Walking into the 25Hours Hotel Indre By I’m struck with a funny sensation: simultaneously in awe of this staggering building and its historic presence, while giddy on pops of bright colour and fresh design. Both, of which, feel so Copenhagen.
Picture this stylish city – what do you see? For me, its minimalist interiors and sleek sartorialists – conjuring hues of charcoal grey or flashes of stainless steel, the tablescape staple of the moment. Perhaps, it’s the juggernaut that the Danish fashion week has become or the ever-evolving food scene, where restaurants are known to literally pop up overnight.
But, Copenhagen has history – a lot of it. For a city that’s framed as always fresh, it’s brimming with relics of the past. Instead of being hidden away, though, they intertwine with forward-thinking concepts, informing them for the better. As ever, the Danes do everything beautifully and practically, so across their capital you’ll find history not only preserved but also serving a purpose – given new use. That brings us back to the 25Hours Hotel Indre By; snuggled behind cool wine bars (you have to try Bar Vitrine) and around the corner from the best shopping streets, it was once a print works, porcelain factory and university building, dating back to the 1800s. The cream limestone facade is predictably elegant and the lobby ceiling sweepingly high, all the hallmarks of a 19th-century building with a design scheme that feels oh so relevant.
25hours Hotel Indre By lobby. Installation by Martin Brudnizki
The team enlisted the help of star designer Martin Brudzinski (who by the way, is having such a moment) to take it from then to now, using his playful, colour-infused style to lift the scheme to new heights with unique interpretations. Take the book sculpture in the lobby, for example: Brudzinski designed a whirling structure built from hundreds of bright-toned books to not only catch guest’s eyes, but show off its past as a paper mill with a modern twist. Or, the triple-height atrium space, now casually home to a flying Pterosaurs model.
In my opinion, this is the best way to appreciate Copenhagen: the old and the new, side by side. The more you look, the more you realise this combination is typical of the city – there’s Apollo Restaurant, lauded as one of the chicest spots in town, residing in a 17th-century museum, and urban development Paper Island, built on a 300-year-old hub of industry.
Instead of focusing on what’s just opened, come with me and look at the bigger picture, getting to know this city as a master of reinvention. This is how to spend a day in Copenhagen, exploring it’s past, present and future.
Wake Up At 25Hours Hotel Indre By
Open your eyes beneath the high ceilings of what was once Copenhagen University. My bedroom is stunning with huge, arched windows that look out to the street below, and walls decorated in suitably-Scandi shades of cheerful yellow and blue – I particularly love the Murano, candy-striped ceiling light. The hotel certainly carries the discipline of its past with vast spaces, arched corridors and the faint echo of academia, yet Martin Brudnizki’s design has turned all seriousness on its head. His concept taps into themes of knowledge and curiosity, scribbling walls with notes and theories you might find on a professor’s blackboard, layering spaces with books and poignant artworks and making the hotel’s mascot a wise owl. There are plenty of nooks to explore: a listening room off the main lobby features a disco ball, walls lined with vinyl and neon lights; meeting and events spaces are ideal for local businesses and cheekily nod to school days with vintage desks. Breakfast is served in the brand’s in-house restaurant NENI, known for its family-run concept and Middle Eastern flavours and, from there, you’re in a beyond perfect spot to head out into the city.
Cycle To Copenhagen Contemporary
Jump on a 25Hours Hotel free-for-guests bike (essential for your trip!) and head across the water to Refshaleøen, a 1960s shipyard whose hulking welding halls have been reborn as Copenhagen Contemporary. Architect Dorte Mandrup’s conversion leaves the industrial skeleton proudly intact with riveted steel beams, concrete floors and gantries that once lifted ship hulls now framing monumental artworks. It’s an incredible space where morning sun drifts through rooflights once used for ventilation, casting enormous shadows that feel part of the installation. The architecture invites awe but never intimidation, retaining a rough texture even as it hosts digital projection and soundscapes. It’s not an exaggeration to say this is one of the best gallery experiences I’ve ever had, thanks to the playful mindset of the curators and sheer vastness of the space which, combined, makes anything possible. During my visit, British artist Monster Chetwynd had created an immersive world with towering installations in Hall 4, formerly the Royal Danish Theatre’s scenic painting workshop. Monsters, aliens and a fantastical hat shop are all part of the show, including an interactive hat-making workspace which invites visitors to sit for (literally hours) and make their own versions for display. Afterwards, I walk along the docks to La Banchina for a coffee, watching locals slip into the harbour for a mid-morning swim, though it’s a little cold to join them.
Lunch At Apollo Bar And Kanteen
Back in the city centre, I find myself in the courtyard of Kunsthal Charlottenborg, one of Copenhagen’s oldest palaces, art museums and libraries. Here, a notably hip haunt, Apollo Bar and Kantine, sits within its historic walls – feeling only chicer by its association to centuries of art, culture and literature. Inside, the walls still bear the museum’s patina, plaster and cornice, unchanged since the 17th century. In a beautiful juxtaposition the furnishings are achingly cool with dashes of striped upholstery and wooden tables crowded with glasses of natural wine. Chef Frederik Bille Brahe (husband to Danish model and designer Caroline Bille Brahe) has devised a lunch menu that celebrates simple, Danish produce, served with a modern feel. Try the anchovy lemon toast, pistachio egg and Danish smoked salmon with brown butter and ponzu – with their iconic soft serve ice cream for afters. Artists and students drift in from the gallery next door, the whole place hums with low conversation, and I look around thinking how rare this is: a palace turned art school turned canteen, all coexisting.
Afternoon Exploring Carlsberg Byen
Later, I cycle south towards Carlsberg Byen, once a brewing district filled with warehouses dating back to the 1800s, but now reinvented with design studios, apartments and cafés. Red-brick brewhouses have been reworked into galleries and concept stores, while new architecture by Cobe and Adept folds respectfully around the historic monuments. It’s a masterclass in adaptive reuse: the old chimneys and gates punctuate an otherwise contemporary cityscape. Here, you’ll find one outpost of the famous Hart Bakery and Aamanns, a legendary name between Danes for traditional smørrebrød. And, for design lovers it’s a goldmine, with Carl Hansen & Søn’s new flagship, as well as paint, tile and textile specialists File Under Pop Colour Lab. As dusk settles, I head back across the harbour to 300-year-old Paper Island. Once a storage site for Denmark’s newspaper stock, it’s now a waterfront playground of restaurants, rooftop pools and public squares. From a seat by the water, I watch the skyline flicker to life: the Opera House to one side, the city’s towers to the other.
Dinner At Restaurant Barr
Dinner is at Barr, a restaurant that feels like a love letter to Northern Europe’s brewing heritage. Housed within the 18th-century warehouse that once held Noma (and long before that, served as a granary for the Royal Danish Navy) its interiors, designed by Snøhetta, keep every ounce of the building’s integrity. The original stone walls and thick timber beams remain untouched, offset by new oak panelling and bronze detailing that give the space a grounded warmth. Light spills in through deep-set windows, illuminating a bar lined with beer taps. The menu, led by chef Thorsten Schmidt, is all about the hearty, rustic flavours of the North with malted breads, reimagined schnitzels and beer sauces but honed with precision. There’s a sense of modern confidence in how it all fits together: centuries-old structure, forward-looking cooking, design that honours both. From my table beside the wall’s uneven brickwork, I can see the waterfront which makes this location iconic.
Catch A Performance At The Royal Danish Opera House
This one’s a little different – instead of a gorgeous, old building, sighing with memories, The Royal Danish Opera House is practically gleaming with modernism. Designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen and completed in 2004, it was envisioned as a “modern monument to culture” crafted from glass, steel and Jura limestone to express transparency and democracy in public life. Its protruding cantilevered roof projects 32 metres over the main façade and was designed to evoke a ship’s prow, referencing Denmark’s maritime heritage. Once inside, you’ll be equally wowed by the 24-carat gold leaf ceiling and huge, maple wooden foyer. Truth be told, I haven’t been lucky enough to watch a performance at The Royal Danish Opera House, but I have enjoyed a tour of the auditorium and backstage areas, which highlighted its importance in the city’s cultural landscape. While it isn’t the oldest building dedicated to performing arts. Like much of Copenhagen, it represents the past, present and future by use of clever design details.
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