Relocati on Guide - Autumn 2011 CHrIsTIANsHAvN With its picturesque canals and prett y painted houses, Christi an- shavn was created in the dutch style in the 1600s. These days, CHOOSING this upmarket neighbourhood is one of Copenhagen’s most desir- able districts, connected to the centre by Metro and known for its WHERE TO LIVE trendy cafes and upscale restaurants. Type: Glamorous metropolis Copenhagen and its suburbs has a vari- Top cultural pick: Dragør Harbour Ideally suited for: Young people without children ety of neighbourhoods and outlying towns, (leisure and fi shing) postal district: 1400-1441 København K distance from the city centre: less than Housing: Apartments each with their own distinctive characteristics. 30 minutes rent prices: 10,000-35,000kr Choosing which one is right for you and your similar areas nearby: Tårnby, Islands Brygge Top cultural picks: Freetown of Christi ania family depends on your own needs and wish- dining: Noma (top rated restaurant), Era Ora (gourmet Italian) FrEdErIKsBErg shopping: Amager Centre es – as well as on how much you’re prepared Actually its own municipality although it seems more like a dis- distance from the City Centre: 5-15 minutes to spend trict of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg is a modern metropolis with similar Areas Nearby: Islands Brygge, Sundby numerous parks, leisure and cultural faciliti es, cafés and shopping areas connected to central Copenhagen by the Metro ØrEsTAd Ørestad is Copenhagen’s newest neighbourhood, an exciti ng area Hellerup Type: Middle-class metropolis on the island of Amager connected to the city centre by Metro Ideally suited for: Everyone, in parti cular creati ve types, and close to both the Airport and the Øresund Bridge. The univer- students and families sity campus has brought young people to the area in droves, while postal districts: 1800-1998 (Frederiksberg C), 2000 (Frederiksberg) exciti ng architectural projects off er att racti ve, aff ordable housing Housing: A full range of apartments, terraced houses, to families. Østerbro villa-apartments and detached houses rent prices: 4,000-32,000kr Type: Modern student campus universiti es: Copenhagen Business School, University of Ideally suited for: Families with children, young couples, students Central Copenhagen Faculty of Life Sciences postal district: 2300 København S Frederiksberg Copenhagen Internati onal schools: No internati onal schools, but Johannessko- Housing: Apartments Christianshavn len is one of the best private schools in Denmark rent prices: 7,000-15,000kr Top cultural picks: Copenhagen Zoo, Forum (exhibiti on and Top cultural picks: The Concert House (Koncerthuset) in DR-Byen concert centre) shopping: Field’s shopping: Gammel Kongevej, Godthåbsvej, Falkoner Alle and distance from the City Centre: 10-20 minutes Ørestad Frederiksberg Centre similar Areas Nearby: Tårnby, Islands Brygge Where to fi nd Internati onal products: SuperBest distance from the City Centre: 10-15 minutes HELLErup similar Areas Nearby: Valby smart suburb Hellerup has a fl ourishing ex-pat community, thanks to the many embassies and internati onal schools in the area. Oth- ØsTErBrO er att racti ons include upscale shops, cafes and a nearby beach. One of the largest Copenhagen districts, residenti al Østerbro is Housing ranges from palati al early 20th century villas to new har- ringed to the west by sortedam Lake and has plenty of cafes, res- bour-front apartment developments. taurants, takeaways and shops. It off ers a variety of living opti ons, Dragør from city apartments in inner Østerbro to large houses in the em- Type: Wealthy suburbia bassy district. Ideally suited for: Families with school-age children postal district: 2900 Hellerup drAgØr Type: Urban Housing: Everything from modern apartments and self-contained dragør is a picturesque, quaint fi shing village on the island of Am- Ideally suited for: Couples and families fl ats to palati al villas ager near the airport, and out of the hustle and bustle of the city postal district: 2100 (København Ø) rent prices: 8,000-65,000kr centre. Housing: Apartments and houses of all sizes Internati onal schools: Copenhagen Internati onal School, rent prices: 7,000-45,000kr Bernadott eskolen, Rygaards Type: Middle-class village Top cultural picks: Parken stadium, the Lakes and Fælledparken Top cultural pick: The Experimentarium (science museum) Ideally suited for: Families with young children shopping: Østerbrogade, Øster Farimagsgade and Nordre shopping: Strandvejen, Water Front Shopping Centre postal district: 2791 Dragør Frihavnsgade Where to fi nd Internati onal products: SuperBest Housing: Terraced houses and detached villas distance from the City Centre: 5-15 minutes distance from the City Centre: 15-20 minutes rent prices: 7,000-16,000kr similar Areas Nearby: The Inner City, Hellerup, Nørrebro similar Areas Nearby: Gentoft e, Charlott enlund, Klampenborg family, we’ll find you a family.” newcomers should have a welcome committee June goes so far as to suggest companies create a database matching available workers with arriv- It’s not high taxes or bad weather that puts American companies in that regard,” says June ing employees to make this service as efficient as most foreigners off staying in Denmark; ac- Persson. “They appreciate the importance of mak- possible. And it’s successful – rather than isola- cording to statistics, 80 percent of long-term ing employees feel at home.” tion, families can enjoy an instant family network visitors leave because of loneliness Relocation Scandinavia helps people get settled that can last for years. into the country in the same way other reloca- “If mum’s not happy, nobody’s happy,” June re- une Persson, founder and owner of Relocation tion companies do, finding them housing, CPR- minds us. She also points out how vital it is for Scandinavia, is in no doubt as to what Danish numbers and other essentials. But they also offer newcomers to break out of the expat bubble. J companies need to do in order to retain new one other particularly special service – and that is “Expat communities are great, but they don’t employees they’ve coaxed from overseas: wel- finding them good friends. help integrate foreigners into the Danish commu- come them into their community. When Relocation Scandinavia is approached by nity,” she says. “Being part of a community and In 2006, June returned home to Denmark after a company to help relocate workers from their being invited your colleagues’ kids’ birthday par- seven years in the United States, where she had home country to Denmark, it isn’t just the arriv- ties and other social gatherings... It’s such an im- relocated with her husband, an employee in a ing worker and his or her family that are in focus. portant part of life here.” large biotech firm. Her time in the US taught her Danish employees are also involved in a process June sums it up: “Integrating newcomers is cru- many new things, but one experience proved to be that aims at helping new workers, and their fami- cial for companies if they want to hold onto their a key factor as she started up Relocation Scandi- lies, become a part of the Danish community as new workers.” navia the year following her return - the welcome quickly and successfully as possible. More information about Relocation Scandinavia that her family was given by her husband’s firm. “We aim to find you a good new Danish friend can be found at the company’s website: “Danish businesses really could learn a lot from in the company,” June explains. “And if you are a www.relocationscandinavia.com 8.