Have you explored the longest pedestrian street in the world while on a shopping spree? If you haven’t, then you must do it now. Book your flights to Copenhagen to explore the world’s longest pedestrian street “Strøget”. It is also among the longest pedestrian streets in Europe.
The Danish word “Stroget” or “Strøget” means “The Straight”. In English "Strøget" is pronounced as “Stroyet”. Considered to be Copenhagen’s aorta, the Strøget has over the past several decades remained as Denmark’s No. 1 shopping area.
Brief History
The Strøget came into being in 1962 after Copenhagen’s City Council took a decision to create a car free pedestrian zone starting from the Town Hall Square in the western part to Kongens Nytorv or The Kings New Square in the city’s eastern part. This 3.2 km long area was called “Strøget”. The decision to create this area was prompted by increase in traffic in the early 1960s, particularly in the old narrow streets of the city’s inner part. Initially, the “Pedestrian Street” experiment was carried on for a period of 2 years starting from November 17, 1962. After the successful trial, the City Council transformed it into a permanent pedestrian street from the month of February 1964. This world’s oldest and longest pedestrian street system presently comprises of a maze of small streets as well as many historical squares. This is the first and only of its kind pedestrian streets in the world.
Strøget in Present Times
Since its opening the Strøget has transformed vastly and grown 10-fold now. The long stretch of this premier shopping zone covers streets such as Østergade, Vimmelskaftet, Nygade and Frederiksberggade. Numerous budget-friendly chains as well as some of the most expensive brands in the world are to be found here. Being a car free zone, the Strøget has become a huge attraction for the local Danes and millions of tourists from different parts of the world. Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that nearly 250,000 visitors do their shopping here every day. With plenty of expensive shops, it has become a major attraction for cruise ships and its rich passengers.
Whether you are visiting for the first time or a frequent visitor, there are plenty of things to do, see and shop in Strøget during day and night. A large number of tourists are attracted to this area with its many museums, theatres, department stores, gift stores, art galleries, specialty shops, fast food joints, outdoor sidewalk cafes, restaurants, and street entertainment.
Exploring Strøget’s Famous Streets
Let us take a virtual tour of the famous streets in Strøget. These include Østergade, Amagertorv, Vimmelskaftet, Nygade, Gammel Torv / Ny Torv, and Frederiksberggade. Here is a detailed account of these streets, which are a must visit whenever you are in Copenhagen.
Frederiksberggade is the first part of Strøget. There are numerous souvenir shops as well as fast food outlets to be found here. Most of the low priced shops in this area are located towards the end of "Rådhuspladsen".
Gammel Torv/Nytorv is a huge open square where you will find an old traditional kiosque, which was found in Copenhagen in yesteryears. A good 7-Eleven store is also found on the corner of this street. This square looks picturesque with mesmerizing fountains.
Nvgade is quite a small part of Strøget comprising mostly of candy stores, souvenir shops and poster shops. Here you will also find some good men’s clothes stores as well. From Nvgade, you can directly enter into the Vimmelskaftet at the small square.
Vimmelskaftet is considered to be a cozy part of Strøget. It leads towards Amagertorv curving right down. A small, old, vibrant shopping arcade Jorck's Passage is situated here, which shouldn’t be missed out. This place is great spot for capella singing with its perfect acoustics.
Amagertorv is a beautiful large square considered by Copenhageners as their favorite shopping as well as socializing area. People mostly visit this area for some quality shopping options. Some of the famous high-end stores such as the design shop Nørgaard Paa Strøget, Illum's Bolighus, the Bang & Olufsen, and The Royal Copenhagen porcelain shop are located here. Many cafes are also found here. The famous cafes worth visiting include Cafe Norden and Cafe Europe. Visiting these cafes during summer time is simply great. The "Storkespringvandet" or “The Stork Fountain”, which was inaugurated in 1894, is another famous attraction to visit. It is a popular hangout for many Copenhageners.
Østergade is at the end of Strøget and its most fashionable part. This area has some of the popular and most expensive stores in the city. Leading stores present here include Illum's Bolighus and Georg Jensen. Østergade leads to yet another highly fashionable area Kongens Nytorv signaling the end of your shopping tour to Strøget. The Kongens Nytorv, also called “King’s New Square”, is big central square, where you will find five-star Hotel D'Angleterre and The Royal Danish Theatre.
Famous Shops to Visit
Some of the famous shops worth visiting in Strøget include Mads Nørgaard Copenhagen, Georg Jensen Silver, Stilleben, Illum Bolighus, Royal Copenhagen, Chapeaux Petitgas, Le Klint, Sand and Day Birger et Mikkelsen.
Danish designer Mads Nørgaard opened his famous shop Mads Nørgaard Copenhagen to showcase his clothing line that promised to make men rougher and women sexier. Here you can find edgy denim, basic T-shirts and cool dresses. The clothes here are affordably priced. Other brands such as Stine Goya, Paul Smith, Ann Demeulemeester, and Vilsbøl de Arche are also sold here. Mads Nørgaard's label is also sold in Japan and European countries.
Those passionate about jewelry may want to visit the famous Georg Jensen Silver shop in Strøget. Danish designer Georg Jensen has created a fantastic collection of jewelry and flatware. The main shop is located in Amagertorv. Here you can buy beautiful rings, pendants, necklaces, earrings and brooches.
Stilleben is a small designer shop owned by renowned Danish designers Jelena Schou Nordentoft and Ditte Reckweg. It is famous for selling Kähler ceramics, including bowls and vases. You can buy beautiful vases, which are quite popular and available in many colors and sizes. These are affordably priced.
Illum Bolighus is the best place to visit if you are planning to buy Danish-designed, premium quality gifts, ceramics, decorations, silverware, glass and furniture. The high-end store is located nearby Royal Copenhagen Porcelain and Georg Jensen.
Royal Copenhagen Porcelain is famous for its dinnerware. The most popular item that every visitor doesn’t forget to buy is the Blue Fluted Mega dinnerware. It’s a rage with the tourists. Royal Copenhagen is famous for creating exquisite designs that has gone down from royalty to royalty. The creations here are in tune with modern times while keeping the Dutch history and tradition alive.
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