Secret gardens and canal-side dinners: Actor Claes Bang's guide to Copenhagen

Where is your favourite destination and why?

Copenhagen. I was born in Odense, about two hours away, then I moved all over Denmark. I moved to Copenhagen when I got into drama school at 25 and it’s been home since. But over the past 10 years I’ve developed a touristy relationship with the city, because I’m never there. I’m always travelling, working somewhere else for three-quarters of every year. When I come back and walk round there now, I take it in like you do somewhere that’s not home. It’s a lovely, lovely place. It has the feel of the old capitals of Europe.

Do you have a favourite season for a visit?

At this exact time of year, I would not advise people to travel to Copenhagen, because it’s grim and bleak and cold and rainy. If you’re lucky, it might be snowy. I’d definitely say go in spring or early autumn, that’s when it is at its most beautiful.

When were you last there?

I just came back from New Zealand and went to Copenhagen before I came to London for the premiere of my new film, William Tell. I was trying to outrun that grim, bleak time of year. I came back very early in the morning and it was a beautiful winter’s day. Very crisp, icy cold, and there was snow so it was very pretty.

Where do you like to stay there?

I live with my wife in the flat where she grew up. She took it over when her father died. It’s tiny, but it’s the best flat in Copenhagen. It sits on the fifth floor and we’re just across the street from a park, so we’ve got no one looking in and we have a lovely view. They’ll have to drag me out of there.

What are your top restaurants?

These are not upscale ones. One would be Bar La Una. One would be Locale 21. And one would be Christianshavns Bådudlejning. It’s a tiny restaurant sitting in the canal. You can rent a boat there and go for a little trip down the canals. Then you can come back and have your lunch or dinner in that place. It’s only open during summer, of course, but it’s not been a proper summer if I have not gone there. There are a lot of canals in Copenhagen, and about 20 years ago they decided to clean the harbour so you can swim in it. You can step out of your apartment and just go swimming there. It’s one of the things that I’m very proud about where I come from. It feels like such a cool thing to do.

Is there a favourite meal that you associate with home?

Anything my wife cooks.

If someone had 24 hours in Copenhagen, what should they do?

This is not something I have actually ever done, but this is what I would do on my dream day. I’d get myself a lovely coffee, and I’d go and sit in the garden between the Parliament and the Royal Library. It’s in the middle of the city, but people don’t go there much. It’s a marvellous garden and you almost always have it to yourself. You’ve got your little ducks swimming in the pond and a statue of the philosopher Kierkegaard. Then I’d go to the Thorvaldsen Museum, dedicated to the 19th-century sculptor and artist Bertel Thorvaldsen. All of his sculptures are there, each in a different room, and every room is a different colour.

Then I would get on the train and I would go 45 minutes north to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. It’s the most amazing museum in the world. It’s on the coast and its permanent collection is just amazing. I’d start by going to the cafeteria, sit on the terrace overlooking the ocean and have a little lunch and then I’d do the museum. Afterwards I’d get on the train and go back to Copenhagen for dinner. Since Noma, it has become such a restaurant city. I’ve not been to this place, but everybody’s saying that this is the one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen. It’s called Koan, and it’s Korean. That would be my day, and now I’ve said it, I’m going do it when I come home.

What is the one unmissable thing you recommend doing?

The Tivoli Gardens. It’s a lovely park with all these rides, but it’s also got restaurants and it’s quite beautiful there. And you should go have a swim in the harbour. Don’t miss that.

Is there a hidden gem you are willing to share?

That library garden. It’s quite puzzling that it’s not always full of people so that would probably be my little secret something.

What do you do to let your hair down?

Oh my God, is that partying? I don’t ever do that anymore. I’m, like, almost 60. I don’t have a good answer for that, I’m sorry.

Is there someone you call to have a good time?

I’d call my best friend Jakob and we’d go out to lunch or to dinner. Just have some beers and catch up because that’s always the best time.

Do you have favourite shops?

There are two local brands, one is called Hansen Garments. That is a shop that I really like. The other one is called Nuru.

What souvenir should people bring home from Copenhagen?

Probably a model of the statue of The Little Mermaid. Although I think it’s always such a disappointment. I think people are expecting the Statue of Liberty and it’s smaller than a normal person. You have to have someone point it out, because otherwise you won’t see it.

Is there a packing essential?

Pack a raincoat, and a swimsuit so you can go swim in the harbour.

Is there a song that reminds you of the place?

Copenhagen Dreaming by a Danish band called Love Shop. It’s a really, really good song and it’s so Copenhagen. When it came out, I was like, whoa, someone has managed to write a song that encapsulates everything this city is.

Do you have a top wellness tip?

I live three minutes from the Aire Ancient Baths, in what used to be the Carlsberg brewery. The spa is built on the principle of the Roman baths. They’ve got a really warm one, a really cold one and one that’s super salty, where you can just float. We go there a lot, far more than is probably healthy.

Is there a dress code for the city?

It’s probably a quite fashionable city, but the dress code would be a raincoat. It’s as, if not more, rainy than London.

Where would you most like to live there?

In the middle of the city there’s a tower called the Rundetaarn, which used to be an observatory for scientists to look at the stars. I think it would be impossible to put a flat there, but that would be an amazing spot because the view is just incredible. You can even take your bicycle all the way to the top. Everybody cycles everywhere in Copenhagen, you’re always in a swarm of bikes. You have to have at least two bikes, a trashy one for winter that gets dirty and a fancy one for summer.

As told to India Block