How To Clone The Killing in Copenhagen
Written by Jaillan Yehia
The Killing Series 3
The third series of cult Danish crime drama The Killing has just hit British TV screens – complete with yet another cosy knit for the heroine.
As she chases down more murderous Scandinavians, the main line of questioning I’d like to pursue is whether we should all be donning our woollens and heading to Denmark’s capital?
Read on for more information about Copenhagen, complete with a genuinely terrifying number of crime-based puns.
The results of the investigation are in: Copenhagen is great!
It’s pretty easy for fans of the most talked about Danish TV series in history to visit Denmark’s capital and follow in the footsteps of Sarah Lund – and my lifelong investigation has revealed that Copenhagen isn’t the bleak and oppressive rain-beaten crime-scene that The Killing portrays.
Go Shop Lifting?
The city of Copenhagen makes a perfect weekend break, is served by a large number of direct flights from the UK, and with Christmas fast approaching you can hunt-down any number of cool Scandi-style gifts on Stroget, Europe’s longest pedestrianized shopping street.
Pursue On Foot
A local tour company runs a guided walk for ardent fans, but for the more independently-minded, a self-guided trip around the show’s seminal locations is made easier by Visit Copenhagen who have put together an entire page dedicated to the key locations for The Killing we’re all so used to seeing in those dramatic establishing shots – such Copenhagen City Hall, Police Headquarters, Pentecost Forest near Katsrup airport, the Lund home at Osterbrogade, and Vesterbro where the Larsens lived back in series 1.
The Bicycle Thief
The most enjoyable way to make your getaway in the city itself is by bike, using one of the city’s free bikes – or you can ask your hotel to hook you up with a superior model.
Copenhagen is a cyclists’ paradise with dedicated cycle lanes, polite pedestrians and deferential drivers. You generally need just an immobiliser to deter most would-be cycle thieves too, as most theft tends to be motivated by a desire to get home and nothing more – turns out Copenhagen isn’t the crime-ridden city The Killing would have you believe!
The Sting
Visitors can grab a Copenhagen Card to get around by public transport, and to get into 65 of the city’s museums and attractions including the perfect antidote to all that crime and mystery, the innocent but unmissable Tivoli Gardens. This quintessentially Danish theme-park inhabits two acres of Copenhagen’s city-centre, with rides and restaurants as well as a theatre, and is especially enchanting in the winter months.
The only crime going on here is the price being charged for items in the gift shop – I once went to Tivoli during the day and began to feel chilly as the night drew in, leaving me with no option but to buy a terribly over-priced sweatshirt from the Tivoli shop. Make sure you come prepared!
Meet The Dealers
In stark contrast to the fairy lights and candy floss of Tivoli, the free state of Christiania is an alternative community occupying 80 acres of the city which has been a law unto itself within the Danish capital for 30 years. With its own main street – aptly named Pusher street – a beautiful lake, homes, schools and a distinctly hippy vibe, it creates more social questions than it answers but shows you Copenhagen from a different perspective.
Use Your Needles
If you don’t have the time or budget to make it over to Copenhagen this winter, why not try your hand at re-creating some classic Sarah Lund’s knitware instead, with the help of Google translate – or check out last November’s Radio Times with the full pattern for that jumper in English which they kindly published online!
Skal! (That’s Cheers in Danish!)
Getting There
British Airways, SAS, Easyjet, and Norwegian all fly direct from the UK to Copenhagen.
Staying There:
Copenhagen hotels are renowned not only for their fantastic Scandinavian design, but also for their small rooms and high prices.
Those looking for a hip hotel at a reasonable rate can choose between these two modern, design-led options, each just a few minutes from the key locations.
The typically Scandic-cool yet homely Avenue Hotel is in a great location close to the action and has a cosy bar and a trendy vibe.
Alternatively, the stylish but spacious Adina Apartmenthotel has a pool and does a great breakfast – it’s a little further from town close to the water.
Tags: Copenhagen, Denmark, The Killing
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