The Sunday Times - UK (2022-02-06)

The Sunday Times February 6, 2022 3

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As Denmark drops all restrictions, spring — and

the smell of baking — is in the air, says Laura Hall

COVER PHOTOGRAPH: PEATHEGEE INC/GETTY IMAGES

ALEXANDER SPATARI/GETTY IMAGES

COPENHAGEN

POSTCARD FROM...

The villas are huge and I think because
they are deserted, dare I say it, better
than Pompeii in many ways. I am
delighted that there is a bus now. Looking
back we took an enormous risk hiring a
driver in a ropey old car touting his trade
outside Oplontis. As it turned out it was
a wonderful experience and we saw all
these places without other people.
Livia, via thetimes.co.uk

ISLAND DREAMING

Rather than stay on Procida (“A little

island with a lot of soul”, last week), it’s

far better to stay on Ischia, next door,

and take the ferry there. The octopus

bruschetta I’ve had on Ischia is

unbelievable. It’s a lovely island with

much to offer, despite the grottiness that

one is presented with at the ferry docks.

Dr Which, via thetimes.co.uk

People of

all ages

have been

plunging

into the

cold

harbour

all winter

long

D

espite a light dusting of

snow, Copenhagen is in a

springlike mood. Denmark

last week became the first

EU country to lift all

domestic Covid restrictions. It means the

end of facemasks in shops and on public

transport, no more curfews in restaurants

or bars (previously 11pm), the reopening

of nightclubs and no need to show the

digital Coronapas anywhere.

For Denmark, among the first

countries to go into lockdown in

March 2020, it’s a triumph showing

how a small population with a

deep sense of community can

succeed together. (I’ve seen it in

action, receiving regular phone

calls from my Danish friends

whenever updates are announced.)

But are we cartwheeling in the

streets? Not exactly.

While most people are relieved, they

didn’t view the government’s restrictions

as a heinous breach of their freedom in

the first place. The whole experience has

been a bit more easygoing here, thanks

to that early lockdown. The only fines

I’ve heard about were for people caught

cycling without lights in winter.

New Covid infections in Denmark are

still at an all-time high — at about 50,000

a day — and our optimism is balanced by

the knowledge that restrictions may be

brought back if ICU rates climb. With just

over 80 per cent of the population having

received two jabs, Omicron-related

hospital admissions have so far been low,

but we all know at least one person who

has it, and more who are recovering.

Coronavirus has hardly died out, and it

all just feels a bit, well, surreal.

In Nyhavn, the historic central harbour

area of Copenhagen, canal boats are being

dusted off ready for spring tourists. Rules

have been relaxed for foreigners entering

the country: in most cases, including

Brits, double-vaccinated travellers can

enter Denmark without taking a test.

The wave of new developments in

the city could make you wonder whether

Danish builders had a secret way of getting

around the supply-chain disruptions of

the past two years. Notable new hotels

include NH Collection in desirable

Christianshavn; the eco-conscious

The Stroget

area of central

Copenhagen

and, above,

Laura prepares

for an icy dip

Villa Copenhagen; and Hotel Ottilia, a

centrepoint in the new Carlsberg Byen

area, near the Von Bartha gallery.

The city’s food scene reacted to the

drop in international visitors in inventive

style — Amass began selling fried chicken;

Noma created Popl, a burger restaurant;

and numerous former Noma characters

have created their own bakeries. Queues

snake round the block every weekend for

the delicious Swedish-style treats at Juno

in Osterbro, while the media is full of

stories about where to find the

edgiest reworking of the traditional

fastelavnsboller — a cream-filled

bun sold around Mardi Gras.

Fine dining weathered the

storm as well, with Geranium and

Noma crowned the world’s top

restaurants last October. If the

pandemic has made you want to eat

out again there are worse places to

be. However, I’m one of a few among

my friends to have dodged Covid, so I

might give it just a few more weeks.

Winter bathing has also been on the up

in the city. People of all ages have been

plunging into the cold harbour all winter

long, often starkers. I’ve been doing it

since November, and it’s been a great

stress-reliever. GoBoat, which normally

rents self-drive vessels by the hour, has

opened a new floating sauna, so you can

warm up afterwards. This is all in view of

Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the

Danish parliament; whether you want to

flash the politicians is up to you — for now,

I’m leaving the nudity to the Danes.

February is traditionally a time of

hygge, culture and food in Copenhagen.

The museums are going strong through

the winter, and are all the better to visit

without a mask. The National Museum

has its Viking Raid exhibition, while

Glyptoteket offers a green space in its

tropical garden. The Light Festival

returns to brighten the darkness, and

before long it will be spring again.

It has been a long two years without

many visitors, and we look forward to

them walking in our bike lanes, cycling

too slowly and bringing colour and noise

back to our streets again.

Laura Hall is the author of

Time Out Copenhagen