Sea View Hangouts
Press Feature
April 2008
Summer in the City:
Sea View Hangouts in Copenhagen
Copenhageners know how to appreciate their city's seaside location. When the sun shines they make the most of the sea as a host of cafes, bars and swimming pools open for the summer.
Copenhagen owes its existence to the sea that surrounds it. It began life as a fishing village, grew as a coastal defence fortress and flourished on the sea trade and herring that passed by. These days Copenhageners don't need the water quite so much, but they enjoy it all the more, especially when the city's waterfront cafes, bars and bathing areas open for the season.
Summer in this city has never been so hot, with several groovy ‘beach' bars setting up beside the harbour and canals every summer. Here, as the sun sets, you can recline in a comfy deck chair with a long, cool drink to hand, breathe in the mouth watering aromas from the barbeque, gaze up at the palm trees, wriggle your toes in the sand and relax to live DJ grooves. And yes, you are still in Copenhagen! A beforehand check by phone is always a good idea, before you venture to these places, as weather conditions and a possible private party may close them down for an evening.
In 2007 the summer bar Docken opened with a capacity for 2.500 people in the former industrial harbour area at the end of Kalkbrænderihavnen bordering the Øresund Coast, passing the Oslo Ferry and the Paustian Furniture building. When the sun is out: sandwiches, drinks and lots of partying, concerts and other cultural activities, the launch party will be the football match Denmark/Sweden on big screen.
Holmen
Behind the Opera House is a floating café, the Kontiki Bar, aboard the former ferry Ellen open all year and has a brunch buffet every weekend in the summer months.
Further east in Holmen, across the harbour from Langelinie and the Little Mermaid, is Halvandet. Opened April 2007 as a new activity centre with Kayak Polo, Water Gladiator, BungeeRun, Human Football and Sumo Wrestling, just the place for a fun get-together, teambuilding or just plain hanging out. A 400 square meter lounge terrace winds its way along the bar seating 120. The season ends 30 September.
Harbour Pools
Harbour swimming baths shoot up everywhere in Copenhagen's city centre, which is great news for tourists. This summer they will have two open air baths in the harbour to choose from, both with sandy beaches, child friendly pools and sports activities.
The opening of the first harbour bath Havnebadet in the upcoming Islands Brygge area, opposite the Danhostel City by Langebro Bridge, caused great excitement. Thousands of tourists and Copenhageners flocked to the clean and spacious pool throughout the summer.
In 2005 a second pool Copencabana, also centrally located, was opened in Vesterbro, beside the Fisketorvet Shopping Centre (so named, because this was once the site of the city's fish market). Visitors can relax in a deck chair on a sandy beach or take part in beach volley ball games and other sports activities. The harbour pools are just part of a major revitalisation that has taken place along Copenhagen's harbour front in recent years that has also seen cultural institutions, hotels, shopping centres and private residences being developed beside the water.
The harbour baths open in the beginning of June and the season continues until late August or the first days of September. Islands Brygge offers three different pools: a swimming pool, a children's pool and a diving pool - something for all ages. Both baths open daily from 11 am to 7 pm
The water used in these two new baths is as clean as the bathing water on the Øresund's coast, which is why it has now been possible to make these baths in the city centre. It is 50 years since the last similar bathing place in the harbour had to close because the quality of water in the harbour was deemed too poor. However, major investment in Copenhagen's sewage and drainage systems has greatly improved water quality to the extent where the water is as clean in the city centre as it is at the beaches outside of Copenhagen.
On Islands Brygge you'll also find Bryggens Spisehus, a local culture house, with local atmosphere and reasonable prices. It is located right on the harbour front, where you can sit and watch the sun go down over the city.
Also on Islands Brygge is Aristo Café and Restaurant with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the harbour and a minimalistic interior design has a pleasant French inspired cuisine and exquisite wines on the menu.
Amager Strandpark
In August 2005 Copenhagen saw a completely new beach area on the island of Amager less than five kilometres from the City Hall Square. One million cubic meters of sand have been brought to the old beach pushing the coastline further into the water, which means better bathing conditions. The expenses have surpassed DKK 200 million, but Copenhageners will now have a new playground with cafés, clubs and many sports facilities.
It is a 4,6 kilometer long bathing beach divided into two parts. The beach on the mainland running along the road of Amager Strandvej and a two kilometer long island, which is connected to the mainland with three bridges. From the island there is a nice view of the Swedish coast, the touchstone and the Oresund Bridge. In September 2007 the new Metro line will bring you practically all the way, until then, you can go by bus number 12 from Copenhagen Airport or from the bus terminal at the City Hall.
During the summer of 2007 two new activities are added:
"The Sea Witch", an artificial, underwater landscape for divers consisting of stone reefs, large granite boulders and gravel, where aquatic plants eventually will fasten and give the right illusion for the sports divers. Copenhagen Cablepark: a complete water-ski and wakeboarding cableway, built for tough riders as well as for everyone seeking fun on the water. Six corners and four obstacles in 1.15 minute!
Kastrup Sea Bath
...in Danish: Kastrup Søbad is situated between Amager Strandpark, mentioned above, and the Copenhagen Airport. It is open from the beginning of June to Mid September and admission is free. The sea bath has a wooden bridge leading ab. 100 meters to the open, round construction, which was designed by Architects from the White Group.
City Centre
Conran now in Copenhagen
Directly on the waterfront, in what used to be a hydrofoil-boat-terminal, a new restaurant palace with three restaurants, two bars, a delicatessen and a bakery will open in late November. The building dates back to 1937 and is built in a distinct functionalistic 'jazz-modern' style. This will be a gastronomic lifestyle temple of the kind that Sir Terence Conran has opened quite a number in London since the 1990's. Custom House at Havnegade 44 will consist of: Ebiso - Japanese grill and sushi bar, Bacino - Italian fine restaurant and Bar & Grill, all European, modern Conran brasserie, with brunch, burger and bouillabaisse, but also Danish/Scandinavian inspiration on the menu. From May tables will be moved outdoors and meals can be enjoyed in open air.
Restaurant Viva is located aboard a ship moored opposite the Black Diamond. Viva's chef Paulo Guimaraes is renowned for his creativity and though Viva majors on shellfish, his lengthy tapas-style menu has something to tempt everyone and Viva is open all year-round.
In the summer of 2009 Denmark will open its first floating hotel. CPH Living will be moored close to Restaurant Viva, and is a combination of apartments and hotel.
Klods Hans and Ole Lukøje, the Canaltour Boats, are used for a floating candle light meal. Twice in May, once in June and once in August they sail from Nyhavn at 7 pm. While silently gliding past the harbour front sights, you are served a 2 course supper. From 13. April to 14 December Canaltours offers Live Jazz on Sundays and from 5 June to 28 August on Thursdays.
Another company arranging lunch and dinner cruises owns Saqa Queen, a sailing restaurant, where guests can enjoy both a gastronomic and maritime experience while sailing through the Copenhagen Harbour.
Flakfortet, Middelgrunden and Trekroner Fortresses
You will need to have your sea legs about you if you fancy a meal at Restaurant Flakfortet and on the other artificial island: Middelgrunden. You sail with a Spar Shipping ferry from Nyhavn. Indoors are rooms with vaulted ceilings, candlelight and fine paintings, outdoors a pavilion with room for 350. Grill buffets and traditional lunch menus. Trekroner is reachable with the barge-like Canal Tour boats that have a hop-on-hop-off service all summer long (May-Sept).
How to get around
And if you are wondering how you are going to get to see all these fantastic venues, don't worry. You are never short of a ride on Copenhagen's waterways with two sightseeing boat companies operating annually from the end of March until the end of October (board at Nyhavn or Gammel Strand), as well as the yellow hop-on, hop-off Havnebus (harbour bus) service, a hop-on, hop-off Vandbus (water bus) and an imminent harbour taxi service, all competing for your fare. Failing that, you could always rent a boat from Christianshavn's Bådudlejning (boat rental) and row your own way round the waterways of Copenhagen.
Mentioned in this press release:
Holmen and Amager
Kontiki Bar
www.kontikibar.dk |
Halvandet |
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Kastrup Søbad |
Restaurant Viva
http://www.restaurantviva.comKaj |
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Opera House Restaurant |
Docken |
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CPH Living |
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Others:
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Aristo |
Custom House at Havnegade 44 |
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Bryggens Spisehus |
Restaurant Flakfortet |
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Restaurant Middelgrundfortet |
Harbour Pools:
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Havnebade(harbour bathing) |
Copencabana Havnebadet |
Transportation:
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Havnebusserne Nos. 901 and 902 |
DFDS Canal Tours
www.canaltours.dk & www.sejlogspis.dk |
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Netto Boats Havnerundfart |
Spar Shipping
http://www.sparshipping.dkTel |
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Copenhagen Water Taxi(’Flyvefisk’) |
Kajakole |
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Saga Queen(lunch and dinner cruises) |
DFDS Canal Tours (jazz cruises) |
Amager Strandpark Beach
