Port Profiles | Portipedia

European cruises are like exquisite appetizers. Your ship gives you a taste of the delicious culture capitals, allowing you to decide which cities and countries are most intriguing and appealing. Each stop on the cruise ship’s itinerary is designed to provide convenient access to the primary attractions, but the cruise ship must maintain a schedule, limiting port calls to 10 hours, occasionally overnight.

For a fuller flavor of any European destination, a few extra days in one of the Continent’s great cities allows you to explore more and get a sense of the rhythms and personalities of the place. To take full advantage of the trip across the ocean, more and more experienced travelers are taking the extra time before or after their cruise, extending their stay in Europe to learn and enjoy a particular place.

Following are some quick descriptions of some of the favorite European cities where cruise travelers are choosing to spend a few extra days, find some favorite restaurants and soak in the local flavors.

A beautiful and eminently livable city, Scandinavia’s largest city was originally a fishing village that evolved into a major port of trade and is now a jewel of Northern Europe.

Despite massive 18th century fires, Copenhagen retains its charming medieval layout with plenty of Old World appeal, even as it modernizes.

There are still great buildings and 1,000 years’ worth of history to explore here, including 17th century landmarks such as the Rundetårn (Round Tower) and the Børsen (Stock Exchange).

Foremost among Copenhagen’s attractions, the Rundetårn is , an observation tower honoring astronomer Tycho Brahe, and Amalienborg Palace, the royal residence, incorporates four Rococo mansions.

Other can’t-miss sights include the Rådhus (Town Hall), with its ornate interior and gilded statue of Bishop Absalon (founder of Copenhagen), and the Royal Library, whose black-granite exterior is a beacon of modernity.

Of course, no feature is more visible than Tivoli, the city’s much-loved amusement park and a destination for culture, sociability, and dining as much as for thrilling entertainments.

Before setting out to pedal around Copenhagen, my first challenge was to obtain the proper bike to straddle. I found it at Kobenhavns Cykler, located at the Copenhagen Central rail station (on the right side if you’re facing the station).

I even found a convenient way to get to the city center to rent my bike. Outside my hotel room, Radisson SAS Scandinavia, I found two city bikes. Copenhagen has 2,500 “City Bikes” that anyone can pedal away on simply by inserting a DKK 20 coin into the bike’s locking mechanism. Lock your bike upon return at any of 110 bike-parking stations to retrieve your coin.

Or just lean your bike against a wall if you can’t find a station. Don’t worry: Someone else will return it. Of course, they’ll also collect your DKK 20 coin. Oh, and don’t take the city bikes out of the City Bike Zone, or you will be fined.

The city bike wasn’t the bike that would win the Tour de France. The tires could have used a few more pounds of pressure, and the bike clanked with each revolution of the pedals. It was shy of material for my 6′ 5″ frame. My knees knocked my chin with each pedal. I had to stand on the pedals for most of the ride, but luckily, I wasn’t going far.

The city bike would have attracted all sorts of snickering back home, but no one gave me a second look here. Cycling in Copenhagen is more of a utilitarian activity than a fitness event. Copenhagen commuters ride all sorts of bikes, in various degrees of disrepair. Some cyclists straddled nice bikes, yes, but the majority were “beaters,” bikes that, if stolen, would not send the owner into lasting despair.

Copenhagen cyclists wore utilitarian clothing as well. There wasn’t a great deal of lycra or cycling jerseys or even cycling shoes. Most cyclists wore the clothes they would wear to work or for a night out. I found that cyclists in Copenhagen and in Amsterdam generally don’t wear helmets, and I did not either.

Even without helmets, statistically, these cities are much safer than cycling in the United States. According to Bicycling magazine, Dutch bike commuters are 30 times less likely to be killed on their bikes than their stateside counterparts. I suspect Danish commuters are equally as safe.

I abandoned my city bike, not at a station, but by leaning it against a wall. It felt odd to walk away, but I did so. I walked inside and rented a worthy bike for my ride up the coast.

Finding Bliss in the Baltic

SOMEWHERE IN THE BALTIC SEA, July 1 — It is near midnight, or at least that it is what my watch tells me. The sun and sky suggest otherwise. The bright orange orb hovers over the watery horizon, casting a reddish-yellow glow on a cloudless sky.

My (then) wife and I stand on our stateroom balcony waiting for the sun to dip below the horizon. Our body clocks are out of sync, six times zones east of our home (we’ll lose two more hours as the clock moves forward one hour on each of the first two nights of our cruise from Copenhagen).

The sun seems that it will never set, even as the clock ticks — and ticks.

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September 2003 - Michael, the bartender at the trendy Copenhagen cafe Dan Turrell’s, had no qualms about telling me where to go. See, I had explained to Michael how as editor of a cruise magazine, I had come to Copenhagen to explore the shoreside attractions and activities that cruise passengers must see and do. Wanting help, he leaned across the bar with a “let’s see” look on his face.

“You’re going to see the Glibte,” he said, in the lazy manner that Danes drop letters and occasionally whole syllables, making the language incomprehensible to foreigners.

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Copenhagen’s hub of activity and the main shopping area is situated at and around Europe’s longest pedestrian street, called Strøget.

The entrance to Strøget is approximately 30 minutes walk from the Langelinie Pier and one hour walk from the Freeport. Strøget runs from Kongens Nytorv square to Radhuspladsen (Town Hall Square), about one mile.

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If you are staying in Copenhagen before or after your cruise, your hotel will likely include breakfast, so you will be off to a good start. For lunch or dinner, you can hardly go wrong. Here are my favorites.

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Copenhagen is on the island of Sealand. The attractions below are also on Sealand and easily reached from Copenhagen. None, in fact, are more than an hour away by train. Your Copenhagen Card will give you free train or bus transportation and free or discounted admission to most of these attractions.

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Copenhagen is ideally suited for getting around on foot or by bicycle. Cruise passengers arrive at one of three places in Copenhagen: the airport; or for those arriving by sea, Langelinie Pier or Freeport Terminal.

No matter where you arrive, you will soon see at least some of Copenhagen’s 2,500 free “City Bikes.” Anyone can pedal away on a city bike simply by inserting a Danish 20-kroner coin into the bike’s locking mechanism. Lock the bike upon return at any of 110 bike-parking stations to retrieve the coin. Or just lean the bike against a wall for someone else to use.

City bikes are hard to miss. Painted bright blue or rousing red, they carry “billboard” advertisements on their frames, Coca Cola, for example. Cruise passengers will find city bikes parked near the Langelinie Pier, in the direction of the Little Mermaid. To locate the bikes, ask at the pierside Cruise Copenhagen Information Center.

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A few key points that you should keep in mind if you are cruising to or from Copenhagen:

• Most cruise passengers arrive in Copenhagen at one of three places: Copenhagen Airport (Copenhagen serves as the initial port of departure for many cruises); or for those arriving by sea, Langelinie Pier or Freeport Terminal.
• If your cruise is departing from Copenhagen, we suggest you arrive at least a day before your cruise so that you can take in the sights before setting sail. Ideally, arrive two days early to see more of what Copenhagen has to offer.
• If you spend an extra day or two in Copenhagen, make sure you see our section on the Copenhagen Card, a money-saving program that provides free or discounted admission to attractions and transportation within greater Copenhagen.
• PLEASE NOTE: Prices and exchange rates mentioned here are approximate. Rates may vary.
• Be sure to visit Ralph Grizzle’s Coming To Copenhagen

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