r . TRAV E L
tasting plates and enormous. freshly ground beef burgers. at affordable prices. Wash this feast down with the champagne drink of the day at 45()I)KR (about £4).
The Vesterbro was also home to our accommodation. Copenhagen's newest boutique hotel. Betrams Hotel Guldsmeden. which boasts 47 double rooms. filled with four-poster bed and complete with flatscreen TV. mini-bar and bathrobes. The Bertrams‘ great selling point. however. is its cuisine. all of which is organic and locally sourced.
Those seeking to venture further from the beaten track will find numerous attractions within an easily commutable distance from the city centre. Both l-lelsingor. site of Hamlet's castle. with its views across to Sweden. and the ancient city of Roskilde. home to the Viking Ship Museum. are about 25 minutes away by train. Meanwhile. the famous autonomous hippy community still welcomes visitors to its headquarters in the old area of Clu‘istiansbavn. though the current centre-right government are thought to be considering closing down the 35-year-old institution.
The only drawback for travellers visiting Copenhagen is that. as yet. there are no return flights under £200 from Scotland. But it is worth splashing the extra cash for such a rewarding. relaxing break within one of Europe‘s most sparkling destinations.
FACTFILE
Getting there KLM offer direct return flights from Edinburgh-Copenhagen for ar0und $3200. Scandinavian Airlines (vmwflysascom) run flights from Heathrow from 5.799 return Accommodation Bertrams Hotel Guldsmeden twww.hotelguldsniedendkl. +45 33 2:") 0/1 ()5. A doubie room is £135) per night: there are several conference rooms and a cafe exclusively for use of the hotel guests. The hotel also houses a shop where yoo can buy organic delicacies.
What to do information on SIQlliSGGlflg and activities ill Copenhagen is available from ‘WN/.Vl8|l(lefllllEtkaOlll or wvmmsitcopeiihagen.coin. It‘s worth buying a Copenhagen Card as this allows free admisssion to more than 60 museums and attractions as well as free transpon on buses. trains. Metro and waterbuses. www.copenhagencard.coni_
116 THE LIST 1/; Det: 900C) 4 Jam 2007
The heart of a German Christmas
Nuremberg has seasonal Cheer aplenty — so why do we only think of rallies and trials? Robin Lee visits, and wanders eastwards into the forested Czech border region.
is a delight to discover that the
German Christmas markets in
Edinburgh and Glasgow are accurate representations of their native counterparts. Perhaps it's because of the high value still placed on traditional culture and food manufacture in the country — a value that seems almost old- fashioned to our eyes. accustomed to the worship of branding. irrespective of quality. Germans wouldn‘t let themselves be represented by such false idols abroad.
Nuremberg is home to the most famous of these markets. Established in the loth century. the event now inhabits the Hauptmarkt square. with over mo stalls selling children's toys. wooden figures. jewellery. candles. Nativity scenes. lebkuchen gingerbread. chocolate—
coated fruit. bratwurst. and of
course. gliihwein.
I first visited Nuremberg during the football World Cup. Germany became a month-long party. and
GERMANS WOULDN'T LET THEMSELVES BE REPRESENTED BY SUCH FALSE IDOLS ABROAD
the black. red and yellow flag appeared everywhere -— as a symbol of national pride and openness. its new purpose swamping any neo-Na/i associations.
That Germany has an uneasy relationship with its past is undisputable. Nuremberg. in particular. is associated with the National Socialist regime. Hitler decided that here he would hold
great rallies. Ironically. the site of
the rallies is where local fans massed to watch Germany‘s heartbreaking defeat to Italy in the semi-final of the World Cup. on the big screen erected for the tournament.
Yet there is great history to
Nuremberg. Renaissance luminary
Nuremberg’s Christmas market is one facet of a town lull of culture with a complex history
Albrecht l)tirer (14714528). was born and died here. A painter and imithematician. be expanded the
remit of art and design in Germany beyond the traditional realm of craft. Diirer‘s house has been preserved as a museum. Bavaria was controlled by the CS after the war. and prospers with industry built since then. While towns crowd tip to the Czech border on the German side. settlements are sparse on the Czech side. The Iron Curtain did damage. turning Nuremberg into a cultural backwater of western liurope — but with the accession of the Czech Republic to the liuropean l'nion. the city will once again be at the heart of the continent. as well as Christmas.
FACTFILE
Getting there There are no (l "ec'. flights between Littnbii'gi‘ Glasgex': t1"(l Nuremberg. but KLM f'y fro!“ be?“ " Amsterdam l‘.'.".‘.’\'.'_klf‘tCtYlt. fi'o"‘ return). and Air Berhn f'om Glasgop'.‘ \. a London h.vv*.'\.'-.r.a:rlierliri.<:o"i. hot“ 96.1 return. Ol‘. .1 Apr. easyJet (It)""‘l(?"(2£753 a direct service from E ti rilmrg" to Munich t\.~./\.'.'i.'~.ceasyietcom. "()Y‘.‘ E‘-1-1 return). Munich is Qliis fi'oi“ Nt.‘"(>rt‘.i)(:-'g by car. or as littie as 1hr QC'mri ()l‘ Deutsche Bahn's ICE: exoress tra '1. Where to stay Next to a serer‘e sguare in the pretty heart of l\.'ureniberg's Aitstatlt is the stylish Merian Hotel (www.merian hoteltle. doubles il'()"l 5‘60 tier i‘iti'it'.
was).