Hostels
 

Danhostel Copenhagen City is situated right in the very heart of the capital with a fantastic view over the city. It is the biggest design hostel in Europe and was designed by Gubi, who has also created some of the furniture at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. There are 15 smoke-free floors and a view over the harbour and the roofs and spires of Copenhagen. The cheapest way to sleep is in a communal room where you only pay 120,00 Kr per person. All rooms have shower and toilet facilities. There are hostels all over Denmark and often in idyllic surroundings and in interesting buildings.
To stay overnight at a Danhostel you must have a hostel carnet which cost 70,00 Kr per person. Children accompanied by an adult do not need one. If you do not have a carnet and wish to stay overnight you will be charged 35,00 Kr extra – therefore in only in two nights will you have paid for the recommended carnet.

Search for Danhostels in Denmark

Sleep In

The cheapest of all is a Sleep In. You find them in Copenhagen and Århus. This is where backpackers meet from all over the world and where you sleep in dormitories with communal toilet and shower facilities, they also offer breakfast. You do not need a carnet for staying at a Sleep In.

There are several of them in Copenhagen. In the centre of the lively Nørrebro is where you will find the backpacker hotel “Sleep in Heaven” and the ecological Sleep In “Sleep in Green”. There are also “Sleep Ins” at Vesterbro and Østerbro. In Århus the City Sleep in is situated by the harbour within a short walking distance to the centre of this charming city. Some Sleep Ins are only open in the summer.
www.sleepinheaven.dk
www.sleep-in-fact.dk
www.belaegningen.dk
www.sleep-in.dk
www.sleep-in-green.dk
www.citysleep-in.dk

Earn money by picking strawberries in the morning and enjoying life in the afternoon. Denmark is a farming country and EU citizens are allowed seasonal work. When the strawberries are ripe young people from all over EU come to Denmark to pick the berries. They stay in tents on the farms and it is a unique opportunity to meet other young people. When the strawberry season is over there may be more work on the farm or at other farms throughout the country.
EU citizens can work in Denmark for 3 months without a residents permit, but we do advice that you look for jobs before leaving home to be sure that all formalities are in order. Please take a look at www.seasonalwork.dk where you will find all the information you need.

Camping is a very reasonable way to holiday, but it can get even cheaper. If you like nature and nights under the open sky Denmark has no less than 750 primitive campsites on offer. They are situated on farms, in forests, on schools and in many other interesting places. Approx. 1/3 of them are called “shelters” and here you do not need tents. Most places have a campfire and access to toilet and water nearby. An overnight stay is max. 15,00 Kr per person and some places are even free. These sites are for people on foot, on bikes, on horseback or travelling by various means on water. People travelling in “by motorpower” are not allowed.
The book ”Overnatning i det fri”, which means Overnight in the Open, describes 750 of these sites. You can buy the book at local tourist offices and bookstores.

Island-Camps are very popular with Danish families. The camps are mostly situated on small islands, some of which are even without roads or traffic. You stay in tents, cook in groups and enjoy the meals together around an open fire. There are several activities at each camp and usually with a pre-arranged theme. It can be everything from canoeing in kayaks, music and dance or relaxing in a cosy atmosphere to different types of “self development”.
It is very reasonable and you can book via www.billetnet.dk
Check-out Island-Camps on their website: www.oelejr.dk

Move into a real home somewhere in Denmark whilst another family moves into yours. Home Exchange is a popular and economic way to holiday – you simply do not pay for overnight accommodation. You of course look after each others home with consideration and care like watering the plants, feeding pets, mowing the lawn etc. In this way you get close to another society and another way of living. You shop locally and perhaps meet the neighbours and before the holiday begins you have through correspondence and telephone conversations got to know the family you exchange with so both parties are prepared. Home Exchange exists in more than 50 countries.
www.bbdk.dk/byt
www.intervac.dk
www.boligbytte.com
www.homeexchange.com

The City Bike

If you holiday in Copenhagen and feel envious about the thousands of Copenhageners on bikes, stop looking and join them – the City Bike is a great way to get around. You will find them in the many City Bike racks dotted all over the city centre. It is free and you unlock it by paying a 20,00 Kr deposit (in exactly the same way as with a supermarket trolley) and when you return the bike to any rack you get 20,00 Kr back. You are only allowed to ride the bikes in the city centre. They are available from May – December. www.bycyklen.dk

Cheap by train

There is lots of money to be saved if you travel by train in Denmark and in particular if you cross the Great Belt. Please look out for the Orange Tickets which are available at selected departures. Please see further details on: www.dsb.dk. There are many other reductions available like Senior tickets saving up to 50% as well as special Youth Fares. Children under the age of 12 years old travel free of charge when accompanied by an adult.

Museums

Many museums in Copenhagen offer free entrance on Wednesdays: The National Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Thorvaldsens Museum, The Nikolaj Exhibition Hall, The Hirschprungske Collection, The Resistance Museum, The Naval Museum and the Royal Danish Arsenal Museum. The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek offers free entrance on both Wednesdays and Sundays and at the Copenhagen City Museum admission is free on Fridays.
Please ask at the local tourist offices for “free days” at museums outside Copenhagen.

Music

There is lots of free music in Denmark. Please take a look at www.musikkalenderen.dk and click on ”avanceret søgning” (detailed search). Then you write “gratis” (free) in the search box and in a few seconds you will get a comprehensive list of music events throughout Denmark. This music calendar of events is also available at many cafés and cultural places like museums.

Experience a world famous artist or a popular band for only 75,00 Kr. Friday Rock in Tivoli has a great selection of events and all you pay is the normal Tivoli entrance fee. Over the years artists like: The Cardigans, Cher, Maria Carey, Sting, the Beach Boys, Aqua, Lisa Ekdahl and many others have performed as one of the Friday Rock events.
Both the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet present the coming season’s performances by giving a small preview at an open air event in Copenhagen. The Opera also arranges similar events in Jutland at Skamlingsbanken near Kolding in August. Please see further details on www.kgl-teater.dk

Film

Danish films have received recognition the world over and the Danish film industry is blooming. In the middle of Copenhagen is the Film Museum where you can watch free children films, short films and documentaries. In the summer there are open-air free showings all around Denmark. Please look up the programme on. http://zulu.tv2.dk/event/sommerbio/ Remember a blanket and a foldable chair.

Nature

Enjoying Danish nature is free of charge. If you would like a more in-depth understanding about Danish nature the “Naturvejledere” (Nature Guide Booklets) are ready to offer a fantastic insight explained in a very interesting way. They are not expensive and with a Nature Guide Booklet at hand you will see and understand things you would otherwise miss. Please ask at your local tourist office for a booklet or look at: www.sns.dk/friluft/natvejl/oversigt.htm

Eating out

To eat out does not have to be expensive. Denmark’s big cities ethnic restaurants such as Turkish, Greek and Thai are often extremely reasonable. It is also worthwhile checking out cafés and museum restaurants which are often reasonably priced too. In Copenhagen you can search for cheap restaurants on: www.aok.dk