As we start a new year, many people are looking for ways to exercise more. There was a post recently in one of the expat forums here about finding exercise classes in English. It is possible to join the main gyms here (Fitness DK and Fitness World) and ask if there is the possibility that the instructor can speak in English. They are not obliged to but I have heard in many cases they are happy to. It is probably best to check first before taking out a monthly membership. Yoga is an area where there are a number of studios offering classes in English and I have gathered some here. Do add in the comments any I may have missed and I will add them here.

Yoga Centralen in Frederiksberg is a super cosy yoga studio which also offers vegan meals.They have a number of classes in English including antenatal yoga and mother and baby sessions. Website

Yogamudra has two studios – one in Christianshavn and one in Østerbro. They offer a wide variety of classes in English Your membership is valid in both locations. Website

Yoga Factory in Hellerup offers some alternative yoga classes such as aerial yoga and most classes are taught in English. Website

Hot Yoga CPH offers hot yoga in various types. They are centrally located and claim to have the most relaxing yoga hall in town. Website

Astanga Yoga Studio in Østerbro offers a variety of classes but also an unique open studio concept. Website

There are many, many yoga studios in the city. If this interests you, why not simply pop in to your local one and ask about lessons in English or at least partly taught in English is there is demand.

Other exercise classes, as mentioned above, it is worth asking about English classes. You may find if they are a niche type of class, the instructors will be less willing as there is less demand. However the more inquiries they get the more they are likely to consider it. Maybe you have a group of other friends interested, if you mention this they again may see the benefit of offering it. Of course Danish is the language here so there is no obligation for them to accommodate you but asking nicely and showing what is in it for them may tip the balance.

Charlottehaven close to Nordhavn is know as a good place to get instructors willing to teach in English as the residents in the complex are often international. Website Also Powerhouse CPH offers a variety of less common classes including TRX. They have extensive information on their website in English. Website

Increasingly I am finding that I am working out and about in coffee shops and whilst this is cosy and adds variation to my day, it has its downsides. The biggest one in the cost of having a coffee and the feeling that I can only sit there for a finite amount of time. Having said that I have never been asked to move but perhaps I am a considerate table hogger. If you are looking for cafes that are great for freelancers this post will help.

Co-working spaces offer more than just an office outside the home but the chance to connect with other lone workers and entrepreneurs, something that people who work alone miss. As well as meeting spaces and events.

I thought today I would share five of the co working spaces in the city at caught my eye.

Republikken, Vesterbrogade 26, CPH V 1620

This place is the one that is the best fit for me as I can pay 376dkk (plus MOMS) a month to use their members’ space in the cafe area, there are great free benefits such as tea and coffee and printing. You also get access, at a reduced cost, to meeting spaces as well as networking opportunities. There are other memberships that offer flexible or fixed spaces with more benefits and start from 1875dkk a month. The location is very central and easy to get to. This one gets a definite thumbs up from me. Check out their website for all the details, prices and benefits.

Greencubator, Nørrebrogade 20, 1 Sal, 2200 CPH N

If you are looking for a space in Nørrebro then the Rreencubator is worth looking at. They don’t offer a casual membership like Republikken but flex and fixed rates which they define as part or full time. Part time is two days a week and full time you get your own desk and storage space. Prices start at 1200dkk for the flex space. Besides a desk you become part of a sustainable community with social activities, community lunches, lectures and workshops. Additionally, they offer meeting rooms with technical equipment, printer/scan / copy facilities, and the opportunity to rent Greencubator for your own event. Check out their website for all the details, prices and benefits.

The Rabbit Hole, Frederiksberg Allé 25, 1820 Frederiksberg C

Heading over to Frederiksberg is The Rabbit Hole, a small co working space. They have a flex three day a week membership for 1000dkk per month as well as full time and fixed memberships depending on the stage of your business. Check out their website for all the details, prices and benefits.

Rainmaking Loft, Danneskiold-Samsøes Allé 4, 1434 CPH KThis place is aimed at tech start ups and they have a very open door policy so you can check them out first. Of course, like all the others they offer flex and fixed packages but also a day pass for 150dkk and non residents can pop into the coffee shop. Check out their website for all the details, prices and benefits.

Dare2Mansions, Vermundsgade 13-15, 2100 CPH Ø

This dynamic space over on the edge of Nordvest is aimed at entrepreneurs who want to make a difference and it is a very creative and bohemian environment. In their event space they run Lego Serious Play Workshops – what’s not to love? There are flex spaces for solo entrepreneurs and fixed spaces for teams. They run tons of events and there are great networking opportunities. Check out their website for all the details, prices and benefits.

The library system here impressed me right from day one but it has vastly improved its offering over the last eight years. I thought today I would do a low down on how the system works and also the benefits.

Libraries are free to use once you have registered your CPR card and chose a pin number. You can then access all the books on the library system and order them to be delivered for collection at your local library. There is a relatively good selection of English books citywide. You can read newspapers and magazine in the library and back issues are available to borrow. There is also free internet access in libraries. I recall a story about a homeless man in Århus who wrote a whole book in his local library that was later published and helped him get off the streets.

In most libraries there is a children’s play area which varies in size but the one in Ørestad and the main library in the city centre are particularly good.

A relatively new innovation that many libraries now offer is out of hour access using your CPR card and your registered library pincode.

There are also other services offered through the libraries here.

Many have a Borgerservice desk in them – this is where an advisor from the Kommune will be located and offers various Kommune services. They can also offer advice on NemID and Digital Post. A good starting point for questions about municipal things.

There is also Lektie Cafe which is a time when volunteer organisations such as the Red Cross, youth organisations and Dansk Flygtninge Hjælp (Danish Refugee Help) are available to give advice.

There are also sessions to help with job searching and CV writing.

On the fun side of life, Copenhagen Libraries organise tons of events and workshops for both kids and adults. Most of these will be in Danish but there is the Culture Network that offers things for non Danish speakers. There are specific clubs run through the libraries for a multitude of interests again both for adults and children including International Snakkeklub for both Danes and non Danes. Finally if you have a baby and are at home there is the Barselcafe where they run first aid courses, baby music and health visitors come to some libraries at a set time to give advice.

You can find your local library here and for more information.

Having suffered from severe food poisoning nine years ago in the UK thanks to a pub storing raw chicken with salads, I am always extremely vigilant when it comes to food hygiene standards so the Danish government’s Smiley system is very important to me. It helps me feel confident that the food I consume is kept and prepared well. It also means that I, and other consumers, can make educated choices about the places we use and not be dependent on hearsay of places that are ‘dodgy’ or not.  If I am honest I only ever eat in places with an Elite, even Bispebjerg Hospital has this level!

So how does the system work? Smiley reports were introduced in 2001 in Denmark and in 2008 the Elite Smiley came into being. Food inspectors check, unannounced, all food premises up to three times a year. The frequency is decided by the type of place it is. The report then must be shown prominently in the premises and on their website. Whilst the notes are in Danish the Smiley is pictorial so anyone can understand the system and the rating the establishment has.

Here are the Smileys and what they mean.

 had no remarks

 has emphasised that certain rules must be obeyed,
 issued an injunction order or a prohibition,
 issued an administrative fine, reported the enterprise to the police or withdrew an approval.

Enterprises with hazardous health conditions are closed down until problems are fixed.
 Elite-smiley
The elite-smiley is awarded to enterprises with the best inspection history.

The introduction of the Smiley system has raised standards in food hygiene in Denmark and offers a very transparent system for consumers. in 2010 87% of premises had the happy Smiley, 59% the Elite and only 1.6% the bottom, sour Smiley.

Smileys are displayed in all supermarkets, bakeries, food sellers such as butchers and greengrocers etc, restaurants, takeaways, work, school and hospital canteens and hot dog stands.

To check an establishment’s Smiley you can search here

I love swimming and as a late starter (I learned to swim when I was thirty), it is my favourite form of exercise but swimming in a Danish swimming pool can throw up some daunting cultural differences if you come from more modest countries such as the UK or the US.

I recently started swimming at Øbro-Hallen in Østerbro. This is a beautiful art deco swimming pool and I am really enjoying it. I am used to how swimming pool changing rooms work so I wasn’t flustered by the sixty year old, completely naked lady who struck up a conversation with me in the shower whilst I was also starkers.

Generally there are only a few private changing cubicles in the changing rooms (and this varies from swimming baths, as Øbro Hallen is pretty well served on this front) but in general swimmers are happy to get changed in the open areas with benches by the lockers and will walk around naked very happily (don’t panic the changing areas are single sex).

One thing I notice is how clean the changing rooms are especially compared to ones I remember in the UK and Berlin. You don’t find strange things stuck to your feet! One of the reasons for this is the strict hygiene rules in the pools here and the life guards are not slow in telling you if you have obviously not followed them, the common misdemeanour is obviously dry hair. Although the rules are prominently displayed, they are often in Danish so I thought I’d do a quick rundown of the hygiene rules here.

• Persons suffering from infectious diseases, diarrhoea, colds, sore throats, ear infections, skin inflammation or other infectious diseases, especially skin fungus and foot warts, may not use the swimming facility.
• Pools and sauna may only be used after thorough washing with soap. All shampooing must be without swimwear. After shampooing rinse thoroughly. The rule also applies to hair – alternatively you must use a bathing cap.
• After using the toilet made further thorough washing with soap and rinsing.
• Bathers must wear a complete and clean swimsuits. Underwear must not be worn under swimwear.

Some other tips

In many of Copenhagen’s public swimming baths there is a sauna that is available to all users, at no extra charge, and many have spa and sauna facilities that you pay extra for.

There are many ways to save money on your swim. There is the opportunity for clippers where you pay for a number of swims up front and save on each swim, a monthly pass or swimming during the green Time (grøn tid) usually up to 3pm, where the swim could be half price. It is worth working out how frequently you plan to swim to see which is the best deal for you. There is also baby swimming offered in most pools and it is well worth signing up for this even if your Danish isn’t great.

For details of all public swimming pools, their facilities and prices click here and for the privately owned DGI Byen here