Nørrebro: The melting pot

Nørrebro is the most lively and diverse neighborhood in Copenhagen. A true melting pot! This old working class area may have a turbulent history but today it’s first and foremost a fun, trendy and vibrant neighborhood that attracts a young, cool and creative audience.

Nørrebro is shawarma, independent shops, bicycles galore, hipsters, street art and Danes soaking up the sun around Dronning Louise’s Bro. It’s the kind of place from where you can experience the essence of Copenhagen 24-7 from a bench on Nørrebrogade. A local – sometimes loud – side of Copenhagen.

You will love Nørrebro if…

• you are travelling on a budget
• a young and multicultural atmosphere
• you want to blend with the locals and join the bicycle culture
• eating, drinking and partying is on your agenda

Where is Nørrebro

Nørrebro is tucked in between Frederiksberg and Østerbro and stretching from Central Copenhagen by Dronning Louise’s Bro by The Lakes to Nørrebro Station. In the middle of this otherwise densely packed neighborhood you find the Assistens Cemetary, which functions as a park as well as a cemetary – a lush oasis offering a quick green escape from the crowds.

Streets and areas to explore in Nørrebro

Nørrebro is super cool. It’s the place to hang out, to eat, drink and go shopping. Especially if you’re looking for unique, independent restaurants, bars and boutiques. Best of all: the neighborhood has something for all budgets. Here are some of the streets and places you might want to have a look at – let’s start from the central entrance at Dronning Louise’s Bro.

Dronning Louises Bro

More than 40.000 cyclists cross Dronning Louises Bro (Queen Louise’s Bridge) every day, which makes it the world’s busiest bicycle street, but the bridge is much more than a link between Central Copenhagen and Nørrebro. It’s a hang out spot where locals soak up the sun, listen to music, drink beer and basically enjoy life. In summertime it’s like a concrete park – the ideal place to experience the cute concept of Danes enjoying the sun after a long, dark winter.

Nørrebrogade

Nørrebrogade is the main street that runs from Dronning Louises Bro to Nørrebro Station on the border to Nordvest. Here you’ll find grocery stores, fashion shops, jewelers, shawarma bars and much more. It’s busy, it’s packed with cyclists and it’s a quite fine reflection of the lovely chaos that this area is.

Ravnsborggade

Eat, drink, experience, stay! From cool bars and great restaurants to a theatre and budget accommodation: Ravnsborggade has it all. Located close to the City center and the Lakes as well as Sankt Hans Torv this street is the ideal combo of local life and Central Copenhagen.

Assistens Cemetery

Do you wanna hang out at the graveyard? A question that may sound bizarre if you’re not a Dane… Fact is that many locals in Nørrebro enjoy going for a walk with the dog or even a picnic at the charming Assistens Cemetery in the middle of Nørrebro. As much as it’s a place for the dead to go to rest – it’s a place to be alive!

Sankt Hans Torv

Sankt Hans Torv (Saint Hans Square) is the core of inner Nørrebro. The square itself is a great hang out spot with several cafés and coffee bars but it’s also the knot that ties popular streets like Elmegade, Guldbergsgade, Sankt Hans Gade and Fælledvej. In other words: Sankt Hans Torv is a stepping stone to interesting restaurants, bars and independent boutiques aplenty.

Blågårdsgade

On the opposite side of Nørrebrogade you’ll find Blågårdsgade leading up to Blågårds Plads. A multicultural pedestrian street packed with creative restaurants and bars. The perfect symbol of the diversity that characterizes the neighborhood.

Jægersborggade

Looking for art, yummy organic desserts or interior design? Head straight to Jægersborggade! This street is without a doubt one of the most hip and vibrant streets in Copenhagen and home to about 40 small galleries. Here you’ll find a caramel shop, a chocolate shop, an ice cream shop, jewelers, a ceramic workshop, a Michelin starred restaurant and much more. Nothing is too simple or too fancy – anything goes in Jægersborggade as long as it’s good.

Nørrebroparken

Wanna play ball? Hang out with the local dogs? Or basically just have a picnic? Go to Nørrebroparken (Nørrebro Park), which is a long, slim stretch between Jagtvej and Hillerødgade. From here you have easy access to the cafés, pizzerias and bars around Stefansgade and Jægersborggade. Picnic made easy!

Superkilen: The Red Square, The Black Market and The Green Park

On Nørrebrogade, approximately between Nørrebro Runddel and Nørrebro Station, you will spot a red square. The square that goes by the name The Red Square (Den Røde Plads) is a part of Superkilen. A recreational area, that consists of the The Red Square, The Black Market (Den Sorte Plads) and The Green Park (Den Grønne Park). Here you will find cafés, park areas, playgrounds, sport activities and from time to time a flee market or a concert. The area was built in 2009-2010 in order to create an urban space that unites the more than 50 different nationalities living in this part of town and if you look closely, you can spot park benches, lights and sewer covers from all parts of the world that function as part of the architecture.

Nørrebro nightlife – where to go out

No need to go to bed early if you’re staying in or around Nørrebro. Here’s plenty to do from dusk to dawn no matter what budget you’re travelling on.

Nørrebro is home to a bunch of brown, smoky bars where you can throw dice or simply just get hammered on a budget. Or you could do a ‘tour de wine bar’ and finish with a creative cocktail – or even better: mix it all up!

The Ravnsborggade area is a great choice if you want all options in one place. Here you’ll find the classic wine bar, traditional cafés, brown bodegas, the classic brewery Nørrebro Bryghus, the aquavit bar Rastløs or cool bars like Kind of Blue or The Barking Dog for cocktail lovers. Continue to Sankt Hans Torv and from there to Guldbergsgade and have a cocktail at Mudhoney or visit one of Copenhagen’s most iconic clubs and venues, Rust.

In the other end you will find a great variety of bars around Stefansgade and Jægersborggade. Mikkeler & Friends and Terroiristen, just to mention a few.

Accomodation – where to stay in Nørrebro

Nørrebro is primarily a residential area and with only a few hotels and hostels, it is the ideal neighborhood if you want to stay in an Airbnb and explore the daily routines of the Danes.

If your main priority is to explore the city and all the sights of Copenhagen you should probably aim to stay somewhere close to The Lakes, maybe around Ravnsborggade or Sankt Hans Torv but if you want to go local you can choose to stay on the outer Nørrebro.

If you want to stay at an Airbnb in this part of town you should know that the apartments are generally quite small – and usually without elevators. With that said you get to stay in Nørrebro and that pretty much makes up for the lack of convenience.

Where to go shopping?

You won’t find any big malls or many chain stores around here. Well, unless you go to Nørrebro Centret, which is a small arcade mall that is technically located in Nordvest. What you will find in Nørrebro, on the other hand, is a number of vintage stores and small, independent boutiques.

Elmegade and the area around Sankt Hans Torv is a great choice for fashion and vintage. Looking for art and interior design? Go to Jægersborggade where you will find a bunch of galleries.

Nørrebro with kids

Nørrebro is a busy neighborhood that mainly attracts young people. With that said, it is also a great neighborhood if you’re bringing the kids. You’ll find playgrounds here and there, not least by Nørrebroparken and Superkilen: An area that consists of The Red Square, The Black Square and The Green Park, which is a recreational area in outer Nørrebro.

If you’re staying in this part of Copenhagen you’ll find that it’s really easy to get around. Jump on M3 – the metro city ring – and you can arrive in Vesterbro, Østerbro or Indre By in no time. Or join the Danish bicycle community if you’re travelling with older kids. Nørrebro has some of the widest bicycle lanes in the city… however Nørrebro is also the area with most cyclists so watch out.