In the backstreets of Copenhagen

Copenhagen is written, Nyavn reads: the Danish capital is often identified with the famous photos of the colorful canal port, the facades of the houses lined up on the quay, behind the tangle of ropes of the master masts of the boats moored in one of the most famous ports in Europe.

But the narrow cobbled streets flanked by polychrome brick houses where nothing moves, the desert castle lit orange at dusk, the equivocal streets of Christiania, hidden among the brambles and ruins on the edge of the city, the fishermen's houses among the canals of Christianshavn, the modern architecture overlooking the canal Københavns Havn and the suburbs full of gastronomic surprises of Vesterbro represent the soul of Copenhagen much more than the famous port.

When you want to explore Copenhagen's back streets, don't miss out on these must-see destinations:

MAGSTRÆDE

Among the oldest streets of the city you get lost in looking up toward the narrow houses now cladded with red, black or grey bricks, now painted yellow. The rows of houses disappear behind the curves of the stone road, where only the bikes parked in front of the entrances make the view dynamic. From simple and modest, houses become more and more elegant: more and more bricks, more and more windows, more and more portholes on the top of the facade. We arrive at Gammel Strand, the quay that faces the Christiansborg Slot castle.

CHRISTIANSBORG SLOT

Avoid the crowds of tourists, and walk through the 18th century castle at dusk, when the rooms are closed, but the courtyards remain open, and you can enjoy the peace of these huge open-air rooms lit up in orange by the dim street lamps.

BØRSGADE

From the castle, take the large, busy road that runs alongside the canal. The Børsen building, housed in the old stables of the castle, is a pleasant lookout over the past, before turning the corner, descending from the bridge to the quayside, and skirting the canal and the great Christians Brygge road to the Langebro bridge, passing in front of the Royal Library, now housed in a giant glass building, nicknamed black diamond, and the Danish Centre for Design and Architecture. Finish your day-dose of modern architecture by walking aimlessly through the impressive residential and office buildings on the opposite bank, where the independent town of Christiansavn, now a suburb of Copenhagen, once stood.

CHRISTIANSAVN

This district is located on the ancient fortification walls of the city, which retain the starry shape of the ramparts. It is exceptionally peaceful and picturesque, crossed by the canals of the island of Amager. Once barracks and military buildings stood there, today it is a quiet residential village.

CHRISTIANIA

When the colourful buildings of Prinsessegade thin out and make room for large brick barracks, one begins to glimpse a few buildings covered with graffiti. Entering the Free City of Christiania, among bare flowerbeds, abandoned carcasses, dark breweries housed in brick buildings covered by all sorts of slogans that incite to legalization and freedom, it seems to have abandoned the rigorous and picturesque Copenhagen. The inhabitants of this neighborhood proclaimed it independent from the city that surrounds it in the 70s, occupying a military base, and since then this has become a bulwark of hippy culture and a kindergarten for second-hand shops, street art and drug trading, not legal but tolerated.

VESTERBRO

The suburban district of Vesterbro has no architectural peculiarities, but strolling through its restaurants and independent shops is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon out of the ordinary in Copenhagen. The neighborhood is physically separated from the historic city by the train tracks, and although cut off, in recent years the presence of trendy shops and cafes has enlivened this area of the city. 

ØKSNEHALLEN

On the edge of Vesterbro, just before returning to the tourist whirlwind of Copenhagen, this unique place is still little frequented and therefore even more impressive. It is an old slaughterhouse, a chessboard of brick and glass buildings and stone streets, lit by dim yellow lights that in the evening give the Øksnehallen an almost chilling atmosphere when the activities are closed. In fact, it is a very fashionable place, where restaurants and art galleries have been opened in the large halls to bring this abandoned place back to life.