Green, lively and full of open-minded locals. Copenhagen is the coolest kid in Scandinavia. Join the pop-up parties on Queen Louises Bridge, bike the city, cool off in a harbour bath, and shop in the inner Nørrebro. 

Copenhagen has many cultural hot spots and unforgettable activities you would like to plotter into to your inner city map. The city has almost 400 kilometres of cycle paths, so wherever you go, get there by bike. A stroll along the royal capitals cobbled, bike-friendly streets and across bridges is simply hyggelig (cosy).

Thanks to the new “Inderhavnsbroen”, pedestrians and cyclists can easily go from Nyhavn to Christianshavn and Holmen and on to Amager. The bridge consist of three bridges which are part of the cycle route “Christianshavn Route”, passing via Arsenaløen , Christiania and Kløvermarken.

TravelHunter.dk guides you to ten of the most hip places right now which will give you the ultimate urban experience in Denmark.

Vibrant Vesterbro

Visit vibrant Vesterbro in the Meatpacking district, where the old slaughterhouses have been transformed into industrial-chic bars, culinary revolution restaurants and creative colourful galleries. In case you get hungry and thirsty, Warpigs has 40 different beers and Texan barbecue cuisine. warpigs.dk

Maritime Christianshavn

Visit Christianshavn and Holmen and feel the laidback martitime atmosphere. Cruise the canals, visit Christiania, the famous freetown of Copenhagen, climb the 400 steps to the top of Vor Frelsers Kirke, Church of our Saviour’s and visit the Copenhagen Opera House, a donation from A.P. Møller.

Don’t miss Overgaden – Institute for Contemporary Art, established in 1986 by a group of local artists, and see the exhibitions on the two large floors of the 19th century building.

Nordatlantens Brygge, North Atlantic House, is another art center at Strandgade where you can encounter North Atlantic culture. At the Greenlandic Trade Square just across Inderhavsbroen (the bridge) by Nyhavn you will find Broens gadekøkken, a Street Food District.

Multinational Nørrebro

The inner Nørrebro area from Blågårds Plads to Sankt Hans Torv is one of the capital’s most colourful and vibrant areas. Here you will find a multitude of small, funny shops, cafes and restaurants along with people from all over the world. Visit Arabica at Blågårdsgade 12, relax in a plush armchair and try a arabica coffee and the homemade cheesecake with apple, arabica.dk. Are you looking for vintage shops, then set sail for Jerome Vintage at Tullinsgade 12 and in Studio Travel at Blågårdsgade 14.

At Queen Louise’s Bridge (cover photo), the bridge across The Lakes in central Copenhagen which connects the inner city with Nørrebro, you will find lots of pedestrians and cyclists during the day and pop-up parties in the evening. The bridge is named after Queen Louise, who was married to King Christian IX.

Four times a year Nørrebro has a fleemarket in March, June and September and November from 10-16 at Sankt Hans gade, Ryesgade og Ravnsborg Tværgade. Here you will find retro and modern design, cafées, delis and many other cool finds. ravnsborggade.dk. Find other fleamarkets in the Copenhagen area on fleamarketinsiders.com

Bike the city

You will find docking stations all over the city. Create a user account and for 30 kroners an hour and explore Copenhagen on two wheels. The city ​​bikes are running on battery and a tablet with built-in GPS makes it easy to get around and discover the city, and you just return your bike to the nearest station, bycyklen.dk. You can also go on an Urban Tour with Christian in Danish, English and German an get an insight into Danish everyday life. The tours of Cycling Copenhagen covers Copenhagens best-known attractions. cycling-copenhagen.dk

City Center Rooftop bar

If you go shopping at Strøget in the city center, then enjoy the best view of the city at the top of the shopping center ILLUM – Copenhagen’s coolest ROOFTOP with bars and restaurants, illum.dk

Eat in Torvehallerne

The food market in Torvehallerne KBH, has become an essential stop on the Copenhagen foodie trail. Here you will find beautiful stalls with seasonal herbs and berries, fruit and vegetables, Scandinavian specialities, meats, seafood, smørrebrød, fresh pasta, cheese and hand-brewed coffee at Coffee Collective. Grab a duck sandwich at Ma Poule, a classic piece of smørrebrød with egg and schrimps or enjoy a sit-down meal at Tapa del Toro with tapas and a glass of Cava or Spanish wine. Frederiksborggade 21. torvehallernekbh.dk

Cool off in the harbour

At Havnebadet Islands Brygge in the centre of Copenhagen, you can picnic or cool off in a natural swimming pool. It has three basins and a total capacity of 600 people. visitcopenhagen.dk Don’t miss a walk on the wave formed path at Kalvebod Bølge opposite Islands Brygge.

See cool architecture

In Ørestad City, you can see an example of modern living: the VM Houses with windows from floor to ceiling designed by Bjarke Ingels (BIG), Julien de Smedt (JDS Architects) and Plot. Ørestads Blvd. 55, 2300 København S, vmhusene.dk

Enjoy Danish design

If you are interested in decorative art, crafts, and industrial designs from the Western world and Asia from the late Middle Ages and up to the present, then go to the 125-year old Desigmuseum Denmark in Copenhagen. The museum is dedicated to all aspects of Danish and international design: fashion, furniture, lamps, porcelain, posters etc.  in Some of the museum’s collections reflect the internationally acclaimed Danish designers Poul Henningsen, Kaare Klint, and Arne Jacobsen who have had a great impact on Danish design and architecture. Bredgade 58, designmuseum.dk

Refshaleøen Island

Are you up for a long bike adventure,  you can visit the old industrial area Refshaleøen Island at Refshalevej 200 where there is a small millpark which supplies around 4,000.000 KWh a year. At Refshaleøen you will also find the famous restaurant Noma at Refshalevej 96.

See more Modern Art

On a detour to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art located 40 kilometres north of Copenhagen, you can explore Denmark’s largest museum and get panoramic views across the Øresund. The museum focus on international art post 1950 and has a spacious sculpture park, Gammel Strandvej 13, Humlebæk, lousiana.dk

A world of exciting Chinese cuisine awaits the true foodie in Chongqing and Xi’an. Besides visiting the two modern cities and their historic sites, you will get a chance to taste the different regional foods along our way.

Here are some amazing Chinese dishes from the two regions of Southwest and Central China, you should taste.

The Southwest – The Sichuan cuisine

The fast growing metropolis of Chongqing is the starting point for cruises on the Yangtze River, and is also known for the old commercial town Ciqikou. In Chongqing, you can experience the Sichuan cuisine, one of China’s four major styles of cooking. Sichuan food is characterized by hot chili and Sichuan peppercorn with handfuls of it in every dish and known to be numbingly spicy, salty, sometimes sour and very strong in flavor. The city is best-known for its fiery hot pot, huoguo, and you can find hot pot restaurants on Nanbin Road, Wuyi Hongding and the Hongding Hotpot restaurant in the Hongyadong Folklore Mall.

The restaurant in InterContinental Chongqing is also a must-go. The high-end restaurant cooks sophisticated Sichuan food with awesome inspiring presentations: Marinated spinach with arctic shellfish, Pan-fried scallop with mashed sweet potato, and DanDan noodles in spicy sauce.

Don’t miss a local fish dish, the stewed tofu with chili and a dish with pork chili and pepper at the Hang She Restaurant. Drink tea with your food or local refreshing brew. Remember to browse the local markets for specialties like green and red Sichuan pepper.

Central China – The Shaanxi Cuisine

The most famous landmark in Xi’an in the Shaanxi province is the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin. Xi’an was the starting point of The Silk Road  and at one time the capital of China. The city has a passionate food culture and some of the best street food in the Muslim Quarter. Fight your way past the crowds and buy some grilled lamb set over blazing hot coal ovens. There is also beef, lamb’s liver, chicken wings, sausages, chicken, and crab on sticks. Try a bottle of the local soda Ice Peak and the Sesame seeds snacks, and remember to browse the quarter for teahouses and get some green tea after a tea ceremony.

Try also the different dishes at Shaanxi China Folk’s restaurant. A popular dish is roasted chicken with peanuts and chili, gongbao jiding. Wheat is the main crop in the region, and therefore Xi’an is crazy for noodles. They come in all shapes and sizes, and the best are the thick, hand-stretched, ribbon-shaped type.

No trip to Xi’an is complete without feasting on dumplings. For a real taste of dumplings, visit De Fa Chang Dumpling House in the centre of Xi’an and order a banquet to experience a symphony of colors, smells and sweet, sour or spicy taste.

TravelHunter.dk was invited by Finnair and InterContinental Chongqing.

Come together! The amount of music festivals has grown in recent years, consolidating cities around the world as players in the global cultural tourism. TravelHunter.dk has picked out some of the biggest and most popular festivals taking place this summer.

Photos: Linda Danielsen Røygaard (cover photo), Montreux Jazz Festival

MAY

May 6-14: Fez Festival of World Sacred Music (Fès de Musiques Sacres) in Morocco

In the belief that music breaks down barriers, musicians and artists from across the world come together in the 1200-year-old Moroccan city Fez. This year, you can listen to, among others, Sahar Mohammadi, Durbar (India), Christine Salem (La Réunion), Officina Zoé, and The King of Ghosts (Inde et Maroc). fesfestival.com

JUNE

June 3-5: Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City

The major music festival takes place on Randall’s Island, a conjoined island on the Harlem River in NYC, and featuring a mix of genre and styles of music, including rock, electronic, hip-hop, indie, americana, pop, folk, etc and popular NYC restaurants and food trucks. Headliners in 2016 are, among others, Kanye West, Robyn, The Strokes, Haim, De La Soul, and The Killers. governorsballmusicfestival.com

June 22-26: Glastonbury in Somerset, UK

Although Glastonbury started in the hippie and classic rock era in the early 1970s, the day after Jimi Hendrix died on September 18, 1970 in London, it is still considered to be the biggest and the best music festival in Europe. The five-day festival of contemporary performing music and arts such as dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, etc., takes place near Pilton, Somerset . glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

June 25-July 2: Roskilde Festival in Denmark

Northern Europe’s largest music festival, Roskilde Festival, emerged in 1971. Today, it is a mainstream event for everyone who love music. Headliners 2016 include Red Hot Chili Peppers, New Order, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Neil Young + Promise of the Real, and Wiz Khalifa. roskilde-festival.dk

JULY

July 1-16: Montreux Jazz Festival

On the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, the famous jazz, blues and rock festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with, among others, Bob Dylan and Muse is on the calendar. montreuxjazz.com

July 22-24: Fuji Rock in Naeba, Niigata, Japan

A 20-minute highwire travel in a cable car bring the audience to the Daydreaming stage, located on a mountain and the beautiful setting in the Naeba resort. Headliners 2016 in Japan’s largest outdoor music festival include James Blake and Sigur Ros. fujirock-eng.com

July 1-10: Copenhagen Jazz Festival

Copenhagen Jazz Festival began in 1979 and is one of Europe’s largest jazz festivals. During 10 days in July, more than 1000 concerts takes place in over 100 jazz clubs, concert halls, theaters, squares, plazas and gardens in Copenhagen City and in selected cities on Zealand. Headliners 2016 include Dee Dee Bridgewater (US), Sun Ra Arkestra, Ronnie Cuber, Richard Bona & Mandekan Cubano, and Natacha Atlas. jazz.dk

July 7-10: Exit Festival, Novi Sad, Serbia

One of Europe’s top festivals is Located in the stunning Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad with countless stages tucked within winding passages and ornate arches. Here you will find all kind of music, from mesmerizing trance, bouncing funk ’n’ soul, electro grooves and Serbian rap. Headliners 2016 include Ellie Goulding, Bastille, Nicky Romero, and Stormzy. festticket.com

AUGUST

August 11-13: Way Out West in Gothenburg, Sweden

Sweden’s music festival takes place in Gothensburgs main park Slottsskrogen. Headliners 2016 include PJ Harvey, Massive Attack, SIA, Skepta, and Seinabo Sey. wayoutwest.se

More than 500 brands within mens- and womenswear, accessories and shoes were presented under one roof in Bella Center during Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) 5-7 August 2015.

TravelHunter.dk visited the LAB segment with unisex styles, zoomed in on espadrilles from Royal Blush, adored the dip dyed leather bags from Depeche, the knitted ponchos from Tif-Tiffy, the silk georgette and silk satin print styles at dea kudibal in the Essentials segment, learned that the Paris lace at Rosemunde Copenhagen will appear in peach and sesam colours spring/summer 2016, stopped by the Selected Homme booth, adored the Erïk Bjerkesjö shoes, and praised the Panama hats which according to MJM are going to be men’s favorite next summer.

TravelHunter.dk was invited by CIFF2015

Travel journalism has been on an exciting journey, while the world has become smaller. The Internet has made it easier and cheaper to travel, and travel experiences have been given new platforms since Paul Theroux published his first work of Travel writing in 1975.

Text og photo: Linda Danielsen Røygaard

On one of my first press trips, I was going on a hiking tour in the Natural Park Dilek Mili Park near Kusadasi in Turkey. My local guide showed up in shorts that bared his prosthetic leg and announced that he had local knowledge of the park and that he could easily cope with the 2 1/2 hour long hike. We found the nature park with my GPS, but after half an hour along the walking path, my guide had to abandon the hike and I continued alone up to a peak point where I snapped a picture of the cloudy mountains.

When I came back to the entrance of the park, the driver was sitting in the car while my guide was fast asleep in the back seat, his prosthesis leaning against the car door. And what did I learn from that? That press trips are very eventful, but that professional partners are important success factor for travel journalists, when we want to explore unique places which helps to promote a destination.

The Earth without Art is just Eh

In the last 40 years, the world has become smaller and today it is easier, cheaper and faster to reach destinations. Travel Journalists include a versatile crew of passionate writers  and Television stars such as Anthony Bourdain. Although our horizons are different, we are the same “boat”‘ and always ready to embark on new adventures with pen, paper, mobile, camera and video recorder, whether we are permanent or freelance travel journalist.

There was a time when Mr and Mrs Jones flipped through thick travel catalogs, found their favorite destination and favorite hotel and ordered and paid for the journey in person at their favorite travel agancy. Today, we are only a click from examining both near and far destinations, and evolution of the Internet and cheap flight and hotel prices have greatly affected our travel habits and allow ourselves to print  e-tickets for flights and hotel and sightseeing vouchers.

Previously, magazines, journals and newspaper’s travel supplements were runway for travel articles, and they are still nice to read in addition to all the free online travel articles, you have access to today. As a travel journalist, we still write about destinations to pale newspapers and glossy magazines which  all have a little sister or brother on the Internet and an e-magazine. In addition, we share travel tips and mood images on blogs, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, upload private videos on YouTube and buy both paperback guidebooks and e-books on specific destinations, tailored to our travel needs.

The wanderlust is intact regardless of financial crisis, terrorist attacks or natural disasters. However, today the classic charter tourism with sangria and sunburn is peppered with authentic local experiences and cultural sightseeing. Today Mr and Mrs Jones travel from coast to coast on large cruise ships or at their own pace in a car, mobile home or on a bicycle. We feed our wanderlust with one more El Camino and decide when we are travel out and back and whether we want to stay in a private house or in a hotel. The art of travel is now less about where you are and more about what you see and experience.

As a travel journalist, we promote travelers’ favorites and also point to new destinations. We have all the technical means to live out our passion for writing, and as a travel journalist we continuously get invitations to exciting travel trade shows, press conferences and destinations thanks to the enthusiasts in Travel Writers’ Associations and our own extroversion.

We try to find the best angle every time we write an article while we compete with each other on the editors’ interest and with free articles from journalism students and trainees. At the same time, the media’s meager payment for both text and images, the recurring replacement of newspaper and magazine editors and PR Managers at travel agencies can also be an obstacle to travel.

But we never get tired of researching and traveling and writing about our experiences, and our curiosity constantly leads us to new stories on the road and sea. And every time we travel, we learn something about the destination and about ourselves and inspire our readers to experience something new. As the essayist and author Susan Sontag ’s expressed it very well: “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”

The essay was awarded a Best Feature Price by The Danish Travel Writer’s Association at their 40-year Anniversary in Spring 2015

Again this year, Copenhagen Jazz Festival presented the best of the international and Danish jazz scene and showed how diverse a genre Jazz actually is.

Photos: Pernille Kierulff-Hansen (David Sanborn) and Linda Danielsen Røygaard

The unique vocal of Al Jarreau, one of soul/jazz’s greatest vocalists in the mid-1970s, thrilled a very dedicated audience in Amager Bio during Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

Sunday 12 July, the festival ended after 10 days of successful jazz party across the capital, consolidating Copenhagen as a historic and progressive jazz town and as a growing player in the global cultural tourism.

The festival’s official program set a new record with a total of 1315 concerts spread over approximately 100 venues.

“The most important thing has been all the little stories and new meetings between musicians and the audience which helps to underline that the Copenhagen Jazz Festival for 10 days is an important part of the history of Copenhagen and vice versa,” says Kenneth Hansen, Festival Director.

Among this year’ headliners were Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea, Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga, whose visit at La Fontaine got a lot of publicity in the Danish media and the rest of the world via YouTube.

At the small cafes, you could enjoy a glass of wine to the sound of smooth jazz from Triocisem in the Argentine wine bar Tango & Vinos close to Nyhavn or chill out in the afternoon with world/folk music by Paul Banks and Gustaf Ljunggren at Café Bartof, Frederiksberg.

Furthermore, several open air concerts took place, e.g. at Copenhagen’s shopping street, Strøget and at the cosy harbour, Nyhavn.

TravelHunter.dk was invited to some of the concerts at venues in the City and in the districts outside Copenhagen:

The beautifully situated garden in Sølyst was the backdrop for the successful alto saxophonist David Sanborn, who entertained during Jazz Diva Days 2015.

Mike Stern’s colorful and diverse views on music unfolded at a concert at Viften in Rødovre during the second day of the Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

The American bass guitar player Larry Graham & Central Station played funky music and invited local musicians on stage during Jazz by the Sea at Bryggen, Copenhagens’ hot waterfront.

The Cabin Project entertained in Haveselskabets Have in Frederiksberg Garden with poignant beautiful vocals of Kira and Marie Fisker, while the evening sun and the tall trees threw shadows on the music tent.

The passion for music begins at an early age, here young artists perform at an Open Air concert at Strøget in Copenhagen.

It’s a unique experience to sail through Florida’s shallow water areas in a large propeller-driven Airboat and get an in depth look of alligators in the swamps.

In the air above us, a bald eagle with snow white feathers on their head and tail hovers. In the swamp, we see a group of wild ibis among the marches and a field of yellow lotus flowers in the horizon, before we continue the airboat ride at high speed.

In the wildlife park, the red-billed sandhill cranes are trying to steal away our food, while parrots in the tropical bird aviary sit with tilted heads on a branch, getting ready for a photo shoot.

We take a picture of a baby alligator and spend the rest of the day exploring the boardwalk through the pristine Florida cypress swamp.

TravelHunter.dk was invited by Discover America Denmark, IPW 2015 og Air France

The province of Cádiz has a charm of its own in winter when the sun is shining on the wild shorelines, mountainside villages and active tourists from Europe gather in the beachfront hotels on Costa de la Luz. 

Andalusia in the south of Spain is great in all four seasons and the perfect spot to let sun, sea and wind batter your senses during the cold winter months in North Europe. The wind is no obstacle as long as you can enjoy a café con leche in one of small beach bars, play golf on the greens, bike along the curved cycle paths or learn some new skills.

A variety of shared learnings
A group of seniors from England stretch their mind to learn Spanish in one of the conference rooms in Hotel Barossa Park, located in the village Chiclana de la Frontera. Other seniors learn about using  tablets and mobiles, watercolour techniques, go to singing and music classes or exercise aquarobics in the indoor swimming pool. The long sandy beach just outside the hotel is great for shoreline strolls on peaceful mornings or afternoons.

“Lifelong learning means keeping your mind alive with a little intelligent activity and taking some exercise; together this ensures that you live a little longer and enjoy a better life,” says Philip Nash, who founded the residential adult education programme GO/CTE almost twenty years ago.

Excursions in the province

The energetic 80-year old director and his sympathetic wife Pam organise outings to nearby attractions and places of historic or cultural interest. In Cádiz, the great port city of Andalucía, you can visit the cathedral and get greater insight into Spanish traditions and heritage, or you can go shopping in the narrow streets of the historic old town. In the small harbour town Sancti-Petri, you will find the cosy restaurant Cirilo in Club Nautico where you can eat a sea food lunch with the locals. If you want to shop fresh fruit and vegetables, clothes, leather crafts and colourful pottery, visit the market in the nearby villages Chiclana or San Fernando.

On a trip to Bolonia, you can gain insight into Roman city planning and urban life during the Empire. A day trip to the famous National Park Doñana in the delta of the Rio Gualdalquivir is an ideal way to experience the fascinating scenery and landscape in the nearby provinces. In the vital refuge for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds and other wildlife, you will see wild boars, red deers, flamingos and the small wading bird, sanderling. If you are lucky, you might get a glimpse of the famous Spanish imperial eagle. discoveringdonana.com

Fiestas and sherry tasting
Spanish culture is to a great extent characterized by it’s food, wine and traditional fiestas – a full-blooded affair, full of colour, noise and spectacle. Every year in mid-February, you can enjoy the Carnaval in Cádiz and mingle with the locals in the streets and plazas, see processions, children ’s shows and listen to the carnival groups’ spontaneous singing. Click here to see and listen to a Chirigotas group. 

Besides GO/CTE’s daily piano recital and farewell parties, there is music and entertainment every week at Hotel Barossa Park after a tasty dinner in the hotel restaurant. At St. Valentine’s Day and during the Carnival in Cadiz, locals from Sevilla and the nearby villages join the parties at the hotel and keep the dance floor busy.

If you want to try some of the local wines, visit some of the bodegas in the sherry-making towns, eg. Barbadillo Bodega in the mountain village Sanlúcar de Barrameda or Gonzalez Byass in Jerez de la Frontera. The latter also has a fascinating fortress, the 12th century Almohad, southwest of Plaza del Arenal, and a beautiful castle Palacio Atalaya with an antique clock and watch museum. andalucia.com/cities/jerez 

Great surroundings is a good starting point to learn new skills and learn from and collaborate with others. During a two week or a month’s stay in Costa de la Luz, you will not only escape the cold northern European winter, but also make new friends and get acquainted with the highlights of Andalusia.

TravelHunter.dk was invited by GO/CTE to provide insight into Travel Writing and Blogging

Every year in mid-February, you can enjoy the Carnival in Cádiz. Mingle with the locals in the streets and plazas, see processions, children’s shows and listen to music and the carnival groups’ spontaneous singing.

Click here to see Chirigotas – humorous groups of around 10 men, performing satirical pieces, accompanied by guitars, buzzing instruments, box-drum and floor drums.

Live out your inner surfer on the Pacific blue waves and enjoy the authentic beach life in San Diego, the quintessential California beach life with a Mexican twist.

Sea wave greetings from Mission Beach, where we have rented surfboards and wetsuits and just got a surf instructor to help us get started on the deep blue ocean.

We have rented a beach house on the boardwalk in Mission Beach and enjoy the Mexican inspired food at La Playa Taco Shop on Mission Boulevard, where we buy freshly made tacos and buritos to picnic on the beach.

The other day, we spent a whole day in Balboa Park in downtown San Diego, which is filled with lush gardens and parks, old buildings and interesting museums.

Recently we spotted seals in La Jolla, located just outside San Diego and enjoyed a beautiful sundowner over the Pacific.