Estelle Dippie, founder and brand director of Commonplace Essentials, shares her travel notes - starting with one of her most loved and most visited cities: Copenhagen.
There are cities you visit, and cities that you always come back to. Copenhagen is firmly the latter for me. I've been coming here for years - for work, for inspiration, for the simple pleasure of being somewhere that does everything just a little better. Every visit leaves me with a new list of places to return to and things I still haven't had time to do. It's a city that rewards curiosity, and one that has consistently shaped the way I think about design, dressing and living well.
Where to eat and drink
Apollo Bar is a non-negotiable. Beautiful food, a lovely courtyard, and the kind of atmosphere that makes a long afternoon lunch feel entirely justified. If you need something a little lighter, Bottega Barlie does wholesome lunches and a great green juices. For evenings, Pio Vin Bar is one of my favourites - incredible charcuterie, a considered focus on small European producers, and natural wines you can also buy to take home. And Pompette is a Copenhagen classic for good reason: grab a table outside with a glass of orange wine, but go early - it fills up fast.
Where to stay
Bella Grande and Coco Hotel are my usual go-tos. Hotel Sanders for when you want to make it a treat.
Where to shop
Copenhagen style is globally admired for good reason - there's a real intentionality to it. My edit of the best shops: Frama, Tekla, OpéraSPORT, Skall Studio, and for vintage, Jerome and Rosey (conveniently located right next door to each other).
The best neighbourhoods
Frederiksberg for a quieter, more local feel - the kind of neighbourhood that makes you feel like you actually live somewhere rather than just visiting. Frederiksstaden for architecture, galleries and shopping that genuinely stops you in your tracks. And if you find yourself drawn to Indre By, I would encourage you to venture a little further - Vesterbro and the Meatpacking District have some of the best shops and restaurants in the city, just a short bike ride or stroll away.
Things to see and do
Rent a canal boat and see the city from the water - especially in summer, it's a completely different perspective. The Designmuseum Danmark is essential viewing, with rotating exhibitions that always leave me thinking differently. SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst - houses the largest art collection in Denmark and is always worth an afternoon. And La Banchina: bike there, swim, sip, stay all day.
Lessons from Copenhagen
Quality over quantity - always. It's a philosophy that feels embedded in the city's whole approach to living, and one I carry back home with me every time.
More travel notes to come. In the meantime, you can shop the latest from Commonplace Essentials here.
