10 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track in Copenhagen

Opening the door to A.C. Perch’s Teashop (Thehandel) is like stepping into a time pocket where the first thing you notice is the scent of tea. Here, in the small, quaint shop, you will find rows of golden tea caddies on the shelves on the back wall, and the staff will be happy to offer expert advice as they weigh the tea on old-fashioned brass scales with weights.

The location of the shop, right in the middle of Copenhagen on a side street to Købmagergade, makes it a great choice to visit while shopping on Strøget. This way, you can also visit the tea salon across from the shop and sample a cup of tea with a finger sandwich or a scone before you decide.

Vestvolden is a former defensive structure, which stretches like a green wedge west of Copenhagen. Here you can go on a bike ride and explore the military structures. Even the locals don’t always know that the Copenhagen portion of the rampart starts in Utterslev Mose in the Nordvest district, just 4.5 miles from the City Hall Square.

The green area along the rampart continues for 8.75 miles to Avedøre to the south, and you can hike, run or bike alongside the paved rampart or use the path on the actual structure. Bring a picnic basket if the weather is nice, and enjoy lunch on the grass by the rampart along the way. If you are into history, it is also possible to explore the old military buildings.

Deep below the green plains of Søndermarken, you can find the Cisterns, an underground world with dripstones, colonnades and damp darkness. Here in Frederiksberg, near Valby Bakke, is the former water reservoir, which supplied drinking water to the citizens of the capital city for years.

Today, the Cisterns are an exhibition site for contemporary art, and you can go under ground to explore the art in the dimly lit environment, where you will also find numerous dripstones formed by the water. Let yourself be drawn into this special universe where the art exhibitions are inspired by the damp surroundings.

Even though The National Library Garden (Kongelige Biblioteks Have) is smack in the middle of Copenhagen, very few people know of this symmetrical garden, with paths and a basin with a water sculpture in its centre. This green oasis can be found behind Christiansborg at Slotsholmen, and at times, you might even be completely alone. You could even bump into a member of the Danish parliament or two while on a break. If you’ve seen the TV series Borgen, then you have certainly seen Birgitte Nyborg meet with political opponents here.

Sit down on a bench, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, and listen to the splashing of the water. The basin is a remnant of a time when there was a port at this site, namely Christian IV’s naval port, Tøjhushavnen.

Even though it is a cemetery, Assistens Cemetery (Assistens Kirkegård) is also many other things: a park, a getaway and a quiet oasis in the middle of a bustling city. Right in Inner Nørrebro, 20 minutes’ walk from Nørreport in the centre, you can find this green spot, which is an important part of local life.

Join the numerous Copenhageners who are out walking or biking through the cemetery, whether on their way to a destination or just out for a walk with the pram or taking a break on a bench or on the grass. The avenue, with its row of poplar trees, is beautiful in any season. Down the small paths, you can find gravestones of famous people like Natasja Saad, Søren Kierkegaard and Dan Turèll.

Even though it may seem very touristy, a traditional canal tour is actually a beautiful and fun way to experience or re-experience Copenhagen from the water. Get in a boat, either at Ved Stranden, Holmens Kirke or Nyhavn in the city centre, where you can find different canal tour operators. You are welcome to bring drinks on board, so grab a cup of coffee or a beer for the trip, which takes about an hour.

If your passion is to explore the charming canals on your own, it is also possible to rent small boats and kayaks.

Folketeatret is one of Denmark’s oldest theatres, and you can find it on Nørregade, near Nørreport Station. Back when the theatre was founded, only comedies, operettas and melodramas were allowed, as The Royal Theatre (Det Kongelige Teater) had a monopoly on drama. Today, there is greater artistic freedom, but the theatre maintains its popular approach to the art form and aims to present popular theatre in the truest meaning of the word.

The impressive entrance with its gold-painted canopy attracts attention from the street. Meanwhile, inside, in the beautiful, renovated foyer, the split staircase leads up to three stages, one of which is reserved for theatre for younger audiences.

Grundtvig’s Church (Grundtvigs Kirke) towers high above the surrounding area from its perch on Bispebjerg, one of the largest hills in the Danish capital. Even from afar, you can see the impressive organ-like tower, with its three segments, built from bright, yellow stones. The church was built to commemorate the priest, poet and political figure N.F.S. Grundtvig in the Nordvest district, 3 miles from the centre of Copenhagen. The interior of the church is also very special, with its gothic inspiration and impressive central arch, which extends 72 feet above the floor and is held in place by massive brick columns, each composed of around 30,000 stones.

This is why every year architecture students from all over the world come to visit, and Danish masonry students often drop by to take a closer look at the brick structure.

Superkilen is a modern park built by the artist group Superflex, drawing inspiration from the local population, which spans more than 50 nationalities. The first section of the park is Den Røde Plads, which borders Nørrebrogade in Outer Nørrebro, about half an hour’s walk from Nørreport. Red is the dominant colour here, and you can find benches, play areas and access to a library and sports facility.

Adjacent to this, you can find Den Sorte Plads, which is popular among Instagram users with its Moroccan fountain and stone chess tables, followed by Den Grønne Park. Across the entire park, you will find 99 objects from 59 countries, which are either copied or brought to Nørrebro from the countries of origin. For example, there are neon signs, murals and rubbish bins.

The Hirschsprung Collection (Hirschsprungske Samling) is perhaps one of Copenhagen’s lesser known museums, standing somewhat in the shadow of its neighbour, The National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum for Kunst), which is also in Øster Anlæg close to Nørreport. Nonetheless, in the intimate rooms of this classic building, you can find Danish art from the 19th and early 20th century, including some of the most important female artists, such as Anna Ancher, Agnes Slott-Møller, Marie Krøyer and other Skagen Painters.

P.S. Krøyer was a friend of the Hirschsprung family, and similarly, Heinrich Hirschprung acted as patron for a number of other contemporary artists.