Great Escapes: Copenhagen’s Cozy, Egalitarian Chic

There are many cities often described as “laid-back” that don’t totally warrant it. Copenhagen warrants it.

The description, though, does not suggest laziness. Copenhagen, in fact, is an incredibly active and fit capital. Last summer, it hosted a raucous Pride Week followed a few days later by an Iron Man competition. In the city of around 600,000, the average age is 33.

Indeed, Københavners—as its inhabitants are known—are a cheerful and active bunch. A certain coolness is the overall vibe of the city, a feature that some say stems from the Danish Law of Jante, or a sense of modest egalitarianism. Danes resent ostentatiousness. Combine that with hygge, the cherished Danish virtue of coziness, and you have a society that is friendly and welcoming but not too over the top. In other words, a fitting place for a traveler.

Copenhagen occupies two islands on the Øresund strait, across from Sweden (a bridge leads to the much-less-interesting Malmö.). Founded by Viking fishermen in the 10th century, it did not become Denmark’s capital until five centuries later. Under the Danish monarchy, the city was transformed into the preeminent cultural and economic center of Scandinavia, a position it arguably maintains today.

Since World War II, the Danish economy has extended into high-end services, pharmaceuticals and green energy, to impressive results. At some US$68,000, Denmark’s GNI per capita is the seventh highest in the world and Danes enjoy a high quality of life. Their capital is one of the most financially dynamic in northern Europe. Yet the city strikes a fine balance between pursuing its modern, capitalist aspirations and maintaining its old-world charms.

In the city of around 600,000, the average age is 33. Marten Bjork, Unsplash

STAY

Hotel D’Angleterre is Copenhagen’s premier historic hotel, a regal, white-walled beauty dating back to 1755. Affectionately called “The White Lady on Kongens Nytorv”—the name for the wide, bustling square it overlooks—the hotel was extensively renovated in 2013. Well-equipped with modern amenities and some ninety rooms, D’Angleterre retains its Old French-inspired aesthetic. Elsewhere along Kongens Nytorv, considered the heart of the city, is the Royal Theatre as well as ample shopping, dining, and a stop on Copenhagen’s incredibly efficient metro. The spa and large indoor pool are both splendid.

For a more modern abode, book a room at Nimb, a fairy-tale-esque five-star boutique hotel in Tivoli Gardens, a pleasant amusement park first opened in 1843. Tivoli owns the hotel, which has a private entry into the magnificent park. The spacious, very hygge rooms are chicly decorated with Danish art. There is a superb rooftop terrace bar and pool, which often has live music. Visit the Asian-inspired spa and its steam room for an urban oasis.

EAT & DRINK

Copenhagen’s wonderfully varied culinary scene, which boasts 15 Michelin-starred restaurants, owes its dynamism to noma. The New Nordic superstar, which opened in 2003, has been rated as the best restaurant in the world (it recently announced it would close for regular service in 2024). Numerous noma-trained chefs have since opened their own eateries—the tastiest burger in the city can be found at POPL, whose founder is a noma veteran; Hart Bakery, one of Copenhagen’s most coveted bakeries, was opened by Richard Hart, formerly of both noma and Tartine.

But the noma buzz also infused pride and dynamism into Copenhagen’s dining scene more generally. One standout is Cofoco, a local favorite. The cozy basement spot serves up Mediterranean-inspired Nordic food like shrimp with foamy lobster bisque, pumpkin and yogurt. It’s a great place for a long, chatty meal over bountiful vin.

Restaurant Møntergade, located on the hip and buzzing Møntergade street, is a homey, chic spot with killer Nordic plates. The smoked eel is fantastic. Top-notch Italian pasta can be found at Undici, a casual, light-hearted place with picturesque positioning at the intersection of two cute canals.

Marchal, the signature restaurant on the ground floor of Hotel D’Angleterre, is well-worth a meal. The Michelin-starred spot transforms Nordic delicacies into scrumptious, inventive plates with a French touch. Try the venison with beets, blackberries, pear and pepper sauce. The Nimb Brasserie, inside the Nimb Hotel, is also French and fantastic.

Lovely libations abound in Copenhagen, a city fond of boozy celebration. One stand-out is RUDO, a vermouth bar opened by former noma sous chef and restaurateur, Christian Puglisi. Fiskebaren, a popular seafood restaurant in the Meatpacking District founded by a former noma sommelier, has an excellent wine selection. For beer, pop into one of trendy microbrewery Mikkeller’s many locations. Bright, inventive cocktails can be found at Ruby, which occupies a townhouse dating to 1740.

EXPERIENCE

One Copenhagen attraction that cannot be missed is the surprisingly charming Tivoli Gardens. To call it an amusement park perhaps cheapens its appeal—the modestl -sized place is less Six Flags than it is Golden Gate Park. Lovely, verdant grounds are interspersed with rollercoasters, a large performance stage and the most beautiful antique merry-go-round you’ve ever seen. Good restaurants abound, too.

With its bright shophouses, pretty canals, grand buildings, and ancient streets, Copenhagen is an architectural wonder. In 2023, Copenhagen becomes a UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, which means a slate of citywide events. Anytime of the year, though, whether during the idyllic summers or the punishing winters, the best way to take in Copenhagen is on a boat tour. Hey Captain, located on the sunny and buzzing Ofelia Square, provides great guided trips, with comfortable, uncrowded boats and bottled craft beer.

Museum-lovers will find much to admire in Copenhagen. One not to be missed is the Glyptoteket, an art museum in central Copenhagen with a fantastic winter garden and lots of sculptures. The National Gallery of Denmark, also known as SMK, is also well-worth a visit too, featuring mountains of glorious Danish and international works from the past seven centuries (Matisse is on display through February.) Stroll through the nearby King’s Garden, a sprawling and serene park, on the way there.

The marketplace has spoken and, at least for now, it’s showing preference for hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) over battery electrics. That makes Toyota’s foot dragging on EVs (and full speed ahead on hybrids) look fairly wise, though the timeline along a bumpy road still gets us to full electrification by 2035.

Italian supercar producer Lamborghini, in business since 1963, is also proceeding, incrementally, toward battery power. In an interview, Federico Foschini , Lamborghini’s chief global marketing and sales officer, talked about the new Urus SE plug-in hybrid the company showed at its lounge in New York on Monday.

The Urus SE interior gets a larger centre screen and other updates.
Lamborghini

The Urus SE SUV will sell for US$258,000 in the U.S. (the company’s biggest market) when it goes on sale internationally in the first quarter of 2025, Foschini says.

“We’re using the contribution from the electric motor and battery to not only lower emissions but also to boost performance,” he says. “Next year, all three of our models [the others are the Revuelto, a PHEV from launch, and the continuation of the Huracán] will be available as PHEVs.”

The Euro-spec Urus SE will have a stated 37 miles of electric-only range, thanks to a 192-horsepower electric motor and a 25.9-kilowatt-hour battery, but that distance will probably be less in stricter U.S. federal testing. In electric mode, the SE can reach 81 miles per hour. With the 4-litre 620-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine engaged, the picture is quite different. With 789 horsepower and 701 pound-feet of torque on tap, the SE—as big as it is—can reach 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and attain 193 mph. It’s marginally faster than the Urus S, but also slightly under the cutting-edge Urus Performante model. Lamborghini says the SE reduces emissions by 80% compared to a standard Urus.

Lamborghini’s Urus plans are a little complicated. The company’s order books are full through 2025, but after that it plans to ditch the S and Performante models and produce only the SE. That’s only for a year, however, because the all-electric Urus should arrive by 2029.

Lamborghini’s Federico Foschini with the Urus SE in New York.
Lamborghini

Thanks to the electric motor, the Urus SE offers all-wheel drive. The motor is situated inside the eight-speed automatic transmission, and it acts as a booster for the V8 but it can also drive the wheels on its own. The electric torque-vectoring system distributes power to the wheels that need it for improved cornering. The Urus SE has six driving modes, with variations that give a total of 11 performance options. There are carbon ceramic brakes front and rear.

To distinguish it, the Urus SE gets a new “floating” hood design and a new grille, headlights with matrix LED technology and a new lighting signature, and a redesigned bumper. There are more than 100 bodywork styling options, and 47 interior color combinations, with four embroidery types. The rear liftgate has also been restyled, with lights that connect the tail light clusters. The rear diffuser was redesigned to give 35% more downforce (compared to the Urus S) and keep the car on the road.

The Urus represents about 60% of U.S. Lamborghini sales, Foschini says, and in the early years 80% of buyers were new to the brand. Now it’s down to 70%because, as Foschini says, some happy Urus owners have upgraded to the Performante model. Lamborghini sold 3,000 cars last year in the U.S., where it has 44 dealers. Global sales were 10,112, the first time the marque went into five figures.

The average Urus buyer is 45 years old, though it’s 10 years younger in China and 10 years older in Japan. Only 10% are women, though that percentage is increasing.

“The customer base is widening, thanks to the broad appeal of the Urus—it’s a very usable car,” Foschini says. “The new buyers are successful in business, appreciate the technology, the performance, the unconventional design, and the fun-to-drive nature of the Urus.”

Maserati has two SUVs in its lineup, the Levante and the smaller Grecale. But Foschini says Lamborghini has no such plans. “A smaller SUV is not consistent with the positioning of our brand,” he says. “It’s not what we need in our portfolio now.”

It’s unclear exactly when Lamborghini will become an all-battery-electric brand. Foschini says that the Italian automaker is working with Volkswagen Group partner Porsche on e-fuel, synthetic and renewably made gasoline that could presumably extend the brand’s internal-combustion identity. But now, e-fuel is very expensive to make as it relies on wind power and captured carbon dioxide.

During Monterey Car Week in 2023, Lamborghini showed the Lanzador , a 2+2 electric concept car with high ground clearance that is headed for production. “This is the right electric vehicle for us,” Foschini says. “And the production version will look better than the concept.” The Lanzador, Lamborghini’s fourth model, should arrive in 2028.