City Guide: Copenhagen
3daysofdesign, Denmark's official design festival and Copenhagen's Design Week, is the best excuse to spend a weekend doing nothing but looking at beautiful things, eating well, and exploring Copenhagen. Here's how we'd do it.
HOLMEN
Former Royal Danish Navy shipyards turned arts district, home to the Copenhagen Opera House and the Royal Danish Academy.
Ferm Living — Furniture, accessories, and lighting defined by soft forms and honest design. During 3daysofdesign they present Form of Life at Kuglegården, a study of form, material, and proportion.
Louis Poulsen — The iconic Danish lighting manufacturer presents "PH — an exploration" during 3daysofdesign, an immersive journey into Poul Henningsen's System PH philosophy, with installations and talks given at the store.
Copenhagen Contemporary — Large-scale international contemporary art in a former industrial space on Refshaleøen. Worth it for the building as much as the exhibitions. Paper Planes, a major solo exhibition by Camille Henrot opens June 4th.
Eat & Drink — Mikkeller Baghaven for wild-fermentation beers. La Banchina for a swim and a natural wine.
NORDHAVN
Former industrial outer harbour, now being developed as a blueprint for the five-minute city, where every day needs can be met within a 5–minute walking distance.
DesignPreowned — Founded by Edward Gubi, DesignPreowned restores overlooked Scandinavian classics from the 1930s to 1980s. During 3daysofdesign they present a curated relaunch of pieces from the family archive.
Eat & Drink — Badezone Sandkaj for a swim and Andersen & Maillard for a pastry and a coffee.
ISLANDS BRYGGE
Former industrial waterfront transformed into one of the city's most livable districts, with a harbour that's a gathering place year-round.
Rosti (Njalsgade) — Danish design institution best known for the Margrethe bowl (you know it). During 3daysofdesign, Rosti opens their new showroom on Njalsgade.
Service Projects — Tableware built for everyday use, inspired by industrial kitchens. During 3daysofdesign, they will open a café in Islands Brygge where you can experience the pieces in use across all three days, plus a Martini Bar in the heart of the city.
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KULTUR
Museums, galleries, and royal gardens shaped by centuries of political and intellectual life.
Danish Architecture Center — During 3daysofdesign, DAC presents THIS IS NOT A FOREST, a sensory installation tracing wood's journey from forest to architecture, with light, sound, and scent. The DAC Design Shop is worth a browse too.
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Display / Displayed — A group exhibition looking at objects of and for display across books, design, and photography, bringing together international artists and local collaborators.
Eat & Drink Ruby for fantastic cocktails.
ROSENGÅRD
Once part of Copenhagen's fortified medieval center, now a neighborhood of gardens, historic streets, and design showrooms.
&Tradition — For 3daysofdesign, &Tradition presents Traces, an exhibition exploring the enduring marks of design and craft, with new product launches and events at their showroom, Petra Hotel, and Lille Petra Café.
Kongens Have — Copenhagen's oldest royal garden provides a beautiful respite in the city center. Visit in the early morning if you can.
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Eat & Drink — Gasoline Grill for the best burger in Copenhagen.
KONGENS NYTORV
The city's grand Baroque square, close to the Royal Theatre, Charlottenborg, and the design-dense streets of Bredgade.
FRAMING — Now in its sixth edition, FRAMING fills the mid-1700s Rococo Odd Fellow Palace with more than 40 national and international design brands.
Prado — During 3daysofdesign, Prado presents a new installation of advanced home technology, light, ventilation, hardware, designed to disappear into architecture. The surrounding streets are worth wandering for independent galleries and smaller studios.
Eat & Drink — Strangas Gyros. Quick, delicious, some of the best in the city.
FREDERIKSSTADEN
Copenhagen's most architecturally intact neighborhood, lined with Rococo buildings and a genuine commitment to heritage and craft.
Designmuseum Danmark — Housed in a stunning 18th-century former hospital, Designmuseum Danmark is essential for understanding Denmark's profound influence on modern design. The permanent collection traces Danish design's evolution, showcasing iconic furniture pieces by Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner, and Verner Panton. Before leaving, visit the museum's bookstore, which stocks a carefully selected range of design monographs, exhibition catalogs, and beautifully produced objects. It's one of the best spots for thoughtful gifts from your Copenhagen trip.
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UBU — A new Belgian furniture brand creating timeless pieces defined by symmetry, simplicity, and elegance. Rooted in Belgian craftsmanship, each piece is built to endure and designed to highlight personal style.
Eat & Drink — Hart Bageri: the cardamom croissant is the best pastry I’ve ever had.
NORREBRO
Not part of the festival footprint, but my favorite neighborhood in the city. Worth the trip across the canal.
Bricks Gallery — championing emerging and mid-career artists with a focus on contemporary painting and mixed media. When I visited in October, they were showing Louise Foo's work, bold, expressive pieces that filled the intimate gallery space. Last spring, they showed printmaker Inka Bell.
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