COPENHAGEN WEEKEND — OFF SEASON WITH KIDS
Sitting pretty on the seaside in her pastels, the city of Copenhagen has been calling my name for a long time. Click on read more for photos of our weekend and tips for the amazing restaurants we discovered…
Copenhagen’s a classic story: too close, yet too far away to make a visit. It’s a 7 hour drive by car from Stockholm, 5 1/2 hour train ride and 1 1/4 hour flight. Finally, with a long weekend in November free, we made it. I was a little hesitant about what to expect for the kids. I learned that Tivoli, their famous amusement park, would be closed that weekend and the weather forecast was nothing but rain.
It seemed other than Tivoli, Lego, and one restaurant, I was the only family member with a wish list and who was full of anticipation. With: 1. Danish design and furniture 2. Danish clothing design 3. Danish food, as my guiding lights, I decided to take the daring leap, find Henry’s Dog Passport, book a hotel and prepared us for a Copenhagen visit.
2. The Little Mermaid turns 100 this year.
3. Shopping: Strøget is one of the world’s longest shopping streets and has interesting cross streets with small boutiques, as well as department stores: Illium and Magasinet High street and handicraft are at home with one another in Copenhagen with Marc Jacobs, Celine, Marlene Birger, side by side with Lego + Sostrene Grenes. The city’s such a strolling city which took the pressure off with kids. Strøget, which I’ve read is the longest pedestrian street in the world, is an easy starting point. Although, we found a little more grit and graffiti than Stockholm, the city felt like it was bursting with creativity and creation. Here were a few favorites:
Sostrene Grenes: House wears, party and pretty little things
Gronlykke: Interiors and Fabrics
Stilleben
Tage Andersen: Must see Flowers:
Clothing: Marlene Birger (click here) + Honky Dory (click here) *
Lego Store
My food experience up until the weekend, had been Danish bread (click here) ; home deliveries of organic vegetables from Danish entrepreneur called Årstiderna who were the first of their kind in Sweden; and then, of course, reading about Noma, Copenhagen’s internationally acclaimed restaurant with influence beyond it’s borders (and a 3 month waiting list.) All of this was evident when we arrived. It felt as though every, single, restaurant we visited was organic and thinking beyond it’s boundaries. By luck and chance, we happened upon a newly converted area of the city (former meat packing district) with 3 amazing and different restaurants and were also tipped off to two amazing and charming brunch locations (all listed below.)
Kalaset: Kitchy setting with an extrodinary breakfast. Everything from my humble yogurt and granola to the pancakes were simply divine. It’s billed as Swedish but had American classic.
Mother: Fire Roasted pizzas and relaxed Italian kitchen in the very cool meat packing district. Fresh ingredients flown in from Italy daily. Each of our pizzas were an experience on their own. Incredibly fresh variations on timeless favorite food. Call ahead for reservation. Family friendly.
Mio Bio: Family friendly, entirely organic restaurant are vegetable-loaded, simple and tasty.
Fiskebaren: Fish and seafood. Although relaxed, the atmosphere is more grown up less interesting for kids.
Kronborg Castle (the Hamlet Castle) just north of Copenhagen in Elsinore, is known around the world as Hamlet’s Castle.
Copenhagen’s Museums (click here) If your are interested in Museums in Copenhagen, click on this link. I could post about this separately and will only add that if you have a chance to go out to Lousiana Museum is such a favourite spot and such a wonderful modern art collection, I could go there every day! It’s so special and we all agree!
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