Daily Life in Copenhagen

Do Like the Danes

Even though Copenhagen can trace its history back almost 1,000 years it is a very young city due to a sizable student and post-graduate population. Copenhagen also has a rich cultural life. Not only is it the home of a wide range of interesting museums and theaters, but it is also the Scandinavian center of youth culture. That's why Copenhagen has been rated one of the most livable cities in the world, where everything is within walking or biking distance.

In the summer, the waterfront and the many parks offer opportunities to relax and get away from the hectic life of the city, and the many cafés offer protection against darkness and rain during the winter months. Some shops and cafés accept American credit cards, but many stores only accept cash or the Danish Dankort (a Danish debit card).

City Center

The Copenhagen city center is famous for its organically winding streets, beautiful architecture and picturesque canals, but there is more to the area than what tourists get to see. Here are some ‘not to miss’ experiences of Copenhagen life:

Pølsevogn
The pølsevogn (sausage stand) is a Copenhagen institution. Found at all major squares the pølsevogn is a landmark that all Danes love. Students are strongly encouraged to try a hotdog med det hele – a sausage served in a flute roll topped off with ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions and a Danish condiment called remoulade.

Studenterhuset (The Student House)
Situated just a five minute walk from DIS, Studenterhuset offers a wide selection of sandwiches, coffee and beers. This hangout has been a DIS tradition for years, largely due to the free wireless and the all-item discount sticker that you can buy for 5 kroner at DIS. Over the week the student house hosts a number of socials including LGBTQ night on Tuesdays and International night on Wednesday. The Studenterhuset is furthermore known as one of the best live music venues in central Copenhagen. All DIS students can volunteer as bartenders at Studenterhuset – no experience is required. Learn more about Studenterhuset at the Immerse Yourself Fair. Where: Købmagergade 52.

Strøget
Copenhagen's largest shopping area is centered around Strøget just a block away from DIS. Strøget is the world's longest pedestrian street with a wealth of shops, from budget-friendly chains to some of the world's most expensive designers.

The Black Diamond
Many students from the University of Copenhagen and the Copenhagen Business School go here to use the reading rooms, the free wireless and the cozy and reasonably priced café on the ground floor. The Black Diamond has furthermore been awarded the best place to flirt in Copenhagen and many DIS students have in the past been know to have caught eye contact with attractive Danes while pretending to study! Where: Søren Kirkegaards Plads 1.

Pisserenden
In the heart of Copenhagen you find DIS, located in an area known to the locals as ‘pisserenden’ which literally means the piss trench; a name that refers to a time (long ago, don’t worry!) when the area was known for its rather unsanitary state. These days it is a bustling network of streets (Studiestræde, Larsbjørnstræde and Vestergade are the main ones), popular with students and creative types from the advertising and design studios nearby. The area is mainly known for its trendy vintage stores, hip cafes, and well renowned restaurants. Where: Vestergade, Studiestræde, Skt. Pederstræde, Larsbjørn Stræde.

Kongens Have
A park founded by the Danish King Christian IV in 1606 around the Rosenborg Palace. The park turns into an oasis in the city centre during the summer where young people play soccer, tan themselves and have picnics. The park is Copenhagen’s most visited park with more than 10,000 daily visitors on hot summer days.
Where: Between Østervoldgade and Gothersgade.

Culture-Box
Since 2005, Culture Box has been the leading figure in Copenhagen nightlife. It is a versatile venue that is used for electronic club events, showcases, fashion shows and art cinema. The music profile is non-commercial, offering an extensive range of different kinds of music, including techno, house, electro, electronica, dubstep, drum'n'bass, dub, reggae and electronic jazz. Where: Kronprinsessegade 54.

Kulør Bar
This night club is popular among college aged Danes due to the student friendly prices and the laid back atmosphere. Where: Gothersgade 8.

Henrik Vibskov
Few designers are having as much fun with fashion as Henrik Vibskov, knocking down the boundaries between art and apparel. A Henrik Vibskov sleeve for your laptop more or less guarantees you street credibility at the hip cafés around DIS. Henrik Vibskovs store is only a stone’s throw away from DIS and is definitely worth a visit. Where: Krystalgade 6.

Nørrebro

The area of Nørrebro dates back to the late 19th century when the houses in the area were built for the working classes. Today it is one of the most diverse areas of Copenhagen known for the many middle eastern minimarkets and takeaways. You will often find young Danes having a shawarma on Saturday mornings when heading home from one of the night clubs in the area. The southern end of Nørrebrogade and the area around Sankt Hans Torv are in particular popular among young people that hang out at the cafés in the area and shop at the many trendy stores.

Rust
Since its birth in 1989 the club has been at the forefront of Copenhagen nightlife, presenting a vital live music and clubbing scene for those who prefer their night out a bit off the mainstream. With a total capacity of 670 people on three floors the house has an easy-going atmosphere.

Empire bio
This one-hundred-year-old building is hard to miss due to the giant spraypainted sign on the side of it. It hosts a wide range of movies, many of them in English with Danish subtitles. Tickets are reasonably priced for Denmark; usually between 55 and 75 kroner depending on when you go.

Assistens Kirkegård
This park was originally founded as a cemetery in 1757 and many famous Danes are buried here, including Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kirkegaard. The area is now mainly used as a park by joggers and the locals sunbathing in the summer.

Østerbro

The area is mainly known for posh stores, embassies and beautiful town houses, but do not be discouraged by the pricy stores – there are some true gems hidden in the area; especially the cafés around Bopa Plads.

Fælledparken
Fælledparken is Copenhagen’s biggest park. On summer nights it is full of young people barbecuing on portable grills. If you jog through the park in the morning you will see people practicing thai chi and yoga and on afternoons the skate park is buzzing with life.

Laundromat café
When you feel yourself between the necessities of coffee and clean underwear this place has got it covered by combining laundry with a reasonably priced café. Another cool feature of this place is the bar that has a built in book case with 3,000 paperbacks that you can read while your laundry is in the dryer. Where: Århusgade 38.

Parken
Don’t miss when F.C. Copenhagen is playing against their arch rivals Brønby F.C. in Parken, the national stadium of Denmark. It currently has a capacity of 38,050 for football (soccer) games, and is the home ground of F.C. Copenhagen and the Danish national football team. Where: Øster Allé 50.

Mi Gusta
Looking for a cheap Prada dress or a Mark Jacobs purse? Are you shopping on a budget? Don’t panic! Mi Gusta is the answer.  Located in central Østerbro, Mi Gusta sells reasonably priced vintage design. Where: Nordre Frihavnsgade 32.

Vesterbro

Vesterbro has a reputation among young Danes as being very hip and trendy. It is however also known for the Copenhagen Red light district around Istedgade and former meat packing district in Kødbyen. If you want to spot the latest trends in Europe, this is the place to be. Vesterbro used to be known as a working class neighborhood, but most of the main streets are now dominated by cafés, restaurants and small boutiques that sell their own designs.

Kødboderne 18
Situated in a huge former butcher’s hall in the old meat packing district Kødbyen, Kødboderne 18 or K18 for short, is a relative newcomer to the Copenhagen club circuit. This rough and raw spot houses weathered halls and an underground feel that seems like the perfect marriage between Berlin and Copenhagen underground scenes. The idea is that anything goes and everyone’s welcome at K18 - expect anything from live concerts to late-night parties ranging in genre from blasting dancehall to minimal techno.

VEGA
Most Copenhageners know VEGA for its concerts. Due to its original 1950's design the former union building in general has a very special atmosphere. VEGA's interior with many original details in banisters, balustrades, lamps etc. makes the house a unique example of Scandinavian architecture. The biggest concert hall, Store VEGA, has a capacity of over 1,000 and the smaller concert hall, Lille VEGA, 500. Next to Vega you find Ideal Bar, a nightclub popular among college aged Danes.

Kolonihaven
Kolonihaven is a collective of five young designers from Denmark and Iceland that have settled down in Vesterbro where they sell their own designs at student friendly prices. Their overall approach to fashion is that it is more important to have fun than it is to look trendy – they do however manage to mix the laid back Nordic attitude to fashion with high quality one-of-a-kind designs that are guaranteed to last for ages. Where: Valdemarsgade 75.

Amager

Amager is the Island south-east of Copenhagen. The island is not only home of the picturesque and very old world-like Dragør but also to the new developments around Ørestad, the University of Copenhagen’s department of humanities, the IT University, the Concert hall of the National Danish Broadcast Association and the area of Christiania.

Amager Beach Park
Just a few miles from the centre of Copenhagen you find Amager Beach, a two-and-a-half mile long bathing beaches divided into two parts. From the island there is a nice view of the Swedish coast, and the Oresund Bridge. This is a perfect place to relax with a book, sunbathe, swim or paddle. Between the island and the mainland is a lagoon. Here you find children’s beaches with shallow water and a 1000 meter lane for swimmers and rowers among other things.

Islandsbrygge
Just a five minute bike ride from DIS you find Islandsbrygge, a communal park that runs along the Copenhagen harbor front. The area is flanked by cafés and art galleries but the main attraction is the harbor bath that attracts tens of thousands of visitors in the high season. The water of the Copenhagen harbor is clean enough for you to dive into and at several places in Copenhagen you find public harbor swimming pools. The one at Islandsbrygge is however the best known and the one most young people in Copenhagen visit over the summer.

Amager Bio
This cinema, concert hall and cultural venue is not just popular among locals but also well known in greater Copenhagen for their extensive concert program. Amager Bio covers all genres and tickets are available at student friendly prices at most ticket offices. Where: Øresundsvej 6.