Visual artist and designer Akanksha Deo Sharma became a frequent traveller to Scandinavia once she started designing for IKEA in 2017, flying into Copenhagen to get to office in Älmhult, Sweden. Clearly, something about Nordic living got under her skin, and during lockdown, the Delhi girl shifted base permanently to Malmö, a small Swedish city less than an hour away from the Danish capital via the Øresund Bridge. Her partner happens to be Danish and is based in Copenhagen, so Sharma now divides her time between the two cities.
“I am a big-city girl at heart,” she explains. “Having grown up in Delhi, I have this need of people, culture, vividness, richness, and vibrancy.” Malmö is an interesting city—it has a thriving gaming industry and it offers many easy getaways into nature—but it can feel a little “too quiet”, she says, for someone used to the bustle of Delhi. “Copenhagen is small, but quite culturally active. There are a lot of things happening in design, food, fashion, culture, and even though it’s really Nordic, it has this international appeal.” It’s evident that Sharma’s relationship with the city is a mix of fascination and familiarity, founded on a deep respect for Nordic aesthetic and Copenhagen’s design-forward urban landscape. If you’re visually inclined, you’ll have a lot to look forward to when you visit the city—and Sharma has a solid list to get you started.
A modern-day architectural monument you can’t miss
One of the buildings I enjoy looking at is the The Royal Danish Opera House, which is the national opera house of Denmark which opened in 2005. The imposing architecture is graphic and playful, and a joy to look at. What I love is how they have made it accessible to see even from a distance—on the other side of the water, there’s a street-food market, and a lot of places to sit that give you a direct view of this building.
The coolest neighbourhood to check out street art
My neighbourhood, Nørrebro, has a lot of street art, and it changes quite often. There’s a park right in the centre of it called Superkilen, designed by Bjarke Ingels's architectural firm BIG, which I think is quite cool. They interviewed people from different nationalities and asked them what they would like to see in the park, and then created those things here. It’s quite kitschy—like there’s an American diner sign, while India is denoted by an elephant—but I love the story behind it, and I think most people enjoy it.
Superkilen was designed to represent the diversity of the neighbourhood that surrounds it
An unexpected but typically Danish experience to try
The biggest culture shock I had when I moved here was realising how cemeteries are an integral part of city life. People go to the cemetery to relax, to have picnics, to ride a bike, to go on dates, to run, to go for a walk, to have their children play in there. One must visit the cemeteries here, because they are truly beautiful spaces. Assistens Cemetery is quite gorgeous and has a lot of famous graves—including the one of Hans Christian Andersen.
A café that is equally known for its coffee and design
Copenhagen is big on design-forward cafés. I particularly enjoy the one at Copenhagen Contemporary art gallery, called Connie-Connie, which has seating crafted in upcycled wood by 25 architects and designers from around the world. Each chair employs Douglas Fir offcuts, and is executed with a unique design—some asymmetrical, some minimal, some patterned, some regal. The chairs are also available for purchase.
A museum you cannot miss
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is one of the best museums in the world—up there with the Louvre in Paris—but unfortunately, not as well-known. And its museum store is ideal for picking up design-forward Danish souvenirs. For anybody interested in design, I’d recommend the Designmuseum, set in an 18th century Rococo building in the heart of the city, which showcases influential Danish design objects, including pieces by Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen.
The Sculpture Garden is an essential part of the Louisiana Museum experience
A design bookstore everyone should visit
New Mags is a gorgeous store with a great selection of books on art, design and pop culture, plus some cool accessories. You can just go there to hang out.
A design magazine to take home
Copenhagen-based interiors magazine ArkJournal is a beautiful, clean, minimal book which is an essential read for anyone interested in architecture, design or creativity.
The most coveted interior shop
The brand Hay has a beautiful store called Hay House, which is a lovely place to explore colours and elegant contemporary home products. Dansk is another gorgeous store with minimal and pared-back designs.
The Hay House is a must-see for all fans of contemporary Nordic design
A Copenhagen must-do that you wouldn’t find in any guidebook
You must take a dip in the water. You can do it anywhere in the city, but La Banchina is particularly pretty, and it has great natural wines. Then there’s Islands Brygge, where people just sit and take dips and dive. Water is a big part of city life, so this is a must-do if you’re here in the summer. If you’re here in the winter, swap this for a sauna—there are many on the water.
A well-designed hotel to check out
I think Audo is just stunning, with plush furnishings in calming, earthy tones. I also enjoy Hotel Sanders, because it’s just very old-school luxury. That’s where my partner and I met for our first date, so it also has a nice memory for me.
Hotel Sanders is a celebration of midcentury Danish design heritage
Best place for antique hunting and thrifting
There is a street called Jægersborggade in Nørrebro that has a lot of vintage shops, artisanal bakeries, clothing stores—it’s a lot of fun. For second-hand clothing, I really like Tú a Tú, it has a lot of cool local brands and some international labels like Acne Studios, Babette, Lovechild, and Missoni.
A bar to unwind after a long day
Natural wine is really big here, and Pompette does great ones. I also find The Library Bar quite fun—it’s very well known locally, and quite grand.
Natural, organic wines are a big deal in Denmark, and Pompette does them especially well
Finally, one food item that you cannot leave Copenhagen without trying
I am actually mentioning a lot of cliches. One is Smørrebrød, or open-faced sandwich. You have to try the one at Schønnemann, which is the pride of Denmark. The next is a slightly less well-known one, the flæskesteg, which you have to try at Slagter Lund at the TorvehallerneKBH fresh food market.
