Copenhagen/Indre By

Indre By (literally the inner city) is the central area and the historical heart of Copenhagen, bounded by the lakes circling the inner city and the harbour, it reflects the entire city’s extent during the reign of King Christian IV, when the town was fortified. All the neighboring districts were only founded when the king allowed construction outside the fortification in the 1850s. Referred to by locals simply as City, it is the home of most of Copenhagen's attractions, nightlife options, and hotels.



Understand
The old fortifications are still evident in the two strings of lakes circling the downtown area. The outer lakes are known to the locals simply as Søerne or The Lakes in English, and they do not only define the border to the inner city, they are also immensely popular with joggers. The inner lakes are laid out in a zigzag pattern, and are what remains of the old fortifications, if you look at a map or satellite photo this is still very visible. The remaining lakes, which used to completely circle the city, are now a string of parks; Østre Anlæg, with the National gallery, the Botanical gardens, Ørsteds Parken and finally Tivoli. The names Østerport (eastern gate), Nørreport (northern gate) and Vesterport (western gate), now associated with the stations carrying the same names, are actually the locations of the old gates leading through the fortifications, and into the city.

The heart of the district is the medieval city, shaped like a square with Rådhuspladsen, Kongens Nytorv and Nørreport as its corners. It is dotted with historic buildings, church spires and narrow streets. Many of them has been pedestrianized and is commonly known as Strøget, Copenhagen's main shopping area. But it gets much more interesting if you venture into the narrow streets and squares, since it hides some interesting shops, restaurants and old traditional bars hidden away for the curious traveler.

South of the medieval district is Slotsholmen, an artificial island, the name translates to the castle islet at the site where Copenhagen's founder, the archbishop Absalon's built first fortification in the city. The ruins thereof are visible under the present day parliament, housed in the massive Christiansborg palace. Slotsholmen is also home to a cluster of museums and the national archives. Børsen, the former stock exchange from 1640, is another striking Renaissance building located here, with its signature dragon spire, that has been taken down by fire in April 2024.

Get in


Being the center of the capital, the majority of bus, train and Metro lines run through Indre By. From the airport you can opt for either the regional Öresundstog to the Central Station or Nørreport, the Metro with stops at Kongens Nytorv and Nørreport or, if you want to take it slow and enjoy the views, the buses 2A or 5A. All of the options cost the same in terms of ticket fares - you need a three-zone ticket, as the Indre By is Zone 1, the Airport is in Zone 4 and you have to cross Zone 3 on your way.

From the DFDS and Polferries terminals take bus 26 or 20E to Kongens Nytorv.

(Hovedbanegården) lies on the border between the inner city and Vesterbro, and acts as a central hub, with all S-train, regional and intercity lines stopping here, as well as a large number of bus lines at the terminal between the station and the Tivoli Gardens. Served by the following bus lines:
 * 1A (stops at the bridge south on the tracks),
 * 2A and 5A (for Christianshavn, Amager and Kastrup Airport)
 * 6A,
 * 250S,
 * 10, 15, 26, 30, 40, 66.

station also has all S-train lines, as well as several regional lines stopping here, and acts as an interchange between these lines, and the Metro. It is also a major bus terminal for many lines going north and northwest from the city center. It lies at the northern end of the pedestrian district Strøget.
 * Bus lines: 5A, 6A, 150S, 350S, 174E, 14, 42, 43, 184, 185

is a major square at the eastern end of Strøget and where Nyhavn begins. It has a Metro station and a bus terminal.
 * Bus lines: 1A, 350S, 20E, 15, 26, 29 (stops behind the royal theater)

is Copenhagen's central square and features a large bus terminal. It is also the western access point to Strøget, and a short walk from the Central Station.
 * Bus lines: 2A, 5A, 6A, 250S, 173E, 10, 12, 14, 26, 29, 33, 67, 68, 69.

For information about where these lines go, please refer to Movia's homepage or the many signboards around the terminals.

By foot
The Indre By is easily walkable and in fact a large part of it has been pedestrianized and is devoid of both motorized and bicycle traffic.

By public transport
Public transportation is not of much use unless you want to travel between the extremities, and both the metro and the railway lines circle the Indre By with only two stations each.

By bicycle
Biking may be a good option - in case you do not want to bring your own bike or hire one permanently, you can take advantage of the city's Bycyklen bike-sharing scheme - as of 2014, Bycyklen stands in the Indre By are around the Central Station and by the Amalienborg.

Key sights














Museums and galleries
If you're into museums, consider getting the Parkmuseerne ticket, which gives you access to 6 museums in the center of Copenhagen as well as the palm house for half the price. You might also consider buying the Copenhagen Card, especially if staying multiple days.








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Event venues




Rides

 * Balongyngen You will find very few locals who have not kissed a date on this slow-going ferris wheel, with a romantic view of the city after dark.
 * Den Flyvende Kuffert Hop on into a suitcase, and run through puppet exhibitions of HC Andersen's tales in a leisurely pace.
 * Det gyldne Tårn is a 63-metre tower, where you can have a splendid view over Copenhagen before you are dropped to the ground in free fall, with a speed of 65 km/h and 1.5 G's
 * Dragen a flic flac ride, that twirls you around, in irregular moves, at a rather fast pace.
 * Dæmonen is a 600-m roller coaster, running at 77 km/h, and through 3 loops.
 * Himmelskibet is not just a carousel, it is the world's tallest, where you are carried up to the top, 80 metres above Tivoli, and taken for a spin.
 * Odin Expressen is a fast roller coaster ride, with a big helix loop, and a peak speed of 60 km/h
 * Monsunen A rather big, flying carpet type ride: watch for the first and law row, sometimes you get wet when it is windy.
 * Rutchebanen is the worlds oldest running wooden roller coaster, running through an artificial mountain terrain since 1914.
 * Snurretoppen break dance, round and round, get's you a bit dizzy at times.
 * ... and 15 other rides, mainly for the kids.



Buy
The best place for shopping in Copenhagen, is without a doubt Strøget. A set of connected pedestrian streets in the heart of the medieval city. It is claimed to be the biggest outdoor pedestrian shopping area in the world, regardless of whether this is true or not, it is a shoppers paradise, and the historic buildings as far as the eye can see, makes it a welcome alternative to any shopping center. The really interesting shopping however, is found in the small shops, in the many narrow side streets to Strøget, colloquially known as pisserenden or the Latin quarter. If you are out for traditional souvenirs, there are several shops on the section if Strøget running between the city hall, and Amager torv.



Department stores





 * Royal shopping is a group of 3 stores, connected to each other to make it feel somewhat like a department store for exclusive Design products. Royal Copenhagen and Georg Jensen are the top brands of Danish design, with a rich history, while the third store, Illums bolighus, handpicks other design products. The super store takes it name from the fact that all three are purveyors to the royal Danish court.







Danish design
An option for bringing home some unique and useful souvenirs is buying furniture, lamps or industrial design from one of Copenhagen's own superstar architects and designers like Arne Jacobsen, Poul Henningsen or Børge Mortensen, who helped to turn Danish Design into a world wide brand in the first half of the 21st century; but don't expect it to be cheap, there are other options however, Kitchen accessories by Bodum and glassware by Holmegaard are some options that can be found in many stores throughout Copenhagen.

Interiors
Other options are Illums bolighus and the Danish Design Center store, both listed above.





Fashion
The Danish fashion industry has long been lagging behind the interior and furniture design industries, where Danish design is a recognised brand. But this has changed, and Copenhagen has established itself as a fashion centre. Many of the important names in the industry run their own independent stores in central Copenhagen.



Music
Shop for some of Copenhagen's music stars in these stores. Good buys of local bands from Copenhagen with international quality include; Kashmir and Mew for rock music, and Trentemøller is an international electronica superstar,

Bakeries
Denmark, especially Copenhagen, is home to hundreds of traditional bakeries serving 'wienerbrød' (literally, bread from Vienna), the traditional and famous Danish pastries. While many are closing due to competition from 7-Eleven kiosks, a traditional bakery is still good to find and hard to beat. Look for signs with a pretzel on them or shaped like a pretzel, usually with a crown on top. The major department stores listed above also have bakeries, although they can be pricey.



Royal Warrant holders
When in Copenhagen, you have the opportunity to visit a Royal Warrant holder.

The Royal Warrant holder is a predicate dating back to the 19th century, it is only awarded to companies and individuals who have had long-term and regular trade of a certain extent with the royal family and the royal household.

Only a few handpicked companies are appointed this special title. Visiting stores labeled Royal Warrant Holder will give you a sense of the historical heritage of Copenhagen.



Budget
Frederiksberggade, the part of Strøget nearest to Rådhuspladsen, is packed with cheap burger joints, shawarma places, and China boxes, which all shell out quick food, until very late at night on the weekends. Burger King on the corner of Strøget and Rådhuspladsen operates 24 hours.



Mid-range
There are many opportunities. The area around Gråbrødre square is popular.



Splurge




Brewery pubs
These listings are some excellent options for starting your night in Copenhagen, offering good food and excellent beers produced in the places' own micro breweries.



Bars










Coffee
If you are in dire need of some caffeine the following morning, here are some places that should (could?) sharpen you up.



Budget








Mid-range




Splurge




Connect
The postal code for central Copenhagen ranges between 1000-1499 (København K), and is quite confusing compared to the rest of the country, since almost every street here has its own postcode.