A beautiful city in a friendly country, and bargains, bargains, bargains . . .

ISRAELS PLADS
Saturday 08.00-14.00 (May - September) in a square just 10 minutes walk from the main station, the Tivoli Gardens and the main shopping area, this has something for everyone. Around 50 stalls selling good quality stuff - all antique and collectable, no car boot sale here! Just across the road in an adjecent square is a fruit and veg market selling more general produce so you could meet most of your shopping needs here.

All the stallholders spoke excellent English, except the one who drew the prices on the table with her finger - we still maneged to haggle and bought a lovely set of antique kitchen scales from her. A stall with old 78s and gramaphones had some great early Jazz music playing, and the atmosphere is friendly and unhurried. Not too busy, plenty of space to wander at your own pace. Unmissable.

GAMMEL STRAND
Saturday 10.00-14.00 (summer months only?) Beside the canal, on the old fish dock, around a dozen stalls sell some quite good quality collectibles. A few bargains to be had here as well, but on a much smaller scale - surprising because the guide books gave the impression this was the bigger and busier fleamarket. Great location though - canal and harbour barge tours start 10 yards away, and the buildings facing the market space include about a dozen cafes and fish restaurants.

KONGENS NYTORV
Saturday 10.00-16.00 (Summer months only?) Another dozen of so tables set out to sell craft goods as well as antiques and collectibles. Worth a look as it's only another 10 minute walk from Gammel Strand.

THE BLUE WAREHOUSE
One 5,000 sq m building, 200 stalls - full of antiques, furniture, collectables and bricabrac. Open Saturday and Sunday 10.00-17.00, but perhaps a half-hour walk. A short bus or taxi ride though.

KOMPAGNISTRAEDE / LAEDERSTRAEDE
Shopping hours, year-round. Running parallel to the main pedestrian street - STROGET - these streets lead in to each other, and are home to around a dozen antique shops, several bookdealers and a few clothing and craft shops. And cafes of course. Beautiful old buildings, and a perfect leisurely stroll. Most of the antique shops seem to be in the lower ground floor or basement of the buildings, adding to the charm and suggestion of lurking bargains.

FURTHER INFORMATION We flew Scandinavian Airways (booked via British Midland) and stayed at Hotel Mercur (booked easily at a good discount through http://www.hotel-booker.com/) - very comfortable, huge rooms, great breakfasts - and Copenhagen's only outdoor tennis court (on the roof of the second floor!). The train to Sweden (Malmo) costs just £6.00 ($10.00) each way and takes a half-hour, leaving every twenty minutes. A cheap and easy way to add another country to your list!! Malmo itself seemed quiet (it was Sunday) but had lovely old buildings and squares, a design museum and nice parkland, as well as the usual shops and cafes to pass the time. Well worth half a day. Back in Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens have a free fireworks display at 11.45pm each Saturday, just before the Gardens close, which followed the nightly 11.30pm music, laser lights and musical fountains display. £5 ($8) to get in to the gardens which contain 30 restaurants, funfairs, perfomance spaces, two lakes and thousands of lights strung all through the trees and bushes as well as over every building. Fabulous way to spend several hours... Tycho Brahe planetarium and Carlsberg brewery also a must-see. Not enough time to fit in everything. A lot more to see and do - museums, more shopping, day out to Elsinor and much more, so we'll be going back next year...

Visit the Danish Tourist Board's excellent Web site for everything you need to know about visiting Copenhagen, and of course the rest of this lovely country. http://www.visitdenmark.com