Unplug and Play in Copenhagen

WITH ONE OF THE WORLD’S (if not the world’s) strongest commitments to sustainability combined with an extremely balanced work-life culture, Copenhagen draws working professionals to its winding streets, nearly 60 percent of which are occupied by cyclists. Once businesses and shops close for the day, the Danish capital embraces hygge, a Danish term that refers to locals’ appreciation for coziness in every sense of the word.

Copenhagen residents know how to disconnect after a work day, explaining why the city ranks third in the world for social inclusion and prosperity. Locals and visitors are encouraged to come together to reap what the city sows, an example of which lies in this summer’s new public gardens, where fresh fruit will be ripe for the picking. Along with these accolades, Copenhagen plans to be completely carbon-neutral by 2025.

Before the sun sets (which can be very early during the winter months), book a spot on Copenhagen’s GoBoats for a unique perspective of the city from the surrounding harbors. The eco-friendly boat tour company also offers GoBoat After Work, which moves the meeting room to one (or up to eight) of GoBoat’s eight-person boats, with the option to add food and beverages.

If you’re not sure where to begin a culinary journey through Copenhagen, leave it in the hands of Foodtours.eu, whose Evening Gourmet Stroll starts with tastings at the market halls of Torvehallerne followed by dinner at a nearby restaurant and then beer and dessert in the melting-pot neighborhood of Nørrebro.

Last November famed Danish chef Kamilla Seidler opened her first solo restaurant, Restaurant Lola, on the outskirts of Copenhagen’s famous Freetown Christiania neighborhood. Beyond the eatery itself, the Lola Impact restaurant initiative helps underprivileged and marginalized groups glean cooking techniques and culinary basics as well as learn how to build relationships and work as a team. When Seidler isn’t managing Lola, she’s fighting for gender equality rights in the restaurant industry with Food Organisation of Denmark.

End any night in Copenhagen with an illuminating stop at Tivoli Gardens, Europe’s oldest amusement park, open until 11 p.m. from mid-April to mid-September, followed by a nightcap at Oscar Bar | Café, an LGBTQ+-friendly bar and restaurant near City Hall.

By: Allie Moore