Often times a city’s centre is the oldest part of town and will therefore hold a lot of history and culture to explore on a city trip. But sometimes to truly get to know a city you have to head outside of the city centre, look beyond the history and see what the locals see. One of the neighbourhoods in Copenhagen that should be on your to visit list is Nørrebro.

About Nørrebro

Nørrebro is separated from the city centre by two artificial lakes, Peblinge Sø and Sortedams Sø. The lakes are one of the oldest and most distinctive features of Copenhagen’s topography. From the Dronning Louise’s Bridge you have a beautiful view over both the lakes as well as Nørrebro and Copenhagen’s city centre.

Nørrebro differs greatly from the historic Copenhagen city centre Indre By. The neighbourhood is hip and a true melting pot of cultures, in fact it is the most culturally diverse neighbourhood in Copenhagen. With food from all around the world and creative spaces a plenty, the area transports you into a whole different world compared to the inner city.

Where to go in Nørrebro

Nørrebro is filled with tiny streets which crisscross the neighbourhood but the main street which runs through the whole area is Nørrebrogade. This is where you enter the neighbourhood if you cross on the Dronning Louise’s Bridge, and it will take you all the way up through the neighbourhood via Superkilen park to the Nørrebro train and metro station.

Another not to miss street is Blågårdsgade, which you can find just beyond Peblinge Sø. Between Korsgade and Nørrebrogade this is pedestrian-only street which is an experience for the senses. Your nose will smell a wide range of food from around the world, including dumplings at GAO, Indian cuisine at Kates Joint and Persian delights at Zafran and much more. Most bars and eateries here have outdoor seating, which is filled to the brim all year round.

A somewhat unusual place to visit on a city trip is Assistens Kirkegård Cemetery, which is actually Denmark’s best known cemetery and the final resting place of many famous Danes, including fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen and philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. Today the cemetery is one of Copenhagen’s most celebrated hybrid spaces: a churchyard-turned-city park filled with lush green oases.

Superkilen park is possibly one of the most eye catching public parks in all of Copenhagen. It has a rare and interesting mix of architecture, urban life, art and green meadows. The park has three sections; the Red Square offers modern, urban life with café, music and sports; the Black Market is the classic square with fountain and benches but has curving white lines which sets it apart from any other square; and the Green Park is a park for picnics, sports and walking the dog.

For some great shopping and coffee you can head to either Elmegade or Jægersborggade. Elmegade is a tiny strip of a street between Nørrebrogade and Sankt Hans Square, filled with even smaller shops from the coolest Danish and international design brands. Jægersborggade is a cobblestoned street on the edge of Assistens Cemetery with some of the best coffee, gastronomy, independent design and organic produce shops in town.

Want to get a proper feel for this part of Copenhagen? Try the free Storyhunt self-guided tour. In two to three hours, this tour will take you through this young, multi-cultural and buzzing neighbourhood.