Trekroner fort is is a wonderful place, 15 minutes by boat from the city centre. The old fort is open to the public during the day, but only accessible from the water side. The current area was founded in 1786, but was not finished at the Battle of the Nest (April 2, 1801) or at the British bombardment in 1807. It was not until 1828 that construction was completed after a period of economic decline. Photo: © Ture Andersen

This is one of the places in Copenhagen that I know will do the job if I need some inspiration. The museums’ collections spans from over seven centuries, from early renaissance to current art. Especially the modern collection with its paintings, installations and performance art kickstart the old imagination.  Not only is the collection great, the architecture of the museum is equally beautiful. The old part is a classic museum-building, just as you would expect, but the newer addition is connected by floor to ceiling glass, doing a great job in separating the collections (classic and modern) as it physically changes the context.

If you like beautiful architecture and want to escape the city for a few hours, head north of the city along the coast. Bellevue beach is one of the most popular beaches in the Copenhagen area, on the northern outskirts of the city. The Beach is a sandy beach, approx. 700m long, and feature characteristic blue-striped lifeguard towers and a geometric kiosk, all designed by the Danish architect and furniture designer Arne Jacobsen in the 1930s. The beach is used by everybody – from young families to nudists, they all share the same space (this is Denmark after all).  If you take the coastal road up to the beach you will pass the Skovshoved Petrol Station designed by the same man. The functionalist style Petrol Station built in the early 1930s is still in operation. Whilst the pumps still functions as a petrol station, the building now functions as a cafe. The roof of the station is oval-shaped, hence the nickname ‘The Mushroom’, and is illuminated at night to highlight the beautiful designed building.

Christiania attracts a lot of tourists because of its free-spirit culture and open sale of drug, but if you venture further into the area you will find some great experimental architecture, mainly developed under the idea of ‘architecture without architects’. Ordinary building restrictions did not seem to be a consideration in Christiania, and in the area you find futuristic spaceships, sustainable buildings, buildings made out of what material was available during the process, or buildings made from architecture students volunteering to try our new ideas. Now the government try to control the development with impending rules and regulations - such as the new law that nothing new can be built except roofing. The inhabitants solution is to make houses entirely out of roofing…  In the area around Christiania you find some beautiful house boats for inspiration, some small and some matching the size of an ordinary house. Here you can see converted ferries, a three storey boathouse and some that looks like shipping containers. I love exploring this whole area, as it feels like I find new, hidden gems every time I visit, at the same time as being a nice relaxing weekend stroll.

Placed in the city center. A place to stroll around in, watch tourists, plants, trees, birds and garden workers.