The Editors of Time Out - Time Out Copenhagen

1 Torvehallerne

Copenhagens covered gourmet food market has been a great success since opening in Israels Plads in 2011, on the site of a previous market that closed in the late 1950s. The two purpose-built glass food halls house a huge array of tempting Danish delicacies and international foodstuffs, with highlights including stalls for Coffee Collective, porridge bar Grd, tea specialist Tante T, Danish takeaway spot Cofoco, and Gorms, for tasty Italian pizza.

2 Louisiana Museum for Moderne Kunst

Founded by industrialist and art collector Knud Jensen in 1958, Louisiana is as much about its blissful setting as the modern artworks it houses. Located in Humlebk, a 45-minute train ride from Copenhagen, its sculpture-filled grounds cascade down to the shore. As well as its diverse permanent collection with works by Alexander Calder, Asger Jorn and Francis Bacon it also houses dynamic temporary exhibitions.

3 Copenhagens bike lanes

Its no secret that Copenhagen is one of the worlds most bike-friendly cities Amsterdam is the only real rival for the crown but its not until you get on your own two wheels that you realise what a joy it is to cycle here. The bike lanes usually have kerbs to separate riders from other road users, making cycling here much safer than in most other cities, and the number of bikes scattered around the city never ceases to amaze first-time visitors. You can hire bikes at many hotels, but for cheaper bike rental, head to Baisikeli.

4 New Nordic cuisine

The food movement known as New Nordic started taking shape a decade or so ago, when Claus Meyer and Ren Redzepi opened Noma, now Copenhagens most renowned restaurant. Its only in the past few years, though, that the movement has been catapulted into the culinary mainstream, with New Nordic restaurants many run by ex-Noma chefs now dotted all around the city. Most serve tapas-size dishes made with organic produce grown in the Nordic regions and inspired by traditional Scandinavian techniques. Fish, root vegetables, grains, soft cheese, wild berries and herbs feature heavily, as do porridge, pickling and salting. If you cant afford Noma, try .

5 Marmorkirken

The breathtaking Marble Church was designed by Nicolai Eigtved in the 1740s as the focal point of the new quarter of Frederiksstaden though the building wasnt completed until the late 1800s. Its impressive dome, inspired by St Peters in Rome, remains one of the largest of its kind in Europe, and offers far-reaching views from the top.

6 Rundetrn

Copenhagens 17th-century Round Tower is unique in European architecture for its cobbled spiral walkway that winds seven and a half times round its core for 209 metres (686 feet). Peter the Great supposedly rode all the way to the top in 1716, pulling a carriage behind him containing the Tsarina. The top of the tower houses Europes oldest functioning astronomical observatory, and offers superb views of the city.

7 Christiania

The Freetown of Christiania is now one of Denmarks biggest tourist sells, though it cant be pigeonholed into any of the normal visitor attractions. Home to around 1,000 people, the hippie commune was set up in the 1970s in a former military barracks, and until recently was a community that existed within Copenhagen, but outside its laws and conventions. The place has been normalised somewhat over the past few years, though its still dominated by the sale of soft drugs (the taking of photos here is strictly prohibited) and by an alternative cultural ideology. The most interesting thing about Christiania, however, is its extraordinary hand-built houses lining the water.

8 Kdbyen

Vesterbros Meatpacking District is now home to some of Copenhagens best restaurants and bars, all housed in low-rise former butchers shops and slaughterhouses. Men in white coats, sometimes carrying carcasses, mill around next to trendy newcomers. Highlights here include Mother, offering delicious sourdough pizzas; Kul, for international dishes from the grill; Fiskebaren, for top-notch seafood and contemporary decor; and Bakken, for late-night drinks and electronic music.