Copenhagen, Denmark

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WHY GO NOW?

Just voted the world's most liveable city, the Danish capital is at its finest in summer, when you can stroll along its cobbled streets andpretty canals, and enjoy its many pavement cafés and Michelin-starred restaurants. Buy a Carlsberg and toast your good fortune at finding a city where the living is so easy.

TOUCH DOWN

Copenhagen is well connected from airports across the UK. SAS (0845 607 2772; www.flysas.com) is the main carrier, with flights from Heathrow, London City, Birmingham, Manchester and elsewhere. You can also fly on British Airways (0844 493 0787; www.ba.com), BMI (0870 60 70 555; www.fly bmi.com) and easyJet (0905 821 0905; www.easyjet.com).

Kastrup airport is a handy 8km south of the city centre, with fast trains every 20 minutes taking just 12 minutes to the central railway station (1), for a fare of 25.50 kroner (Dkr25.50/£2.70).

Alternatively, change at Orestad station for connections to the city's metro – the best option if you're staying in Nyhavn or elsewhere in the east of the city. A taxi into the centre takes around 20 minutes and will set you back about Dkr200 (£21).

GET YOUR BEARINGS

Copenhagen may be the largest city in Scandinavia, but it is no sprawling metropolis – the medieval centre is compact and easily visited on foot. A quick skip over the water from Sweden, the city lies on the eastern side of Sjaelland, the largest of Denmark's 406 islands. The Copenhagen Visitors Centre (2) is around the corner from the main station and the Tivoli Gardens, at Vesterbrogade 4A (00 45 70 22 24 42; www.visitcopenhagen.com). It opens 10am-4pm daily.

CHECK IN

The newest boutique hotel in town is Hotel Nimb (3), Bernstorffsgade 5 (00 45 88 70 00 00; www.nimb.dk), just across from the central station and backing on to the Tivoli Gardens, and it boasts a "vinotek" for wine tasting, and even an organic dairy. There are 13 beautifully designed suites: the baths are deep, the sheets Egyptian cotton, the service second to none. The price is accordingly high. Suites start at Dkr3,900 (£416), room only.

Alternatively, Front (4), Sankt Annæ Plads 21 (00 45 33 13 34 00; www.front.dk) overlooks the Opera House, and its perfectly Danish-designed rooms start at Dkr1,530 (£163), room only.

The Copenhagen Visitors Centre (2) often has specials on offer, but in high summer availability is scarce, so you may prefer the certainty of a room in the bohemian Nyhavn area. Try the Hotel Bethel Somandshjem (5) at Nyhavn 22 (00 45 33 13 03 70; www.hotel-bethel.dk), a former seamen's hostel with doubles from Dkr795 (£85), including breakfast.

TAKE A HIKE

Copenhagen is built on a human scale. This becomes most evident as you walk along Stroget (pronounced, appropriately, "stroll"), the city's principal artery. It runs from Town Hall Square (6) to Ostergade (7), and has been pedestrianised for decades. It is the longest car-free thoroughfare of any European city.

TAKE A VIEW

For the best panorama of Copenhagen, pause along Stroget to visit the Round Tower (8), Europe's oldest observatory (00 45 33 73 03 73; www.rundetaarn.dk). Built in 1642 by Christian IV, its 200m-long spiral ramp was intended to accommodate a horse. It is still a functioning observatory. The weary can take a break at the exhibition area halfway up. Open from 21 May-20 September, 10am-8pm daily and until 5pm the rest of the year; the observatory opens 1-4pm on Sundays from 1 July-12 August, and 7-10pm from mid-October to mid-March; admission Dkr25 (£2.70).

LUNCH ON THE RUN

If you're on a budget, head to Café Bankerat (9), Ahlefeldtsgade 27-29 (00 45 33 93 69 88; www.bankeraat.dk) – literally, Café Bankruptcy – a favourite hangout of students, where you'll find globally inspired food and a cosy atmosphere. Try smorrebrod, the traditional Danish open sandwich of rye bread spread with butter or goose fat and heaped with various toppings of fish, meat and salad. The Danes like to wash it all down with a bottle of chocolate milk. Expect to spend around Dkr46-65 (£5-£7).

CULTURAL AFTERNOON

Copenhagen's awe-inspiring new Opera House (10), at Ekvipagemestervej 10 (00 45 33 69 69 69; www.operaen.dk) is on the banks of the city's old naval docks. Designed by Henning Larsen, it has glass ceilings, Sicilian- marble floors and lamps weighing a tonne in the foyer. Guided tours, on Saturdays and Sundays, 9.30am and 4.30pm, for Dkr100 (£11), must be booked in advance.

The Danish Design Centre (11), at HC Andersens Boulevard 27 (00 45 3369 3369; www.ddc.dk) showcases the work of the top talents from this nation renowned for design of all kinds. Entrance is Dkr50 (£5.30), except on Wednesdays when it is free. There's also the cosy Museum of Copenhagen (12), at Vesterbrogade 59 (00 45 33 21 07 72; www.bymuseum.dk), which charts the development of Copenhagen from a fishing village to a modern European city. Open 10am-4pm daily; admission Dkr20 (£2); free on Fridays.

WINDOW SHOPPING

Remain in Vesterbro, the regenerated meatpacking district, where offbeat local fashion designers jostle with sex shops and Turkish barbers. The main drag, Istedgade, is full of stores selling interesting dresses and fabulous shoes. Check out Donn ya Doll (13) at No 55, a striking shop with fantastic dresses. In Norrebro, once more famous for drugs than togs, go to Potz Braulein (14), Jægersborggade 13, for original and stylish clothes.

To stock up on the city's world-famous porcelain, head to the Royal Copenhagen (15) flagship store at Amagertorv 6. But don't leave shopping too late. Most shops close between 3-4pm on Saturdays, and generally only open on the first Sunday of every month. Locals head over the bridge to Malmo in Sweden if they want to shop out of Danish opening hours.

AN APERITIF

Monocle magazine praised the quality of Copenhagen's cocktails. Try them at Bar Rouge (00 45 33 45 9100; www.hotelsktpetri.com) at the Sankt Petri Hotel (16), Krystalgade 22, or Bar Rust (17) at Guldbergsgade 8 (00 45 3524 5200; www.rust.dk).

DINING WITH THE LOCALS

Over in the regenerated Christianshavn district is the two Michelin-starred Noma (18) at Strandgade 93 (00 45 3296 3297; www.noma.dk). Housed in a fashionably restored dockside warehouse, it offers a modern Nordic menu: razor clams with horseradish "snow" and musk ox with glazed beetroot and smoked marrow. The seven-course tasting menu costs Dkr850 (£90), but book well in advance.

SUNDAY MORNING: TAKE A DIP

The Danes may not be fervent church-goers, but they are religious about the outdoors, and Copenhagen's canals are exceptionally clean. When the weather is good, locals flock to the harbour swimming pool, the Havnebadet (19), at Havnefronten Islands Brygge (00 45 23 71 31 89), where sunbathing lawns and waterside cafés provide the perfect backdrop for a swim. Open daily 11am-7pm, free.

OUT TO BRUNCH

Make for the trendy Bang og Jensen (20) at Istedgade 130 (00 45 33 25 53 18; www.bangogjensen.dk), which opens 10am-midnight on Sundays (longer hours on other days). You fill in a form instructing exactly how you want your food served. Breakfast is available until 6pm every day. Frederiks Bastion (21) at Refshalevej 80 (00 45 3542 6325; www.nordenifokus.dk) serves a traditional Nordic brunch from 11am.

A WALK IN THE PARK

The Botanic Gardens (22), at Oster Farimagsgade 2 (00 45 3532 2222; botanik.snm.ku.dk), laid out in 1874, are beautiful and are home to Denmark's largest collection of plants and flowers. Open 8.30am-6pm daily from 1 May to 30 September and 8.30am-4pm, Tuesday to Sunday the rest of the year, free.

For a stroll with thrills and spills attached, head for the Tivoli Gardens (23) (00 45 3315 1001; www.tivoligardens.com). Opened in 1843, this vast amusement park was the inspiration for Disneyland. It has fairground rides, two theatres, 40 restaurants and a concert hall. The gardens open daily in summer (to 21 September) from 11am, admission Dkr85 (£9).

TAKE A RIDE

Many canal tours start from Nyhavn (00 45 3311 3105; www.canaltours.com/dct/en). Hour-long trips cost Dkr60 (£6.40).

ICING ON THE CAKE

For a bit of frozen fun, go to the Ice Bar at Hotel 27 (24), Longangstraede 27 (00 45 70 27 56 27; www.absoluticebar.com) where the temperature is always a chilly minus 5C, and you'll get a coat and gloves to wear while you enjoy your cocktail. Skal!

Additional research by John Elmes

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