Copenhagen sights for delegates to the XXXIV Congress of the ESCRS

    [caption id="attachment_6712" align="alignnone" width="750"] Tivoli Gardens[/caption] THE BLUE PLANET As your flight descends into Kastrup, you might glimpse what looks like a silver whirlpool on Copenhagen’s sandy shore. That’s the Blue Planet, the Danish National Aquarium. “The largest aquarium in Northern Europe”, it was designed by Danish architects 3XN and opened in 2013. The whirlpool design underscores the architect’s intention “to draw the visitor down into the world beneath the surface of the sea”. There are 53 exhibits housing some 450 species and five distinct habitat sections, while touchscreen signage keeps you oriented. Don’t miss the outside area where a pair of sea otters, Alaskan orphans Agnes and Mojoe, swim laps and nibble ice cubes. The Blue Planet is situated east of the city centre, a 10-minute taxi ride from the Bella Center. Open: 10.00-17.00 daily including Sunday, and until 21.00 on Monday. Visit their website at: denblaaplanet.dk TIVOLI GARDENS Tivoli has been entertaining the people of Copenhagen and their guests since 1843. This amusement park in the centre of town is a nostalgic world of lights and music, lawns and flower beds, attractive restaurants, and rides designed to elevate the blood pressure but not induce a stroke. The oldest and best known of these is the wooden rollercoaster, Rutschebanen, built in 1914. The newest is Fatamorgana, a vertiginous spin around a 45-metre tower which was inaugurated this year. Considerately enough, this experience comes in three versions - wild at the top, mild in the middle, with a ride for kiddies at ground level. Tivoli restaurants include the highly regarded Hermann in the Nimb Hotel - the building’s spectacularly lit Arabian Nights facade fronts on to the gardens. Open: 11.00-23.00 from Sunday to Thursday, and until 24.00 on Friday and Saturday. Website: tivoligardens.com CHRISTIANIA Christiania is an 85-acre ‘free town’ within Copenhagen, and its flag is a red banner with three yellow disks. The commune started when a group of activists occupied a disused army barracks and the surrounding area in 1971. Today, despite episodic issues with the Danish government, Christiania offers a viable, alternative way of life to its 1,000 inhabitants. The unique, self-built houses and a variety of shops, galleries and places to eat have made Christiania a popular tourist attraction. It is safer not to bring a camera to Christiania at all and to keep mobile phones out of sight. Christiania is a 15-minute taxi ride from the Bella Center. Website: christiania.org

3 TO NOTE

Take a quick trip to Sweden - it’s a surprisingly easy journey to make by train thanks to the Øresund Bridge. The rail trip takes 35 minutes and is 16km long; on the Danish side the bridge leads to the artificial island of Pepparholm, after which it becomes a 4km-long tunnel under the water before arriving at Malmo, Sweden. Trains run from Copenhagen Central Station to Malmo around the clock, three times an hour during the day and once an hour at night. Buy a ticket before boarding the train. An adult single costs SEK105. Temporary border controls might delay your trip slightly and you’ll need your passport. Malmo is a compact city with attractive cafes and restaurants. For suggestions go to: malmotown.com

Spend any time on the Copenhagen waterfront and you’re bound to spot at least one ‘GoBoat’ bobbing along with a cargo of seagoing sightseers. They’ll be seated around a picnic table laden with food and bottles of wine. Rent one of these silent solar-powered boats at the GoBoat pavilion next to Islands Brygge harbour bath. With a speed of three knots (five to six km/hr), the boats are easy to operate, and no prior sailing experience is needed.The GoBoat staff can guide you on routes. Order a picnic basket in advance from GoBoat, or bring your own. Wine can be purchased at the pavilion. The boats accommodate up to eight people. Open: Monday to Sunday, 10.00-20.00. Website: www.goboat.dk

Enjoy an individual bike tour of Copenhagen at your own pace, guided by an audiovisual GPS fitted on your handlebars. The brainchild of a city planner, himself an avid biker, ‘Bike the City’ routes are narrated by professional voice-over artists. The eye-opening, entertaining tours showcase lesser-visited parts of Copenhagen. Rent your bicycle at Cykelbørsens bike rental and Bike the City fixes the GPS device to your handlebar. Pick your thematic tour and set out on your own Copenhagen discovery. The GPS batterylasts five hours but the bike is yours until 10.00 the following morning. Website: bikethecity.dk