Hm, are we in the right place? We are in the backyard of an ageing factory site in Copenhagen. It's full of graffiti and could do with a general overhaul. Then we approach a large iron door. It opens ... and we enter the Buddha Bikes workshop. The place is a hive of activity. In the main hall alone, we count five fully equipped bike assembly stations where people are hard at work. Hundreds of old, partly broken bikes are piled up along the long wall of the hall. Raw material for Simon Nohrstedt Søndergaard, the founder and boss of the company. Because here, only old bikes are turned into new ones. Since 2014, Simon has been recycling bikes in his workshop that were actually destined for the rubbish bin. Bicycle scrap is one of the biggest problems in the cycling metropolis. Many old bikes are simply dumped somewhere and never collected. However, as they are considered private property, they cannot simply be taken away.
By cooperating with Copenhagen's recycling centres, Simon is at least providing a partial solution - and a supply of materials. Anyone who leaves their old bike at a specially designated place in the city automatically donates it to Buddha Bikes. 13 employees screw, weld and paint bicycle parts and give them a second life. "For me, it's the oldest thing in the world, but nobody does it any more," says Simon. "Fifty years ago, you wouldn't have bought a new bike, you would have repaired it."
The Copenhagenise brand
Simon Nohrstedt Søndergaard lives in the city, which is internationally recognised as a role model when it comes to cycling. He is also "very happy with the cycling infrastructure. The cycle paths are always cleared in winter and are very well maintained". The Danish capital's concept is so successful that it has even given rise to a brand: Copenhagenize.
The idea for Copenhagenize came from Mikael Colville-Andersen. The urban mobility expert launched his concept for bicycle-friendly cities in 2007, thereby starting an international movement for more cycling culture. His idea is to make the city attractive for cycling with the simplest possible planning. A Copenhagen Index has even been developed. Based on 13 criteria, cities with a population of 600,000 or more around the world are assessed every two years and ranked in terms of their specific efforts to be bicycle-friendly.
Berlin, for example, was ranked fifth in 2011, but only 15th in 2019. Copenhagen, with its Green Wave routes and high-speed cycle paths connecting the suburbs, is always high up in this ranking, coming second in 2023.
50 per cent of Copenhageners cycle to work. But not everything is perfect here either. There are now so many cyclists that often not everyone waiting at a traffic light makes it across the crossing when the light turns green... So much for the theory. Now it's finally time to get on the bikes and into the fray!
Giant and virgin
Our accommodation is located in the trendy Nørrebro neighbourhood. When you walk out onto the street here, you notice it straight away: hardly any cars, no noise, relaxed faces - and lots of cyclists. We join the chain of cyclists. Our lane is extremely wide. Slow down on the right, overtake on the left; look over your shoulder and use hand signals when turning or stopping - rules of the game that you should know. We are particularly impressed by the strict division of the road into three zones for cars, bicycles and pedestrians. Cyclists move through the city like a colony of ants. Without clear hand signals, total chaos would ensue within minutes. It takes a bit of getting used to, but the seamless network of cycle paths makes it easier to explore the city.
Our route starts at the "Copenhagen Lakes" - called "Søerne": three bodies of water that merge into one another and surround the city centre in a large, flat arc. It is already very busy here in the morning. Countless cyclists use the riverside cycle path to cross the city, runners do their laps - and we also enjoy the first few kilometres of cycling along the water. And we set off in search of one of the eleven forgotten giants. Artist Thomas Dambo hid the giants, some of which are three metres tall and made from recycled plywood, in and around the city. Dambo wants to use them to awaken people's spirit of discovery and encourage them to explore Copenhagen's surrounding countryside and nature. A helpful map can be found at www.visitcopenhagen.de. We make it and suddenly find ourselves near the old harbour area in front of the giant "Captain Nalle", who has a motorboat in tow. We immediately pull together with him - and say goodbye again, focussing on the next highlight that will lure us back into the city:
We pay a visit to the little mermaid. She sits modestly on her stone overlooking the sea, surrounded by a crowd of tourists.
We continue on to Copenhagen's largest monument, the Gefion Fountain, popularly known as the Wishing Well. From there we continue to Nyhavn, which means "new harbour". This colourful part of the old town, which is located directly on the canal, has actually existed since 1673. Nyhavn never became very important as a harbour, as it was too small and too shallow from the outset. However, the harbour milieu gave rise to numerous taverns early on, and the area is still one of the city's best-known entertainment districts with its many restaurants, beer bars and dance halls alongside Istedgade.
A visit to the free city
We cross the Trangravsbroen, a bascule bridge for cyclists and pedestrians only, to the Free City of Christiania, an autonomous housing estate, an independent community tolerated by the state. We have the feeling that we have landed in a playground of curiosities. Right at the entrance, we encounter "Green Gorge" sitting cross-legged and meditating - another plywood giant by the artist Dambo. Cars are banned in Christiania, with the exception of delivery traffic. Perhaps one reason why the world-famous "Christiania Bikes" brand of cargo bikes was invented here. On Pusher Street, many flashy stalls sell hashish - illegal, but tolerated by the authorities. Of course, this is not without controversy, especially as crime has also increased in the neighbourhood recently.
We leave the hippie community and make our way to the modern area around the inner harbour basin. Time for a little break. We fortify ourselves and enjoy a Rød pølse, the Danish hot dog, which is also available in a vegetarian version. Very tasty.
We then pay a visit to the Danish Architecture Centre. Architecturally, however, the city itself is particularly impressive. Rarely have I experienced such a density of great architecture, art and design culture in such a small space. Whether it's a sports park, bicycle infrastructure or interior design, the famous functional Danish design is everywhere. It is not without reason that Copenhagen was named UNESCO World Capital of Architecture in 2023.
We now head for the absolute eye-catcher of Copenhagen's bicycle architecture. The bicycle queue, an apparently free-floating bridge that can only be crossed by bicycle, stretches across part of the inner harbour basin. Up to 25,000 cyclists cross the bridge every day. 190 metres in length, 30 metres of ramps for the ascent and descent and integrated lighting that also makes it passable at night - these are the most important features of this masterpiece. The cost of the structure totalled 5.1 million euros.
The combination of architectural aesthetics and practicality in terms of mobility is omnipresent in this city. The light on the bridge is not yet on, but the sun is already low. Our tour of the metropolis is coming to an end. We drive to Nørrebro to end the day in Mina's coffee bar - a neighbourhood meeting place where you can enjoy cocktails and other drinks at fair prices. A great way to round off a wonderful weekend of cycling in a unique city.
Information and tips for the cycling city of Copenhagen
The city tour by bike
Our tour covered 29 kilometres, packed with the most famous and exciting sights of Denmark's capital. The highlights are located close to the water.
GPS data
You can download the GPS data for the city tour from the DK tour portal:
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Best time to travel
May-September
Arrival
Car: From Hamburg, take the A7 motorway to the Danish border, continue on the E45 to Kolding, then take the E20 eastwards via Køge to Copenhagen. The Storebælt Bridge over the Great Belt is subject to tolls. From eastern Germany, we recommend taking the Rostock - Gedser ferry (approx. 150 euros, 2 hours), then continuing on the E55 and E47 to Copenhagen.
Railway: From Hamburg by ICE in just under 5 hours.
aeroplane: Copenhagen Airport is served directly by several airlines from Germany.
Alternatively, we recommend a combination of train, bike and ferry.
For adventurers: By bike along the Berlin-Copenhagen long-distance cycle route.
Accommodation
Many hotels and guesthouses in all price categories are listed on the website of the tourist office: visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/plan/accommodation
You can also find accommodation at reasonable prices via Airbnb.
Worth seeing
The forgotten giants: Eleven giant wooden sculptures by the artist Dambo in and around Copenhagen. Can be organised like a treasure hunt. It takes a whole day to find all the giants.
The little mermaid: The symbol of Copenhagen, only 125 cm tall. Modelled on the figure from Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name.
Gefion Fountain: The so-called wishing well is the city's largest monument and was created by Danish sculptor Anders Bundgaard.
Nyhavn: The "new harbour" is a tourist magnet with its colourful gabled houses on both sides of the small harbour arm and countless restaurants.
Christiania: Alternative housing estate in Copenhagen, founded in 1971 with the aim of creating a self-governing, alternative society. Tolerated by the Danish government.
Designmuseum Danmark: The permanent exhibition "Danish Modern" unfolds the history of Danish design from the 1920s to the year 2000 with a focus on the emergence of some iconic Danish design classics.
Cycelslangen is one of several spectacular cycle bridges.
MYBIKE tips
Mina's coffee bar: Nørrebrogade 72, 2200 København
In the evening, many Copenhageners meet with a picnic basket at the Shores of the Søerne and enjoy the sunset with a glass of wine. The most popular part is on the Nørre Søgade.
Bike hire
Bike Rental Copenhagen: Kongens Nytorv 8, 1050 København, prices: 1 day 20 euros, 2 days 30 euros, 3 days 40 euros, bikerentalcopenhagen.dk
Rosenborg cykler: Rosenborggade 3K, 1130 København, 6 hours 20 euros | 1 day 27 euros | each additional day 20 euros, rosenborgcykler.dk/rent-a-bike
Many hotels and accommodation providers also offer bike hire.
Guided cycle tours
- getyourguide.com
- withlocals.com/en/experiences/denmark/copenhagen/tours/bike
- headout.com/en
General information
visitcopenhagen.com
