Copenhagen. Beautiful architecture, beautiful food and beautiful people. It must be expensive AF.

Yep.

But that’s OK, with a bit of planning and advice you can munch your way through the Danish capital on the cheap. Here’s how far £20 will get you…

Boats + Bikes + Trampolines

There’s loads of fancy (💸) tours of Copenhagen, but your best bet is to see it like the locals. Hop on one of the Movia harbour buses at Refshaleøen Island and sail past The Black Diamond Library, The Little Mermaid and postcard-perfect Nyhavn. £3 for a single.

If you’ve got the sea-legs of a baby kitten, you can rent public bicycles using the Bycyklen scheme for £3.50/hour.

Head to Havnegade Promenade if you prefer to bounce along - there’s a walkway made of free trampolines.

Where?

Copenhagen is the kind of city it’s just nice to roam around.

Head to the Brooklyn/Hackney of Copenhagen, Vesterbro for artisan coffees and furniture shops. Nørrebro is a foodie hub. Christiania is a hippie freetown full of culture so leftfield it makes Hunter S Thompson look like Theresa May. (No prizes for guessing what happens on ‘Pusher Street’... 😵)

Design

Can’t come to Copenhagen and not pay attention to design, but can’t afford to splash out 2 grand on a leaf-patterned deckchair. Trickyyyy.

The swoony DesignMuseum Danmark is free for under 26 year olds, and £13 for the rest.

The Apartment is a ‘concept space’ (sooo Scandi) that’s pretty much the 3D embodiment of Insta-envy. They want to keep the riff-raff out, so email or call them to blag entry on Thursdays between 12 and 4pm.

Food

Copenhagen is home to pretty much the best restaurant in the world, and you can eat there for under £20!

This is a lie. Noma costs about £350 per person. Nevermind, eh.

The good news is there’s loads of former Noma chefs opening up cheaper restaurants in Copenhagen. Sanchez does fancy tortillas - like cod and wood sorrel - for around £12. Or you can go Baest mode and smash a ‘stracciatella cheese’ pizza. It’s mozzarella soaked in sweet cream… we’re not drooling, you are.

You'll want to sample the hot dogs too, but make sure they’re legit by going to organic stall DØP - £4 for an organic dog.

For £4 smørrebrod - traditional open sarnies - head to the Broens Gadekøkken Street Food Market.

There are Danish pastries everywhere in Copenhagen, although they were actually *shock* invented in Vienna. The Corner at 108 is Noma’s sister restaurant (is there anything they can’t do?), and serves three pastries each day for £5.

Dancing

On Thursdays and Sundays, entrance is free to Christiania’s Operaen. You could get live reggae, an R&B club night, or a brass band ensemble. Go with it.

Jolene Bar would be a bit too cool, if everyone inside wasn’t so bleddy happy. Go for free and shake it like you’re living in a rainbow music carnival.

Culture Box is your place for underground electronica - £8 entry.

Sum Up:

If you want to splash the cash in Copenhagen, you’ll find restaurant, coffee houses and furniture shops willing to take your hard-earned money. But Copenhagen is beautiful with calming vibes, and it’s at the forefront of design.

You can deffo have a great time on the cheap, eating luxury street food, visiting free museums and just soaking all that... Danishness... in.