Copenhagen Entertainment

  1. Absolut Ice Bar

    Admittedly, some might call this an absolute rip-off, but this deep frozen bar is still worth a (one) visit if you have never been to any of the others in Sweden and Norway. Everything, including the glasses is made from the purest Swedish river water. On entering you are given an Arctic cape to protect you from the temperature that can reach -12°C, and warned not to lick the walls…

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  2. Bang Og Jensen

    Formerly a pharmacy, this grungy café serves fabulous brunches and treats all day and Danish eye candy all night, when DJs play and so do the patrons of this very cool spot.

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  3. Bankeråt

    One of the most characterful bars in all Copenhagen features taxidermic animals in outlandish get-ups in the windows and pickled customers in outlandish get-ups at the tables. Nurse a drink, a hangover and artistic pretensions, but don't expect much from the food.

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  4. Bar Rouge

    Aimed squarely at the cocktail set who like getting dressed up to hear smooth lounge sounds, this bar is a haven from the sometimes exuberant but immature drinking dens of the Latin Quarter. It might be a good idea to reserve a table.

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  5. Barbarellah

    The current epicentre of Nørreport's nightlife scene is this corner bar-lounge-restaurant, named after owner Barbara (who also produces the art that hangs on the walls and is for sale, along with the furniture and even the clothes the barmen wear). The food is flame-grilled Parillada-style, the interior is lit by bewitching psychedelic light projections and DJs play at weekends. Almost unbearably cool.

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  7. Bibendum

    Copenhagen's best wine bar is situated in a cosy, rustic cellar on trendy Nansensgade and serves over 50 wines - from Argentina, Spain, France and Italy - by the glass. Intimate but relaxed, and blessedly free of wine snobs, although the staff are extremely knowledgeable.

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  8. Bjørgs

    This L-shaped café-bar is a good people-watching venue and is a popular after-work drinks haunt. It also serves simple burgers and salads.

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  9. Bodega

    This recently renamed and re-invigorated DJ bar/café/restaurant beside the walls of Assistens Kirkegård is one of the hotspots in this hottest of neighbourhoods. The fresh-thinking fusion kitchen is accomplished, and soul, funk and R&B grooves are spun from Thursday to Saturday nights.

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  10. Boutique Lize

    This used to be a clothing store but when it was transformed into this spartan but popular cocktail bar a couple of years back, it just seemed easier to keep the old name. Lize has some of the cheapest cocktails in town and is packed on the weekends.

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  11. Café Bopa

    The only thing missing that would otherwise render this place perfect is a canalside location. Hidden away and offering great food, Bopa is an easy-going joint that puts you in an instant happy mood - especially when you nab an outside table. Things really start to bop at night when DJs turn the space into a cool nightspot, filled with a good-looking crowd.

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  13. Café Europa

    With an unbeatable location, this modern continental-style cafe sets up its tables right on Højbro Plads on sunny days, making it a great place to get comfortable, nestle in and do a spot of people-watching.

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  14. Café Stelling

    Designed by Arne Jacobsen, this light, airy corner café is tucked away in the northern side of the old square. Jacobsen's austere design contrasts with the monumental, Florentine palace-style bank next door and, completing what is one of the most extraordinary architectural ensembles in town, a late-Renaissance Chinese restaurant on the corner.

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  15. Cinemateket

    The Danish Film Institute's wonderful cinema plays classic Danish and foreign films. There's also an excellent shop and restaurant on the swanky premises.

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  16. Club Emma

    One of the city's largest nightclubs is housed in a wonderful 19th-century town house beside Magasin du Nord. There is a lounge-cocktail bar, open-air terrace (the only place you are allowed to smoke) and several dance floors with live music and DJs. The entry age goes from 18 on Thursdays to 19 on Fridays and 22 on Saturdays.

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  17. Copenhagen Jazzhouse

    The city's leading jazz spot, featuring top Danish musicians and international performers. The music runs the gamut from bebop to fusion jazz, and there's a large dance floor that usually fills after live gigs on weekends.

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  19. Copenhagen Opera House

    This state-of-the-art opera house features two stages, the Main Stage and a smaller venue, Takkeløftet. The repertoire runs the gamut from classic to contemporary opera, as well as the odd curve-ball like a performance by Elvis Costello or something from the Jazz Festival. Productions usually sell out way in advance but 25 tickets are available each day at the box office.

    Alternatively, many come just to look around the building or eat in the panoramic Franco-Danish restaurant or ground floor café.

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  20. Cosy Bar

    A very popular late-night place for gay men, with DJs playing Tuesday to Saturday and a serious attitude to picking up, and quickly.

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  21. Dagmar Teatret

    A good central theatre that plays art-house and mainstream films.

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  22. Dansescenen

    If you're well into dance, this is Copenhagen's leading modern dance venue with 20-30 new, international-standard productions each year. Hop to it!

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  23. Det Kongelige Teater

    This historic stage is the home venue for the world renowned Kongelige Ballet (Royal Ballet). The season runs from mid-August to late May, skipping the main summer months.

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  25. Filmhusets Cinematek

    The Danish Film Institute's cutting edge film centre plays classic Danish and foreign film, mostly in short, themed seasons. There is an excellent cinema bookshop here, as well as the stylish restaurant Sult.

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  26. Fisken

    This open-all-hours cellar pub beneath the atmospheric Skipper Kroen restaurant distils the essence of everything great about Nyhavn's salty sea-dog atmosphere. There's nightly live folk music.

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  27. Forum

    In need of some rock therapy? This is one of the city's major concert venues - Bob Dylan and Metallica have performed here in recent years.

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  28. Fox Bar

    On weekend evenings the lobby of the experimental designer hotel Fox becomes a super sleek, über-design hangout, with hilariously laid-back seating, psychedelic décor and a less successful restaurant, Fox Kitchen, which offers strenuously molecular food like parsnip ice cream and flavoured foams.

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  29. Gefärlich

    This deeply groovy bar-club-restaurant-lounge-café-hairdresser-clothing store-art space (really) has made a major splash on the Nørrebro nightlife scene. It gets packed on weekends, with the incriminating evidence usually posted on MySpace by midweek.

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