We would recommend flying into Copenhagen, then adding Malmo as a day trip or a few nights before flying home.
COPENHAGEN
Travelling There and Around:
COPENHAGEN
Travelling There and Around:
There are plentiful flights into CPH Kastrup, or for a longer but more scenic route, trains are available from London via Brussels, Köln or Hamburg with an overnight hotel stop.
From the airport, there are many cheap options to get to your hotel. The ticket machines take notes at the airport, but not at other stations, and of course all credit and debit cards.
A good idea is to buy the Copenhagen Card (see below) to include the days you want to travel out of the city (eg Roskilde, Helsingor) and just the travel card for days seeing free stuff in town.
Hotels:
Crowne Plaza, Copenhagen Towers
https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/gb/en/copenhagen/rkecp/hoteldetail
This is on the main trainline between Central Station and the airport, and trains run every 20 minutes. There is also a metro station next to the hotel which takes you to the East side of town very quickly, and connects with trains north to Helsingor. If travelling to Malmo, you can do it from this station without needing to change.
It is next door to a large, upmarket shopping centre called Field's, which has many breakfast options if you don't want to pay the whopping £20 a head in the hotel.
The Square, Radhuspladsen
popular with tour groups so very busy lobby and very
busy breakfast
executive rooms are high with balcony, good view of
square, can be noisy
central location, average customer service
Tourist Card:
City Pass
https://dinoffentligetransport.dk/citypass
Available in Small (just the city and airport) or Large (includes the whole of the wider area, including Helsingor and Roskilde, see below), for between 24 and 120 hours.
Copenhagen Card
https://dinoffentligetransport.dk/citypass
Available in Small (just the city and airport) or Large (includes the whole of the wider area, including Helsingor and Roskilde, see below), for between 24 and 120 hours.
Copenhagen Card
As well as free transport, you get free entry to 87 museums and attractions including Tivoli; plus discounts on food and shops. See sightseeing labelled CPH below. 72 hour card is £85, also available from 24 to 120 hours. Covers Helsingor, Roskilde and the airport.
Food:
Lagkagehuset
a bakery with several branches in the city, serving fantastic food, and is a great place to rest your legs after picking up leaflets and buying your Copenhagen Card in one of the nearby Tourist
Information Centres
Mormors, Bredgade 45
a nice café for sandwiches and smoothies, near the
Palace and Little Mermaid, popular with all ages
Torvehallerne, Torveplads
http://torvehallernekbh.dk/
Torvehallerne, Torveplads
http://torvehallernekbh.dk/
A high class food market, with places to dine and lots of take out opportunities. It's actually 2 halls, between Romersgade and Linnesgade, near Norreport Street metro.
We recommend Boutique Fisk which does a great fish platter with sauces and bread, https://www.boutiquefisk.dk/
We recommend Boutique Fisk which does a great fish platter with sauces and bread, https://www.boutiquefisk.dk/
Shopping:
Areastore, Kongensgade
cool gifts for the home, for kids and for robots
Scherning, Badstuestraede
Illums Bolighus, Amagertorv
high-end department store on Stroget, the longest shopping
street, glass and ceramics, kitchenware and gifts
Fisketorvet, Dybbolsbro
https://www.fisketorvet.dk/
Out of town shopping mall, with restaurants. Take trains A, E, B, C or H from Central Station. Get off at Dybbølsbro Station and it's just across the bridge.
We recommend Cyprus, a Mediterranean restaurant https://www.facebook.com/RestaurantCyprus/
The homewares store Bahne is worth a visit https://www.bahne.dk/bahne-fisketorvet
Boat Trip:
Stromma
visiting the Palace, new
Opera House, the Little Mermaid, through Christianshavn and along Gammel Strand
free with CPH
Sightseeing:
Danish Jewish Museum, Proviantpassagen
designed by Daniel Liebeskind (Jewish Museum, Berlin;
Imperial War Museum, Manchester)
CPH free
City Hall tower & Jens Olsens Clock, Radhus, Radhuspladsen
astronomical clock of intricate beauty in the City Hall
CPH free
Amalienborg Palace
changing of the guard every day at noon, reception
rooms, crown jewels
CPH free
Rosenborg Castle
http://www.kongernessamling.dk/en/rosenborg/
Another impressive palace
On Slotsholmen Island, well worth a walk round:
Christiansborg Palace, Ridebanen
https://www.kongeligeslotte.dk/en/palaces-and-gardens/christiansborg-palace.html
Reception rooms, kitchen, stables and chapel
all CPH free
and
The Black Diamond: Royal Library extension, National Museum of Photography, Museum of Danish Cartoon Art; Christians Brygge
The Black Diamond: Royal Library extension, National Museum of Photography, Museum of Danish Cartoon Art; Christians Brygge
walk or take bus 66
CPH reduction
Rundetaarn, Kobmagergade
A tower to climb with a 687 foot spiral ramp
CPH free
Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery), Solvgade
National Gallery, 700 years of art
CPH free
Tivoli Gardens, Vesterbrogade
worth seeing in the daytime and the nighttime, the
later the better, fireworks every hour
CPH free entrance, but rides cost money
Danish Design Centre, HC Andersens Boulevard
wide variety of changing exhibitions, and well-stocked
shop
CPH free
Design Museum Denmark, Bredgade
historical arts and crafts, and contemporary design
CPH free
The Workers' Museum, Romersgade 22
https://www.arbejdermuseet.dk/
With apartments, a shopping street, a recreated meeting hall, and a social history of Denmark
CPH free
Grundtvigs Church, På Bjerget 14B
https://www.grundtvigskirke.dk/
This is one of the most impressive parish churches you will see. Started in 1913, it basically towers above the housing estate and looks like it's made of Lego.
It's easy to get there by bus or Metro, but for the simplest journey take train B from the Central Station to Emdrup Street, walk southwest along Tuborgvej for 10 minutes, and turn right onto Bispebjergvej. The church is on the left, you literally can't miss it.
We haven't been to Arken yet, but it's next on our list:
https://uk.arken.dk/
A contemporary art gallery, 25 minutes out of town, S train lines A or E to Ishøj Station and bus 128 goes directly to the museum. Or walk from Ishøj Station to ARKEN (about 20 minutes).
Day Trips:
If you buy a City Pass Large (or Copenhagen Card) it gets you to all of the locations below.
MALMO
In town, it's cheapest to get a One-zone, 24-hour, Together ticket
full details here: https://www.skanetrafiken.se/biljetter/tre-rabatter-zoner-och-biljetter2/
Park Inn Malmo, Sjömansgatan 2
https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/park-inn-malmo
This is right by the waterfront with views of "The Bridge" a short walk away, also the Turning Torso tower.
Bus no 3 goes from the city centre but it is only 20 minutes walk, which with one short detour also takes in Malmo Castle (see below).
Boutique Chinese restaurant, best in Malmo
RIP Shawarma King
ICA Maxi supermarket is right across the street from the hotel, open until 10pm, ideal for picking up food for the day, or Swedish presents to take home.
https://www.ica.se/butiker/maxi/malmo/maxi-ica-stormarknad-vastra-hamnen-11981/start/
In town, Malmborgs is a large supermarket in the Caroli shopping centre.
https://www.ica.se/butiker/kvantum/malmo/ica-kvantum-malmborgs-caroli-2720/start/
Museum Tram, from the city to the Museum
http://www.mss.se/
Moderna Museet, Ola Billgrens plats
https://www.modernamuseet.se/malmo/en/
St Pauli Church, Kungsgatan
https://svenskakyrkanmalmo.se/st-pauli-kyrka/
St Petri Church, Goran Olsgatan
https://svenskakyrkanmalmo.se/st-petri-kyrka/
Form Design Center, Lilla torg 9
https://www.formdesigncenter.com/en/
in one of Malmo's most beautiful squares
Malmo City Library, Kung Oscars vag 11
https://malmo.se/stadsbiblioteket
The Workers' Museum, Romersgade 22
https://www.arbejdermuseet.dk/
With apartments, a shopping street, a recreated meeting hall, and a social history of Denmark
CPH free
Grundtvigs Church, På Bjerget 14B
https://www.grundtvigskirke.dk/
This is one of the most impressive parish churches you will see. Started in 1913, it basically towers above the housing estate and looks like it's made of Lego.
It's easy to get there by bus or Metro, but for the simplest journey take train B from the Central Station to Emdrup Street, walk southwest along Tuborgvej for 10 minutes, and turn right onto Bispebjergvej. The church is on the left, you literally can't miss it.
We haven't been to Arken yet, but it's next on our list:
https://uk.arken.dk/
A contemporary art gallery, 25 minutes out of town, S train lines A or E to Ishøj Station and bus 128 goes directly to the museum. Or walk from Ishøj Station to ARKEN (about 20 minutes).
Day Trips:
If you buy a City Pass Large (or Copenhagen Card) it gets you to all of the locations below.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
take the regional train from Copenhagen Central to Humlebæk Station
come out of the station on the East side, and there is a 10-minute walk that is clearly signposted, or catch bus 388
trains run until midnight, so there’s plenty of time to have dinner at the museum
CPH free
CPH free
Helsingor (aka Elsinore)
http://www.helsingborg-helsingor.com/english/
Only an hour away from Copenhagen, this charming port has both medieval and modern architecture. Our highlights were:
Kronborg Castle (the home of Hamlet) https://kongeligeslotte.dk/en/palaces-and-gardens/kronborg-castle.html (CPH free)
Shipyard Museum http://www.helsingormuseer.dk/
Maritime Museum in an amazing underground building https://mfs.dk/en/ (CPH free)
St Olaf's Church https://www.helsingoerdomkirke.dk/
Helsingor City Museum http://helsingormuseer.dk/ (CPH free)
Roskilde
https://www.visitroskilde.com/
Less than half an hour from Copenhagen, this town is home to some of the best Viking finds. It's a must-see if you can find a spare day.
Viking Ship Museum https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/ (CPH discount) & Museum Cafe - tasty flatbreads and cakes
Cathedral https://roskildedomkirke.dk/ (CPH free)
Roskilde Museum https://roskildemuseum.dk/ (CPH free)
Museum of Contemporary Art, in a royal mansion, very contrasting http://samtidskunst.dk/(CPH free)
Skt Laurentius Church https://sanktlaurentius.dk/ (CPH free)
Only an hour away from Copenhagen, this charming port has both medieval and modern architecture. Our highlights were:
Kronborg Castle (the home of Hamlet) https://kongeligeslotte.dk/en/palaces-and-gardens/kronborg-castle.html (CPH free)
Shipyard Museum http://www.helsingormuseer.dk/
Maritime Museum in an amazing underground building https://mfs.dk/en/ (CPH free)
St Olaf's Church https://www.helsingoerdomkirke.dk/
Helsingor City Museum http://helsingormuseer.dk/ (CPH free)
Roskilde
https://www.visitroskilde.com/
Less than half an hour from Copenhagen, this town is home to some of the best Viking finds. It's a must-see if you can find a spare day.
Viking Ship Museum https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/ (CPH discount) & Museum Cafe - tasty flatbreads and cakes
Cathedral https://roskildedomkirke.dk/ (CPH free)
Roskilde Museum https://roskildemuseum.dk/ (CPH free)
Museum of Contemporary Art, in a royal mansion, very contrasting http://samtidskunst.dk/(CPH free)
Skt Laurentius Church https://sanktlaurentius.dk/ (CPH free)
MALMO
Travelling There and Around:
To get the train from Copenhagen, you need to get to Orestad (next to the Crowne Plaza above) or Copenhagen Airport station, and catch a train that goes over "The Bridge" - of Scandi-noir fame. It costs about £15 one-way, and takes 30 minutes. If two of you are travelling, get a Family Ticket https://www.dsb.dk/find-produkter-og-services/dsb-oresund-familie-billet/ which is cheaper.
In town, it's cheapest to get a One-zone, 24-hour, Together ticket
full details here: https://www.skanetrafiken.se/biljetter/tre-rabatter-zoner-och-biljetter2/
Hotel:
Park Inn Malmo, Sjömansgatan 2
https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/park-inn-malmo
This is right by the waterfront with views of "The Bridge" a short walk away, also the Turning Torso tower.
Bus no 3 goes from the city centre but it is only 20 minutes walk, which with one short detour also takes in Malmo Castle (see below).
Food:
Kin Long Restaurant, 1 Raadmansgatan
http://kinlong.se/Boutique Chinese restaurant, best in Malmo
RIP Shawarma King
This was a great fast food outlet with amazing Shawarma but alas no more
https://www.ica.se/butiker/maxi/malmo/maxi-ica-stormarknad-vastra-hamnen-11981/start/
In town, Malmborgs is a large supermarket in the Caroli shopping centre.
https://www.ica.se/butiker/kvantum/malmo/ica-kvantum-malmborgs-caroli-2720/start/
Shopping:
Hansa, Stora Nygatan 50
https://hansamalmo.se/
shopping mall in the centre
Triangeln, Sodra Förstadsgatan 41
https://www.triangeln.com/
shopping mall in the southern area
Emporia
https://emporia.steenstrom.se/
out-of-town shopping in one of Sweden's largest malls
regular trains from Malmo Central to Malmo Hyllie and come out at the Amber entrance
Loppis Lounge, Djaknegatan 4
https://loppislounge.se/
vast second-hand store and flea market
https://hansamalmo.se/
shopping mall in the centre
Triangeln, Sodra Förstadsgatan 41
https://www.triangeln.com/
shopping mall in the southern area
Emporia
https://emporia.steenstrom.se/
out-of-town shopping in one of Sweden's largest malls
regular trains from Malmo Central to Malmo Hyllie and come out at the Amber entrance
Loppis Lounge, Djaknegatan 4
https://loppislounge.se/
vast second-hand store and flea market
Sightseeing:
Malmöhus Castle, dating from 1434, with Natural History, Aquarium and Maritime Museums
https://malmo.se/Uppleva-och-gora/Besoksmal/Malmo-Museer.html
https://malmo.se/Uppleva-och-gora/Besoksmal/Malmo-Museer.html
Museum Tram, from the city to the Museum
http://www.mss.se/
Moderna Museet, Ola Billgrens plats
https://www.modernamuseet.se/malmo/en/
St Pauli Church, Kungsgatan
https://svenskakyrkanmalmo.se/st-pauli-kyrka/
St Petri Church, Goran Olsgatan
https://svenskakyrkanmalmo.se/st-petri-kyrka/
Form Design Center, Lilla torg 9
https://www.formdesigncenter.com/en/
in one of Malmo's most beautiful squares
Malmo City Library, Kung Oscars vag 11
https://malmo.se/stadsbiblioteket
Day Trips:
IKEA
This may well be the most niche of all our travel tips. But from Malmo it's only an hour on the train to Almhult, the home of IKEA. Here you can find the IKEA Museum, the IKEA Hotel, the world's only IKEA Outlet Store, and of course a branch of regular IKEA. For science fans, it's also the home of Carl Linnaeus who created scientific classification for organisms.
There are SJ trains (around £20) and regional trains (£12) that take a little longer.
To get to the main store, the Outlet Store and the Iittala/Arabia/Fiskars outlet (for Finnish glassware and ceramics), come out of the station on the town side and walk through the plaza. At the end bear right onto Ostra Esplanaden and just walk for 25 minutes. IKEA is at the end.
If you want to take a bus, the #1 runs in a loop from the station every 40 minutes.
Back in town, the IKEA Museum https://ikeamuseum.com/en/startpage/ is inside the world's first ever IKEA store, with historical displays, artefacts, activities for children, a cafe and a shop selling exclusive museum items https://ikeamuseum.com/en/shop/. It's out the back of the station, in the IKEA industrial complex.
This may well be the most niche of all our travel tips. But from Malmo it's only an hour on the train to Almhult, the home of IKEA. Here you can find the IKEA Museum, the IKEA Hotel, the world's only IKEA Outlet Store, and of course a branch of regular IKEA. For science fans, it's also the home of Carl Linnaeus who created scientific classification for organisms.
There are SJ trains (around £20) and regional trains (£12) that take a little longer.
To get to the main store, the Outlet Store and the Iittala/Arabia/Fiskars outlet (for Finnish glassware and ceramics), come out of the station on the town side and walk through the plaza. At the end bear right onto Ostra Esplanaden and just walk for 25 minutes. IKEA is at the end.
If you want to take a bus, the #1 runs in a loop from the station every 40 minutes.
Back in town, the IKEA Museum https://ikeamuseum.com/en/startpage/ is inside the world's first ever IKEA store, with historical displays, artefacts, activities for children, a cafe and a shop selling exclusive museum items https://ikeamuseum.com/en/shop/. It's out the back of the station, in the IKEA industrial complex.
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