Visiting Amanda and John in Copenhagen  (last updated June 19)

When to visit:

See our calendar to find out when we're available

For warmer temperatures and more daylight, the best time to visit is between May and September. Summer temperatures are mild, not hot.

Monthly average temperatures (celsius) and rainfall for Copenhagen

Amanda works afternoons during the school year.  Her summer break is from June 20 until around August 14.  Currently our schedule is open between mid-July and mid-August (check our calendar), but unfortunately the airfares for that time period are about double what we'd like to see. 

It now seems likely that we will leave Denmark at the end of the year, rather than staying into 2008.

How to get here:

We will try to put information here about airfare sales, etc. In general it seems like flights to Copenhagen can be pricey, and in general airfares have been rising for the past two years. We flew here in November (low season) and paid about $580 per ticket from Detroit, using United Airlines and their partner Scandanavian Airlines. Continental and Delta also fly to Copenhagen, from Newark and Atlanta, respectively. Other European airlines (e.g. Lufthansa, KLM, British Airways, Air France) can also get you here after a connection at their European hub. If you have trouble finding decent fares to Copenhagen (or if you want to combine a visit here with another stop in Europe), you could land in another European city and then fly here on a European discount airline like Sterling (the European flight could be around $200 round trip).  Let us know when you'd like to come and we will be glad to help you search for flights.  A good place to start on the web is www.kayak.com, which searches airfares from multiple sources.  As of mid-March and mid-June, the best Michigan to Copenhagen airfares were around $1100 for July/August and around $700 for September through December.

Please consider offsetting the CO2 emissions from your flight via www.climatecare.org.  It will only cost you about $25-$30 per round trip ticket, and your money will support some excellent energy conservation, alternative energy, and re-foresting projects around the world.  It's very good for your karma and we would feel much better knowing that your visiting us will not nudge the planet any closer to apocalypse.  We did this for all of our recent travel and we're quite happy that we did. 

You can reach our apartment using a combination of train and bus.  Walk through the airport main lobby to the DSB (train) ticket desk and buy a three zone ticket (they all speak English).  Go to the track for København and Helsingør (not Malmø).  Take any train, stay on as the train pauses for 5-10 minutes at the central station, then get off at the next stop (Nørreport).  Exit the station and find a bus stop for the 5A bus:  just look to the right as you come up the steps, cross the bus loop behind the train station's elevator and find a yellow bus stop sign that says "5A" near the stop.  The bus should come within 5-10 minutes at most.  Your train ticket is valid for the bus as well.  The bus will cross a bridge, then a little later it will follow a yellowish wall on the left side (that's the cemetary).  Just after the cemetary you get to a busy intersection with a McDonalds on the right.  Stay on the bus but then hit a red button to request the next stop.  Get off at the first stop after this big intersection and walk back to the smaller traffic light near this stop (a street called Stefensgade).  Cross to the opposite corner and walk along Stefensgade opposite the church.  Then go left on the third street - Husumgade - and we are at #47.  At least one of us may be able to meet you at the airport, so let us know if you're unsure about finding your way.  Taxi would be about $45.

Where to stay:

We are glad to have visitors stay at our place. Our apartment has a good size living room separate from our bedroom. For sleeping, we have a two person air mattress and a couch. For more privacy and less morning sunlight, you could even sleep in our tent indoors!  Staying with us does require climbing 5 stories of stairs, but we can try to go out just once a day if that is a strain.

Other semi-nearby options for lodging include an eco-youth hostel (Sleep In Green, $18 dorm bed), another youth hostel just across the nice cemetary from us (Sleep In Heaven, $20 dorm, $90 bridal suite, but only for ages 35 and under). There is a hotel near the closest train station to us (Leda Hotel, double rooms starting around $150) and other hotels toward downtown from us (Avenue Hotel, doubles starting near $200; Hotel Nora, $150). There is also a camping area not too far away.  Rather compact, basic rooms can be found for somewhat less money at CabInn Scandanavia and CabInn Copenhagen Express ($90/$130 single/double, $115 doubles are advertised but I would hope they have larger beds than shown in the pictures). 

How long to stay:

About a week might be right for most visitors, depending on your schedule, how much you want to do, etc.

Clothing appropriate for mild or slightly cool and rainy weather. Normal travel items.

Things to see while you're here (links are to our pictures):

The famous mermaid statue - it's just a little thing and the setting isn't ideal, but it's near a former castle site called Kastellet where you can take a pleasant walk along elevated ramparts around a star-shaped moat. 

If you want to see castles, there a few in Copenhagen, but more impressive is Frederiksborg Slot, 40 minutes away by train.  That could be combined with a day trip to one of the coastal resort towns of Zealand's north coast (we plan to visit the woods-backed beaches of Tisvildeleje), or Kronborg ("Hamlet's castle") at the ferry town of Helsingør, or the seaside Lousiana modern art museum. 

We've visited the botanical gardens only in winter so far - you can climb to the upper reaches of the main greenhouse dome to stroll through a tropical forest canopy, or visit the vibrant orchid house or several other collections.  It should be even nicer when things are blooming outdoors too.

Downtown, there is the Rundetarn (round tower) with its spiral ramp leading to views over town from the roof.  The main shopping street (Stroget) and many others are pedestrian-only.  There are several art museums in town that we haven't been to yet.  And there is Tivoli Gardens, an amusepark park right next to the main train station, which we visited for their Christmas lights. 

Back in our neighborhood of Nørrebro, there is the park-like cemetary Assistens Kirkegaard, where many famous Danes are buried.  A stroll down to "the lakes" between here and downtown, which have more swans than I've ever seen in one place, is also recommended. 

There are some other pleasant park-like areas around town, including Dyrehavn with its free-roaming herds of tame deer, and Frederiksberg Slot (more a large yellow house than a castle), with pretty grounds and tame herons.

Across town, there is Christiania - an alternative community established by squatters on an abandoned military base, with its own unique culture and curious houses.

Another easy day trip would be Roskilde, which is known for its cathedral and Viking history.

A visit to the seaside chalk cliffs of Møns Klint (3 hours away) would be more comfortable as an overnight trip.