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Drinking
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Drinking
is a favourite pastime for many Danes, with liberal licensing laws, a relaxed attitude to alcohol and the lowest prices in Scandinavia (a combination which has proved irresistible to the hundreds of thirsty Swedes who pile off the ferry each weekend and drink themselves senseless in Copenhagen's bars). Denmark's drinking holes come under a bewildering variety of names: a
vinstue
(literally "wine room"), is an old and traditional venue, while a
vA¦rtshus
tends to be a small, dimly lit and smoke-filled place, populated with locals playing dice and billiards.
Bodegas
are generally neighbourhood drinking holes, while the French cafA© aspires to the hip and fashionable - most also serve some kind of light food. The newest introductions, British and Irish pubs, haven't really caught on outside Indre By. The Danish
kaffebar
is the equivalent of the British greasy spoon, but serving beer instead of tea, and with less food on the menu. Bars are more neutral and cover just about everything not mentioned above.
The choice of drink in Copenhagen's bars has traditionally been quite limited, though this is gradually changing. Lager-style beer is still without doubt Denmark's staple drink. The two most common brands are Tuborg and the ubiquitous Carlsberg, usually sold by the bottle, less frequently in 250ml or 500ml draft measures - bottled beer is cheaper than draft (20-30kr per bottle; draft beer can cost up to 80kr for half a litre). During Christmas and Easter the breweries also brew "Christmas" and "Easter" beers - a bit stronger than normal beer and a lot more festive. The two days when they are released - "J-Day" and "P-Day" (J for Jul and P for PA?ske - Christmas and Easter respectively) see beer enthusiasts all around the country venturing out to taste the latest offerings. Guinness and draft British and Irish ales can generally only be found in British- and Irish-themed pubs, and are quite pricey. Wine is also usually available in most bars, though in Denmark it's still predominantly drunk with meals and you won't usually have the same choice as in restaurants. Cocktail bars are the newest trend in Danish nightlife, and are worth checking out for their tasty specialities. Opening hours vary according to police licensing and the bar owner's inclination, though you'll be able to find somewhere to drink at any time of the day or night - it's generally always possible to find a bar open within walking distance of your last venue and so-called "death routes" have been mapped out, walking from bar to bar to ensure all-night drinking. As the evening moves on, more lively dancing venues are selected, often ending before breakfast in a traditional vA¦rtshus with billiards and a jukebox. If you're shopping for wine or beer, note that shops aren't allowed to sell alcohol after 8pm. We've divided our listings into the following areas: Indre By, Tivoli and around, Christianshavn, Vesterbro, Frederiksberg, NA?rrebro and Asterbro. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Denmark,
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