On a budget
Press Information
August 2008
Copenhagen on a Budget
Copenhagen is not nearly as expensive as its reputation would have you believe. You have several possibilities if you are visiting on a budget, or simply want the best value for money. Here is a brief run down of what's available in the city:
Free or cheap transport in the city
When you first arrive to Copenhagen, you can take the quick rail link from the airport to the city centre for
just DKK 30.
Other options are to walk around the very 'walkable' Copenhagen, or use the City Bikes, available to borrow for a DKK 20 deposit at bike 'corrals' around the city between April and November. Alternatively, you can rent a bicycle from several bike shops in the town for around DKK 75 per day. There is even a cheap alternative if you want to take a canal tour around the historic heart of the city. A tour with Netto Boats costs just DK 30 but takes in the same sights as the more expensive tour.
The Copenhagen Card = CPHCard
This card gives you free travel by Metro, bus and train in the greater Copenhagen area, and free entry to over 60 museums and attractions. You also get discounts on ferries to Sweden, and discounts on car hire. Copenhagen Cards can be valid for either 24 or 72 hours and can be purchased at travel agents, hotels, main railway stations and the CPH Right Now, Copenhagen Tourist Information accross from Tivoli.
Museums with free admission:
are The National Museum, where you can learn about the history of Denmark for 10.000 years starting with archaeological finds and items, followed by interiors, furnishing, clothing, and religious art up through the centuries. In July, August and September there are tours in English on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 11am and free of charge. In May 2008 the permanent exhibition of Danish Prehistory reopened in a new, modern design - an absolute ‘must see'.
The Open Air Museum in Lyngby, showing characteristic farmhouses from all over the country, The Museum of Danish Resistance, about civilian resistance during the Second World War and The National Gallery (Statens Museum for Kunst), which shows Danish and foreign art dating from the 14th century to the present day. There is also the unique David's Samling - a collection of art and furniture from Europe and the Islamic world (Closed for refurbishment until May 2009) and the Georg Jensen Museum, where you can view the works of the famous silversmith.
Museums - free one day a week:
Furthermore a great many of Copenhagen's museums offer free admission at least one day a week. Wednesday is the best day to plan a tour of museums as many of the city's finest charge no entry fee. The Tøjhusmuseet is the Royal Danish Arsenal, packed with guns and weapons from the 15th century onwards; the Hirschsprungske Collection featuring Danish paintings and sculpture from the Nineteenth century; the Thorvaldsen Museum, with the work of Denmark's greatest sculptor and one of the city's finest art collections. Finally the Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket, features an extraordinary collection of sculpture and French art from the 18th and 19th centuries and opens its doors for free on Sundays, but there will be a charge of DKK 85 when special guest exhibitions are shown
A quiet corner - in a park or a church
You can, of course, always enjoy the many parks - Frederiksberg Have (Frederiksberg Garden), Østre Anlæg, Ørstedsparken, the Botanic Garden, Fælledparken with its outdoor pavilion cafe and wide open spaces, or Kongens Have (Rosenborg Castle) in the centre of town. But as a curious alternative you could also visit the historic Assistens Cementary, where you can see the graves of famous Danes like the fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen, philosopher Søren Kierkegård, and the Danish nuclear physicist Niels Bohr. During summer the inhabitants of Nørrebro use the cemetery as a park - find their way to a quiet corner in the shade of one of the many rare species of trees.
Other experiences for free, are the Changing of the Guards at Amalienborg at noon everyday, or a stroll to historical cathedrals like Our Lady´s Church Cathedral, built in neoclassical style (1829); Church of Holmen - church for the Royal Danish Navy (1619); the Romanesque Baroque Marble Church (1749-1894); Our Saviours Church, a baroque church with external tower staircase (1696) or Christians Church in Rococo style (1755-59).
Other options are the Christiansborg Castle (Folketinget), which houses the Danish Parliament, and not to forget, one of the most famous sights in the city, The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue), is also free.
Entertainment
The Copenhagen Jazz festival has international reputation for attracting some of the finest jazz musicians in the world. It takes place over ten days at the beginning of July and the majority of the 850 performances are free. The festival fills just about every indoor and outdoor venue in the city, so you need only amble around the city centre and follow your ears, or the crowds, to find them.
In Copenhagen's parks you find free open air concerts, and with just the entrance fee, you can experience the Tivoli Gardens' Friday Night Rock shows. Throughout the summer special guest stars like Sting, Phil Collins and the Beach Boys can also be seen playing on Tivoli's main outdoor stage, Plænen - again all for the admission price of DKK 85.
For classical performances, several of the city's historic churches hold occasional free concerts, while the beginning of August sees free open air performances by the Royal Danish Ballet in Kastellet, and the Royal Danish Opera in Fælledparken near the national stadion.
Bakken Amusement park is situated in very beautiful surroundings with the deer park around it, only a short train ride north along the Øresund coast. Bakken has free entrance all season, which lasts from April to August, but you have to pay for the rides. Bakken is the world´s oldest amusement park and has a wide range of traditional fun fair amusements and family shows.
Shopping
Cheap shopping you find at The Pisserenden area of town, just beside Strøget. Here it is great for second hand records and cool clothes, while Ravnsborggade at Nørrebro is a hot tip if you are after antiques. For new clothes and everyday items Vesterbrogade or Nørrebrogade are recommended. Another money saver is the many factory outlets selling seconds and samples.
At Langelinie, the harbour promenade quay, you will find several outlets side by side. Diesel, Noa Noa, HH Helly Hansen, Kappa, Levi’s, Jackpot Cottonfield and Samsøe Samsøe.
Dining Out
Copenhagen has some of the finest restaurants in Northern Europe, but that doesn't mean that McDonald's is the only option for a cheap fill-up. Why not try a traditional Danish hot dog, or "pølser", sold from little mobile kiosks throughout the city? Alternatively, there's the world famous Danish open sandwiches, 'smørrebrød', available through specialist shops, mostly open only at lunch time.
2 x Riz Raz one in Kompagnistræde and the other in St.Kannikestræde offer buffet at reasonable prices. Even more 'alternatively', the radical hippy commune, Christiania, has a couple of excellent cafes and restaurants - for instance, you can sample delicious vegetarian curries for around DKK 70 at Morgenstedet.
Another group of restaurants that have become immensely popular started off with the Cofoco Restaurant (short for Copenhagen Food Company) and now consists of four restaurants. At restaurants Cofoco and Les Trois Cochons you can order a three course meal for DKK 275, at Auberge, a deluxe version of a three to six course menu for DKK 275 - 500. Vespa recently opened and is Cofoco's first restaurant in the city. They serve a five course meal of Mediterranean cuisine every Friday and Saturday that costs DKK 300, with a 50 crown discount Monday through Thursday. Finally there is the "break-away" Madklubben where the three course menu is offered at DKK 200. In July 2008 the people behind the popular restaurant Madklubben opened their second restaurant and named it quite naturally, Den Anden (The Second One). A modern rendition of a Parisian bistro deluxe.
Two tourist services, Meet the Danes and Dine With The Danes, offer to learn more about Denmark and sample some of the local cuisine. By booking with them and paying a fee you will be matched with a suitable local 'host' for a 'hyggelig' (a special kind of Danish cosiness) evening's dining and conversation
Accommodation
The cheapest way to stay in Copenhagen is at one of the city's five main camp sites: Absalon in Rødovre, Bellahøj in the north west of the city, Charlottenlund Strandpark, which is very picturesque, beside the sea to the north of the city, Nærum Camping in Nærum or Tangloppen in Ishøj.
If you are visiting during winter, you may prefer a sleep-in or hostel.
A five-star youth hostel opened in May 2005, on the Copenhagen waterfront, in a high-rise building overlooking the harbour. It is the largest city youth hostel in Europe with total of 1020 beds. There are family rooms and dormitories with prices starting at DKK 120 per bed in 8-6-4 bed rooms, DKK 60 for bedlinnen and DKK 47 for breakfast. It is called Danhostel Copenhagen City, and the interior designing was given to GUBI, who has been in charge of the furnishing and decoration.
Copenhagen has an additional five youth hostels: The most recent one, Copenhagen Downtown, from May 2008, is located on a small square just a few minutes from the pedestrian street, Strøget.
Wakeup Copenhagen, a modern hotel alternative for the price-conscious guest will open towards the end of 2010 with 510 less generously sized but practically decorated rooms. The hotel will become 100% non-smoking and include allergy-friendly rooms with wooden floors and connecting rooms. The ambition is to build a hotel which can match many 3 and 4 starts hotels in Copenhagen in terms of concept and comfort but at affordable 2 star rates.
There is a four-star one in the suburb of Ishøj, two three-star Danhostels, on Amager and in Brønshøj, and the Lyngby-Tårbæk Vandrerhjem, in Lyngby.
The sleep-ins are the City Public Hostel Vesterbro Ungdomsgård, Sleep-in-Fact at Vesterbro, and Sleep-in Heaven on Nørrebro. Prices are typically DK130 per night for a bed in a dorm-style room and free bath. .
Are you interested in private accommodation, the Tourist Information, CPH Right Now across from Tivoli, has approximately 140 private homes in their files. Here you can also get information about the best prices of the day suitable to your wishes. Beforehand bookings can be done via the on-line booking
Average prices
- Have a beer for around DKK 30-35 (USD 5.50/EUR 4.75)
- Have a coffee for around DKK 25-30 (USD 5.00/EUR 3.36 )
- Grab a sandwich for around DKK 40 (USD 8.00/EUR 5.40)
- Take a bus across the city for for DKK 20 (USD 4.00/EUR 2.70)
- Transfer by train from the airport to the city centre DKK 30.00 (USD 6.00/EUR 4.
- Visit a nightclub for DKK 75 (USD 11.00/EUR 10.00)
- Stay in a three/four star hotel for an average price of DKK 1,000-1,700 (USD 160-270/EUR 130-230) for a double
room, including VAT, taxes and breakfast.
- Private Accommodation. Average prices pr. room/night including bed linen, towel, VAT and service are: Doubles
DKK 320 - 400 (USD 60.00/ EUR 50.00)
NB: Walk-in booking fee of DKK 100 (USD 16.00/EUR 13.50) per reservation.
Mentioned in this press information:
Transportation
|
City Bikes |
Netto Boats (canal) |
Dining Out
|
Morgenstedet |
Meet the Danes |
|
Dine With The Danes |
|
|
RizRaz |
RizRaz |
|
Cofoco |
Les Trois Cochons |
|
Madklubben |
Vespa |
Cemetery and Churches
|
Assistens Kirkegård(Cemetry) |
Marmorkirken (Marble Church) |
|
Vor Frue Kirke (Our Lady´s Church Cathedral) |
Vor frelser Kirke (Our Saviour's Church) |
|
Holmens Kirke (Church of Holmen) |
Christians Kirke (Christian's Church) |
Others Sights mentioned
|
Den Lille Havfrue (Little Mermaid) |
Christiansborg Slot (Castle) |
|
Kastellet at Langelinie |
Bakken (Amusement Park) |
Accommodation
|
Absalon Camping |
CPH Right Now – Tourist Information |
|
Charlottenlund Strandpark Campingplads |
Bellahøj Camping |
|
FDM Camping Tangloppen |
Nærum Camping |
|
Danhostel Copenhagen Amager |
Danhostel – Lyngby-Tårbæk Vandrehjem |
|
Danhostel Copenhagen Downtown |
Danhostel Copenhagen City***** |
|
City Public Hostel Vesterbro Ungdomgård |
Danhostel Copenhagen Brønshøj |
|
Sleep-in Heaven |
Sleep-In Fact |
|
Zleep Hotel ** |
Cab Inn Scandinavia Hotel *** |
|
Cab Inn Copenhagen Express Hotel *** |
Cab Inn City Hotel *** |
|
Ishøj Strand Vandrerhjem***** |
Wakeup Copenhagen |
Campsites in greater Copenhagen: www.visitcopenhagen.com/show.asp?id=55
Youth Hostels in greater Copenhagen: www.visitcopenhagen.com/show.asp?id=56
Factory Outlet
|
Langelinie |
CPHCard
Prices 1/4 2008 - 1/4 2009
|
Valid for: |
Adults |
Children |
|
24 hours |
DKK 199 |
DKK 129 |
|
72 hours |
DKK 429 |
DKK 249 |
CPHCard is available for adults (over 16 years) and Children (10-15 years incl.). Up to 2 children under the age of 9 are allowed free with each adult card. Cards valid for 24 and 72 hours are available.
