UEFA EURO 2020 venue guide: Copenhagen
Thursday, May 24, 2018
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Copenhagen is ...
• The capital of Denmark.
• Bike friendly. Locals love bicycles, with more than half of Copenhageners using one every day.
• Reckoned to be one of the happiest cities in the world.
• Connected to Malmo, Sweden, by the Øresund Bridge – made famous by the Nordic crime drama The Bridge.
• Where Hans Christian Andersen died in 1875, aged 70, and a city known for its art scene.
Where is it?
On the east coast of Zealand, the largest and most populated of Denmark's islands. Copenhagen is separated from southern Sweden by the strait of Øresund.
Parken Stadium
• Seating just over 38,000 fans, Parken Stadium is the largest football stadium in Denmark.
• The home of FC København and the senior men's national team.
• Hosted the 1994 European Cup Winners' Cup final and the UEFA Cup final six years later, both involving Arsenal.
• Completed in 1992, it was built on the site of Denmark's previous national stadium, Idrætsparken, which had stood since 1911.
• Located north of the city centre, about 4km from the main railway station.
Matches at Parken Stadium
13 June, time tbc – Group B match
18 June, time tbc – Group B match
22 June, time tbc – Group B match
29 June, time tbc – Round of 16 (2D v 2E)
Getting to and around Copenhagen
Copenhagen is served by Copenhagen Airport, some 8km south of the city centre, with the metro and regular trains running to and from main transport hubs Central Station and Norreport. In 2019, 17 new metro stations will open, including two next to Parken Stadium. Due to the capital's small size, buses, the 24-hour metro and bikes are all efficient options for visitors.
Where to stay
From hostels to mid-range and more high-end hotels, Copenhagen has a wide range of accommodation options to suit all budgets. See useful links below.
What to see
For culture: Check out the National Gallery of Denmark – the country's largest art museum – and the Museum of National History, to name but two. Copenhagen is littered with exhibitions, galleries and museums, so you are sure to find something to your taste.
For atmosphere: Situated a few minutes from Central Station, Tivoli Gardens amusement park offers exotic architecture, historical buildings, lush gardens and nostalgic rides, and is particularly charming at night. Founded in 1843, it was a favourite of Hans Christian Andersen.
For fresh air: Copenhagen has many parks and green spaces to enjoy, among them the centrally located King's Garden (established in Renaissance style by Christian IV in the early 1600s and home to a Hans Christian Andersen statue) and the Botanical Gardens. There are also official bathing spots around the harbour, watched over by lifeguards, if you fancy a swim.
Eating and drinking
Copenhagen considers itself to be the dining capital of the Nordic world; tellingly, Parken Stadium is home to the Geranium restaurant which holds three Michelin stars. Food options are plentiful, but visitors should try local lunchtime favourite smørrebrød (literally 'spread bread'). An open sandwich, usually on rye bread, smørrebrød is topped with pretty much anything, from herring, to raw beef, seafood and egg.
Football in the city
Rivals København and Brøndby are the two most successful clubs in Denmark. The derby between the sides attracts the biggest crowds in the country. Fellow top-flight teams Nordsjælland and Lyngby all compete for a share of the limelight in the capital.
Get out of the city
A 20-minute train ride from central Copenhagen, Dyrehaven (the deer park) is a woodland filled with forests, small lakes and open landscape. It derives its name from the more than 2,000 free-range deer that inhabit the park.
Useful links
Visit Copenhagen: http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen-tourist
Lonely Planet: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/denmark/copenhagen
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen
Danish Football Association (DBU): https://www.dbu.dk/
Parken Stadium and FC København: http://www.fck.dk/english1/