Copenhagen/Frederiksberg

Frederiksberg might look as a part of Copenhagen to a traveller. But the municipality of Frederiksberg is an enclave of 103,000 people (2022) inside the municipality of Copenhagen. The inhabitants of Frederiksberg have historically been richer than their neighbours around them. Although the rest of Copenhagen is catching up, Frederiksberg still has more parks, big villas with gardens, wide avenues, etc.

Get in

By public transport

The metro line crosses the northern part of Frederiksberg, so it is the best way to get there from Copenhagen Airport, as well as several other areas of the city served by metro, such as Amager. The following Metro stations are in Frederiksberg:

From south to north, two lines of the S-Tog cross Frederiksberg - lines C (and its express variant H) closer to the centre and line F along the eastern border of Frederiksberg. The following stations on line C are in Frederiksberg:

  • 🌍 Peter Bangs Vej
  • Flintholm - interchange with metro and S-Tog line F, and the only stop in Frederiksberg where the express line H stops

Line F has the following stops along the border of Frederiksberg:

  • 🌍 KB Hallen
  • 🌍 Altholm
  • Flintholm - interchange with metro and S-Tog lines C and H

On foot

The eastern part of Frederiksberg is so close to the Copenhagen Central Station that you may simply walk.

By car

Once you've made it to Copenhagen, Frederiksberg is as difficult or easy to reach by car as any other central district. If you're used to drive in European cities, Frederiksberg shouldn't be much of a problem for you.

Finding a parking spot can take a bit of time, but is by no means impossible. Note that Fredericksberg's parking rules are different from those in the rest of Copenhagen. Some information in English can be found on the official website. Most of Frederiksberg belongs to a single large parking zone (Parkeringszone 2000) with consistent rules, but always watch out for signs imposing additional local restrictions. Within the zone, parking is free at night between 00:00 and 07:00, Saturday evenings from 17:00 on, and on Sundays and public holidays. Outside these hours, you get another 2 hours of free parking, after which you'll have to pay by the hour. Parking disks are not accepted, parking apps are preferred instead (there's a list of accepted apps on the website). You can also buy a digital ticket at one of the small green vending machines (no cash!). These are somewhat rare, though, and not very easy to spot if you don't know what you're looking for. You can find their locations on the parking information maps on the streets or on the online map (activate map layer Trafik og mobilitet). One advantage over at least some of the apps is that the machines also offer day tickets for 95 kr and week tickets for 475 kr.

As of 1 October 2023 a low emission zone has been introduced in Frederiksberg, see Driving in Denmark#Low Emission Zones.

Get around

Frederiksberg has a system of bus lines (map) with frequent stops that connect to and supplement the bus system of Copenhagen. The operator is the same and so is the ticketing system.

See
  • 🌍 City Hall (Rådhuset), Smallegade 1-3, ☏ +45 38 21 21 26. Tours the first Saturday each month at 13:00. The massive city hall took 10 years to complete, because the city council failed to see World War II coming, and war time turned out not to be the best period getting materials. The somewhat oversize building might be a result of rivalry with the city of Copenhagen, and its impressive city hall. Enjoy the great view from the tower 60 meters high, but call ahead to make an appointment 
  • 🌍 Storm P. Museum, Frederiksberg Runddel (at the entrance to Frederiksberg Have), ☏ +45 38 86 05 23. Robert Storm Petersen (Storm P) was a famous Danish artist and author, his humorous works is often regarded as something quintessentially Danish. The museum owns more than 50,000 drawings (of which only some are on exhibition). Storm P is mostly known for his comedic drawings of "philosophical" vagabonds and his much-loved Storm P machines, that perform very simple tasks through an unnecessarily complex and usually humorous series of actions. 
  • 🌍 Cisternerne (Museum of Modern Glass Art), Pile Alle 55, ☏ +45 33 21 93 10. Open F 14:00-18:00, Sa Su holidays 11:00-17:00. Closed Dec-Jan. The museum of is the old, catacomb like, water cisterns under Søndermarken park opposite the main entrance to Zoo, and the unusual environs, combined with the stained glass art and various sculptures makes the museum quite unique. 70 kr. 
  • 🌍 Revymuseet (The museum of revue theatre), Allégade 5, ☏ +45 38102045, . Tu-Su 11:00-16:00. Revue theatre is still a very popular art form in Denmark, underpinned by the Danes love of black (or dry) humour. And since Frederiksberg has played an important role in the history of Danish theatre, it is only natural that you find a museum dedicated to art form here, telling its story from its beginning 200 years ago up to today's stand-up comedians. Unfortunately mainly caters to Scandinavians with some command of the local language, as the multimedia part of the museum, is the best. 35 kr. 
  • 🌍 Møstings Hus, Andebakkesti 5 (at Smallegade), ☏ +45 38 21 01 22, . Tu-F 11:00-16:00. Changing art exhibition in small but very cute house next to the Frederiksberg Garden and a small idyllic pond. It is open to any artist that applies and is accepted by the municipality. 
  • 🌍 The Bakkehus Museum, Rahbeks Allé 23, ☏ +45 33 31 43 62. Tu-Su 11:00-16:00. 30 kr. 
  • 🌍 Landbohøjskolens Have (Horticultural Garden), Bülowsvej 17. sunrise to sunset. The University Garden of the University of Copenhagen's Frederiksberg campus is a relatively small but beautiful botanical garden with a focus on cultivated plants. free. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Music Museum (Musikmuseet), Rosenørns allé 22, ☏ +45 4120 6313. Sa Su 10:00-17:00. Trace the history of music, with a visit to Denmark’s most comprehensive collection of instruments from all over the world at the Danish Music Museum. Adult 50 kr. 

Frederiksberg Have

This park is one of Copenhagen's largest, most attractive and popular green spaces, covering more than 30 hectares (75 acres) of parkland. It used to be part of the palace grounds, and is a mix of baroque and romantic era landscape garden. When the weather is nice the park is full of life, with kids playing around, occasional soccer and Frisbee games, and young couples kissing on the benches. If you walk around to explore the park, you'll find a few surprises hidden around the park. The Apias Temple, located on the hill leading up to the palace, is a Greek style temple build in 1802, the classic look combined with washed out graffiti, makes for some interesting photo opportunities, if you're a geek. Elsewhere the Chinese gazebo and bridge was constructed in 1803, and was used as a tea house for the royalty on the palace. It sits on an island surrounded by a canal, and is open for visitors every Sunday afternoon. For the kids and other playful souls there is also a park labyrinth facing Pile Allé, and in the winter there is an ice-skating rink at the main entrance (rentals available). And in the summer you can rent a boat and row around the canals. Consider ending your visit with lunch or dinner in the wonderful family gardens on the southern edge of the park.

  • 🌍 Frederiksberg Palace, Roskildevej 28, ☏ +45 36 13 26 00. Tours the first Saturdays of each month at 11:00 and 13:00. The baroque palace dates back to 1699 and used to be a royal residence, today it functions as home of the Royal Danish Army Officers Academy. It can be viewed from the gardens or on the monthly tours. 
  • 🌍 Copenhagen Zoo, Roskildevej 32 (Bus 4A, 6A or 26), ☏ +45 72 20 02 00. Opening hours varies greatly throughout the season, but M-F 09:00-16:00 & Sa Su 09:00-18:00 are always safe bets. During high season daily: 09:00-21:00. The Copenhagen Zoo is one of the oldest in Europe tracing its history back to 1859. Its focus has shifted from displaying as many animals as possible, to providing large, world class facilities to the animals, earning the zoo a reputation as one of the best in the world. An open savannah area allows wildlife mixes with each other, and thete is a large elephant house designed by Norman Foster. It is the only zoo outside Australia to have Tasmanian devils on display. The zoo is amazingly kid-friendly, with many play areas, and some hands-on animal displays throughout the zoo. The zoo has a restaurant, fast-food places, and you are allowed to bring your own food, and eat in the picnic areas. (updated Sep 2018)
  • Svendsens Bådfart (Rowing-boats), ☏ +45 38 11 44 32. May-Sep: M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa Su 12:00-18:00. Tours take 20 minutes. 30 kr. 
  • 🌍 Haveselskabets Have, Pile Allé 6. Several nice small gardens run by the Garden Society. Free. (updated Aug 2023)

Do
  • 🌍 Forum, Julius Thomsens Plads 1 (at Forum Metrostation), ☏ +45 32 47 20 00, . Big hall used for exhibitions, conferences and concerts. Their website is in English and worth checking out, as they often has international acts on the programme. 
  • 🌍 The Betty Nansen Theater, Frederiksberg Allé 57, ☏ +45 33 21 14 90, . Office: M-F 14:00-18:00, Sa 14:00-16:00. A good, popular and long-running local theatre, back from the heydays of Frederiksberg theatre, but English performances are rare, so it is best suited for Scandinavian speakers. 300 kr. 
  • 🌍 Camp X Theatre, Smallegade 2 & Frederiksberg Allé 102 (Next to City Hall), ☏ +45 70 20 10 31, . Office: M-F 14:00-18:00, Sa 14:00-16:00. A modern, lightly experimental, theatre on Frederiksberg where English or other international performances, or visitors, are not unusual. 

Buy

Falkoner Allé one of Frederiksberg's main streets are well known for its many Computer stores, and is the place to go in Copenhagen if you need spare parts, a USB drive for your pictures or the like.

  • 🌍 Can Family, Tullinsgade 5, ☏ +45 31 79 63 47, . M-F 12:30-17:30, Sa 11:00-15:00. A cool combined shop, record label and gallery, featuring some nice and rather childlike paintings, records, toys and other odds and ends that the trio behind the shop happen to like. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Frederiksberg Fleamarket (Behind Frederiksberg City Hall), ☏ +45 38 21 42 20. Apr to Oct: Sa 09:00-15:00. The most popular of Copenhagen's flea markets, since the neighbourhood is rather affluent, you can often find good antiques and upscale secondhand fashion brands. Beers are often served from tents, and sometimes there is folksy live music. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Frederiksberg Centeret, Falkoner Alle 21 (at Frederiksberg Metro station), ☏ +45 38 16 03 40, . M-F 10:00-19:00, Sa-Su 10:00-17:00. The only shopping mall in Frederiksberg, right by the metro station. 65 stores over 9000 m². Usual high street suspects, plus a few interesting stores. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Royal Copenhagen Factory Outlet, Søndre Fasanvej 9, ☏ +45 38 34 10 04, . M-F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-15:00, Su 11:00-15:00. This store is located on the grounds of what used to be the porcelain factory. The production has now moved elsewhere, but they still maintain this outlet store here, selling classical dinnerware, home decor and figurines. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Gourmand Ostespecialisten, Gammel Kongevej 155 (about one block east of the City Hall), ☏ +45 33 24 08 04, . Tu-F 09:30-17:30, Sa 09:30-14:00. Great cheese and other delicacies. Try their own "Sankt Thomas" cheese that is ripening in the cellars somewhere below Frederiksberg if you need a change from the regular Danish supermarket cheese. They also make great sandwiches around lunch time. (updated Aug 2023)

Værnedamsvej

A mouthwatering street

If you are overnighting it in an apartment, or staying in a hostel where a communal kitchen is available, or you'd like to blend in with the locals and picnic in one of the parks, consider dropping by some of Værnedamsvej's many food stores. It used to be known for its many butcheries, but they have all been replaced with a wide array of stores, modestly providing some of the city's best delicacies. On top of the stores listed here there are also a immigrant grocery store selling exotic food and fresh fruits and vegetables, and a store selling fresh fish.

  • Helges Ost — Speciality cheese store with a love for Italy. Beside the cheese, they also hand out freshly baked Danish and Italian bread, olives, sausages, Italian beer and other delicacies.
  • Juuls — One of the best specialized wine stores in the city with a good broad selection of wines from all over the world, but mainly European. It is also arguably Copenhagen's best place to buy Whiskey with over 350 different bottles to choose from.
  • Le Gourmand — A good francophile speciality food store, with many various food items from all over France, in almost every genre, from gourmandise to poisson.
  • Smagen af lykke — Made to order juices and smoothies, in every colour of the rainbow, some unusual combinations to be had, and even specially crafted recipes for diabetics etc. Also sells wraps.
  • Summerbird — A fantastic high end chocolate store, which despite its modest size, should make every girls mind wander. The Snowballs are expensive but fantastic, and the gift boxes are nice presents to bring home.

Værnedams is a small, but incredibly hip, street running betweenVesterbrogade and Gammel Kongevej. It is mainly famous for, and colloquially known as, "The Food street" because of the solid number of speciality food stores and good take away stores located here. But endowed with its spot on location right on the border between the towns hippest district, Vesterbro and the most wealthy; Frederiksberg. Food is not the only thing on offer on the small street. If you are here, why not continue shopping in some of the cool fashion stores mixed in between the food stores, or buy you loved one some flowers from the impossibly cute floweriest right at the middle of the street.

  • 🌍 Karl Smart, Værnedamsvej 11, ☏ +45 33 25 28 33. M-Th 10:00-18:00, F 10:00-19:00, Sa 10:00-16:00. 
  • 🌍 Pigen & Diamanten, Værnedamsvej 9, ☏ +45 33 23 00 36, . Tu-F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-15:00. The name means 'the Girl and the Diamond' in English, which should reveal that this is jewellery store. Exciting Danish designs and designers on sale, and a broad range which should soothe most tastes. (updated Aug 2023)
  • 🌍 Samsøe & Samsøe, Værnedamsvej 12, ☏ +45 33 22 16 38. M-Th 10:00-18:00, F 10:00-19:00, Sa 10:00-16:00. Fashion for ladies and gents, Samsøe & Samsøe is one of the top Danish fashion brands, but this store also sells a few other brands like BZR, Acne, Nümph and Minimum. 
  • 🌍 Tiger Lilly, Værnedamsvej 11, ☏ +45 44 61 22 04. M-Th 11:00-17:30, F 11:00-18:00, Sa 11:00-15:00, closed W and Su. Funky second-hand fashion store for the girls, run by two local stylists. Boheme attitude, vintage dresses and new designer clothes resold for local hipsters in need of new outfits. 
  • 🌍 Tres Bien, Værnedamsvej 4A, ☏ +45 33 22 23 83. M-F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-15:00. Classic cut, but modern fashion for women 

Eat

Budget
  • 🌍 Cafe Sokkelund, Smallegade 36, ☏ +45 38 10 64 00. M-Th Sa 10:00-23:00, F 10:00-00:00, Su 10:00-21:00. Brasserie-style French cafe, whose 100-kroner brunch is a good deal, and the premier draw at this place. Anything else is fine and OK, but nothing you'll remember the minute you walk out of there. 

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Hansens Old Family Garden, Pile Alle 10-12, ☏ +45 36309257, . All year 11:00-00:00. The oldest of the Frederiksberg garden restaurants. The main building is from 1630. Serves very traditional Danish food in mix between a Garden and an outdoor German style Beer hale, but also has indoor seating. No music played Menu is 350 kr, 140 kr for lunch. 
  • Falernum, Værnedamsvej 16, ☏ +45 33 22 30 89. M-W 08:00-00:00, Th F 08:00-02:00, Sa 10:00-02:00, Su 10:00-23:00. A good place to buy breakfast or lunch as it rather unusually opens at 08:00, and you can either opt for eating at the long tables, or ask to take away - the freshly baked bread is yummy. In the evening it turns into a rather nice wine bar, with a good an extensive menu. 
  • 🌍 Kartellet, Allégade 8A, ☏ +45 33 22 36 42. M-Th 10:30-22:00, F Sa 10:00-00:00, Su 10:00-21:00. Located in one of the old houses along Allégade, with outdoor seating in small garden facing the street, and indoor seating in tasteful large room. A good brunch menu (130 kr), Café lunch (burgers, sandwiches, etc.) and a small, French-inspired menu in the evening, which is nothing extraordinary, but pretty good and at reasonable prices. Mains from ~100 kr, sets from 172 kr. 
  • 🌍 Krøgers Family Garden, Pile Alle 18, ☏ +45 36450897, . only during summer (May-Sep). Only dating back to 1864, this is the youngest of the family gardens, where you sit outside on long benches drinking beer while garbling in traditional Danish fare. Live music every weekend in the summer lunch platter at 168 kr. 
  • 🌍 Bjørnekælderen, Frederiksberg Alle 55 (next to the Betty Nansen theatre), ☏ +45 33 31 62 52. M-Sa 11:30-23:00, Su 11:30-15:00. A solid restaurant serving (slightly updated) Danish slow food made from the ground up, with fresh ingredients. And classic Smørrebrød (Ryebread sandwiches) for lunch. Small outdoor seating area and there is also seating in an indoor pavilion. 3-course dinner 425 kr with wine. Theatre menu 225 kr. 
  • 🌍 La Fiesta Mexicana, Frederiksberg Alle 21, ☏ +45 33 21 77 50. Daily 17:00-01:00. Excellent Mexican food restaurant that lives up to American standards. Reservations strongly suggested. 3 -course menu: 179-199 kr. 

Splurge
  • 🌍 Formel B, Vesterbrogade 182, ☏ +45 33 25 10 66, . Daily 18:00-01:00 (kitchen closes 22:00). Top-notch French-inspired cuisine using classic, often forgotten, Danish ingredients. It is so tasty that it has earned this place a Michelin star. Staff is highly professional, but if you are not into that, it may all feel a bit impersonal. Reservation necessary. Set menu; 850 Kr, wine menu 850 Kr. 
  • 🌍 Mielcke & Hurtigkarl, Frederiksberg Runddel (In Haveselskabets Have), ☏ +45 38348436, . Apr-Sep: W-Su lunch and dinner, Oct-Dec: Th-Sa dinner, Jan-Mar: closed. Experimental gourmet restaurant by one of Denmark's finest chefs, you pay for it too, but it is usually worth it. Menu 750 kr, wine menu 750 kr. 

Drink
  • 🌍 Café Intime, Allégade 25, ☏ +45 38 34 19 58. Daily 18:00-02:00. A really cosy, and as the name suggests; intimate bar, with candle light, coloured lamps and purposely messy decoration. Frequent live Jazz and Classic music acts, which also turns really intimate as there isn't a lot of space, after a piano has been set up. Traditionally a gay bar, but straight customers are neither turned away nor frowned upon. Very friendly staff! 
  • 🌍 Cafe Kellerdirk, Frederiksberg Allé 102, ☏ +45 33 25 22 53. M-Th 11:00-00:00, F Sa 11:00-05. Named after two of the biggest names in Danish theatre, this place has a history going back nearly 200 years, though the current buildings has been converted from a theatre build in 1919. Salsa night every Monday (and Salsa courses the first Monday of the month), it is also staged for stand-up comedy (Danish) and frequent live music. Weekends it turns into a nightclub (over-30 crowd). Serves lunch and brunch during the day. Cover charge on Weekends. 
  • 🌍 Cafe Svejk, Smallegade 31, ☏ +45 38 86 25 60. Tu-Sa 12:00-02:00, Su M 12:00-00:00. Located at the northern entrance to Frederiksberg Have, this small bar serves Czech Bohemia Regent beer (its own import - the bar is named after a Czech cartoon). Sometimes there are football matches and sometimes there is live music, but that is all rather random. 
  • 🌍 Guldfasanen, Nordre Fasanvej 1, ☏ +45 38 34 20 71. M-Sa 11:00-02:00, Su 11:00-00:00. A local watering hole, popular with students from the nearby CBS university, but also with local alcoholics who are mostly there for the cheap beer, while students prefer the basic but very reasonably priced cocktails and "kander" (a cocktail pitcher for 145-189 Kr). This place for heavy drinking and smoking. Beers from 13 kr, 10 shots for 100 kr before 22:00. 
  • 🌍 Vinstue 90, Gammel Kongevej 90, ☏ +45 33 31 84 90. Very traditional (and smoky) wine bar with wine, port wine, and slow beer which is poured in exactly 12½ minutes without the use of carbon dioxide. You are allowed to bring food from the nearby smørrebrød store. 

Coffee
  • 🌍 Granola, Værnedamsvej 5, ☏ +45 33 25 00 80. Daily 07:00-19:00. Go here to buy a good cup of coffee, in this cosy resurrected coffee shop, with thick dark wooden classic interior. 

Sleep

Budget
  • 🌍 Euroglobe, Niels Ebbesensvej 20, ☏ +45 33 79 79 54. A budget hotel, which seems more like a hostel with shared bathrooms, a TV room and a simple kitchenette on one of the floors. It is pretty outdated, but at least this is reflected in the prices. Single room: 400 kr, 2-4 bed rooms 450-800 kr. 
  • 🌍 CAB INN Copenhagen Express, Danasvej 32-34, ☏ +45 33 21 04 00. This budget hotel is pretty well reviewed for what it is, but it could use a makeover. Has both standard rooms and family rooms with bunk beds. Free Wi-Fi in the lobby and in selected rooms. Rooms from 525 kr. 
  • 🌍 CAB INN Scandinavia, Vodrofssvej 55, ☏ +45 35 36 11 11. Quite large hotel with small rooms, which is to be expected from a Danish budget hotel. Many rooms have bunk beds. On the upside it is centrally located and very close to the Forum metro stop, and staff is usually welcoming and accommodating. Rooms from 525 kr. 

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Avenue Hotel, Åboulevard 29, ☏ +45 35 37 31 33, . A well-located mid-range hotel, with an impressive lobby and common facilities for the price - including sofas and a fireplace. The rooms are quite big by Copenhagen standards, nicely furnished and clean, though the carpets could use a replacement as they are beginning to have small stains many places. The rooms facing the main street can have noise problems, if you want the windows open. Internet is pricey. Single 795 kr, double 995 kr. Family and weekend offers.. 
  • 🌍 Hotel Josty, Pile Alle 14A (near the entrance to Frederiksberg Have), ☏ +45 38 86 90 90. It was founded in 1813 by the Italian artist Agostino Taddei. The restaurant is open for lunch but otherwise reserved for bigger parties. Josty operates a boutique hotel with 7 rooms of varying size, which are a bit worn, but if you can live with that they are individually furnished with lavish antique interiors and chandeliers - no Nordic minimalism here. The place used to be used by the king to keep mistresses when he lived in the nearby castle. Breakfast is not included, but is reasonable and cheap at 65 kr. Single 700 kr, double 900 kr, suites 1400 kr. 

Connect

Cope
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