Østerbro is located just north of the Copen- hagen city centre in green surroundings.

Back in the 1800s, the area was a no- build zone dominated by grazing cows and grassy meadows, making it a favourite ex- cursion spot for Copenhageners wishing to escape the noise of the city.

Today, when Danes seek to Østerbro for some fresh air, they go for a stroll or run along Sortedams Lake – one of three rec- tangular lakes – which also forms the city’s oldest and most distinctive typographic fea- ture.

Østerbro offers many recreational ar- eas, including Copenhagen's largest park: Fælledparken. It is used all year for sports, fun, sunbathing, strolls, gatherings, parties, outdoor theatre and concerts.

Hans Christian Andersen’s statue of the Little Mermaid sits at Langelinie, a stretch along the waterfront on the border of Øster- bro and inner city. If you plan to pay her a visit, make sure you also go for a stroll around Kastellet, which is one of the best- preserved fortifications in Northern Europe.

Østerbro is one of Copenhagen's most attractive and expensive living areas, which also reflects the range of exclusive designer boutiques, cafés and fine restaurants. With its quiet cobblestone, tree-lined streets, ex- cellent shopping possibilities and cafe life, it makes for a good day trip.

However, Østerbro has not always been the nice and fancy place it is today. When Copenhagen was finally allowed to outgrow the ramparts following a cholera epidemic, Østerbro wasn't build up as quickly as its neighbours, Nørrebro and Vesterbro.

It was mainly the bourgeoisie, who moved to Østerbro, settling in pompous vil- las surrounded by green gardens, which has stuck to the district. Many of the mansions still stand, but a lot of them are occupied by foreign embassies.

Visit the small villages of cute, old town- houses, namely the Potato Rows (Kartoffel- rækkerne) or Brumleby, which were built in the late 1800s to provide workers with bet- ter housing outside the city walls.