Ten Things About Copenhagen That Nobody Puts in a Guide

The Danes will not push past you on a cycling lane. They will ring their bell once. This is considered sufficient warning. If you do not move, they will ring again. There is no third ring — after that they find a way around you, and you are simply a person who did not understand the bell.

The Danish sun in June at 10pm is a genuine phenomenon. The light at that hour is orange and horizontal and unlike anything you will have seen elsewhere. It is the reason people plan rooftop gatherings and cycling evenings for after dinner. It lasts about three weeks at full intensity and the Danes spend all of it outside.

The rye bread (rugbrød) is a staple and is better than most things called bread in most countries. It is heavy, dense, slightly sour, keeps for a week. Buy it at a proper bageri. Eat it with butter and cheese for breakfast. This is the Danish breakfast and it is correct.

Christiania (Fredens Ark, Christianshavn) is a genuine community that has existed since 1971 and is genuinely interesting and is also genuinely crowded with tourists on weekends. Go on a Tuesday morning if you want to understand what it is rather than what it looks like to visitors.

The Louisiana is worth an afternoon every single time you go. The building is perfect. The garden is perfect. The collection is excellent. Take the train to Humlebæk. Go. This is not a suggestion that requires qualification.