afraid and just jump in. There are a few places that I specially enjoy. Islands Brygge is my favorite. Always full off people, you can sunbath on the wooden dock or jump from the trampoline. Nordhavn is also very cool and you can explore the new developments in the city. If you are missing the beach, Amager strand has you covered, either if you just want to enjoy the views, make a bbq or play beach volley. If you are feeling like exploring beyond the city, Fureso lake is just a few train stops away.

If you want to get some perspectives of the city, there a few viewpoints that I really like: Vor Frelsers Kirke is the best, just next to Christiania, although you should be aware that it gets narrow at the top! If you consider yourself an astronomer, then you also need to go up the round tower to remember the legacy in Danish astronomy of the great Tycho Brahe (although actually he was never there!). Finally, there is Copenhill, an energy plant that can be downhill skied, climbed and that has amazing view for the sunset.

Juno: Copenhagen is very active on the music scene, so the ideal day in the city must include live music! I suggest you check their website for the upcoming shows and events, a culture house hosting concerts of every genre. Huset also hosts Bastard cafe’, a cafe’ with a wide variety of board games, perfect for rainy days. If you like Asian food, you can have dinner at Lee’s kitchen (the duck is particularly good), or Fu Wa.

Niels: If you are up for a day trip, especially when the weather is nice, I can recommend to go to the charming beach village Tisvildeleje in the northwest of Sjaelland. Consider bringing your bike in the train to be more mobile. The village offers various nice cafes, restaurants and shops, a beautiful beach to relax and swim in the clear and fresh waters of Kattegat. Next to it there is a huge, beautiful and varied wood area, Tisvildehegn, in which you can either go for a long hike or bike ride. There is an interesting archeological site in the middle, called Asserbo Charterhouse, and at the other side of it, is yet another beach village, Liseleje, where you could have a break. A nice spot to end the day is a beach bar/restaurant Strandkiosken, where you can chill and adore the sun disappearing in the sea.

Vítor: During my typical day, at 7:05 in the morning, I sit in one of the Meyers Bakery to have a coffee and a Tebolle. If the calculations are going well, I will take a Kanelsnurren and walk around the lakes, looking at swans while heading back to the institute.