The capital of the world's oldest kingdom has become a cutting-edge city boasting avant-garde design, art and architecture as well as chic and inventive new restaurants. Its medieval centre is perfect for exploring by foot, and the city also boasts some of the best in contemporary design, particularly when it comes to interiors. Copenhagen is very child friendly, and is a good choice for families. The Danes have a reputation for being friendly, tolerant and allegedly the happiest nationality on earth - making their capital a great choice for a hip, laid-back and relatively undiscovered weekend break destination.

71 NYHAVN HOTEL
Nyhavn 71 (00 45 33 43 62 00; fax: 33 43 62 01; www.71nyhavnhotel.com). Cosy and compact, this hotel is housed in a converted spice warehouse (built in 1804), at the tip of Nyhavn Canal with its lively stretch of outdoor cafés. Mostly used by business clients, the hotel has special weekend rates on request and boasts superb views over the port area. The duplex suites with sloping ceilings, deep armchairs and water views are among the most comfortable in town. ££

AVENUE
Aboulevard 29, Frederiksberg C (00 45 35 37 31 11; fax: 35 37 31 33; www.avenuehotel.dk; email: info@avenuehotel.dk). Avenue is set on a busy avenue north-west of the city centre in residential Norrebro. This hotel is like an elegant and relaxed home, but with a wonderfully fashionable lobby-lounge. There are 68 bedrooms, including 10 suites. There are also 11 family rooms, each of which has four beds. The restaurant serves light meals, and bakes its own bread. ££

AXEL HOTEL GULDSMEDEN
Helgolandsgade 711, Copenhagen (00 45 33 31 32 66; www.hotelguldsmeden.dk). The Axel Hotel Guldsmeden thinks it's more important to have organic eggs in the kitchen than Arne Jacobsen Egg chairs in the lobby - not to mention organic minibars in the rooms, organic cocktails in the bar and eco-friendly details such as motion-activated corridor lighting. Instead of following the pack and going with Scandinavian cool, this 129-room property prefers global comfort: Balinese oak and bamboo furniture, Persian rugs on stripped wooden floors and colourful Mexican crockery. Read more in The Hot List 2008. ££££

BERTRAMS HOTEL GULDSMEDEN
Vesterbrogade 107 (00 45 33 25 04 05; fax: 33 25 04 02; www.hotelguldsmeden.dk; email: bertrams@hotelguldsmeden.com). This laid-back, family-run hotel opened with 47 rooms (including five suites) in the lovely Vesterbro neighbourhood, and mixes Nordic design, Balinese furniture and French cuisine (bread and cakes come from the organic bakery next door). Ask for a room with a garden view. ££

COPENHAGEN ADMIRAL HOTEL
Toldbodgade 24-28 (00 45 33 74 14 14; fax: 33 74 14 16; www.admiralhotel.dk; email: admiral@admiralhotel.dk). This business-and-pleasure hotel has a nautical theme, with model ships and bits of masts decorating the lobby. There are 366 beamed rooms including 52 suites, in a listed building dating from 1787. An elegant new restaurant, SALT, has opened as part of the hotel's extensive renovations. ££

COPENHAGEN ISLAND
Kalvebod Brygge 53 (00 45 33 38 96 00; fax: 33 38 96 01;www.copenhagenisland.com). On a man-made island on the harbour, this hotel is one metro stop from Central Station. Gleaming and minimalist, it has real Scandinavian style, thanks to architect Kim Utzon. There are 326 bedrooms, including four suites. Rooms with the dazzling harbour views are worth the premium. The glass-walled Harbour Restaurant has stellar views. Although its a short journey, having to take a train to the city centre is a nuisance, especially at night. £

FRONT
Sankt Annae Plads 21 (00 45 33 13 34 00; fax: 33 11 77 07; www.front.dk; email: info@front.dk). This waterside boutique hotel is right in the heart of things, close to Bredgade's many antique shops. There are 132 cool bedrooms, including one suite, all with Modern-Scandinavian good looks. The hotel attracts a design-conscious, international crowd. The restaurant's classic-with-a-twist menu offers dishes such as fish and chips made with tuna, and meatloaf with redcurrant jelly. As featured in The Hot List 2007. ££

HILTON COPENHAGEN AIRPORT
Ellehammersvej 20 (00 45 32 50 15 01; fax: 32 52 85 28; www.hilton.com/copenhagen). One of the world's coolest airports deserves one of the coolest hotels: this one is devoted to Danish design. The airport views are both mesmerising and quiet, ignore the TV and watch SAS jets land instead. The sense of style extends to the stainless steel swimming pool, which is far more inviting than it sounds. ££

HOTEL D'ANGLETERRE
34 Kongens Nytorv (00 45 33 12 00 95; fax: 33 12 11 18; www.remmen.dk). Thanks to a £10-million facelift, this grand old chintz-and-gilt hotel popular with pop stars and presidents has re-established itself as the top luxury hotel. The hotel has 123 rooms with eight suites, along with a restaurant, pool and spa. £££

HOTEL FOX
Jarmers Plads 3 (00 45 33 13 30 00; fax: 33 14 30 33; www.hotelfox.dk; email: hotel@hotelfox.dk). A group of 21 young artists were given carte blanche with the décor, and the result is some of the most idiosyncratic hotel rooms you will ever see. Rooms range from the almost creepily kitsch 'Heidi' in room 409, to 'Ecstasy' in room 206, complete with a mural inspired by a Nick Cave song - this is definitely not a hotel for lovers of the traditional. There are 61 rooms over five floors in two buildings. None are huge, most are decent, but some are microscopic. The Fox kitchen and bar serves as a lounge/cocktail bar/restaurant . The lobby hosts nightly cocktail parties. £

HOTEL SKT PETRI
Krystalgade 22 (00 45 33 45 91 00; fax: 33 45 91 10; www.hotelsktpetri.com; email: reservation@hotelsktpetri.com). Copenhagen's hippest five-star hotel, housed in a 1930s department store. Situated in a quiet corner of the Latin Quarter, two minutes' walk from Norreport station. There are 270 rooms, including 24 suites. Service is quick, efficient and well dressed. There are romantic views of the town's towers and spires in all directions. Brasserie Bleu and hip nightspot Bar Rouge are in the first-floor of the atrium, with open-all-day Café Blanc downstairs. ££

MARRIOT COPENHAGEN
Kalvebod Brygge 5 (00 45 88 33 99 00; fax: 33 12 99 99; www.Marriott.com/cphdk). An immaculate international business hotel in a monolithic glass-and-brick building. Located on the waterfront, about 10 minutes' walk from the town centre. Space is the greatest advantage here: none of the 395 rooms on 11 floors feels cramped. Staff are ultra-attentive. The Terraneo has a pizza oven and serves great Mediterranean food. Choose city or water views. You can't go wrong with either from higher floors. There is a decent-sized gym, a real bonus in a town where most rooms are the size of a cupboard. Guests in executive rooms enjoy breakfast with the best view in town from the top-floor lounge. £

RADISSON SAS ROYAL HOTEL
Hammerichsgade 1, DK-1611 Copenhagen V (00 45 38 15 65 00; fax: 33 42 63 00; www.radissonsas.com; email: copenhagen@radissonsas.com). For modern efficiency and what's left of Arne Jacobsen's sharp aesthetic vision (he designed the hotel, both the building and the interiors, in the 1960s), the Radisson is hard to beat. The restaurant Alberto K serves excellent Italian-Sandinavian cuisine. Sweet talk the concierge into giving you a quick look around Room 606, preserved almost exactly as Jacobsen originally designed it. ££

SKOVSHOVED HOTEL
Strandvejen 267, Charlottenlund (00 45 39 64 00 28; fax: 39 64 06 72; www.skovshovedhotel.com; email: reception@skovshovedhotel.com). Located between the two best beaches in Copenhagen, The Skovshoved Hotel was founded in 1660 and quickly established itself as a meeting place for locals of nearby Charlottenlund. What was once an eclectic jumble of dark rooms has been transformed, by architect Mikael Mammen, into a bright, serene space with plenty of Scandinavian charm. For pre-dinner relaxation, the living room with its comfortable white couches and enormous glasses of wine is ideal. Weekends are more energetic, with the country's best DJs entertaining the Copenhageners who drop in to get away from it all. The Italian- and French- inspired restaurant has been fully booked almost every night since it opened. Skovshoved Hotel was featured in The Hot List 2004. ££

THE SQUARE
Radhuspladsen 14 (00 45 33 38 12 00; fax: 33 38 12 01; www.thesquarecopenhagen.dk; email: thesquare@arp-hansen.dk). A dependable business boutique hotel enlivened with colourful flourishes such as bright-red Egg chairs and video projections. As its name suggests, the hotel is right on Town Hall Square, a block from Tivoli Gardens. Staff are quick to smile and happy to help. The restaurant is large, bright and typically Nordic, and only serves breakfast. Opt for a front room, which have wonderful views over the bustle and bicycles in Town Hall Square. Although just steps from the busiest square in town, the hotel is wonderfully quiet. The third-floor is hypoallergenic, with wooden floors and feather-free bedding. ££

CAFE SOMMERSKO
Kronprinsensgade 6, Copenhagen (00 45 33 14 81 89; www.sommersko.dk). Copenhagen's obsession with France starts here: Café Sommersko (or 'summer shoe', as it translates), where the beautiful Copenhagians go for coffee and drinks on weekdays and brunch on weekends, is the perfect fusion café. The menu balances perfectly with one foot in the French capital with moules frites and vol au vent on the menu, but you will also find a great English fry-up here. Come early for brunch, or reserve a table, to avoid the queues.

DEN GULE COTTAGE
Strandvejen 506, Klampenborg (00 45 39 64 06 91; www.dengule.cottage.dk). This tiny, thatched house - the quintessential fairy-tale cottage - stands beneath a canopy of oak and beech trees by Bellevue Beach, in Klampenborg, 11km north of Copenhagen. Yet the food at the intimate, two-room restaurant has moved with the times, being light, seasonal, beautifully presented and founded on locally sourced ingredients. A good example is the roasted cod with barbecued pork belly, basil tomatoes and yoghurt sorbet. Owner-chef Marcus Skjoldager began working at Den Gule Cottage as a dishwasher aged 14, returning to this former park-keeper's cottage, 20 minutes' drive north of the city, as chef and owner in 2001. 'It is difficult with such a small place: I have to wear several hats,' he says, 'but it means that the food is very personal. These are my ideas primarily. I like to follow the seasons - the ingredients taste better.'

ENSEMBLE
Tordenskjoldsgade 11, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 33 52; www.restaurantensemble.dk). Using only the most seasonal ingredients, Head Chef Morten Schou develops a single set menu that changes every two weeks and was awarded a Michelin star for his efforts in 2007. The restaurant aesthetic - minimalist Danish design - mirrors that of the food, and you can expect classic dishes, paired with exclusive French and other European wines.

ERA ORA
Overgaden neden vandet 33b, Copenhagen (00 45 32 54 06 93; www.era-ora.dk). Michelin star-holder Era Ora, Italian for 'about time', is a concept restaurant. The theme here is Umbria, from where ingredients are flown in before they are transformed by owners Elvio Milleri and Edelvita Santos' vision for the place. The wine cellar has over 1,000 Italian wines that go well with the 14 and 17 small dishes that are served every evening. The smaller opera menu, which will have you seated by 5pm, costs just over £60.

FORMEL-B
Vesterbrogade 182, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen (00 45 33 25 10 66; www.formel-b.dk). The kitchen of formel-B has a reputation as a hothouse for new talent. Yet when this lavish, L-shaped cellar restaurant on the border between gritty Vesterbro and leafy Frederiskberg lurched from gossip-column prominence (Bono signed his name in the concrete on the front terrace) to financial crisis, it was two chefs in their early 20s who resolved to stabilise things. Kristian Møller and Rune Jochumsen were determined to bring a new maturity to the place. 'We are working for our second Michelin star.' Jochumsen says, 'We try to be based in the classic French kitchen; we're not particularly inspired by what's new at the moment.' Møller and Jochumsen's cooking is far from formulaic. It has an irrepressible creativity. Although foie gras, langoustine and truffles are menu regulars, the foie gras may be paired with rye bread and the langoustine - in a luxurious and surprising blend of classic French and Danish ingredients - with liquorice root, fennel and pumpkin.

GERANIUM
Kongens Have, Kronprinsessegade 13, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 13 04; www.restaurantgeranium.dk). Geranium's young - and very handsome - chef, Rasmus Kofoed, has been a runner-up in the prestigious Bocuse D'Or competition, so it was little surprise when his restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2007. Alongside Søren Ledet and Ronny Emborg, he creates fantastic biodynamic and organic food with inventive names: 'happy chicken' comes with morels, sweet woodruff and potato peel, and 'new carrots' are served with elderflower vinegar and white chocolate. All dishes are pre-paired with wine (organic, of course), and there's a 'The Grass Is Greener' bespoke menu for vegetarians. In summertime, you can have your food in the garden.

GRILL BAR
Ny Ostergade 14, Copenhagen (00 45 33 14 34 54). This is a creation from the team of gastro-entrepreneurs known in Copenhagen as 'the Olsen Gang'. An open kitchen serving cocktails, Eurasian food and tapas, a modern interior with black walls and a lounge atmosphere attract a buzzy crowd.

IDA DAVIDSEN
Store Kongensgade 70, Copenhagen (00 45 33 91 36 55; www.idadavidsen.dk). During the working week, Ida, queen of the smørrebrød (open sandwich), reigns supreme. Her menu is the world's longest at 140cm. Try smoked salmon with lungfish caviar and a splash of akvavit, the schnapps-like local poison, on rye bread.

KIIN KIIN
Guldbergsgade 21, Copenhagen (00 45 35 35 75 55; www.kiin.dk). Another Michelin-awarded restaurant, Kiin Kiin is a gourmet Thai restaurant, owned by the Bangkok-based Panta group. With a view over the Jewish cemetery and beautiful furniture made out of bamboo wood, Kiin Kiin serves up some exquisite food to go with the theme. How about some frozen red curry with Danish blue lobster and cashews? Or pork braised in five spices with pumpkin and spring roll deluxe? The most romantic table, number nine, can be reserved beforehand.

KOKKERIET
Kronprinsessegade 64, Copenhagen (00 45 33 15 27 77; www.kokkeriet.dk). A clean and calm restaurant in a beautiful part of town, Kokkeriet serves Danish-inspired European fare that is both seasonal and sensational. Think lamb and langoustines with carrots and herbs, milk-fed calf with girolles and marinated onions, and skate and cockles with cauliflower and glasswort. Unsurprisingly, it's a favourite of Copenhagen-based gourmands. Open Tue-Sat.

KONG HANS KAELDER
Vingårdsstræde 6, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 68 68; www.konghans.dk). A Relais & Chateau member, Kong Hans Kælder - King Hans' Cellar - is a classic fine dining restaurant that has been awarded a Michelin star. The building is one of the oldest in Copenhagen and the place where H.C. Andersen wrote Love in Nicolai Tower. The restaurant has been here since 1976. The menu is a Franco-Danish feast with poached and roasted lobster served with pickled chantarelles and butter cabbage, and North Friesland beef in crouton with two pepper sauces.

KRANSEKAGEHUSET
Kronprinsensgade 11, Copenhagen (00 45 33 93 80 40; www.kransekagehuset.dk). Cakes and chocolate don't come any better than at the renowned and newly refurbished Kransekagehuset. Try the house speciality, kransekage, a macaroon-style almond cake, or Summerbird chocolates with marzipan that contains 70 per cent almonds.

LE LE CAF
Vesterbrogade 56, Copenhagen (00 45 33 22 71 34; www.aok.dk). Slightly out of the touristy city centre lies this fantastic French-Vietnamese bistro, where the moules are brilliant and the atmosphere is vibrant. The extremely good-value food and interiors are both perfect examples of a happy fusion: the style is definitely French, although with clearer - more Asian - colours (turquoise walls complement the red leather sofas and the black-and-white tiled floor). The chef, Olivier Serror, is French and is also in charge of Lê Lê nhà hang (Vesterbrogade 40, Copenhagen; 00 33 22 71 35; www.lele-nhahang.com), a bit further down on the street, where the owners' Vietnamese heritage is celebrated fully. Tables can't be booked in advance, but the atmospheric bar is a great spot if you find you have to wait to take a seat.

MR
Kultorvet 5, Copenhagen (00 45 33 91 09 49; www.mr-restaurant.dk). Mads Reflund is a local chef, and his contemporary Danish restaurant, in one of the city's oldest private houses, has been awarded its first Michelin star. Inventive dishes include a combination of lamb, peppers, spinach and liquorice.

NOMA
Strandgade 93, Christianshavn, Copenhagen (00 45 32 96 32 97; www.noma.dk). Raw meat eaten with your bare hands; sauces made from partially digested bird food; wild grasses plucked from Swedish beaches. A meal at Noma might sound like a kind of wilderness survival course, but this restaurant - set in a 19th-century former salt warehouse - is one of the most refined in Denmark. 'It started as an idea that Claus Meyer [Danish culinary impresario, and Noma's owner] and I had at the same time,' explains head chef Rene Redzepi, who trained at French Laundry and El Bulli. 'It's not difficult to express: it was 'Let's do Nordic' - no foie gras, no olive oil, no truffles, no sun-dried tomatoes.' The result is food that is wonderfully light and clean-tasting. No wonder Noma has been awarded two Michelin stars.

PASTIS
Gothersgade 52, Copenhagen (00 45 33 93 44 11). Pastis is a French-inspired bistro with a good following that serves just the kind of great food you'd expect in its spiritual home, Paris. Mussels, foie gras, rabbit and crème brulée can all be found on the menu, as can several varieties of pastis, of course. Open Mon-Sat.

PEDER OXE
Grabrødretorv 11, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 00 77; www.pederoxe.dk). Located on the site of Denmark's oldest monastery (which dates from 1232), Peter Oxe is an oasis of calm 19th-century-style interior design on the picturesque Gråbrødretorv, a short walk from the central shopping street Strøget. Its organic beef is certainly worthy of worship. Come here for lunch to sample the legendary salad buffet with Danish feta, fine-tasting tomatoes and other seasonal vegetables, or in the evening for the divine hakkebøf: an organic mince beef burger that comes with a lovely baked potato and Dijon sauce, and leaves your taste buds fully satisfied.

RESTAURANT NOVEAU
Magstræde 16, Copenhagen (00 45 33 16 12 92; www.restaurantnoveau.dk). Copenhagen restaurants are famous for the way they incorporate French gourmet food in Danish dishes, and Noveau is one of the best places to sample this fusion. The building has foundations from the 18th century, just like most other houses on this street - and was previously the home to famous restaurant TyvenKokkenHansKoneogHendesElsker before it was taken over by Kasper Rune Sørensen in 2006. The two-course Theatre Menu is great if you've got tickets to the opera (see What to See).

RESTAURANT PAUSTIAN VED BO BECH
Kalkbrænderiløbskaj 2, Østerbro, Copenhagen (00 45 39 18 55 01; www.restaurantpaustian.dk). Ask after the crazy genius of Modern Danish cuisine and most people will point you in the direction of Bo Bech's harbour-side restaurant, just north of central Copenhagen, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2007. An array of appetisers that includes celeriac purée sandwiched between chocolate wafers, lemon jelly cubes rolled in powdered green tea, and an improbable take on spaghetti Bolognese - fried spaghetti served sprouting from a red Perspex vase filled with a tiny concentrate of cold Bolognese sauce - suggests you are in the right place; but Bech's talent lies less in molecular showmanship than in a dazzlingly inventive, idiosyncratic approach to flavour. Bech works alone, out front in a small, open kitchen/bar in the middle of his light, high-ceilinged dining room (part of the Jørn Utzon-designed Paustian complex). The rest of his team work out of sight in a back room.

RESTAURANT PREMISSE
Dronningens Tværgade 2, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 11 45; www.premisse.dk). Prémisse opened in September 2004 in the whitewashed, vaulted-ceilinged cellar of Moltke's Palace, in the heart of Copenhagen's royal quarter, Frederiksstaden. The restaurant is a partnership between chef Rasmus Grønbech and sommelier Christian Aarø Mortensen. The thousand or so bottles on display reflect Mortensen's passion for modern Spanish wines and have twice made him Denmark's master sommelier. Grønbech has a sideline writing for the Sunday papers, providing complex, innovative recipes that cause amateur chefs considerable frustration. He has a playful, uninhibited approach to flavour combinations, as the onion jam with chocolate and goat's-milk ice cream show. He has a wickedly sweet tooth too: his liquorice Chelsea buns are highly addictive. Grønbech admits that he isn't afraid to experiment. The result is a menu that ranges across Italy, Spain, France and even to North Africa for inspiration, but is grounded in a devotion to the best local ingredients.

RESTAURANT WILLUMSEN
Store Regnegade 26, Copenhagen (00 45 33 93 91 92; www.aok.dk). Although perhaps not as famous as Ida Davidsen's eponymous restaurant (see above), Restaurant Willumsen is a fantastic place to visit for smørrebrød - open sandwiches on delicious rye or sourdough bread with fillings ranging from raw pickled herring to paté, prawns and roast beef. Heartier meals are also served, and Willumsen is an excellent place for lunch as it is close to Kongens Nytorv and the shopping on Strøget (see Where to Shop).

THE PAUL
Tivoli, Vesterbrogade 3, Copenhagen (00 45 33 75 07 75; www.thepaul.dk). Tivoli is a uniquely Danish phenomenon - part beer garden, part Disneyland - and Danes have an almost spiritual link to the place. But until recently it offered nowhere good to eat. That all changed with the opening of The Paul in 2003. Paul Cunningham's light, simple Modern-European-with-a-Danish-twist cuisine won him praise in the Danish media and a first Michelin star within seven months of opening. 'I always said I'd open a hot-dog stand before I opened in Tivoli,' says Cunningham, a great bear of a man who was born in Essex. The crescent-shaped conservatory to the rear of Glassalen ('Glass Room'), a theatre designed by architect Poul Henningsen, is now the city's most serene dining room, awash with light both by day and - thanks to Tivoli's magical illuminations - by night. It takes skill and self-assurance to present dishes with the lightness and clarity of Cunningham's roasted sea bass with green olives, lovage and Marcona almonds. Simplicity is paramount: 'Food should taste of what it is,' he says. 'Lobster should taste of lobster, not lemon grass. A lightly marinated tomato with a little mint and a perfectly roasted langoustine: that's poetry.'

UMAMI
Store Kongensgade 59, Copenhagen (00 45 33 38 75 00; www.restaurantumami.dk). Japanese food and Scandinavian design marry elegantly at Umami, a dazzling restaurant with an interior that features a colour-shifting crystal curtain. Expect great sushi, saké and cocktails.

BO-BI BAR
Klareboderne 14, Copenhagen (00 45 33 12 55 43). A bohemian hangout patronised by the city's intelligentsia, Bo-Bi is one of the oldest bars in Copenhagen, having been open since 1917. It's a great place to chat and enjoy akvavit.

CAFE SOMMERSKO
Kronprinsensgade 6, Copenhagen (00 45 33 14 81 89; www.sommersko.dk). This Continental-style cafe opened in 1976, but it's as bright, loud and popular as ever. Find out more in Where to Eat.

K BAR
Ved Stranden 20, Copenhagen (00 45 33 91 92 22). Opened in 2002, this is a classic Copenhagen bar whose owner, Kirsten Neergaard Holm, used to be responsible for the cocktail bar at Hotel Royal. The drinks are, therefore, both classic and good, in particular if you are looking for a Martini or Champagne.

NASA
Gothersgade 8f, Copenhagen (00 45 33 93 74 15; www.nasa.dk). This space-age, chic, members-only nightclub was for its first five years (it opened in 1997) the place to be seen in Copenhagen. As more nightclubs jumped on its bandwagon, it all of a sudden lost a bit of its cool in the early Noughties, but a recent make-over has put Nasa back on the party scene. The interiors are white, futuristic and soft. Non-members can get in, as long as they dress up and come early.

NO. 8
Hovedvagtsgade 8, Copenhagen (00 33 36 33 86). This weekend-only (open Fri-Sat) club is owned by the Olsen boys, who also run Grill Bar (see Where to Eat). Exclusivity is the motto, and the club was inspired by the members-only scene in London. This is the place celebrities go when they don't want people to stare: guests are too cool to be bothered by their presence.

OAK ROOM
Birkegade 10, Copenhagen (00 45 38 60 38 60). A modern cocktail bar with a modern interior, Oak Room was opened in 2004 by the man behind Pussy Galore's Flying Circus (see below). The drinks here are classic, and the crowd is very cool.

PUSSY GALORE'S FLYING CIRCUS
Sankt Hans Torv 30, Copenhagen (00 45 35 42 53 00; www.pussy-galore.dk). A sleek cafe/bar in a pivotal position in hip area of Nørrebro. Actually, Pussy Galore can almost be credited as having paid a pivotal role in making this former working class stronghold (where riots are still not uncommon) the cool destination it is today, having been one of the first 'modern-style' bars in the area.

RUBY
Nybrogade 10, Copenhagen (00 45 33 93 12 03; www.rby.dk). Is your favourite night out one that involves visiting your friend with the best flat and staying there all evening? Then you will love Ruby, which is decked out to look like a big, privately owned house. The grand rooms with high ceilings are perfect if you want to see some real-life Copenhagen interiors, and the drinks - mostly stylish classics like Manhattans, Martinis and Daiquiris - are great.

RUST
Guldbergsgade 8, Copenhagen (00 45 35 24 52 00; www.rust.dk). Rust has long dominated the Copenhagen club scene, so despite the fact that it is slightly off the tourist map, club fans really ought to go. It gets very crowded, especially at weekends, so expect to queue.

BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS

FREDERIKS KIRKE - MARMORKIRKEN
Frederiksgade 4, Copenhagen (00 45 33 15 01 44; www.marmorkirken.dk). With a great dome that reaches high over the rooftops of this very gentile part of Copenhagen (it's in the queen's parish), Frederiks Kirke was built by Nicolai Eigtved in 1749. Frederik V put down the fifth stone himself. The dome is open for visitors outside of service hours, and the top balcony provides a beautiful view over Copenhagen.

ROSENBORG SLOT
Øster Voldgade 4a, Copenhagen (00 45 33 15 32 86; www.rosenborgslot.dk ). This 17th-century Dutch Renaissance castle was built for King Christian IV as his summer home. The lower level contains a dazzling array of crown jewels, including Queen Margrethe II's current collection.

THE BLACK DIAMOND
Søren Kirkegaard Plads 1, Copenhagen (00 45 33 47 47 47; www.kb.dk). The Danish Royal Library is more than just a library: it is a masterpiece of modern architecture that holds musical concerts, art exhibitions and a good café and restaurant on its premises. Architects Schmit Hammer Lassen used black granite and dark-coloured glass windows to create the intriguingly square building, which lies beautifully by the canal on Slotsholmen.

THE OPERA
Ekvipagemestervej 10, Copenhagen (00 45 33 69 69 69; www.operaen.dk). A debated architectural project when it was being built (some critics were less than impressed by Henning Larsen's samurai-like building), the Opera House is an impressive venue with fantastic acoustics. Come here for an evening concert or show, or visit at daytime on an excursion to Christianshavn - the area in which the Opera is located. You can also see it across the harbour when you are at Amalienborg, the queen's castle.

MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

ARKEN MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Skovvej 100, Ishøj (00 45 43 54 02 22; www.arken.dk). Arken can be found a train-, bus- or bike ride south of Copenhagen, and houses contemporary art, including works by Olafur Eliasson, Mona Hatoum, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol.

DANISH JEWISH MUSEUM
Proviantpassagen 6, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 22 18; www.jewmus.dk ). Designed by acclaimed architect Daniel Libeskind, the museum features his trademark slanting walls and sloping wood floors, which echo the boats that transported so many Jews to safety to Sweden during WWII. The museum focuses on Danish-Jewish history, with photographs, paintings and many other artefacts.

DAVIDS SAMLING
Kronprinsessegade 30, Copenhagen (00 45 33 73 49 49; www.davidmus.dk). The David Collection is the work of Christian Ludvig David, a barrister of the Danish High Court who collected fine and applied art from the 18th century, as well as gathering an impressive collection of art from the Islamic world. The museum is closed for refurbishment until May 2009.

DEN HIRSCHSPRUNGSKE SAMLING
Stockholmsgade 20, Copenhagen (00 45 35 42 03 36; hirschsprung.dynamicweb.dk). With a great collection of Danish art from the 19th century, including many masterpieces by the Skagen painters and Vilhelm Hammershøi, this beautiful museum is a must for art fans.

FRIHEDSMUSEET - THE RESISTANCE MUSEUM
Churchillparken, Copenhagen (00 45 33 47 39 21; www.nationalmuseet.dk). Denmark's controversial WWII history (the country was occupied by Germany from 1940) is taken apart and reassessed at this informative little museum, located in a park named after Winston Churchill, not far from the Little Mermaid on Langelinie. Many of the museum's artefacts have important stories to tell - you'll find a coat with gunshot holes in it (worn by a resistance fighter who shot his way out of an ambush), illegal newspapers and printing machines, along with a piece of wood against which many resistance fighters were shot dead by the Nazis.

LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Gamle Strandvej 13, Humblebaek (00 45 49 19 07 19; www. louisiana.dk ). The museum is a short train-ride out of Copenhagen, set in a wonderful building with a fine view over the sound of Sweden. It features works by Lichtenstein, Rauschenberg, Warhol, Dine, Oldenburg and Hamilton as well as a fine sculpture collection including works by Giacometti, Max Ernst, Joan Miró and Henry Moore.

NY CARLSBERG GLYPTOTEK
Dantes Plads 7, Copenhagen (00 45 33 41 81 41; www.glyptoteket.dk). The museum houses an impressive sculpture archive and the largest collection of Etruscan art outside Italy, and was set up by the famous Carlsberg family, using money made from their beer empire. Coming here is like being transported to the Mediterranean: palm trees grow in the atrium winter garden where the lovely café is located.

STATENS MUSEUM FOR KUNST
Sølvgade 48-50, Copenhagen (00 45 33 74 84 94; www.smk.dk). Denmark's National Gallery and main museum of visual art has a vast collection of Danish art, as well as pieces by Rubens, Rembrandt, Picasso and Munch. It's a fantastic space, and within easy reach from Davids Samling (see above) and the Botanical Gardens (see What to Do).

THE DANISH MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS
Bredgade 68, Copenhagen (00 45 33 18 56 56; www.kunstindustrimuseet.dk ). This museum is a great place to see the best both in Danish and international design, including furniture and textile exhibitions.

ASSISTENS KIRKEGARD
Kapelvej 2, Nørrebro, Copenhagen (00 45 35 37 19 17). How very fitting that Søren Kirkegaard's last name means 'church cemetery', and how very wonderful that his earthly remains are forever resting at Assistens Kirkegard - an oasis of calm in the centre of Copenhagen - alongside those of H.C. Andersen, Niels Bohr and other famous Danes. You will also find the graves of French soldiers who, liberated from German prisoner of war camps in 1918, came to Denmark where they fell victim to the Spanish flu. The graveyard is open daily, and opening hours vary throughout the year.

BOTANISK HAVE
Øster Farimagsgade, Copenhagen (00 45 35 32 22 22; www.botanik.snm.ku.dk). 25 acres of landscaped gardens and some of the most exotic plants in the world: the botanical garden is well worth a visit. Located close to both Statens Museum for Kunst and Davids Samling (see What to See), the gardens make an ideal stop on a culture trail.

CYCLING
This city looks like it was built for the bike: all main streets have a big, separate cycling lane, and Copenhagians of all ages can be seen riding their bikes everywhere. Rent one for a day to discover Christianshavn and Holmen, where you'll find both freetown Christiania and Henning Larsen's new opera house, or head straight to to cool Nørrebro, the most multicultural part of the city, to find cool cafés, bars and shops. København Cykler on Reventlowsgade 11 next to the central train station (00 45 33 33 86 13; www.copenhagen-bikes.dk) and Københavns Cykelbørs by Dronning Louises Bro (the gateway to Nørrebro) on Gothersgade 157 (00 45 33 14 07 17; www.cykelboersen.dk) are good places to find bikes and helpful staff.

RUNDETAARN
Købmagergade 42a, Copenhagen (00 45 33 73 03 73; www.rundetaarn.dk). What do you do if you're the King of Denmark and you want to see the view from the top of the highest tower in your capital city, but you don't want to walk all the way up there yourself? Why, you make sure that the tower is built with a spiral ramp rather than stairs so that you can ride your horse to the top, of course. Built under the reign of Christian IV, the Round Tower was completed in 1642. At the time, it was an astronomical observatory linked to the University of Copenhagen, but today it is most often visited for its views in all directions across Copenhagen.

TIVOLI GARDENS
Vesterbrogade 3, Copenhagen (00 45 33 15 10 01; www.tivoligardens.com). Open between May and October, Tivoli is the city's tourism cash cow. But don't be put off: a romantic evening stroll through this old-fashioned amusement park can be an enchanting experience. Lit by night by coloured lights, and featuring an open-air theatre, a Chinese pagoda and 20 acres of gardens, this is a fairy-tale place. You might also be surprised to find that there's a Michelin-starred restaurant, The Paul, on the premises (read more in Where to Eat). Tivoli opens in December for a Christmas Market each year.

TYCHO BRAHE PLANETARIUM
Gamle Kongevej 10, Copenhagen (00 45 33 12 12 24; www.tycho.dk). Danish 16th-century astronomer Tycho Brahe probably couldn't ever imagine that one day a great astronomy, space and natural science museum would open in his honour in Copenhagen. The Tycho Brahe Planetarium is a treat for children and adults with an IMAX 3D cinema (films are shown on a 1,000 square-metres dome-shaped screen), and a permanent exhibition that will let you get really close to the planets and stars in our universe.

ANTIQUES

BREDGADE
One of Copenhagen's two brilliant streets for antique shopping, Bredgade - which runs from Kastellet to Kongens Nytorv and will take you past Queen Margrete's Amalienborg castle - is located in an exclusive part of town and is therefore home to exclusive shops. One of the best is Danish Classics (Bredgade 16, Copenhagen; 00 45 27 64 64 39; www.danishclassic.dk), where you'll find chairs by Arne Jacobsen, lamps by Poul Henningsen and china by Royal Copenhagen. You should also pay Klassisk (Bredgade 3, Copenhagen; 00 45 33 33 90 60; klassisk.dk) a visit, in particular if you are fond of classic designs from 1920-1975.

RAVNSBORGGADE
Located just north of 'the Lakes' in Nørrebro, Ravnsborggade is much shorter than Bredgade and the antique shops that line it are less extravagant and pricey. In other words, this is where you can still make a bargain, if you're lucky.

DEPARTMENT STORES

ILLUM
Østergade 52, Copenhagen (00 45 33 14 40 02; www.illum.eu). A very fine department store - well designed and well stocked - Illum has everything from perfumes to high street and prêt-a-porter fashion on its premises. It is particularly great if you are looking for Scandinavian brands to bring home and brag about: Illum specialises in cool concept stores, many of which can be found on the ground floor. Open Mon-Sat.

MAGASIN DU NORD
Kongens Nytorv 13, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 44 33; www.magasin.dk). This big, grand department store has had a presence in this fine fin de siècle house on Kongens Nytorv since 1879, and it is still one of the best addresses for shopping in Copenhagen. Many choose to start or end their days of shopping here, as Magasin is conveniently located at the beginning of the pedestrianised shopping street Strøget. The young fashion department, which stocks Scandinavian labels such as Samsøe & Samsøe, Designers Remix Collection and Baum Und Pferdgarten, is particularly popular, as is the food and wine shop on lower ground. Open Mon-Sat.

FASHION

BIRGER CHRISTENSEN
Østergade 38, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 55 55; www.birger-christensen.com). A Copenhagen fashion house since 1869, Birger Christensen stocks Chanel and Hermès alongside its own fur label. It's good enough for Queen Margrete: Birger Christensen has a royal appointment logo in its window.

BY MALENE BIRGER
Antonigade 10, Copenhagen (00 45 35 43 22 33; www.bymalenebirger.com). Malene Birger, who started the famous fashion house Day Birger et Mikkelsen in the 1990s, is the unrivalled queen of Danish high fashion, and her flagship shop is a feast for the eye. She stocks both her mainline and its accessories here, but it is also home to Malene's own couture studio.

COMPANYS
Frederiksberggade 24, Copenhagen (00 45 33 11 35 55). A two-floor supershop with excellent Scandinavian brands, Companys stocks Tiger of Sweden, Designers Remix Collection and By Malene Birger alongside 3.1. Phillip Lim, Miu Miu and See by Chloe. Women's fashion is on the ground floor, while men have to walk upstairs to get their fix. Open Mon-Sat.

FLYING A
Kronprinsensgade 5, Copenhagen (00 45 33 33 90 63; www.flyinga.dk). It started as a vintage boutique across the Sound in Swedish Malmö in the 1990s, but Flying A got a flying start when it relocated to Copenhagen. The is a mecca for the young fashionista - both men and women - as it stocks Camilla Staerk next to Sarah Heartbo, Nudie, Burfitt and Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair. Open Mon-Sat.

HENRIK VIBSKOV
Krystalgade 6, Copenhagen (00 45 33 14 61 00; www.henrikvibskov.com). A St Martin graduate, Henrik Vibskov is a filmmaker, musician and fashion designer, and his boutique in Copenhagen is a good place to visit for quirky, contemporary designs with plenty of patterns and avant-garde twists.

KASSANDRA
Grønnegade 27, Copenhagen (00 33 91 08 89). One of the best shoe shops in Copenhagen, Kassandra is home to the premium fashion labels, including Prada, Lanvin, Miu Miu, Jil Sander, Stella McCartney and Pedro Garcia. You can also find a good selection of bags from the same labels as well. Open Mon-Sat.

MUNTHE PLUS SIMONSEN
Grønnegade 10, Copenhagen (00 45 33 32 03 12; www.muntheplussimonsen.com). Supermodel Helena Christensen's favourite label, Munthe Plus Simonsen has been around since 1994, when designers Naja Munthe and Karen Simonsen set up their company in order to create wearable concept clothes. The collection pays attention to detail, and the shop - which has dark buffalo skin on the walls and Venetian lamps - is worth the visit alone.

NORGAARD PAA STROGET
Amagertorv 13, Copenhagen (www.madsnorgaard.dk). Copenhagen-based designer Mads Nørgaard's shop on Strøget has been a must-visit address since it first opened its doors in 1986. You'll find Mads own collection here, alongside Miu Miu and other well-known brands.

PARISTEXAS
Krystalgade 18-20, Copenhagen (00 45 33 36 33 03; www.paristexas.dk). A cool boutique with cool labels, ParisTexas sells a carefully selected collection of brands, including Ann Demeulemeester, Noir, Charles Anastase, Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang, Laura Bohinc, Preen and Nicholas Kirkwood.

PEDE OG STOFFER
Klosterstræde 19, Copenhagen (00 45 33 15 28 50; www.pedestoffer.dk). Pede & Stoffer - owners Peter Hansen and Morten Christoffersen's nicknames - has been selling great labels since 1996. The women fashion shop on Klosterstræde 19 stocks Isabel Marant, Twenty8Twelve, Sonia Rykiel, Hope, Acne and Stine Goya, whereas you can find Acne, Stone Island, Mauro Grifoni and Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair in the men's boutique two doors down. The idea is that there should be something here for all budgets.

SCARPA
Amagertorv 14, Copenhagen (00 45 33 93 15 01). Located down an alleyway that leads from Amagertorv to a beautiful backyard, Scarpa imports handmade shoes for men and women of trendy Italian makes. Classic is the motto.

STIG P
Kronprinsensgade 14, Copenhagen (00 45 33 14 42 16). A classic fashion destination in Copenhagen, Stig P has been in business since 1970, and sells clothes from Sonia Rykiel, Sportmax, Seven jeans, Stella McCartney, Burburry and Edun alongside Danish brands like Imelda, Alis and Stig P's own label.

YO-YO
Sankt Annæ Gade 31, Copenhagen (00 45 20 46 31 81). A small vintage shop on lower ground in a Christianshavn residential street, YoYo is owned by model Helena Christensen's mother, and Helena herself often donates designer cast-offs. Open Wed-Fri.

INTERIORS

DANSK DESIGN CENTER
H.C. Andersens Boulevard 27, Copenhagen (00 45 33 69 33 69; www.ddc.dk). Dansk Design Center is an organisation that works to support Danish design worldwide, but it also has a great shop on its premises on H.C. Andersens Boulevard. The DDC Shop stocks books and magazines as well as must-have gadgets - all with very stylish designs. Open all week.

ILLUMS BOLIGHUS
Amagertorv 10, Copenhagen (00 45 33 14 19 41; www.royalshopping.com). Not to be mixed up with its fashionable department store family member (see Fashion above), Illums Bolighus is an amazing place to find fantastic design. Most Danish design icons, be they lamps, bowls or sofas, can be found in this calm, multi-storey shop. Don't miss it!

ROYAL COPENHAGEN
Amagertorv 6, Copenhagen (00 45 33 13 71 81; www.royalcopenhagen.com). The beautiful flagship store for well known porcelain company Royal Copenhagen can be found on Amagertorv, halfway up Strøget and almost next door to Illums Bolighus (see above). As well as a well-designed shop, the building houses a museum on the second floor, and a good café. If you happen to visit Copenhagen in December, just before Christmas, you ought to visit Royal Copenhagen's annual exhibition of Christmas tables, set and decorated by celebrities using the company's own products.

MARKETS

NANSENSGADE
Nansensgade, Nørrebro, Copenhagen. Nørrebro's residents organise a market days on weekend, when they sell bric-a-brac, second hand clothes and other paraphernalia to market fans and other shoppers.

AIRPORT
Copenhagen Kastrup airport, 8km from Copenhagen (www.cph.dk). There is a direct rail link from Kastrup to the main railway station. Trains leave every 20 minutes. Alternatively, take a taxi. The journey to Copenhagen takes about 20 minutes.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com)
SAS (0870 60 727 727; www.flysas.com)
Sterling Airlines (0870 787 8038; www.sterling.com)

Denmark is great all year round, but it is ideal for a long weekend in spring, when the weather is warm and comfortable and the tourists haven't arrived yet. In the summer, the annual Copenhagen Jazz Festival (from the first Friday in July) attracts a lot of visitors. It features about 450 concerts over 10 days and takes over many of the city's streets. There are also small-group jazz tours of the city (including dinner, drinks and admissions).

Copenhagen Tourist Information
1 Gammel Kongevej (00 45 33 25 74 00; www.visitcopenhagen.com)