Copenhagen and Amsterdam are in an informal competition to be known as the world's best cycling city.

Both have large populations of enthusiastic bikers that have made two wheels their primary form of transportation. But Copenhagen has edged ahead in the race with a new initiative that will make a main thoroughfare, Nørrebrogade, bike-only for three months, allowing bicyclists an easier morning and evening commute.

Closing Nørrebrogade to car traffic is one of many steps the government has taken to make biking easier in it's city. And it makes sense too, as car drivers are quickly becoming the minority. Only 17,000 cars use the Nørrebrogade daily, as opposed to 33,000 cyclists.

Related Stories:
· Copenhagen Cyclists Take Over Main City Thoroughfare [Treehugger]
· "Summer Streets" Turning NYC into a Summer Destination [Jaunted]
· Green Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: soylentgreen23]

If you're strolling through downtown Copenhagen and need to get your caffeine fix, keep an eye out for the Espressomanden. Ole, the espresso man, is the proprietor of a very cool mobile coffee shop mounted on a cargo bicycle.

He can be found daily, parked on the streets of Copenhagen, and is available to serve coffee at weddings, receptions and company parties. You can also wave him down, taxi style, and he'll stop and pull you a tasty double shot.

The Espressomanden is completely self sufficient. The cargo bike can carry loads up to 150 kg and the coffee machines are powered by natural gas on board.

As it happens, Copenhagen is one of the world's most bike friendly cities. More than 50 percent of the population ride bikes as their primary form of transportation. Cargo bike based businesses are also taking off in a big way. If you don't like coffee, you'll also find fruit bikes, newspaper bikes and a whole bunch of rickshaws.

Related Stories:
· Espressomanden [Official Site]
· Espressomanden Ole [Copenhagenize]
· Copenhagen Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Copenhagenize]

It's too late to grow a real beard: The World Santa Claus Congress starts today in Copenhagen, whose residents will get a glimpse of many Kris Kringles as they parade and wreak havoc out of season.

Santas will promenade down Strøget, a pedestrian thoroughfare made up of several streets in the city center, and later jump into the Copenhagen harbor over the course of the three-day festival, now in its 51st year.

Just don't ask them which one is the real Santa; they'll say they all are.

Related Stories:
· World Santa Claus Congress [Official Site, in Danish]
· You Can Dine with Danes, Too [Jaunted]
· Santa Claus coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: paulafunnell]

After a week in Scandinavia, I am in love. Not with a tall, blond Swede, mind you, but with the bike culture here. Coming from New York, where cyclists risk their lives every day dodging manic cab and truck drivers, I was thrilled to escape to Stockholm and Copenhagen. Here, drivers actually stop at stop signs. They also refrain from honking when cyclists and pedestrians cross and intersection. Every major street has wide bike lanes, and most of the time they are painted blue or are slightly elevated to distinguish them even more.

In Copenhagen, cyclists even get their own traffic lights. On almost every street there are lines of parked bikes, since about half the population rides on a given day. Subway stations need to have a section of elevated bike parking to meet demand.

Dressed in everyday clothes, I don’t feel like a fish out of water like I do in the US. Here, people don’t believe they must dress in sweatpants or spandex outfits like Tour de France racers just to ride a bike. For Scandinavians, bikes are primarily a mode of transportation, not a mode of weight loss. Young moms pedal toddlers around in stylish jeans and wool coats. Businessmen wear their suits and plop briefcases in a bike basket. Ladies-who-lunch types ride cruisers with heels on, dangling purses from handlebars. When you spend as much time riding Scandinavians do, why not look good while you’re at it?

Maybe having such a high rate of alternative transportation is why the cities have crisp, fresh air. And why even at the height of rush hour the city centers have almost no congestion. And why Americans like me wonder how easy it would be to become expats here.

- by Diana Kuan of Indietrekker fame

Beer lovers who missed out on the world's biggest pub crawl in Australia last weekend can take heart: You just need a ticket to Copenhagen for September.

The European Beer Festival 2008 will take place in the Danish capital September 12-14. The PR people say it's for "discriminating beer connoisseurs" but we're sure you don't have to belong to the toffee-nosed beer-sniffing set to enjoy a beer festival.

This one sounds particularly fun because it will be held in part of the Carlsberg breweries--very recently vacated as production is moving to another site. That means beer fest visitors can see some of the more private parts of the brewery, including the horse stables. Entry tickets include your first two beers and a detailed beer guide, if you want the low down on all the ale you're swilling.

Related Stories:
· European Beer Festival [Official Site]
· Hit the Pub Route in Queensland [Jaunted]
· Copenhagen Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: kevincrumbs]

We know those Scandinavians are a pretty innovative bunch, so it's not surprising that the claim to have the world's first 100% carbon neutral hotel chain comes out of Denmark. The chain is small, though, which makes it easier--just four hotels under the Brochner Hotel brand, including Ibsens Hotel, Hotel Kong Arthur and Hotel Danmark, all in Copenhagen.

Important news flash: Denmark is now serving more than just herring and pork! If, with good cause, you've thought Danish cuisine was one of the poorer exports of the country, you might be surprised on your next visit to Copenhagen, if the theory of a New York Times journalist is true.

After centuries of Danish food being about as bland and uninspiring as a long, sunshine-less winter day in Scandinavia, there's been a sudden revolution which even has Michelin stars starting to adorn the city's restaurants.

The only two-star restaurant, Noma, comes with hearty recommendations. Noma's current menu features a bunch of dishes we probably wouldn't order outside Denmark, but are nonetheless intriguing: Danish lobster with seaweed or musk ox and glazed beet roots, to name a couple. And for dessert, the apparently untranslatable Øllebrød and skyrsorbet. Yep, two of those, please.

Related Stories:
· The Coming of Age of Copenhagen's Nordic Cuisine [NYT]
· Noma [Official Site]
· Denmark Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Noma: trixieskips]

Now that New York's Fashion Week is almost over, what will fashionistas have to look forward to? Well, there's always Copenhagen!

We had no idea that Fashion Week was going on in Copenhagen next week but it is and the Avenue Hotel is getting ready for the onslaught of fashion-minded guests. According to their hotel blog which is written by receptionist Rasmus:

Only a few days left before Copenhagen Fashion Week officially begins which means the hotel will be bustling with activity (even more so than usual) and from Wednesday till Saturday various events will take place in the lounge....

Furthermore, there's a slight and noticeable increase in the AOBL (Average Overall Beauty Level) with every other hotel guest

We knew things would go awry with New York Times reporter Seth Sherwood's review of Copenhagen's Danhostel once he likened the idea of a "five-star hostel" to that of "gourmet fast-food" and "luxury trailer park."

Though Sherwood didn't hate the place, he seems pretty ambivalent about it, and with good reason. While the locale is good (described as "the edge of the Copenhagen city center"), the rooms are so barren Sherwood says his "felt like a prison cell designed by Ikea."

That's not the hotel's only trait reminiscent of bygone college days. Sherwood says bathrooms resemble closets (though perhaps unlike most dorm bathrooms, these were very clean) and that the basement offers a television lounge

Last month blogger, and 100,000 Elite United member, BoiFromTroy found himself in Copenhagen. Of course he visited the Royal Palace, The Round Tower, Hans Christian Andersen haunts, and the Tivoli Gardens. However, what was most interesting to us was how the Danes chose to publicly show off their world renowned design acumen--with a square urinal.

The Danes love to talk about what great designers they are-and had a display of Danish design in one of the main City squares. Here you will see their contribution to mankind-the square urinal.

If you are interested in seeing more toilet wonders, and other great Dane design from Klint to Jensen you can head to the Danish Design Center, pay $6.75 and ogle plenty of Danish design exhibits.

Related Stories:
· Copenhagen Photo Blogging [BoiFromTroy]
· Danish Design Center [Official Site]
· Copenhagen Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: BoiFromTroy]