“Such a fantastic experience, Copenhagen is such a wonderful place!” This is how our colleague Emily Everall sums up her experience during an industry fam trip to Copenhagen in December 2022.

Honouring the invitation from Idea Nordic, Copenhagen Convention Bureau and Destinations UNLIMITED, Activate Events & Communications assigned Emily Everall to be our eyes and ears on the ground and to soak up not just supplier knowledge but most importantly, the culture, the unique character of this extraordinary city and the distinctive opportunities that we can bring to our clients during future events.

“This trip was jam packed with everything Copenhagen had to offer and then some! From the moment we stepped off the plane to the day of departure, we were welcomed with warm Danish pastries and open arms – everyone was ready and willing to show us the best Copenhagen had to offer. I learnt so much about the destination during the trip, networked with some fantastic eventprofs and discovered some really fantastic venues and event spaces. I am really looking forward to our upcoming event to Copenhagen in the near future!” enthuses Emily.

Here are Emily’s highlights from her time in Copenhagen:

1. Sustainability

Denmark has the most ambitious Sustainability Goals in Europe to become carbon neutral by 2025. Denmark doesn’t just talk about it; they live it, and Emily witnessed this first hand through:

• The endless bike lanes and popularity of cycling – everywhere and for everyone
• The option of using the metro for a warmer ride during the colder months

There is also an emphasis on giving back to local communities, something we experienced by:

• A visit to the HQ of a local charity supporting homeless people in Copenhagen to have a warm Christmas, where we learned how they work and how our events in Copenhagen can support their work #csractivity
  
  

2. Hotels & Event Venues

• A site inspection of Villa Copenhagen
• Traditional Danish Christmas lunch at Cap Horn, complete with schnapps and learning some (essential) basic Danish such as ‘Øl’, ‘Vin’ and ‘Skål’
• Dessert experience and site visit of Moltkes Mansion
• Danish Christmas Dinner at ‘Over Plænen’ with a bird’s eye view over Tivoli Gardens and a tour of the NIMB Hotel
• Guided tour of the Scandic Spectrum to discover the modern facilities at one of Copenhagen’s latest and most sustainable hotels
• The Glyptoteket, a stunning museum which offers a great space for gala dinners and welcome receptions

3. More Event Venues

• Dinner at the Planetarium’s Scandinavian fine dining restaurant, Gemini in a relaxed atmosphere. Situated on Copenhagen’s Lakes in the center of the city
• Gammel Strand, Thorvaldsen Museum and Christiansborg Palace are some of the ‘must- see’ sights in Copenhagen, which can also be utilised as event spaces and restaurant venues
• Lunch at Opera House and experience the stunning view of Copenhagen from the award winning Almanak Restaurant. Following lunch, we enjoyed a tour of the Opera House

4. Tailored Private Group Activities

• Winter Bathing in the harbour at Bølgen, instructor-led and with robes and slippers provided by Marriott
• To keep us warm, the organisers invited BeerWalks to share a local Craft Beer with us (just small sips, we promise!) during the tour
• Danish pastry baking class: we learned how to bake a Danish pastry called a Kanelsnurrer (cinnamon swirl). We mixed, rolled, filled, baked and enjoyed our work with a warm cup of coffee! Perfectly hyggelich
• Christmas market at the Tivoli Gardens in the center of Copenhagen
• Tour of Torvehallerne, a high-end food market, to taste local produce, straight from the market to the table
  
• Idea Nordic, Copenhagen Convention Bureau and Destinations UNLIMITED
• Copenhagen Marriott
  … and the multitude of local hospitality partners who made our time in the “City of Fairytales” truly magical:
• 25hours Hotels
• Villa Copenhagen
• Hotel Nimb
• Moltkes Mansion
• BeerWalks
• Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket
• Manon les Suites
• Scandic Spectrum
• Torvehallerne

For the best of Europe in a distinctively sleek and elegant capital city, Copenhagen charms, delivers and stays in your heart. Hoping we can take you there soon!
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This is a short fam trip update, retold based on Emily’s time in Copenhagen in December 2022.