World City Guide

Nightlife

Nightlife in Copenhagen changes fast and starts late, things rarely get going on Friday and Saturday night until after midnight. The city has an ever-changing range of clubs, restaurants and bars catering to all tastes – from pop to cutting-edge dance music or world-class jazz or pop. The city also has a surprise up its sleeve in the form of several popular DJ/bar/restaurant ‘hybrids’ that change mood and function over the course of an evening. There is no one defined nightlife area, although both Nyhavn and Boltens Gaard are popular.

There are late licensing hours in Copenhagen with cafés typically open until 0100 or 0200, bars close between 0200 and 0500 and clubs close around 0500. The minimum age for drinking is 18 years. A beer costs Dkk25-50, while a gin and tonic averages around Dkk50. In general, the dress code for most places is not strict.

Copenhagen This Week (website: www.ctw.dk) and the Wonderful Copenhagen tourist information website (www.visitcopenhagen.dk) both provide further nightlife information.

Bars: A wide range of nightlife venues defy conventional categorisation, such as Ultimo, Hovedvagtsgade 8, Café Ketchup, Pilestræde 19, BarStarten, Kapelvej 1, and the trendy Zoo Bar, Kronprinsensgade 7. In the daytime, they may function as cafés or restaurants but, in the evening, they become restaurants and/or bars, DJs will appear and suddenly everybody will be on the dancefloor. Stereo Bar, Linnésgade 16a, Israels Plads, is a much-loved pre-club joint, with funky 70s decor and an eclectic music policy from easy listening to drum’n’bass. Rather more underground is Stengade 30, Stengade 18, in Nørrebro, which blends the best of Danish and overseas rock and dance acts. The Dubliner, Amagertorv 5, Strøget, is a genuine Irish restaurant and music pub with nightly live Irish folk/rock music, Irish barmen and a very friendly atmosphere. Café Victor (see Restaurants) also has a friendly bar area, which is popular with visiting celebrities.

Casinos: Casino Copenhagen, Amager Boulevard 70 (website: www.casinocopenhagen.dk), is open daily 1400-0400 for American and French roulette, blackjack and stud poker. A dress code applies and photo ID is required for entrance – entrance is only for those 18 years and older. Admission costs Dkk80 per day.

Clubs: The two top clubs in the city are Rust, Guldbergsgade 8 (website: www.rust.dk) and Vega, Enghavevej 40 (website: www.vega.dk), which are both extremely popular and draw top international DJs and live acts. The Vega complex is housed in a magnificent 1950s trade union building, while Rust is spread over three floors with a cocktail bar, main bar and large dancefloor. Park Diskotek, Østerbrogade 79 (website: www.parkcafe.dk) close to Parken, the national sports stadium, runs a disco ballroom with DJ music in an authentic 1970s atmosphere. The city’s thriving gay scene focuses on Pan Disco, Knabrostræde 3 (website: www.pan-cph.dk), with three floors of lively music, as well as Sebastian, Hyskenstræde 10, and Heaven, Kompagnistræde 18. For pure dance clubs, head for Boltens Gaard and the Zero Nightclub and Lounge, Gothersgade 10B, and Blue Buddha, Gothersgade 8F, which was started as a reaction against the high bar prices in the clubs, offering cheap cocktails and beers. If you’re still going when the sun is up, head to Club Blue Note, Studiestræde 31, which opens at 0500 and serves up techno and house until breakfast.

Live Music: Copenhagen is one of the major European jazz centres with excellent clubs throughout the city and a festival in July (see Cultural Events in Culture). The Copenhagen Jazz House, Niels Hemmingsensgade 10 (tel: 3315 2600; website: www.jazzhouse.dk), is the jazz venue, offering top-quality live music followed by a relaxed funk and soul disco. Vega, Enghavevej 40 (website: www.vega.dk), is an established and prestigious cultural institution and Denmark’s largest regional venue, annually featuring around 250 concerts. The music profile is rock, modern electric, R’n’B, hip hop, metal and pop. Open-air rock and pop concerts are held at the Pavillonen, in Fælledparken, during the summer. The main live music venue in Christiania is Loppen, Bådmandsstræde 43, which has regular rock, jazz and other performances. Seedy but hugely atmospheric is La Fontaine, Kompagnistræde 11, which is open 2000-0600.