COPENHAGEN GUIDE For clients

who plan to take

audio engineering
master classes with
Holger Lagerfeldt
in Denmark

GUIDES FACTS
Transportation Country Statistics
Food Weather
Culture & Humor Sightseeing
Alcohol & Drugs Money & Prices
Sex & Tolerance Hotels & Hostels
Electricity & Internet Copenhagen Map

[1]

DENMARK
Geography
Denmark is the southernmost of
the Scandinavian countries and
consists of the peninsula Jutland
and 406 islands.
The capital Copenhagen is located
on the biggest island, Zealand.
Population
5.5 million
1 million people live in Copenhagen
Language
The native language is Danish
English is mandatory in school for a
minimum of seven years, so most
Danes speak it fluently.
Government
Parliamentary democracy
Denmark also has a constitutional
monarchy (Queen Margrethe II)
Currency
Danish krone (DKK)
USD $1 = 5.8 DKK (approx.)
EUR €1 = 7.5 DKK (approx.)
Minimum wage per hour
USD $20 / EUR €15
Average income per person
USD $57,000 / EUR €42,000
Average tax rate
45.7%
GETTING AROUND
Biking Trains
Most Danes own a bicycle, and more Trains stop at major stations in
than a third use it daily to get to work. Copenhagen and connect
There are dedicated bicycle lanes on Copenhagen to the rest of Denmark.
most roads, making it a safe and Trains from the Central Station also
easy way to get around, especially if connect Copenhagen to Sweden and
you are sightseeing. You can rent a Germany.
bike for about USD $15 / EUR €10
per day or use one of the clunky, but Tickets
free community bikes (if you can find
A two zone ticket (USD $4 / EUR €3)
one).
is valid for 1 hour and will get you
almost anywhere in Copenhagen.
Public buses Save money by getting a ten trip card
The yellow public buses leave every 5 (USD $24 / EUR €18) from a vending
or 10 minutes. You can jump on and machine at any station. Tickets are
off as you please, as long as you valid for all types of public
have a valid ticket. Public buses
transportation, the only exception
number 5A, 33 or 250S stop close to being bicycle tickets.
my studio.
Taxis
The metro Taxis are easy to recognize since
The metro runs every 3 minutes. You most are Mercedes-Benz and have a
can bring your bike in the metro as TAXI sign on the roof. The average
long as you buy a ticket for it and fare within central Copenhagen is
avoid peak hours. The metro goes USD $30 / EUR €25.
straight from the airport to various
locations in central Copenhagen in
exactly 15 minutes. From the airport
you need to buy a three zone ticket
(USD $6 / EUR €4.50). My studio is More than a
third of all Danes
right next to the Islands Brygge metro
station. bike to work or
school
[2]
EATING OUT
Restaurants
There are many excellent restaurants
in Copenhagen, including 13 with
Michelin stars. Copenhagen is also
home to Noma, the best restaurant in
the world according to the San
Pellegrino Awards.
Prices start at USD $25 / EUR €20
per course in most restaurants. A
bottle of coke costs USD $5 / EUR €4 eastern or Turkish food such as
and a beer is USD $8 / EUR €6.
Tipping
Tipping is not the norm and is not
expected anywhere. If you decide to
tip anyway, anything from USD $4 /
EUR €3 and up will be considered
polite.
Traditional Danish
lunch is open faced
rye bread sandwiches
called Smørrebrød
DANISH FOOD
Dinner
A three course meal for dinner is not
uncommon. The starter is a light dish
such as a piece of smoked salmon or
a soup, the main course is some type
of meat with potatoes and gravy, and
dessert is typically ice cream or a
piece of chocolate cake.
Lunch
Danes traditionally eat open faced rye bottled mineral water - believe it or
bread sandwiches for lunch. The
bread is topped with slices of meat,
sausage, fish, cheese or spreads.
Beer is the beverage of choice. Try
Schønnemann, near Nørreport, but
remember to reserve a table.
Fast food
There are pizza parlors all over
Copenhagen. A regular pizza costs
about USD $8 / EUR €6. McDonald’s,
Burger King and Kentucky Fried
Chicken are mostly located near the
central shopping street. A small size
Big Mac menu is USD $8 / EUR €6.
The cheapest take-out food is middle
shawarma (grilled meat in a roll),
available in cheap pizza parlors or
dedicated shawarma places. Prices
start at USD $5 / EUR €4.
Breakfast
Breakfast consists of white bread
with cheese and jam, fruit yoghurt or
milk with cereal, oatmeal, pastry,
coffee and a glass of orange juice.
Tap water
The tap water in Denmark is among
the cleanest in the world, so you can
safely drink it. It is even cleaner than
not.
Organic food
Organic food is available in all
supermarkets.
[3]
SIGHTSEEING
Seasons
Spring: April - May
Summer: June - August
Autumn: September - November
Winter: December - March
When to visit
The weather is pleasant from the
beginning of May to the end of
September. Temperatures peak at
23℃ (73 ℉) in the summer.
What to wear
Even during the summer you
should bring some warm clothing
for the occasional windy day. All
other seasons require layering, a
winter coat, a hat and a scarf.
Strøget
The longest pedestrian/shopping
street in the world. Shops are open
from 10 AM to 17.30 PM.
Tivoli
The oldest amusement park in the
world.
Christiania
An experimental freetown in
Copenhagen.
DR Koncerthuset
The award winning USD $300
million Copenhagen Concert Hall.
Rosenborg Slot
A beautiful and charming palace,
also displaying the crown jewels.
Cisternerne
A centuries old underground water
reservoir with amazing acoustics.
Nyhavn
An idyllic harbor area with sailboats
and restaurants.

CASH & PLASTIC
From home
Exchange USD $100 / EUR €75
into Danish kroner (DKK) before
leaving for Denmark, in order to
have some cash when you arrive at
the airport.
Getting cash
In Denmark you can use
MasterCard, American Express or
preferably a VISA enabled debit
card to withdraw money from any
ATM, located all over Copenhagen
and at the airport.
Most banks use a slightly higher
currency exchange rate than the
offical one to cover their expenses.
There is usually a daily withdrawal
limit of USD $250 / EUR €200 for
security reasons.
Some restaurants and shops
accept international credit cards,
but they will add a fee or
percentage.
Price index
Bottled mineral water
USD $2 / EUR €1.50
A loaf of bread from a bakery
USD $5 / EUR €4
Cluster of ten bananas
USD $4 / EUR €3
Fresh ham and cheese sandwich
USD $8 / EUR €6
Cup of coffee
USD $5 / EUR €4
CULTURE & HUMOR
Quality of life Sense of humor
Copenhagen was recently voted the Danes generally have a dry sense of
best city in the world for its quality of humor. The language is full of irony,
life by Wallpaper Magazine. And as sometimes bordering sarcasm.
reported by Oprah during her visit in
Denmark, the OECD surveyed the Many Danes use the same kind of
Danes as the happiest people in the irony when they speak with
world. foreigners, which is sometimes
misunderstood as insulting or as
Free education and medical care verbal jabbing. If you feel offended by
One of the reasons for this happiness something a Dane said, there is a
are the many social benefits such as good chance he was making a
free education (including college and deadpan joke with you.
university), free medical care and
paid maternity leave. Greeting
When meeting someone for the first
Tourists get free medical care in the time you shake his or her hand, smile
case of emergencies. Pre-existing and say your name. Polite phrases
conditions are not covered, so make such as “nice to meet you” are not
sure you have travel insurance.
commonly used in Denmark, so do
not feel offended if you are not
Community always getting the expected verbal
Because Denmark is a small country response.
and the population is quite
homogenous there is a strong sense
of community and solidarity. Wallpaper
Magazine voted
Copenhagen is in the top 20 of safest Copenhagen the
cities in the world.
best city in the
world
[4]
ALCOHOL & DRUGS
Drinking
Danes are fond of drinking socially,
especially beer. During the weekend
it is not uncommon to see very drunk
people partying in the street -
including teenagers. This is tolerated
with an indulgent smile by everyone,
including parents and the police, as
there is no legal drinking age.
Since the ancient Vikings ruled
Denmark, binge drinking has been
used to bond with friends and
strangers alike.
EXPORTS
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed inside public
buildings, restaurants, bars and
clubs.
Marijuana
Possession of marijuana has been
illegal since 2004 and can be subject
to a fine. However, it is sold openly in
Christiania, an experimental freetown
in Copenhagen. A majority of the
Copenhagen city council voted to
legalize marijuana, but it is currently
up to the Department of Justice.

Danish exports
LEGO (toys)
Skype (Internet communication)
Vikings (ancient berserkers)
Carlsberg (beer)
Ecco (comfort shoes)
Royal Copenhagen (porcelain)
IO Interactive (video games)
Danish Bacon
Danish Pastry
Blue Cheese

Danish audio gear

The Danish
SEX & TOLERANCE
Scandinavian girls
Scandinavian girls are often blonde
and some of the most beautiful in the
world. The age of consent is 15 in
Denmark.
Seeing a topless girl sunbathing in a
public park, swimming in the sea or
even in a public swimming pool is not
an uncommon sight in the summer
time.
Pornography and prostitution
In 1967 Denmark was the first
country in the world to legalize
pornography.
Prostitution is also legal. There are
hundreds of brothels and massage
parlors, though most are located in
the red light district behind the
Central Station.
society is
tolerant
Homosexuality
In 1989 Denmark was the first
country in the world to legalize same-
sex unions. The Danish society is
very tolerant of homosexuality and
has a vibrant gay and lesbian scene.
Religion
There is freedom of belief, but
Denmark is nevertheless one of the
least religious countries in the world,
with about 80% of the population in
reality being atheists or agnostics.
Denmark has a long tradition of
satire. In combination with the
constitutional freedom of speech, this
sometimes causes unintentional
clashes with dogmatic religions - as
seen during the so-called Cartoon
Controversy.
TC Electronic
Tube-Tech
Dynaudio
DPA Microphones
Gyraf
Danfield
NTP
Bang & Olufsen
Scarbee Software
Danish science
Electromagnetism (1820)
The dry cell battery (1887)
The magnetic tape recorder (1898)
Model of the atom (1913)
Windmill parks (1970)
C++ programming (1983)
Famous Danes
Scarlett Johansson (actress)
Viggo Mortensen (actor)
Lars Ulrich (drummer in Metallica)
Hans Christian Andersen (author)
Kierkegaard (philosopher)
Niels Bohr (atomic physicist)
Carl Nielsen (classical composer)
Trentemøller (electronica)
Aqua (bubblegum dance pop)
Arne Jacobsen (designer)
Lars von Trier (film director)

[5]

WHERE TO STAY
Wakeup Copenhagen Hotel**
Location: Near the Central Station
Standard Economy Room
Per night: USD $93 / EUR €69
www.wakeupcopenhagen.dk
Cab Inn City Hotel**
Location: Near the Central Station
Standard Economy Room
Per night: USD $95 / EUR €73
www.cabinn.dk
Cab Inn Express Hotel**
Location: Frederiksberg
Standard Economy Room
Per night: USD $87 / EUR €65
www.cabinn.dk
Tivoli Hotel***
Location: Near the Central Station
Standard Room
Per night: USD $178 / EUR €138
Includes free entrance to Tivoli
www.tivolihotel.dk
ELECTRICITY & INTERNET
Voltage
Denmark uses 230 volts, 50 Hz.
Plug type
The standard is an ungrounded two-
pronged plug called the Europlug,
used in all of continental Europe.
There is a round variation for larger
devices, which carries the same
voltage. Variations of the round plug
have a third prong for the grounding
and require a matching socket.
Small appliances
Small 120 volts appliances such as
shavers and battery chargers will
automatically switch to the correct
voltage. If you do not have a
matching cable with a Europlug at the
end, you can buy one in Denmark for
about USD $10 / EUR €8.
Laptop power supplies
Laptop power supplies such as the
one for the MacBook will
automatically switch voltage. There
are several Apple stores in
Copenhagen where you can buy the
necessary plug (USD $14 / EUR €11),
if you do not bring your own.
Music gear
Some devices have a voltage switch
on the back. Make sure you have the
right type of fuse inserted.
Internet
Wireless broadband connections are
available free of charge in many cafés
and in all hotels.
My studio has a wireless 20/2 Mbit
connection.

Skt. Petri Hotel*****

Location: Central Copenhagen
Standard Room
Per night: USD $228 / EUR €170
www.hotelsktpetri.com

All hotels have free wireless

Internet.

Danhostel Copenhagen City

Location: Central Copenhagen
Communal room
Standard Europlug Plug for larger
Per night: USD $24 / EUR €18
Hostel pass: USD $13 / EUR €10
for smaller appliances devices
www.danhostel.dk

Sleep In Heaven
Wakeup
Location: Nørrebro
Dormitory bed Copenhagen
Per night: USD $25 / EUR €19 Hotel
www.sleepinheaven.dk

The Bed & Breakfast House

Location: Karlstrup
30 minutes from Copenhagen by
train or car.

Per night: USD $60 / EUR €45

Click for website

[6]
A J S
Holger Lagerfeldt studio Kongens Nytorv Metro station Cisternerne

B K T
Islands Brygge Metro station Nørreport Station (Metro and trains) Zoo

C L U
Central Station (trains and buses) Skt. Petri Hotel Humac Apple Store

D M V
Wakeup Copenhagen Hotel Cab Inn City Hotel Christianshavn Metro station

E N W
Strøget walking street and central Danhostel Copenhagen City Glyptoteket museum
shopping area (Indre By)
O X
F Tivoli Hotel Forum Metro station
Tivoli amusement park
P Not pictured
G Rosenborg Slot DR Koncerthuset concert hall is right by
Red light district the DR Byen Metro station.
Q
H Cab Inn Express Hotel Other sights
Christiania freetown Botanical Garden, Gammel Kongevej
R (specialist shopping), Christianshavn
I Sleep In Heaven (artifical island neighborhood), The
Nyhavn Opera.

[7]
FROM A TO B
From Copenhagen Airport
Take the M2 metro from Copenhagen
Airport (Lufthavnen). One direction
only.
The metro is at the far end of
Terminal 3. Terminal 3 is where you
exit from the baggage claim and
customs, so simply walk straight
ahead and take the elevator up to the
metro platform.
This metro leaves every four minutes
during the daytime and every six
minutes in the evening. It is nine
stops to Nørreport Station and takes
15 minutes.
You will need to buy a 3 zone ticket in Copenhagen City it is a 15 minutes
a vending machine (USD $6 / EUR
€4.50).
Skt. Petri Hotel
Get off at Nørreport Station. Walk
down Nørregade and turn left. It is
five minutes on foot.
Cab Inn Express Hotel
Sleep In Heaven
Do not get off at Nørreport Station,
but one stop later at Forum Station. It
is ten minutes on foot for the Cab Inn
Express Hotel. It is 15 minutes for
Sleep In Heaven, since you will need
to cross the Åboulevarden street.
The
Copenhagen
Metro was voted
best in the
world
Wakeup Copenhagen Hotel
Cab Inn City Hotel
Tivoli Hotel
Danhostel Copenhagen City
Get off at Nørreport Station. At the
street level you can take a taxi
directly to your hotel (approx. USD
$23 / EUR €17).
Another option is to take the elevator
from the metro to the train platform,
and take any train towards the
Central Station (two stops). From
there it is ten minutes on foot for any
of the above hotel.
If you stay at the Danhostel
walk. Walk to the town square near
the shopping street, continue ahead
after turning right on the corner. The
hostel is located near the waterfront,
just before the bridge.
The studio
Take the M1 metro towards
Vestamager and get off at Islands
Brygge station.
At the street level go to the
intersection. A hundred meters on
your left there is a 7-Eleven on the
corner. Walk towards the 7-Eleven
and continue straight ahead down
Njalsgade. Soon there is a Super
Brugsen convenience store on the
right side of Njalsgade. Follow the
instructions on my website:
http://www.popmusic.dk/
contact.html
[8]
BARS & CLUBS
Cheapest drinks
Mexibar (near Skt. Hans Torv)
Kitsch decor and crammed with
people. Try the Strawberry
Margarita.
The (almost) traditional
The Moose (near Strøget)
Reasonable prices and down to
earth bartenders. Tagging is
allowed on the walls.
Party with the stars
Zen (near Nørreport)
Dress sharp and act posh if you
want to get into this night club. Ask
me to be put on the guest list.
Concerts
Vega (on Vesterbro)
Good acoustics and musical
diversity. The most popular place to
experience music.
Best party in town
Jazzhouse (near Strøget)
Despite the focus on jazz, the place
is transformed into a DJ club at
midnight.
I Like To Move It
Culture Box (near Strøget)
Danish and international DJs play
electronic club music to the early
morning.
Last chance
Hong Kong (in Nyhavn)
This is where you have your last
drink and pick up someone equally
desperate.