Denmark – EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog EuroCheapo editors take on the world of budget travel. Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:54:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.3 Top 5 budget hotels in Copenhagen for 2025 https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/cheap-hotels-in-central-copenhagen.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/cheap-hotels-in-central-copenhagen.html#comments Tue, 25 Mar 2025 11:33:55 +0000 https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=48224 Copenhagen is beautiful, clean… and very expensive! From hotels and restaurants to sightseeing and entertainment, the costs can really add up in Denmark’s largest city. But don’t give up on your dreams of a Danish getaway just yet. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite budget hotels in Copenhagen. Before you make your reservations, take a look » Read more

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Copenhagen is beautiful, clean… and very expensive! From hotels and restaurants to sightseeing and entertainment, the costs can really add up in Denmark’s largest city.

But don’t give up on your dreams of a Danish getaway just yet. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite budget hotels in Copenhagen. Before you make your reservations, take a look at these highly-rated and affordable accommodations in the center of the city.

Looking to save more money on your trip? Check out our blog with budget-friendly travel tips for Copenhagen.


Best budget hotels in Copenhagen

Here are five cheapo picks from our Copenhagen guide that all get high user ratings and offer low rates, especially when you consider that most hotel rooms in the city soar way above $200 per night.

Rooms at Annex Copenhagen are cheap and colorful. Photo: Booking.com

Annex Copenhagen

Helgolandsgade 15
Neighborhood: Central Station & Tivoli
User rating: 7.7
Doubles from $66

Located just a quarter mile from Tivoli Gardens and the central train station, the rates at this stylish hotel are a steal for Copenhagen. The colorful rooms come with flat-screen TVs, lounge chairs and free Wi-Fi. An included breakfast buffet sweetens the deal and shared (and newly renovated) bathrooms help keep prices low, even in the peak season.

Read our full review of the Annex Copenhagen here.

Hotel Bethel lobby with wood steps, wood floors, gray and wood reception desk, and netted hanging lights

You’ll be greeted by friendly staff in a stylish reception space at Hotel Bethel. Photo: Booking.com

Hotel Bethel

Nyhavn 22
Neighborhood: Near Nyhavn
User rating: 9.0
Doubles from $133

If you want to stay in an area surrounded by picture-perfect postcards and colorful, 17th-century homes, then Hotel Bethel is the hotel for you. With a scenic location, a peaceful courtyard, stylish interiors, and friendly staff, there’s a lot to love about this accommodation.

Read more about the hotel here.

hotel room with herringbone wood floors, white bed, wood headboard, and white walls at Hotel Saga, one of the best budget hotels in Copenhagen

A spacious and sleek room at Hotel Saga. Photo: Booking.com

Saga Hotel

Colbjornsensgade 18-20
Neighborhood: Central Station & Tivoli
User rating: 8.2
Doubles from $94

The two-star Saga Hotel is a clean, comfortable, cheapo pick. Vintage art pieces add character to the rooms, and free Wi-Fi and breakfast are included in the list of amenities. Those looking to save even more money can book a room with a shared bathroom.

Read our full review here.

hotel room with striped bedding and canopy on bed and doors open to a balcony

We recommend requesting a balcony room at 66 Guldsmeden. Photo: Booking.com

66 Guldsmeden

Vesterbrogade 66
Neighborhood: Frederiksberg
User rating: 8.5
Doubles from $108

With eco-friendly amenities and cozily decorated rooms, this is a popular and budget-friendly choice near Central Station. The café lounge is a unique benefit to staying at 66 Guldsmeden. When booking, request a balcony room for a place to kick back and enjoy the city views.

Read our full review here.

gray hotel room at Hotel Tiffany

Enjoy a stylish stay at the swanky Hotel Tiffany. Photo: Booking.com

Hotel Tiffany

Colbjørnsensgade 28
Neighborhood: Central Station & Tivoli
User rating: 8.5
Doubles from $109

The three-star Hotel Tiffany is more of a splurge compared to the typical Cheapo pick, but it’s still a great deal when you keep in mind all the hotel offers. With plush, modern rooms, breakfast delivered to your room, and a courtyard, the Hotel Tiffany is a lot of bang for your buck. Plus, the hotel is powered by wind energy, ideal for climate-conscious Cheapos.

Read our full hotel review here.

More cheap Copenhagen hotels

Interested in seeing more cheapo hotel options? Check out our full list of recommended budget hotels in Copenhagen.

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Copenhagen: How to use bike share as a visitor https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-how-to-use-bike-share-as-a-visitor.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-how-to-use-bike-share-as-a-visitor.html#comments Mon, 18 May 2015 17:14:04 +0000 https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=41661 Copenhagen (along with Amsterdam) is known as one of the world’s most bike-friendly cities. There are as many bikes as citizens in this Scandinavian hub in Denmark. Another thing Copenhagen is famous for? Very expensive prices on everything from restaurants to taxis. However, you can still find some deals. For example, exploring the city by bike doesn’t have » Read more

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Copenhagen (along with Amsterdam) is known as one of the world’s most bike-friendly cities. There are as many bikes as citizens in this Scandinavian hub in Denmark.

Another thing Copenhagen is famous for? Very expensive prices on everything from restaurants to taxis. However, you can still find some deals. For example, exploring the city by bike doesn’t have to cost a fortune for a tourist. With the city’s new bike share program, Bycyklen, it’s possible to get around like a local for only a few Danish crowns a day.

Before the new bike share system launched in 2014, visitors could rent bikes for free thanks to a system called Copenhagen City Bikes, the world’s first-ever bike share program that started in 1995. (We took it for a spin back in 2008.) Those freebie days might be long gone, but if you plan on biking more than once during your visit, it’s still possible to keep your bike rental budget in check with the new system.

Related: Keep it cheap with the Copenhagen Card

How it works

Just like other bike share programs, you only need a credit card to get started, and the first step is to create an account online with a username and password. Make sure to write this down, because this is how you will access your bike. You can rent up to two bikes on the same account.

When you are ready to go for a ride, find one of the 30 docking stations, and just use the tablet that’s built into each of the 450 bikes near the handlebars. There’s no kiosk to visit before you hop on a bike like in LondonNew York’s CitiBike, or Velib in Paris. Simply log in with your information and start pedaling.

According to Bycyklen officials, the program will be expanding soon, and the goal is to have 1,860 bikes at 105 stations by October 2015.

Bike Dashboard Tablet

A weather-proof tablet with GPS is built right into the bike. Just log in to check your bike out. Photo: Tony Webster

Pay by the hour or month

There are two pricing options with Bycyklen, and choosing the best one for your needs depends on how long you will be in Copenhagen and how much you want to bike. Checking out the bikes costs 25 kr per hour. At just under $4 per hour (at current exchange rates), it’s not a bad deal for those looking to hop from place to place on a flexible schedule.

However, another option that might just save you money is to get a monthly plan for 70 kr (a little it over $10). Every ride under 30 minutes is free on this plan, so you if think you’ll be using your bike as a main mode of transit for quick trips, this is definitely a better deal than the hourly plan. Note: It’s 6 kr/hour after the free 30-minute period.

If you really want to go for a serious five-hour bike ride around the city, it’s cheaper to rent a bike from a local shop, which costs around $20 for a 24-hour period. There are several shops that offer all kinds of bikes and even tours around the city.

Note: When you first sign up, they take an initial deposit of 200 kr on your credit card that you will get back after a few days. Also, many of the bikes are equipped with electronic locks that let you park it anywhere you please. Again, just use your log-in information to lock and unlock the bike, but be aware that you are still being charged while the bike is parked.

High-Tech bikes with built-in maps

The new system features easy-to-use electric rides from Gobikes. For tourists visiting the city, there is one other big feature that should be very appealing. Built into each bike is a weather-resistant tablet with GPS capability. There’s no need to pull out your iPhone (and maybe rack up charges!) or guidebook to see where you are going.

There’s a map right between your handlebars that tracks your exact location, and it can help guide you to popular landmarks, restaurants, and sights. When you are ready to return your bike, just use the tablet to find the nearest docking station.

Is it worth it?

Even if Bycyklen might not save you a lot from renting a bike from a shop, we think many visitors will find it a great option, because of the convenience. You can explore the city with ease on your own schedule, take spontaneous trips at any time of day or night, and don’t have to worry about where you will lock it. Plus, using the built-in tablet is a fun way to discover new places.

A free alternative

If you are an extreme Cheapo, the most affordable bike rental option in town won’t cost you a single Danish crown. Copenhagen Free Bike Rental is an organization that fixes up broken bikes and rents them out to visitors for no charge.

Participating, however, takes a bit of advance planning. First, fill out a form on their website at least seven days before your bike rental. Next, someone from the organization will meet you in Trianglen Square in Østerbro. They do ask for donations to keep the service going. It may not be as simple as checking out a bike from Bycyklen, but for the intrepid traveler, you can’t beat the price!

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Copenhagen: Keep it cheap with the Copenhagen Card https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-keep-it-cheap-with-the-copenhagen-card.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-keep-it-cheap-with-the-copenhagen-card.html#respond Fri, 02 Jan 2015 17:20:17 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=25268 Note: This article was updated on January 2, 2015 with new information, photos and links. Budget travelers get understandably nervous when visiting Copenhagen. As is the case with many other northern European capitals, prices for food, lodging and shopping can be stunningly steep. But Cheapos should not steer clear of this city of Danish design, » Read more

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Note: This article was updated on January 2, 2015 with new information, photos and links.

Budget travelers get understandably nervous when visiting Copenhagen. As is the case with many other northern European capitals, prices for food, lodging and shopping can be stunningly steep.

But Cheapos should not steer clear of this city of Danish design, busy bicyclists and curvaceous canals. Visitors on a tight budget can enjoy several days in Copenhagen, made much easier by the credit card-sized Copenhagen Card, the city’s tourism card. When we visited, we clutched ours at all times, which allowed us to stroll about town, into museums, and onto trains.

But is the Copenhagen Card a good fit for your trip? Read on…

The cost of the card

The Copenhagen Card makes sense if you plan to keep busy with the city’s (and area’s) museums and attractions. If you’re the type of traveler who wants to hit all the sights, dash through art museums and castles, and climb high towers overlooking town, the card is clearly a good investment. If, however, you’re content to wander the streets and canals, hang out in coffee shops, and watch the tourists bustle by, it may not be worth all those Kroner.

The pass is available in four types:

24-hours: DKK 359 — about $58
48-hours: DKK 499 — about $80
72-hours: DKK 589 — about $95
120-hour: DKK 799 — about $129

Prices for children aged 10-15 are significantly lower: DKK 189/249/299/399.

While the price might initially seem steep, consider what it offers: free access to more than 70 museums and attractions in and around Copenhagen, discounts at restaurants and other activities, and free transportation on the area’s network of buses, trains, the Metro and even to and from the Copenhagen Airport (zone 4).

When calculating whether or not you should buy a Copenhagen Card, don’t forget to include the savings in transportation costs—or the peace of mind it affords, as you’re free to simply hop on and off buses and trains at will. (Do note that you should always carry the card with you on the city’s transportation, as inspectors do pass frequently and will ask to see your “ticket.”)

Museums and attractions covered

The 72 sights covered by the Copenhagen Card include most of the city’s most famous and visited attractions. They include:

Amalienborg Palace (DKK 70, without pass)
Arken Museum of Modern Art (DKK 95)
Designmuseum Danmark (DKK 100)
Hans Christian Andersen’s Museum (DKK 95)
Statens Museum for Kunst (DKK 110)
Copenhagen Zoo (DKK 170)
Tivoli Gardens (DKK 99)

…and about 65 more. See the Copenhagen Card’s Web site for a full list of attractions covered by the card.

Out of town, too

The card offers admission to attractions outside the city’s limits, as well, which is especially attractive for those purchasing a three- or five-day pass. For example, you can take a day to explore the celebrated castles (including Kronborg, famous as the setting for Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”) in the Kongernes Nordsjaelland area. And again, don’t forget that transportation is covered by the card!

Purchasing the card

For further information about the card’s benefits and to purchase it online, visit the Copenhagen Card’s website. Buying your card before arrival is convenient for those arriving by plane, as the card covers transportation into town from the airport. (If you haven’t bought it ahead of time, you can always purchase it at the service center in Terminal Three of Copenhagen Airport.) Note that there is a postage and handling charge of €8 (about $10) for each card bought online.

You can also buy the card at Central Station (the main train station), at large hotels, and at the Visitor Centre (located across from the entrance to Tivoli Gardens).

Finding affordable hotels

Aside from the admission charges to the city’s top attractions, your hotel bill is going to be a huge part of your trip budget, and accommodation prices can be strikingly high in Copenhagen. Fortunately, our editors have hunted down plenty of one- and two-star central hotels for our Copenhagen hotel guide, many with rates under DKK 650 (about $105 a night).

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Portrait of a Danish Island: Ærø https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/danish-island-aero.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/danish-island-aero.html#comments Wed, 15 Jan 2014 14:36:00 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=35991 There are a dozen good reasons for visiting the Danish island of Ærø—not least because it is a perfect place to get married. More on that in a future article here on Eurocheapo. Getting to Ærø by ferry Every island has its own special appeal, and for us Ærø ticks all the right boxes. It » Read more

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There are a dozen good reasons for visiting the Danish island of Ærø—not least because it is a perfect place to get married. More on that in a future article here on Eurocheapo.

Getting to Ærø by ferry

Every island has its own special appeal, and for us Ærø ticks all the right boxes. It is sufficiently far from the mainland and other islands to have a genuine sense of isolation. Yet with three year-round ferry routes connecting Ærø to the rest of Denmark, the island is easy to reach. The journey time on each of those three ferry links is much the same: about 70 to 75 minutes. So long enough to communicate a sense of distance, but no time-consuming voyage.

Island pleasures

That’s the thing about islands. It is all a matter of psychology. When God designed Ærø, he clearly had in mind that the islands’ residents should be forever reminded of their offshore status. For the roads twist and turn, run up and down, but it’s never long before you crest another summit to reveal a gorgeous view of the Baltic. The hilly nature of Ærø means that from higher ground you often catch sea views in every direction at once.

But the hills are not so steep as to defy keen cyclists. The island is small enough to cycle from one end to the other (and back) in a single day. The dense network of minor lanes is tailor-made for walkers. And visitors can hike from one village to another and then ride back in the comfort of the local bus. Bus services on Ærø are all completely free (yes, where did you last see that?).

Aero house

The island boasts a wonderful medley of colorful houses. Photo: © hidden europe

An island with ideas

Small island communities around Europe’s coast have often been wonderful incubators of innovation. And Ærø even more than most. This is an island with a buzz—a very good buzz. A keen maritime history has ensured that Ærø is outward-looking. It keeps in touch with wider trends. The island has been a leader in alternative energy and is now set to cut a dash in the slow food movement.

For after island adventures and recreation, visitors demand Ærø on a plate. A local champion for real local food on Ærø is Louise Badino (who has far more Ærø blood in her than the Italianate surname might imply). Louise describes herself as a “learning-by-doing” entrepreneur. She already has a niche in the Ærø marriage market but has latterly created the island’s first serious store for local produce. With a plum spot on the main square in the island’s ‘capital’ of Ærøskøbing, Louise’s shop is the obvious first stop for visitors wanting a bite of Ærø. “Buy local,” is Louise’s clarion call as she leads visitors to shelves laden with locally-brewed beer (made at Rise brewery on the island), tempting displays of Ærø mustard and honey, organic herbs and local lamb.

“Can we really say we are a community when most people go shopping at the local supermarket,” Louise asks. It’s a point we might all take on board as we travel. Supermarkets are soulless, impersonal places. If we are to breathe new life into our town squares, we need them to bustle with business, with energy and with enthusiasm.

Making a difference & where to stay

We ran across energy and enthusiasm aplenty in Ærø last week. It was there in the voices and faces of men like Erik Kroman who runs the marvellous maritime museum in Marstal. We saw it in the dedication of Maria and Steen Larsen who in 2006 “came from across the sea” (Maria’s nice way of describing their move from urban Denmark to the island of Ærø) to revive an inn called Vindeballe Kro in a great location in the very middle of the island. While Steen demonstrated the wonderful things that can be done with local Ærø beef, Maria told the tale of how the couple had shaped new lives on the island.

We discovered how Ærø’s own peculiar magic has a way of catching hold of incomers. When Susanna Greve moved to the island in 1974, she could barely have imagined that 40 years later she would still be on Ærø. Susanne now runs an extremely comfortable small hotel (called Pension Vestergade 44) in Ærøskøbing.

Island challenges

It is people like Susanna Greve, Louise Badino and Erik Kromann who are the life and soul of Ærø. And the island relies on dozens more like them. Ærø is exceptional—and very well deserving of a visit. And yet there is a sense in which Ærø is not exceptional. For the story of Ærø is replicated in dozens of island communities around Europe. It is the challenge of having loyalty to community, a sense of being rooted in a particular place and being able thrive locally in a global economy. Ærø just seems to have found particularly good solutions to that trinity of challenges.

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Faroe Islands: Exploring beyond Torshavn https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/exploring-the-faroe-islands.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/exploring-the-faroe-islands.html#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:22:46 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=29691 In the distance we saw a tiny island so inaccessible from the sea that no-one has ever lived there. And yet there is no-one in the Faroes who cannot tell a tale or two about Lítla Dímun, or its big sister Stóra Dímun which, contrary to all prevailing logic, is still inhabited. No regular ferry » Read more

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In the distance we saw a tiny island so inaccessible from the sea that no-one has ever lived there. And yet there is no-one in the Faroes who cannot tell a tale or two about Lítla Dímun, or its big sister Stóra Dímun which, contrary to all prevailing logic, is still inhabited. No regular ferry service ever goes to either Dímun, so the single family that farms on the larger of the two islands is utterly dependent on the helicopter which on three days each week buzzes down from the skies to bring post and provisions to this lonely outpost of Faroese life.

“When I was a lad, there must have been more than a dozen folk on Stóra Dímun,” explains a Faroese man who, like us, is watching from the deck of the boat. “But they’ve gone. Just as they are leaving Mykines. And Fugloy too.” And then the man was silent, and the last Dímun was swallowed up in the mist.

Nolsoy, Faroe islands

The harbour of Nólsoy, a village located half an hour by boat from Tórshavn. Photo © hidden europe

Life beyond Tórshavn

If you want to get to the heart of what it means to be Faroese, you have to get out of Tórshavn. The capital is a pretty enough place, to be sure. Indeed, there is probably no other European capital that comes close to matching Tórshavn for its homespun village-like charm. Unpretentious and sleepy Tórshavn with its lovely jumble of black-tarred cottages on rocky Tinganes, the promontory that juts out into the harbour, is a wonderful introduction to the Faroes.

But the soul of these islands lies elsewhere. Ask the men working on the dockside in Tórshavn where they come from, and they will tell you they are from Funningur or Kirkja, from Saksun or Sumba, all wee slips of places where grass grows on the roofs of long-abandoned barns, where the church is more often locked than open, and where each winter the snow drifts deep.

The Faroe Islands are an island group and archipelago situated approximately halfway between Norway and Iceland.

“I’ve not been back to Kirkja for over twenty years,” admitted one man from the remote northern island of Fugloy, evidently oblivious to the fact that the remote bygd where he was born and lived the first fifteen years of his life is only half an hour from Tórshavn by helicopter.

Faroese connections

Go to the Faroes. They are so easy to reach and it’s well worth it. At this time of year Smyril Line sails on Saturdays and Tuesdays from Hirtshals (Denmark) to Tórshavn. The crossing takes about 32 hours. Winter sailings are just once weekly and take up to 40 hours.

The Faroese airline Atlantic Airways flies year round from Copenhagen to Vágar (usually twice daily). This summer the airline is also offering twice-weekly flights from Bergen and London Gatwick to Vágar. The seasonal link from Norway operates until the end of August. The service from Britain runs till mid-September.

Once in the Faroes, make time to visit the smaller islands in the archipelago. The islands have well-integrated bus and ferry services that make it very easy to get around. For those in a rush, there is also the inter-island helicopter service run by Atlantic Airways.

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Copenhagen Nightlife: Where to dance and drink on the cheap https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-nightlife-where-to-dance-and-drink-on-the-cheap.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-nightlife-where-to-dance-and-drink-on-the-cheap.html#comments Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:57:36 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=8868 Like all other expenses in Copenhagen, a night out can really add up. In a city where a pint of beer can run $10, what’s a Cheapo to do? Flock to these affordable dancing and drinking spots, of course! Ideal Bar at VEGA Enghavevej 40, 1674 København One of the Copenhagen’s most high-profile clubs, VEGA » Read more

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Like all other expenses in Copenhagen, a night out can really add up. In a city where a pint of beer can run $10, what’s a Cheapo to do? Flock to these affordable dancing and drinking spots, of course!

Ideal Bar at VEGA
Enghavevej 40, 1674 København

One of the Copenhagen’s most high-profile clubs, VEGA is a mammoth complex of four lounges, bars, and music venues. While VEGA proper regularly hosts international superstars like Kylie Minogue, Moby, and Fatboy Slim (with the price tags to match), the more modest Ideal Bar has plenty of free events.

Stop by the Ideal Bar Wednesday through Saturday, when the lounge offers free admission to DJ sets and parties with different musical themes. Aside from the wonderful perk of free entrance, the spot offers an intimate, low-key vibe that you won’t find in VEGA’s other mega-clubs. Check the Ideal Bar’s calendar to see what’s playing when you’re in town. The lounge is closed Sunday through Tuesday.

Laurits Betjent
Ved Stranden 16, 1061 København K

If you’re looking for a young vibe and student-friendly prices, Laurits Betjent is a good bet. Located on Ved Stranden near the pedestrian-only Stroget, the club hosts a “17+” party every Thursday from 10 PM-5 AM. Entrance costs 60 DKK (about $11), and includes free beer and champagne. (Note that clubbers under 18 will only be served soda and Carlsberg 2.7% beer.)

On other nights of the week, Laurits Betjent offers a similarly cheap cover charge and Cheapo-friendly drinks. Complete with two dance floors and a foosball table, it’s a thoroughly fun place.

Andy’s Bar
Gothersgade 33, 1123 København K

Less scene-y and more retro, Andy’s Bar offers a pub-style atmosphere with cheap beer, to boot. Located near Rosenborg Slot, this watering hole is a favorite of musicians and artist types who congregate over glasses of cheap beer. The bar stays open till 5 AM.

Don’t miss Andy’s wonderfully faded exterior, which is a testament to the bar’s many years of operation.

Copenhagen Nightlife Tips

Make sure you know the age limit before you queue up for a club, as many venues set the bar at age 23.

Also, know that several clubs will require you to check your coat, which costs around $4.

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Copenhagen: 7 questions for our hotel reviewer, Sarah Silbert https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-questions-for-our-hotel-reviewer-sarah-silbert.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-questions-for-our-hotel-reviewer-sarah-silbert.html#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:05:25 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=6770 We were very pleased to update our Copenhagen hotel reviews yesterday, adding several new budget hotel picks, and refreshing our existing listings. Sarah Silbert, our “listings guru” in the New York office, visited Copenhagen last month to tackle the job. We sat down with her this morning to learn more about her trip. As a first-time » Read more

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We were very pleased to update our Copenhagen hotel reviews yesterday, adding several new budget hotel picks, and refreshing our existing listings. Sarah Silbert, our “listings guru” in the New York office, visited Copenhagen last month to tackle the job. We sat down with her this morning to learn more about her trip.

As a first-time visitor to Copenhagen, what did you find surprising about the city?

I didn’t think it would be so compact! All the main attractions are roughly in the same area, so it’s very easy to cover the city on foot.

Did you walk everywhere?

Nearly. I never needed to take public transportation, aside from getting into the city from the airport. I would have loved to rent a bike, but the weather was pretty miserable and rainy so I opted out.

Did you find Copenhagen easy to visit for budget travelers?

With a bit of effort, it can be. Hotel rates themselves are probably the biggest expense, though there are certainly deals to be had. Dining can be reasonably cheap if you forgo touristy restaurants (especially around Tivoli and Nyhavn) for meals at the pizza and kebab joints popular with the locals.

Mmmmm… Pizza and kebabs. Did you have any memorable meals?

In an effort to keep expenses down, I ate meal after meal of falafel schawarma sandwiches. With good reason, too—they’re delicious and cost around DKK 20 (about $4). After my last day of visiting hotels, however, I did splurge on some tasty Japanese fare at Kung Fu Izakaya Bar in Vesterbro.

You deserved it, after visiting dozens of hotels in the city. Which hotel was your favorite?

It’s a tough call, but the Avenue Hotel in Frederiksberg won me over with its lovely rooms and warm hospitality. Hotel Alexandra, which boasts guestrooms outfitted with the work of famed Danish designers, is a close second. However, these are just two of many hotels boasting sleek Danish design and central locations.

Where did you stay?

I stayed at the Absalon Hotel. I had booked a room at the Absalon Annex (which I reviewed), but upon arrival was upgraded to a room at the hotel’s three-star sister property.

Really? Did they know you were reviewing them?

No! Of course not. I told them during check out–and then asked to see a bunch of rooms!

Thanks for the great job, Sarah. To read her work, check out her Copenhagen hotel reviews and city guide articles.

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Copenhagen Freebie: The Little Mermaid beckons (with a fascinating history!) https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-freebie-the-little-mermaid-statue-beckons.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-freebie-the-little-mermaid-statue-beckons.html#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:38:36 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=6349 Today, I take off for a 20 day-trip to Europe. Aside from visits to Berlin, Helsinki, and Stockholm, I’ll be updating EuroCheapo’s Copenhagen guide. I’m really thrilled to visit this Scandinavian capital in Denmark. There are many reasons I’m excited to visit Copenhagen: the smorrebrod, the bicycling, the Danish design! But I’m particularly looking forward to stopping by the » Read more

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Today, I take off for a 20 day-trip to Europe. Aside from visits to Berlin, Helsinki, and Stockholm, I’ll be updating EuroCheapo’s Copenhagen guide. I’m really thrilled to visit this Scandinavian capital in Denmark.

There are many reasons I’m excited to visit Copenhagen: the smorrebrod, the bicycling, the Danish design! But I’m particularly looking forward to stopping by the Little Mermaid for a visit. The iconic statue is one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations, and, with a harbor-side location, it’s absolutely free.

The Little Mermaid: A brief history

It’s well known that the Little Mermaid is inspired this was years before Disney’s red-headed “The Little Mermaid” was released!)

The poor Mermaid’s head was sawed off on April 24, 1964 by artists affiliated with the revolutionary Situationist movement.

On September 11, 2003, the Little Mermaid was blasted off her rock, apparently with dynamite.

On March 3, 2007, the statue was yet again covered in paint—this time pink.

The statue was found draped in a Muslim dress and hijab on May 20, 2008.

The Little Mermaid has had company since September, 2006. A “genetically modified” version of the statue was created as part of the sculpture group Genetically Modified Paradise and sits just a few hundred meters away from the original.

The Little Mermaid seems to be sitting safe and pretty for now, but she will be making waves in China in 2010, when she travels to the World EXPO in Shanghai.

Getting there: How close can you get?

The statue is located in the Copenhagen harbor at Langelinie 1. Take Bus 26 to Langelinie.

I’m all set to sidle up to the statue for a snapshot. So Cheapos, how close do you think I can get to the Little Mermaid? Tom said I should pack a swimsuit if I really want to get a photo right next to her. I’m not sure I’m ready to brave the water with the cold Copenhagen temperatures, so perhaps I’ll have to settle for some tricky camera angles!

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Roskilde, Denmark: Small is beautiful https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/hidden-europe-small-is-beautiful.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/hidden-europe-small-is-beautiful.html#respond Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:06:33 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=3302 “Better Zamosc than Warsaw,” says our Polish friend, as she advises first-time visitors to her home country where they might profitably spend their first day or two. And it’s a perspective that we much applaud. “Better Bruges than Brussels. Better Roskilde than Copenhagen.” Capital cities have their charms, but also their limitations. Does America really » Read more

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“Better Zamosc than Warsaw,” says our Polish friend, as she advises first-time visitors to her home country where they might profitably spend their first day or two. And it’s a perspective that we much applaud. “Better Bruges than Brussels. Better Roskilde than Copenhagen.”

Capital cities have their charms, but also their limitations. Does America really reveal its soul in Washington or might one more properly feel the pulse of the nation in a smaller city? So, too, in Europe.

Rock around Roskilde

Of course Copenhagen is a very fine city, but nearby Roskilde, which is merely twenty-five minutes from the capital by fast train, somehow reveals more about Denmark. The name Roskilde should ring a bell, for every year the fjord-side city hosts one of Europe’s premier open air rock festivals. Yet, Roskilde deserves a visit for more than its festival.

The Roskilde cathedral and palace. Photo by hidden europe.

The Roskilde cathedral and palace. Photo by hidden europe.

The town’s stunning brick cathedral is a twelfth-century gem, recognized by UNESCO as deserving inclusion on its World Heritage List. Throw in a beautiful baroque palace, a fabulous museum of Viking boats salvaged from the muddy waters of Roskilde Fjord, and a rural hinterland of sleepy villages that ooze history and you have a place that could well cut a dash in the tourism premier league.

But the canny Danish know a good thing, and Roskilde remains (apart from during the festival week) a city that, while feted by the locals, is no big puller on the tourist circuit.

Spring flowers, fjord-side walks and bike rides, and a galaxy of good cafés (with a micro-brewery or two for good measure) combine to make Roskilde seem like the most relaxed place on earth. The 2009 festival runs from July 2-5, but the all-inclusive festival ticket gives access to the campground from Sunday June 28– a chance to catch the musical warm-up but also to see something of Roskilde and its region.

Capital Conundrum

Avoiding capital cities makes sound economic sense, but also gives a better insight into what a country is really like. And to catch the feel of trends in European art and culture, capital cities are sometimes not the best place to start.

Hip Glasgow knocks spots off staid Edinburgh. And take, for example, historical movements like art nouveau. As so often with new departures, it was a movement fostered in the periphery rather than in great capital cities. Towns like Nancy, Weimar, and Glasgow boast some of the finest art nouveau around.

And what of Zamosc? Well no art nouveau, but simply Poland at its best. Just as Roskilde is Denmark, pure and simple.

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Copenhagen Cheap Eats: Street food, coffee, and Danish national cuisine https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-cheap-eat-street-food-coffee-and-danish-national-cuisine.html https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/copenhagen-cheap-eat-street-food-coffee-and-danish-national-cuisine.html#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:01:57 +0000 http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/?p=2638 Copenhagen has for years been a top-notch gourmet capital in Northern Europe with high priced, multi-Michelin starred restaurants rising up as fast as you can say, “The Little Mermaid.” But, the bills at these places can be staggering, often more than €150-200 for a meal. Cheapo-gourmets have no fear. Here are a few local secrets – and budget eats – to » Read more

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Copenhagen has for years been a top-notch gourmet capital in Northern Europe with high priced, multi-Michelin starred restaurants rising up as fast as you can say, “The Little Mermaid.” But, the bills at these places can be staggering, often more than €150-200 for a meal.

Cheapo-gourmets have no fear. Here are a few local secrets – and budget eats – to keep you satiated:

Hit the streets!

A new concept has literally ‘hit the streets’ of Copenhagen: mobile street food. Several bikes and mopeds today circuit the busiest thoroughfares offering affordable and satisfying food. A local favorite is “fish-to-go,” run by French chef Bernard Chesneau. Here you’ll find delicious and homemade seafood dishes, served and prepared out of his own camper.

If you get it to-go: Try the tasty fish cakes with tartar sauce  (1 for €2.75, €3 for €6.75) or the fish of the day (€8). Fish to-go is open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM.

National cuisine – for less!

While you’re eating your way through Copenhagen why not stop for some Danish national cuisine? Small businesses are scattered around Copenhagen selling smørrebrød (open-faced rye-bread sandwiches), at varying prices. Expect to spend  12 to 30 kroners (€.60 to €4), depending on which take-away joint you pick.

For good value, I recommend the traditional Frederiksberg Smørrebrød, on Gl. Kongevej. Ask for a “stjerneskud”: two fried fish topped with lettuce, mayo, shrimp and caviar (€5) or the “tatar”: raw minced beef with capers, onions, horseradish, and a raw egg yolk (€7).

Coffee on-the-go!

The Danes are among the most coffee-coveting people in the world, and wandering around our pretty streets you’ll notice one café after the other. Though prices in City (Midtown) can get as high as 52 kroner (€7) for a latte, cheap gourmet coffee is available nearby.

Try Ole Skram, or “the espressoman,” as he calls himself. He has equipped his personal bicycle with a gas-driven espresso machine and rides the streets of City each day selling low-priced gourmet coffee. You can typically track him down around Nørreport station, Østerport Station, and along Strøget. He charges around 20 kroners (€2.50) for a latte.

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