Denmark > Cycling through Copenhagen

I plan to go cycling through Copenhagen today. The city has a “white bike” scheme. At various bike stations, there are simple bicycles that you can use in the city center for free with a 20-krone deposit. The problem, of course, is that we need to find two bikes.

Denmark - The garden of Rosenborg Castle

The first station near our hotel is empty. I decide to walk toward the bridge district of Nørrebro, keeping an eye out for bikes along the way. I find a station with two bikes. Just as I unlock one with a 20-krone coin, I realize that one of the bikes has no chain. Unfortunately. I cross the Peblinge Sø river via the bridge. This river separates central Copenhagen from the surrounding bridge districts. One of these districts is Nørrebro, a quiet area with many second-hand shops. I stop at a café and order coffee. I still haven’t found a bike. Almost every time there are bikes available, something is wrong with them. Through the Botanical Garden, I walk into Østre Anlæg Park near Rosenborg Castle. The castle is a Renaissance city palace from 1607. King Christian IV commissioned the construction of this summer palace and its surrounding park-like garden. Today, many people are sitting on the grass around the castle, enjoying the nice weather on this Sunday. On the other side, I leave the park and arrive at a square with the Peder Oxe Vinkælder restaurant. This restaurant is housed in one of the oldest buildings in the city. The ochre-yellow building is built on the foundation of an old monastery. I buy a ticket for the Rundetårn, the Round Tower. This 35-meter-high tower has no stairs, but a 200-meter-long spiral ramp, which allowed guests to ride up in a carriage in the past. From the top, I have a beautiful view over the capital. Back down, I decide to adjust my approach to the bike scheme.

Denmark - By bicycle through Copenhagen

So far, I have occasionally found a single bike, but never two working bikes at the same time. I decide that if I find one bike, I will take it with me and look for the second one at another station. This works. I take one bike from the station near the Round Tower. Walking with the bike in my hand, I pass City Hall Square. On the other side, near the Tivoli amusement park, I find a second bike. I’m finally ready to ride. I cycle past the Black Diamond, the modern library. I go all the way to the other side of the city to the cruise ship harbor. Then I ride back through the bridge districts. When I see on the map on the front of the bike that I’m not supposed to leave the city center, I quickly cross back over the bridge. In Christianshavn, I order lunch at a café terrace. I park both bikes in front of the terrace so no one else takes them. In the Nyhavn district, I return the bikes to the station. I get my deposit back without any problems. A jazz festival is going on, and many people are enjoying the music in the sunshine. Further down the shopping street, there are more musical performances. Fun!