Visit Copenhagen, Denmark, one of three ways: on a budget, spending a bit more, or when the getaway calls for a splurge.
Trip tip: When dialing direct, use the prefix 011 followed by 45 (country code) + 3 (city code) + the six-digit phone number.
Getting there: Round-trip rates of $1,070 are valid on departures through Oct. 31; Dec. 13-19 or Dec. 24-Jan. 1; $990 Nov. 1-Dec. 12 or Jan. 5-March 20. All carriers participate with connecting flight service.
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BUDGET:
Stay: In the center of compact Copenhagen along the canal in the popular Nyhavn district (the 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment area) is Hotel Bethel Sømandshjem. Amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi and coffee and tea served around the clock in the lobby. Unique to the hotel is a hidden church in a 200-year-old storage building. Services are held twice a month from October to April, and the hotel offers a tour. Simple guest rooms, including breakfast, are 845-945 DKK and 1045 DKK for a corner room; Nyhavn 22, 313-0370, www.hotel-bethel.dk. Note: 10.00 Danish Krone (DKK) = 1.73265 USD.
Eat: Take off the chill and partake in a leisurely Danish lunch, smørrebrød, at cozy Restaurant Willumsen. This traditional meal of the working class consists of beautifully decorated open-faced sandwiches — mostly prepared with salmon, beef, eel and herring. A three-course lunch of sandwiches and cheese is 125 DKK; Store Regnegade 26, 393-9192, www.restaurantwillumsen.dk.
Experience: Copenhagen's 6,000 years of history, fire and bloody battles lies hidden behind picturesque streets and colorful harbors. Explore the rich culture on a guided, three-hour city tour to highlights such as Tivoli Gardens, the Danish Royal Palace, the Marble Church, tales of World War II resistance and occupation, the Danish Parliament, Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen Opera House and more. Free; daily at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; www.newcopenhagentours.com. Worthwhile is an afternoon at the National Gallery of Denmark for its unique collection of Danish and international art dating from the 14th century. Admission is free to the Collections and selected exhibitions, events and activities; Sølvgade 48-50, 45 3 374 8494, www.smk.dk.
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MODERATE:
Stay: The privately owned modern Andersen Hotel opened its doors this year to great consumer reviews. The hotel in the trendy Vesterbro neighborhood is designer decorated from guest rooms to a hip lobby lounge. "Cool" rooms from 925 DKK; "brilliant" rooms from 1025 DKK and an "amazing" junior suite from 1395 DKK. Breakfast is additional at 125 DKK per person; HelgolandsGade 12, 331-4610, www.andersen-hotel.dk.
Eat: Tight, a stylish and intimate cafe, offers a three-course tasting menu for 285 DKK; 350 DKK for five courses or 525 DKK with four wine pairings. Choose from a set menu of international tastes such as Aussie, Italian (pasta), French (foie gras), German (schnitzel), Mediterranean and Danish (salmon). Tight's burger is a specialty (140 DKK); Hyskenstraede 10, 311-0900, www.tight-cph.dk.
Experience: Stroll fashionable Nyhavn, or New Harbor, a strip of colorful 17th- and early-18th-century townhouses, bars, cafes and restaurants lining the canal. Danish author Hans Christian Andersen made his home here. The Ship and Museum Harbour is lined with old wooden ships dating from 1898. Pick up a canal tour for a narrative. A festive Christmas market runs at Nyhavn from Nov. 16-Dec. 22; www.nyhavn.com. Self-guided tours of the Carlsberg Brewery, founded in 1847, reveal the history as a local brewery to global power-brand; 70 DKK includes two beers or soft drinks. In-depth guided tours are 1075-1375 DKK additional; Gamle Carlsberg Vej 11, 327 1282, www.visitcarlsberg.dk. Venture back in time at the Frilandsmuseet (Open Air Museum), where more than 100 original and historic Scandinavian buildings and dwellings dating from 1650 can be visited. Opened in 1897, the museum is one of the largest and oldest open-air exhibits in the world. Free; King's Highway 100 (S-train to Sorgenfri Station or bus #184 from Nørreport Station), Lyngby, 347-3855, www.natmus.dk.
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SPLURGE:
Stay: Posh rooms and suites at the Copenhagen Marriott Hotel offer the finest water views of the city and are gussied up with down comforters and rich linens. Top-floor executive rooms permit lounge and 24-hour gym access, complimentary breakfast, cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and more from 2249-2650 DKK ($390-$460) per night; Kalvebod Brygge 5, (8) 833-9900, www.marriott.com.
Eat: Romantic Frederiks Have has two dining rooms — an open concept to the Nordic kitchen run by two Danish and two Swedish chefs and the fireplace lounge. A three-course menu with wines is 663 DKK; 810 DKK for four courses and 933 for five. The a la carte menu is limited with two main dishes, one of which is entrecote of moose with mushrooms, Jerusalem artichokes and fig sauce for 295 DKK; Smallegade 41, 888-3335, www.frederikshave.dk.
Experience: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, founded by the renowned brewing magnate Carl Jacobsen, houses Northern Europe's largest collection of ancient sculptures from Egypt, Rome and Greece to modern sculpture (including Rodin) and a vast collection of French impressionists and Danish Golden Age paintings. Take a lunch break in the subtropical Winter Garden — complete with palm trees, a fish pool and fountain. Adult admission 75 DKK; free on Sundays; Dantes Plads 7, 3 41 81 41; www.glyptoteket.com. Enjoy a day trip (6.5 hours) to the picturesque region of North Zealand dotted with famous castles. Stops include the town of Elsinore, made famous in Shakespeare's "Hamlet"; Kronborg Castle, the setting of "Hamlet" and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; a drive by of Fredensborg Palace, a residence of the Danish royal family, and a visit to the 17th-century Frederiksborg Castle, built between 1601-1625 and containing treasures of painting, tapestry, porcelain, silver and furniture; about $80 per person; www.viator.com (tour #2158DKAP006).
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