Copenhagen: Hotel d'Angleterre, Noma & the Art of Scandinavian Luxury

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, located on the islands of Zealand and Amager on the Øresund, the strait between Denmark and Sweden. With a population of about 1.3 million in the metropolitan area, Copenhagen is the cultural and economic centre of Denmark and the largest city in Scandinavia. It is repeatedly ranked as the world's happiest city and one of the most liveable cities in the world.

The city was founded as a Viking fishing village in the 10th century and became the capital of Denmark in the 15th century. The name Copenhagen (København in Danish) derives from Køpmannæhafn, meaning 'merchants' harbour.' During the 17th century, under King Christian IV, the city was fortified and expanded with many of its most characteristic Renaissance buildings, including the Round Tower (Rundetårn), the stock exchange (Børsen), and the Rosenborg Castle.

Hotel d'Angleterre

Hotel d'Angleterre (dangleterre.com) is one of the oldest grand hotels in the world. It was established in 1755 as a restaurant by Jean Marchal, a Frenchman, and Maria Coppy, an Italian — its history, fittingly, begins in food. The hotel became a meeting place for the Danish elite and visiting European aristocracy, and over the centuries it has hosted Hans Christian Andersen, who lived at the hotel for extended periods, as well as Winston Churchill and numerous heads of state. After a major renovation completed in 2013, the d'Angleterre remains the finest hotel in Scandinavia, located on Kongens Nytorv (King's New Square) directly across from the Royal Danish Theatre and a short walk from Nyhavn. Reference: [Hotel d'Angleterre Official](https://www.dangleterre.com/en)

Noma

Noma (noma.dk) is the most celebrated restaurant in Copenhagen and one of the most influential restaurants of the 21st century. Opened in 2003 by chef René Redzepi, Noma pioneered the concept of New Nordic cuisine — a gastronomic philosophy that uses only ingredients from the Nordic region (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands) and reflects the Nordic seasons. Noma was named the World's Best Restaurant by Restaurant magazine four times (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014). The restaurant has operated in three locations and formats: the original at Strandgade 93 in Christianshavn (2003–2016), the current location at Refshalevej 96 (2018–present), and a seasonal pop-up format. Noma's menu is organised by season: Seafood (winter), Vegetable (summer), and Game & Forest (autumn). Reference: [Noma Official](https://noma.dk)

Nyhavn

Nyhavn is the most iconic waterfront in Copenhagen — a 17th-century canal lined with colourful townhouses, built by King Christian V. The canal was dug between 1670 and 1673 and was historically a busy commercial port. Hans Christian Andersen lived at three different addresses in Nyhavn (numbers 18, 20, and 67), and today the canal is lined with cafes and restaurants. The oldest house in Nyhavn (number 9) dates to 1681.

Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli Gardens (tivoligardens.com), opened on 15 August 1843, is the second-oldest amusement park in the world (after Dyrehavsbakken, also in Denmark, opened in 1583). Tivoli was an inspiration for Walt Disney, who visited the park in 1958 before designing Disneyland. The park combines amusement rides, gardens, concert venues, and restaurants in the heart of Copenhagen. Reference: [Tivoli Gardens Official](https://www.tivoligardens.com)

Design and Architecture

Copenhagen is the design capital of Scandinavia. The Danish Architecture Center (dac.dk), the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (louisiana.dk) in Humlebæk, and the Designmuseum Danmark (designmuseum.dk) are the principal institutions. The city is also famous for its bicycle culture — there are more bicycles than people in Copenhagen, and 49% of all trips to work or school are made by bicycle.

Getting There

Copenhagen Airport (CPH), located on the island of Amager, is the largest airport in Scandinavia and the principal hub for SAS Scandinavian Airlines (flysas.com) and the low-cost carrier Norwegian (norwegian.com). The airport is connected to central Copenhagen by the Metro (about 15 minutes to Kongens Nytorv). Copenhagen is also connected to Malmö, Sweden by the Øresund Bridge, opened in 2000 — the setting for the Swedish-Danish television series 'The Bridge.' Reference: [Visit Copenhagen Official](https://www.visitcopenhagen.com)

Reference Links:

- Hotel d'Angleterre: dangleterre.com/en

- Noma: noma.dk

- Tivoli Gardens: tivoligardens.com

- Visit Copenhagen: visitcopenhagen.com

- Louisiana Museum: louisiana.dk

- Designmuseum Danmark: designmuseum.dk

- Danish Architecture Center: dac.dk

- SAS: flysas.com