ometimes it seems like we’ve already rifled via Scandinavia and adopted all its finest bits in London: the minimalist decor, the hygge vibes, the fika espresso and cake rituals. Nonetheless, a two-week break criss-crossing between Denmark and Sweden, revealed these two pleasant, easy-to-navigate nations have stored sufficient secrets and techniques to themselves to make for a superb vacation.
We began in Copenhagen, discovering a metropolis that’s pleased with the place it’s in life. It should make you merry on photographs of Akvavit at avenue meals market Reffen, then give you a cold river dip, sauna and wonderful espresso the following morning. Copenhagen can be extremely child-friendly and full of museums and galleries.
Sweden’s second metropolis, Gothenburg, which is usually rated one of many happiest locations to reside on the planet, was the best subsequent cease. Quirky but purposeful, it’s simply walkable and full of points of interest, from Universeum, a museum with an indoor rainforest, to the distinctive Lisberg theme park, fuelled by the town’s hallmark Hagabullen — huge cinnamon buns.
Take pleasure in calm views over Stora Hamnkanalen in Gothenburg
/ Beatrice TornrosWhen?
In August Scandinavia is normally pretty heat and sunny, although you might expertise rain in Copenhagen. We liked it regardless of the moist climate. Gothenburg provides lengthy days and heat climate in spring, summer season and autumn. In winter, when it’s snowy, lodge charges are cheaper.
Keep
In Copenhagen, pitch up at Bryggen Guldsmeden (rooms begin at £106 an evening, guldsmedenhotels.com). The vibe is Balinese metropolis break: it’s a really particular bolthole from the town, with a lush courtyard with a heat pool, sauna and steam room. Bedrooms have four-poster beds and a decor combining Crittal-windowed Shoreditch with Indonesian spa: stable wood Scandi furnishings mingles with vibrant prints, leather-based sofas and naked brick partitions. It’s an eco-hotel that actually means it, with refillable water bottles, recycling receptacles and an array of iloveeco’s good toiletries — together with physique oils, moisturisers, bamboo hairbrushes and crystal deodorant.
The superb courtyard pool at Bryggen Guldsmeden
/ Bryggen GuldsmedenBreakfast is totally excellent: all-organic and really Danish. An open kitchen prepares every thing from sesame salads, to pastries, home made yogurts and chilli scrambled eggs, served on Anthropologie-esque crockery. Freshly-baked breads include skinny slabs of darkish chocolate to soften on prime.
Group tables see native employees mingle with out-of-towners, and placemats learn, ‘take all you need, eat all you’re taking, love meals, hate waste’.
The lodge has a very social lounge space with hanging swings, a fab gymnasium with free boxing classes, and was a 20-minute stroll to the centre, or five-minutes from the Metro, within the Island Brygge space the place locals swim within the Havnebadet, or harbour bathtub.
In Gothenburg, the quirky new Grand Curiosa Resort (from £112 a room, lodge.liseberg.se) at Liseberg is kind of the speaking level with its helter-skelter various to taking the steps, the curiosities which line its corridors and an unlimited and scrumptious breakfast. There’s no pool (a water park opens subsequent 12 months) however it’s simply steps away from the town’s good theme park, a number of doorways down from the unmissable Universeum museum and a ten-minute (very frequent) tram from the centre.
Eat
You may’t go unsuitable at one of many fashionable meals markets dotted round Copenhagen, full of excellent-quality world cuisines: we liked pasta at il mattarello in Torvehallerne, and spicy ramen at Tivoli meals market. The previous shipyards in Reffen now home a avenue market full of cuisines from Kurdish stews to Korean rooster by way of Mexican burritos, and a beer corridor. Take the bus and also you’ll cross Noma, which continues to be open for choose occasions, if that’s in funds.
Go for pasta at Torvehallerne
/ Robin SkjoldborgTotal, the town’s eating places are dripping with Michelin stars and excellent cooking, though the costs are much less interesting. Smorrebrod open sandwiches in cafes in all places are a wonderful lunch.
In Gothenburg, Feskekorka is a should: a transformed church and now fish market. Go for the oysters or the herring and fish soup should you’re eager to go native.
Craft beer is a significant factor on this metropolis — even critical followers shall be impressed by 3 Små Rum. Go for fika – espresso and a snack – in one of many many cafes within the historic Haga space, and stroll Skanstorget’s streets for hip contemporary pasta, Mexican and Spanish eats.
Do
Copenhagen is as flat as its plentiful rye bread crackers; it’s very walkable, or you may rent a motorcycle and be a part of the tens of millions of locals whizzing alongside secure cycle lanes. The metro and bus system is quick and straightforward too; a one-day journey cross is round £8.
Town has a density of world-leading museums that even places London to disgrace. Decide your favorite from the Nationalmuseet with its Vikings and mummies, the Krigsmuseet struggle museum, fashionable artwork within the historic Nikolai Kunsthal church, the wonderful Enigma museum of communication (all ages will love the playable outdated video games consoles within the basement, and the actually imaginative giant children’ space), and Experimentarium, a three-floor, imaginative children science museum. The latter spans lifesize marble runs and an enormous miniverse for under-fives together with a bear hospital with X-rays for the animals.
Purchase the Copenhagen card (£97 for 72 hours, cheaper for fewer days) which is nice worth, particularly as two children go free with it; there’s entry to some 70 museums and limitless use of public transport.
Hit the Nyhavn waterfront with its photogenic tall pastel properties belying the actual fact this space was constructed by prisoners of struggle within the 1600s, when King Christian V needed simpler entry to his palaces. It’s touristy, although, so for a quieter and extra real Copenhagen hit, stroll to the Norrebro and Vesterbro neighbourhoods, the place you may’t swish a mermaid’s story with out hitting a cool bar and one-off boutique.
In fact there’s Tivoli Gardens — the stylish, fairly model of a theme park, with a century-old rollercoaster. It’s stunning within the evenings, though the 10pm mild present isn’t a lot.
Go on a canal tour and see Frederiks Church
/ Kim WyonA canal tour takes you alongside the internal harbour, Slotsholmen canal and the town’s well-known Little Mermaid sculpture, which locals hate (it’s been decapitated, de-armed and splattered with paint over time) as a lot as vacationers like it.
Our children liked the playgrounds they discovered throughout Copenhagen — there are greater than 130 — particularly the ‘visitors playground’ with fastidiously set-up streets with roundabouts, a petroleum station, visitors lights and excellently-maintained (free) bikes. Lots of the playgrounds are staffed (hey, parental espresso break) with indoor crafts, outside bikes, fruit and vegetable patches, gardening instruments, litter pickers, and petting zoos.
Gothenburg feels extra laid again — it’s smaller, simpler to walk, and barely cheaper too. The huge (free) botanical gardens are nicely price a surprise, with Kew-style glasshouses and playgrounds too.
Take a canal experience — we used The Paddan Tour from Stromma — to get an awesome sense of the historical past of this metropolis, the place in 1619 king Gustavus Adolphus pointed to the bottom and declared, “Right here, the town shall lie”.
We spent the very best a part of a day at Universeum museum, which incorporates walkable jungles and a shark tunnel, ecosystems from world wide in addition to very interactive exhibitions on the human physique, house, and matrixes. On the roof, the huge ‘Wisedome’ cinema hosts a 3D display screen that encircles you, with environment-focused movies.
The Wisdome cinema hosts a 3D display screen which performs environment-focused movies
/ Peter KvarnströmMany Swedes flock to Gothenburg for one factor: its Liseberg theme park. We arrived at opening time, due to its proximity to our lodge, and had been kicked out at closing time, and wished we’d had extra time. There are about 50 rides, together with the scariest coasters anybody may want for, a complete rabbit-themed land the place youthful youngsters can simply spend a complete day. It’s clear, manicured, and under no circumstances mercenary: ‘Your children handed their driving check? Right here’s a free photograph license!’, ‘You dropped your ice cream? Have one other!’
Liseberg amusement park
/ Peter Kvarnström/Göteborg & CoWhen you’ve got time, make a journey out into the Gothenburg archipelago islands — take a public ferry from the town centre and spend a day chilling out on a seaside, Swedish-style.
Stroll Haga Nygata for arty souvenirs and in warehouse house Artilleriet for Scandi interiors to take residence — for you’ll need to be reminded of each reminiscence made in Copenhagen and Gothenberg.
