TalkingLocationWith… author Pernille Hughes – Copenhagen

28th May 2019

TalkingLocationWith… Pernille Hughes – Copenhagen. Author of “Probably The Best Kiss in the World”

Copenhagen has a special place in my heart. My sister lives there and it’s a lovely capital city; small enough to cover in a long weekend, a perfect mix of old and new, and ever-changing too.  Including it in my romantic comedy Probably the Best Kiss in the World came very naturally; the story has a beer-making strand and it was the obvious choice for my characters to have a girls-weekend away there.

It’s a city of ornate spires, towers and copper rooftops, of bicycles and colourfully-painted facades, of small holly-hocked courtyards and iron-fenced balconies, all to be spotted by those navigating the streets. The lifeblood of the city however is the water. Copenhagen lies on a natural harbour to the very east of Denmark on the island of Zealand (Sjælland). It brings with it small islands, inlets and canals, all of which the city has embraced, preserving or rejuvenating them where necessary. Old industrial islands are experiencing a revival as they take on new guises, for example Reffen (Refshaleøen) which now gives home to Copenhagen Street Food, while old harbours are still prime on the tourist map. Postcard-pretty Nyhavnwith its coloured houses and rigged ships is a must see.

If I’m ever asked about Copenhagen I always recommend spending an hour on one of the glass or open-topped tourist boats. (The more cultured can even book one that comes with its own opera singers to serenade you through the waterways.) It allows you a leisurely view of the city, along with the tour-guide’s historical commentary of course, but it also gives a sense of the water being a key and beloved part of the capital.

On the boat you’ll pass the new Opera house, with its wide roof which doubles as a high-diving board in the summer when the Red-bull diving tournament is in town. It’ll take you out to the Little Mermaid and save you a walk to discover that she is indeed ‘little’, which still comes as a surprise to many who walk the kilometre out to her and are then disappointed. The boat will travel through the canals of Christianshavn, my personal favourite part of the city, modelled on Amsterdam by King Christian IV, with its bridges, tall houses and cobbled streets.

All the way you’ll pass boats that have been moored up as homes, converted ferries, or lightships for example, as city-dwellers seek to stay connected with the water. For those just passing through there’s also a boat hotel. It’s where I had my characters stay in the book.

As a working thoroughfare, the yellow water buses criss-cross across the harbour, serving commuters, locals and tourists alike, and for those who need to travel to the mainland, the city now has its own Seaplane, crossing to Aarhus the country’s second biggest city. Meanwhile, the locals shuttle themselves through the city across the many bridges, some of which are pedestrian and cyclist only.

My favourite element of the waterways, is the way that the locals use it for recreation. There are numerous harbour swimming pools, where you can ease off the heat of a Nordic summer, or for the brave, take a daily winter dip. You can, of course, simply sit in one of the canal side bars throughout the year and watch the flow of the wavelets- but sit for even just a moment and something will float past you; a yacht being taken out from its mooring, kayakers or paddle-boarders moving along with a swan pairing, a gondola (yes, an actual Venetian gondola – but just the one.)

But Copenhageners also choose to make the water part of their celebrations and this fills me with such joy. Danes are very keen on celebrations- for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, confirmations, flagdays, Fridays. Why wouldn’t you take to the water with your best friends on a motorised raft, taking in your beloved city while you enjoy a beer and sing songs into the balmy evening?

For those without a raft in their suitcase, there are alternative options. On any given day you will see little GoBoats travelling around the canals, blue plastic tubs with a central table for beer and snacks, which you can hire out for your party. A group of office workers might hire one for their Fredagsbar (Fridaybar/ beers), or Stag & Hen parties might convoy along the canals as they get in the mood for their later dancing. It’s one of these GoBoats that my heroine Jen falls from, losing her phone and turning her world upside down, in Probably the Best Kiss in the World. I simply couldn’t include Copenhagen in my story, without sharing my love of the canals.

So when you think about Copenhagen, don’t just think about the Little Mermaid, Tivoli Gardens, or the gritty street views from The Killing and Bergen, but think about a vibrant small city with a pulsing vein of activity running through it, that serves the people in many ways from simple transport to free open-air entertainment, which a tourist can dive into the heart of too.

Thank you so much to Pernille for such a wonderful summary of what to do in Copenhagen!

Pernille can be found via her website and catch up with her via Twitter, Facebook and Insta And do buy her book through the TripFiction database

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