Where to stay in Copenhagen
Copenhagen is compact, flat and easy to navigate by bike, metro or foot, so there are few bad places to stay. Accommodation is expensive, but the city offers everything from design hotels to stylish hostels.
Indre By (Inner City)
The medieval centre within the old ramparts includes Strøget, one of Europe's longest pedestrian shopping streets, Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square), the Latin Quarter around the university, Nyhavn's colourful seventeenth-century harbour and Kongens Nytorv. Staying here puts you within walking distance of nearly everything. Prices are high, and Nyhavn and Strøget are crowded in summer.
Nyhavn and Frederiksstaden
Next to Nyhavn, Frederiksstaden is an elegant eighteenth-century district built by King Frederik V, with the four rococo palaces of Amalienborg, the royal family's winter residence, and the Marble Church. Hotels are upscale, and the area is quiet at night. It is a short walk to the Little Mermaid and the Design Museum.
Vesterbro
West of the Central Station, Vesterbro was once the city's working-class and red-light district. Today it is Copenhagen's trendiest area, centred on Istedgade and the Meatpacking District (Kødbyen), where former slaughterhouses house restaurants, bars and galleries. The area around the station has many budget and mid-range hotels. It is lively and good for food and nightlife.
Nørrebro
Multicultural and youthful, Nørrebro has the colourful Superkilen urban park, the Assistens Cemetery, where Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard are buried, and independent shops along Jægersborggade and Elmegade. The Queen Louise's Bridge across the lakes is a popular sunset spot. It is a great choice for a local experience, with the City Circle metro line connecting it to the centre.
Østerbro
North of the lakes, Østerbro is an affluent, family-friendly residential district with parks such as Fælledparken, the national stadium Parken and calm streets. It is close to the Little Mermaid and Kastellet fortress.
Christianshavn
Built by Christian IV in the early 1600s on reclaimed land, Christianshavn has canals reminiscent of Amsterdam, houseboats and the Church of Our Saviour with its corkscrew spire. Freetown Christiania, the alternative community founded in 1971, is here. Christianshavn has good restaurants and metro access and feels relaxed and picturesque.
Islands Brygge and Ørestad
Across the harbour from the centre, Islands Brygge is known for its harbour bath, where locals swim in summer, and its waterfront parks. Ørestad, a newer district on the metro line to the airport, has modern hotels, including large conference hotels near the Bella Center, and is convenient but less atmospheric.
Nordhavn and Refshaleøen
These former industrial harbour areas are being redeveloped. Nordhavn has striking new architecture, while Refshaleøen, a former shipyard, has food markets, the Copenhagen Contemporary art centre and the Alchemist restaurant. Limited accommodation, but interesting for architecture lovers.
Booking tips
Copenhagen is among Europe's most expensive cities for accommodation. Prices rise during summer, Copenhagen Pride in August, and large conferences. Book early for June and July. Many hotels include breakfast, which can help with costs. Design-oriented hostels like Generator and Steel House offer private rooms at lower prices.
Frederiksberg
Technically a separate municipality surrounded by Copenhagen, Frederiksberg is an elegant residential area with tree-lined avenues, the Frederiksberg Gardens and Copenhagen Zoo. Værnedamsvej, on the border with Vesterbro, is a little street of delis, wine bars and cafés often compared to Paris. The metro reaches Kongens Nytorv in under ten minutes.
Amager and the airport
Amager, the island south of the centre, holds both the airport and the Amager Strandpark beach. Hotels near Ørestad and Bella Center are large and modern, with metro line M1 to the centre. Staying near the airport makes sense for very early flights.
Hotel styles in Copenhagen
Danish design is a selling point, and many hotels have Arne Jacobsen chairs or interiors by local studios. The SAS Royal Hotel, now Radisson Collection, was designed entirely by Jacobsen and opened in 1960; room 606 retains its original decor. Hostels in Copenhagen are often stylish and a good budget choice.
When prices peak
Prices climb in summer, during big conferences at Bella Center and during Copenhagen Pride in August. Book early for the Roskilde Festival period in late June to early July, when many visitors pass through the city.
Staying on a boat
Copenhagen has a few houseboats and hotel ships moored in the harbour, including in Christianshavn and Nordhavn. They offer a novel stay close to the water, though cabins are compact. Many can be booked through regular hotel sites.
Price
Copenhagen hotel rates are high; look at Vesterbro and Ørestad for value.
Summary
First visit: Indre By or Nyhavn. Food and nightlife: Vesterbro. Local and multicultural: Nørrebro. Families: Østerbro. Canals and charm: Christianshavn. Swimming and summer: Islands Brygge. Budget: hostels near the Central Station.
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