Copenhagen Shopping Guide.

When we popped over to Copenhagen earlier this spring to catch up with our lovely Scandi friends, I also took the opportunity to get some insider knowledge from them to create a new Copenhagen shopping guide. I’d never been to Copenhagen before, so was immediately struck by the cool decor and laid back vibe of this glorious city. My friend Kirsten works with renowned Danish auctioneers Bruun Rasmussen so has the perfect eye for a quirky shop or two in her home town.

We started our walking tour by strolling through the historic terraced neighbourhood of Nyboder (Nyboder, Skt. Paulsgade 24). These former naval barracks housed service families for years, and their yellow colour is often used as a generic term for the exact hue of ‘Nyboder yellow’. Much like a row of pastel townhouses in Chelsea, they are a dream Insta opportunity and if you can find one with a vintage bike outside – you’ve hit paydirt.

We then wandered on into the town itself, and our first official stop was into Fil de Fer, Kirsten’s favourite interior store, where romantic elegance meets raw industrial, mid-century style. They have a glorious collection of French vintage pieces, and unsurprisingly a rather drool worthy Instagram feed @fildefercph.

We then took a left up Frederiksgade to scope out the beautiful Amalienborg Palace. The home of Danish royalty, there are four identical classical palace facades, and if you peek really carefully, you can see people inside. We were treated to a changing of the guard complete with piped whistles which reminded me of the cutest scenes from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This happens at 12 noon daily so make sure you get there on time – definitely worth the visit. While you’re here, take a few minutes to appreciate the line of sight from the centre of the square you’re standing in, to the Opera building across the water.

Feeling a little peckish after all the musical excitement, we took an outdoor table at Restaurant Skt Annæ, a short walk down Amaliegade. This charming Danish lunch spot has the all important Danish open face sandwiches and Aquavit which is a must-do while in Copenhagen.

Suitably refreshed, we carried on our walking tour by heading to Studio Oliver Gustav (Store Strandstræde 9, 1255 København K). This place is jam packed full of interior inspo and design pieces. It mixes stark and modern with antique finds and has some really exquisite curiosities in it at the same time. He also has a gallery in New York and a fab Instagram feed if you fancy a stalk @studioolivergustav.

Right across the street is Aiayu boutique. Using natural materials their vibe is all about merging Scandi simplicity with artisanal designs – Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan, and it’s easy to see why.

Aesop also has a store on this street, and if you love their products, it’s worth a visit. As is Union Kitchen – think heavy iron chairs, wooden tables and retro lamps for another sweet lunch spot.

From here you can wander on to Nyhavn, perhaps the most Instagrammed spot in Copenhagen, it’s 17th-century waterfront attracts scores of tourists each day. It’s utterly delightful and teaming with fabulous street cafes and bars.

We then took a diversion off to Hotel D’Angleterre (Hotel D’Angleterre, Kongens Nytorv 34, 1050 København K) for a recovery snifter after our busy tour. This oasis in a busy part of town has an elegant and luxe interior and is the perfect spot to take a rest and quaff a quick glass of fizz.

One other foodie recommendation worth popping on your list is Cafe Victor (Café Victor, Ny Østergade 8, 1101 København K) for celeb spotting and delicious traditional Danish fare with an eclectic twist. We saw off everything from caviar to potted shrimp and beyond – a veritable smorgasbord for sure.

With thanks to Kirsten for showing me around her neighbourhood – catch her Scandi insta feed here @nortique_dk

And huge thanks to the amazing Cicely Creswell for another fab illustrated shopping guide map – see more of her work here.

We booked out flights via Expedia, who are also great for nailing the right hotel choice for you.