Nørrebro Bryghus.Credit: Robin Skjoldborg
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If you once read fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen, you might imagine Copenhagen is a cutesy town of gingerbread houses, cobbled streets and paddling swans. In places it's just that, and fairy tales do still come true in Denmark, as Mary Donaldson can attest. But Copenhagen is also an up-to-the-minute European town with trendy restaurants that push culinary boundaries, shops elegant with the latest Nordic design, top-class contemporary art, and noted jazz and underground-music scenes. This is Scandinavia's edgiest and most stylish capital, with big-city assets, small-town relaxation and much to enjoy.
8:30am
Amalienborg Palace.Credit: Kim Wyon
Get on a bike, because there's plenty to see – and cycling is a great way to join the locals. Copenhagen has an enviable network of cycling tracks with their own dedicated traffic lights and parking bays, and is one of the world's most cycle-friendly cities. Copenhagen Bicycles (www.copenhagenbicycles.dk) has rentals at Nyhavn, from which you can pedal along the waterfront to the Little Mermaid, the iconic (but surprisingly small) landmark that celebrates Hans Christian Andersen's most famous story. Along the way you'll get views across the water to the ultra-modern Danish National Opera.
9am
Pedal past the star-shaped Kastellet military fortress (which you can visit for free) and on to the National Gallery of Denmark (www.smk.dk/en), which has especially good Italian and Dutch paintings – and a Children's Museum to keep rowdy kids amused. The surrounding Botanical Garden (www.botanik.snm.ku.dk/english) will lead you to Rosenborg Castle (www.kongernessamling.dk/en/rosenborg), a beautiful Renaissance building that displays the crown jewels and is surrounded by the lovely King's Gardens, studded with flowerbeds and avenues of trees.
Tivoli.Credit: Anders Bggild
11am
Nearby is Amalienborg (www.kongernessamling.dk/en/amalienborg), residence of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. There are actually four palace buildings, one set side for Frederick and Mary. You can visit part of the complex and see antique-packed rooms and learn about Danish royal history. At noon, enjoy the Changing of the Guard as blue-uniformed soldiers in bearskin helmets march.
12:30pm
The Nyhavn district.Credit: Kim Wyon
Back at Nyhavn and the timing couldn't be better. Copenhagen's 300-year-old 'New Harbour' features a lovely row of timbered houses in cheerful colours crammed with a choice of restaurants such as Heering (www.restaurantheering.dk), which features classic Danish lunch dishes that include spiced herring or meatballs.
2pm
Now pedal into Copenhagen's old town, with its cobbled streets, lovely squares and dozens of fashion boutiques and design shops; Pistolstræde is great for galleries and elegant Fiolstræde for bookshops and antiques. However, you'll have to dismount to explore pedestrian-only Strøget, an historic shopping street running for kilometres. Sit in a square and watch passers-by, or call in at Illums Bolighus (www.illumsbolighus.com) for posh home ware and porcelain. Even if you aren't a shopper, it supplies a fabulous display of contemporary Danish design.
Rosenborg Castle.Credit: Kim Wyon
4:30pm
If you have kids, wander into Tivoli (www.tivoli.dk/en), the famous amusement park opened in 1843 and still going strong, now combining old-fashioned carousel rides with modern roller-coasters. You'll also find live music, cafés and flower-filled gardens; you may want to return in the evening to see everything dusted with fairy lights.
5:30pm
Restaurant Geranium.
By late afternoon, pedal off to Torvehallerne market, where all Copenhagen comes for fresh local goodies, or for coffee in one of its many cafés. If you have a little hunger, a pickle-topped hotdog or open-facedsmørrebrød sandwich will keep you going. You'll pass the market on the way towards the inner-city suburbs of Vesterbro and Nørrebro, an appealing mix of ethnic shops, street markets and hip bars. You could perhaps kick off the evening with a beer at microbrewery Nørrebro Bryghus (www.noerrebrobryghus.dk/english) before exploring these trendy districts.
7:30pm
Indulge in a meal at Geranium (www.geranium.dk/en), headed up by two-star Michelin chef Rasmus Kofoed, whose innovative and light New Nordic cuisine focuses on seafood. Influential New Nordic has been taking the world's kitchens by storm, with a focus on seasonal and often raw ingredients, foraged plants and humble pulses and grains, all beautifully plated.
9:30pm
Nørrebro is crammed with live-music venues, especially along Blågårdsgade and Sankt Hans Torv. You could hip-hop the night away at dance venue Rust (www.rust.dk) or kick back at Oak Room (www.oakroom.dk) with speciality cocktails such as the Jasmine ('light and bitter, just like your ex') or the Rose Fizz ('the devil in disguise'). If you're after jazz, however, weave your way back into town to Jazzhouse (jazzhouse.dk), which runs to all manner of jazz styles and often hosts big international names.
1am
Still got stamina? Last destination on many a Copenhagen pub crawl is gay-friendly Cosy Bar at Studiestræde 24, not so small that it can't squeeze in a DJ, pocket-size dance floor and eclectic, student-y crowd. It only gets going around this time, and doesn't stop until the sun comes up.
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