Marc West joins the beautiful people in the cool, yet cosy, boutiques and bars of wonderful Copenhagen

It's impeccably designed and impossibly efficient, yet maintains an unflustered air – an indicative welcome to this Nordic capital.

We can only hope that one day all airports will be designed like Kastrup – as, after a smooth arrival and a short train ride, I arrive at my destination in Copenhagen’s hipster heaven – Vesterbro.

A dissolute vibe still permeates this ‘hood, but surrounded by plaid-clad bearded gentle folk I feel strangely at home already.

Vesterbro still shows signs of its red light district past, but that’s (almost) all been swept aside for today’s design boutiques, tattoo parlours and the countless coffee shops which have revitalised the area.

Perched on an old cinema chair in a former apothecary, I blend in like a local at Bang & Jensen – the classic hangout for the office-less laptop brigade and the perfect place to while away the hours just indulging in a favourite pastime: people watching.

Thanks to all those highly-addictive subtitled dramas, you might be mistaken for thinking the city is full of depressed policewomen and murderers. Instead, the only thing you can pin on them is being criminally good-looking, dangerously well-dressed and suspiciously friendly.

The standard of living here is said to be higher than anywhere else in the world, and the reason for this is that the Danes know how to live – in all senses of the word.

Hard to pronounce, and even harder to explain, the Danish concept of ‘hygge’ (say ‘hooga’) loosely translates as a love of cosiness... and is not hard to find, as enjoying the good things in life is practically a national pastime and the generous work-life balance allows them to indulge themselves accordingly.

Like a latter day Garden of Eden, Torvehallerne Market is filled with all manner of temptations. Its two glass food halls house some the best produce on offer, fitting neatly into the Danish philosophy of organic additive-free food.

The influence of Noma (Copenhagen’s two-Michelin-starred eatery, regularly named the best in the world) has stretched far and wide, and former staff are opening their own high-quality low-price joints with the same ethos as the stellar restaurant.

Hija de Sanchez always has a queue for its pork belly and fried egg tacos. No wonder, as its tasty alternative to the traditional national snack is delicious washed down with guava juice.

When it comes to New Nordic cuisine, do believe the hype. Set in a former strip club, Uformel (meaning “informal”) sums up the approach to eating out among the young forward-thinking in-crowd. The ambiance in the dining room is relaxed, but the open-plan kitchen is very serious indeed.

They’re also very serious about cycling, and over half the city’s inhabitants commute by bike – creating a strong sense of solidarity against noisy and polluting traffic.

Hiring a Bycyklen is by far the most economical and eco-friendly way to get around the city’s clean streets, especially as they have GPS to help those with poor navigational skills (like me). Once on two wheels you soon realise what a joy it is to use pedal power to explore further.

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Along with the other so-called Bridge Quarters, Norrebro is positively pulsating; for many second-generation Copenhageners it’s their answer to Hoxton, Belleville or Williamsburg.

A stroll down uber-trendy Jaegersborggade will reveal award-winning coffee roasters, unique homeware stores and a restaurant serving anything you want… as long as it’s porridge!

So, once a land often thought of by outsiders as consisting entirely of cured herring, dark nights and little plastic bricks has now emerged as a Scandinavian utopia. This green city is packed with atmosphere, hope and joy. And I, for one, am sure we could all benefit from living a little more Danishly.

Where to stay? Founded in 1938, family-run Hotel Absalon is a comfortable and stylish base from which to best enjoy all the city has to offer. A medium-sized standard room costs from DKK 950/night.hotelabsalon.dk.

How to get around? Bycyklen is the next generation of transport for the urban traveller. These electric smart bikes are easy to use and great value for money at only DKK 25/hour.bycyklen.dk.

What to see? If you’re a culture vulture, be sure to purchase a CPH Card – it’ll give you free admission to over 65 museums and galleries in addition to combined access to metro, train and bus services across the city.copenhagencard.com.

Where to eat? Uformel is Formel B’s cool and edgy younger brother. Their tasting experience of four courses selected by the kitchen with wine pairing is a bargain for Noma-quality food, at DKK 750/pp.uformel.dk.

ESSENTIALS

Getting there: British Airways departs daily from Heathrow to Copenhagen Kastrup from £250 Rtn. britishairways.com.

For further information: For more on Copenhagen go to visitcopenhagen.com.

For more on the Kingdom of Denmark, go to visitdenmark.com