Anyone lived in Denmark?

Author
Discussion

Esceptico

Original Poster:

7,340 posts

108 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
Although I retired last year I didn’t completely exclude the possibility of working again, principally if it allowed us to live somewhere interesting. I may have an opportunity to work in Copenhagen. Anyone lived in Copenhagen or elsewhere in Denmark? What are the people, country and food like?


AndySheff

6,630 posts

206 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
I live in Sweden but have visited Denmark (Copenhagen) a few times with work and leisure.
People are friendly. Copenhagen has plenty to do and everywhere I've eaten food has been good - whether it be scandinavian or otherwise.
Cars are expensive there though !

dibblecorse

6,872 posts

191 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
My two best mates live there, been there loads, they are both brits and been there in excess of ten years, they both love it.

The city is great, its clean, vibrant, quite compact, not very car friendly and cars and alcohol are both expensive ..

The people are open and friendly, many speak English so settling in is easy, housing is weighted towards renting rather than ownership.

JWH

489 posts

263 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
In one word - lovely.

Jaska

723 posts

141 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
Went there on a long weekend pre covid in winter and it most definitely is also very cold which seems pretty obvious but to me it was basically as cold/windy as Reykjavik (and I've done them both in December!)

Restaurants are definitely on the expensive end though, and the quest for a cheap ish pint near the city centre took us to a basement bar that had a jukebox that only played Queen, and the locals all gave us a round of applause when we stepped in! Stayed all night biggrin

paulguitar

23,104 posts

112 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
I've worked there for a few months.


It's a lovely city, with good public transport, pretty much everyone speaks English very well. It is expensive and can get VERY cold.

Esceptico

Original Poster:

7,340 posts

108 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
Thanks. Sounds mainly encouraging.


croyde

22,704 posts

229 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
Worked in a small village on a dairy farm down near the German border back in the 80s.

People were friendly but being in the middle of nowhere, no one spoke English and booze and cigs were so expensive that you had to pop across said border for cheaper prices.

It was a rough yet enjoyable life but every 22 year old farmhand had a 12 year old girlfriend??

Still a mate moved there 15 years ago and loves it. He lives in one of the big towns.

Lots of tax but at least you know that you'll be looked after when you get old.

fourstardan

4,190 posts

143 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
CPH is a nice city but expensive.

The good thing about CPH is you can get over to Sweden easily for trips.

It will be grim in winter.

Traffic

319 posts

29 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
I live in Sweden but frequent CPH from time to time, formally from Sussexshire.

Pretty close to CPH - a great city and the people are all very nice, I'll never return to the UK to live, the standard of living is way below and is falling all the time and that is me speaking from someone who lived in a nice village on the south coast.

I'd jump at the chance if I were you, even if it were just a short term thing, broadening ones horizons and perspectives is probably one of the best things you can do for yourself.


Traffic

319 posts

29 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
AndySheff said:
I live in Sweden but have visited Denmark (Copenhagen) a few times with work and leisure.
People are friendly. Copenhagen has plenty to do and everywhere I've eaten food has been good - whether it be scandinavian or otherwise.
Cars are expensive there though !
Where are you Andy? I

Esceptico

Original Poster:

7,340 posts

108 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
Surprisingly my wife and daughter seem supportive of the idea. Probably just keen to see me back working as I’ve been using the excuse of “now I’m retired” to try to curb their spending habits!

Ironically even though the winters would be far colder than here in NZ I suspect the flats and houses are insulated and heated properly so will be warmer. At least I can’t ever recall feeling cold indoors when we lived in Switzerland.

Lots to think about but need to get a concrete offer first.

fourstardan

4,190 posts

143 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
Esceptico said:
Surprisingly my wife and daughter seem supportive of the idea. Probably just keen to see me back working as I’ve been using the excuse of “now I’m retired” to try to curb their spending habits!

Ironically even though the winters would be far colder than here in NZ I suspect the flats and houses are insulated and heated properly so will be warmer. At least I can’t ever recall feeling cold indoors when we lived in Switzerland.

Lots to think about but need to get a concrete offer first.
It's more the going out and daylight hours that winter brings that changes the place.

That said they will do a lot of indoor sports etc if you like that, it's why I've been (Tenpin Bowling competitions)

Traffic

319 posts

29 months

Friday 6th May 2022
quotequote all
Esceptico said:
Surprisingly my wife and daughter seem supportive of the idea. Probably just keen to see me back working as I’ve been using the excuse of “now I’m retired” to try to curb their spending habits!

Ironically even though the winters would be far colder than here in NZ I suspect the flats and houses are insulated and heated properly so will be warmer. At least I can’t ever recall feeling cold indoors when we lived in Switzerland.

Lots to think about but need to get a concrete offer first.
Down there, I doubt you will really find it too cold that often, I'm a bit further north and the coldest it's ever got in the last 10 years is -15c

Typically it's pretty mild and the weather is a bit like the UK and governed by the jet stream and Atlantic most of the time.

Scandi homes are built pretty well and have good insulation if they are 70's or newer

Sq1rL

392 posts

100 months

Saturday 14th May 2022
quotequote all
fourstardan said:
CPH is a nice city but expensive.

The good thing about CPH is you can get over to Sweden easily for trips.

It will be grim in winter.
You obviously know the square root of fk-all about Denmark so please keep your "advice" to yourself.

I moved here 30 years ago (almost to the day in fact).

Denmark isn't just Copenhagen so stand down.

Living here (particularly Copenhagen, Århus, Odense and Aalborg) is expensive, but wages are high and the working week short.

Why is it *the* good thing about CPH that you can easily get to Sweden? Sweden is a wonderful country, but that's irrelevant here.

It's not in the slightest grim in the winter. It snows some years, but when it does the trains and buses still run and almost every road is cleared within a few hours (all of this mandated by law).





fourstardan

4,190 posts

143 months

Saturday 14th May 2022
quotequote all
Sq1rL said:
You obviously know the square root of fk-all about Denmark so please keep your "advice" to yourself.

I moved here 30 years ago (almost to the day in fact).

Denmark isn't just Copenhagen so stand down.

Living here (particularly Copenhagen, Århus, Odense and Aalborg) is expensive, but wages are high and the working week short.

Why is it *the* good thing about CPH that you can easily get to Sweden? Sweden is a wonderful country, but that's irrelevant here.

It's not in the slightest grim in the winter. It snows some years, but when it does the trains and buses still run and almost every road is cleared within a few hours (all of this mandated by law).
Yes maybe I am wrong and Denmark is full of tossers like you then?


Ouroboros

2,371 posts

38 months

Saturday 14th May 2022
quotequote all
BBC 4 programme about Copenhagen now with fishman.

I read living Danish,was quite an interesting country.

My dad loved the country rip.

Edited by Ouroboros on Saturday 14th May 20:30

Huntsman

8,028 posts

249 months

Saturday 14th May 2022
quotequote all
I've been about 20 times to Denmark for work, but not Copenhagen.

Its clean, everything works, people are polite, food excellent.

I liked the climate, always seemed drier than uk, cold in winter, bit of snow flurries.

Go for it.

fourstardan

4,190 posts

143 months

Sunday 15th May 2022
quotequote all
Ouroboros said:
BBC 4 programme about Copenhagen now with fishman.

I read living Danish,was quite an interesting country.

My dad loved the country rip.

Edited by Ouroboros on Saturday 14th May 20:30
Yes I saw this one last night.

Another good one is the Beeb exclusive hotels show that do the Tivoli hotel.


sospan

2,469 posts

221 months

Sunday 15th May 2022
quotequote all
The basic considerations are financial, cultural and climate.
Scandinavia is expensive in many ways compared to the UK BUT wages are higher to match.
Climate...gets cold in winter but the countries and people are geared up for it.
People I have met there are friendly and have different attitudes and family life.
I like Scandinavia for visits and enjoy the winters there. Adapt to it and you are fine.
Denmark itself only visited on short trips so limited long term experience but it seems similar to other Scandinavian countries.
Copenhagen is a nice place. Been to Tivoli Gardens for the fun/rides etc but not the hotel. The hotel is massively upmarket ( as are some hotels in every city) so is not useful as a comparison for everyday life.


Edited by sospan on Sunday 15th May 11:27