Designer Bonnie Hvillum on her favoruite places in Dragør and Tårnby

A few years ago, Bonnie Hvillum and her family moved to Tømmerup, a small town between Kastrup and Dragør, just east of the city. Here, there’s room for Hvillum to create and develop new projects through her Dezeen Award-winning design company, Natural Material Studio, which aims to transform the discourse of design leading to equal synergies between humans, nature and space. On the family’s farm, surrounded by a large plot of land, she found peace to cultivate her joy for nature and rediscovered her childhood love of riding. We spent a day with Hvillum exploring her favourite local gems, beginning in the historic old town of Dragør.

Dragør Old Town

“I can wander around among the small, charming yellow houses for ages. It is so idyllic with old water fountains in the small squares, open windows where laundry is hanging and lots of flowering bushes and trees. For me, it is the epitome of Danish cultural heritage. You really feel like you have gone back in time when you walk around the historic houses. It reminds me of my youth when I went to Skagen in North Jutland every summer to work – Dragør gives me the same feeling of summer.” 

Dragør Old Town, with its narrow streets and low houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, is one of the best-preserved towns in Denmark. Dragør was one of Denmark’s largest maritime towns. Today you can explore the area’s charming cafés, craft shops and life at the local harbour.

Amager Adult Riding Tour

"For most of my childhood I had my own horse, and as often as I could, I cycled down through the woods to the stud where my horse walked around. When we moved here, we were suddenly surrounded by stables, and when I found the Amager Adult Riding Tour I started riding again. It’s really liberating for me to ride out in the open. It gives me a special sense of calm. I relax and don’t think about my work at all. At Amager Adult Riding Tour, you can mostly call and book a trip on the same day, which is great, but their greatest quality is that you can ride in nature – through the forest or by the beach.” 

Amager Adult Riding Tour offers three different horse-riding tours, which give you the opportunity to experience various beautiful natural areas on Amager and by the beach on horseback

The Kastrupgård Collection

“The Kastrupgård Collection is an old manor house surrounded by ordinary residential buildings and grocery stores and offers memories of another time. Inside, contemporary art is showcased. I am particularly excited about the many workshops available, where you can learn more about the crafts of linoleum printing and woodcutting. Every month, there’s also a creative workshop for kids. We often take advantage of these when we visit museums with the children. Sensing and interacting with materials are a big part of my life. When I design, I work with my hands and deeply engage with the materials because I believe that human interaction is essential for successful design.” →@kastrupgårdsamlingen

 The Kastrupgård Collection, located in the historic 1700s manor house of Kastrupgård in Kastrup, is a museum featuring modern graphics and contemporary Danish art. Visitors can also enjoy the convenience of an onsite café

Dragør Smokehouse

“We often go down to the harbour and buy loads of fish and shellfish from the smokehouse, especially the smoked prawns, which I have never seen at other fishmongers. They are fantastic. Often, we also buy some fish patties and sit by the bridge, where the children catch crabs while we enjoy the fish and maybe a beer. I like that it is so authentic. I might as well be in a small fishing village far out in the countryside.”

Dragør Smokehouse is located in the heart of the Old Harbour in Dragør and offers smoked, salted and fresh fish and snacks on the terrace

The Airplane Grill 

“The Airplane Grill (Flyvergrillen) is an unpretentious and authentic place where you can watch planes land and take off at Copenhagen Airport, buy ice cream and enjoy fast food. We often go there when we’re hungover. The Airplane Grill is also interesting from an anthropological perspective. I am forever interested in people, and The Airplane Grill is the perfect place to observe the many different types of people who go there. There are suits and artistic types, workers and groups of children from the local kindergartens. It also reflects something unique about Denmark. My husband is from England, where society is more divided by class, and when we visit his family and then return to The Airplane Grill it is striking how much different types of people get along a lot better. I think this is particularly characteristic of Amager, which is one of the reasons why I like the area so much.” 

Located right next to the fence leading to the runways at the Copenhagen Airport is The Airport Grill. It has become a place for aviation enthusiasts to spot planes while enjoying classic Danish food.

Uganda Farm Shop and Ice Cream

“We just have to go down through our garden and cross the road, then we’re at Uganda Farm Shop and Ice Cream, a local farm shop that also has a great ice cream parlour. This is where we buy the majority of our vegetables, in addition to those we grow ourselves in our garden. They have local ingredients grown by Danish farmers, everything that is in season: lots of potatoes, strawberries and peas in the summer, and the most amazing lemons, oranges, melons and tomatoes, as well as other exotic produce from southern Europe. Delicious ice cream is served from the small parlour, where you can sit among flowers and lush trees and enjoy it.” → @ugandaismejeri 

Uganda Farm Shop and Ice Cream is a shop where you can buy fresh local produce and enjoy homemade ice cream, all made with quality ingredients.

Amager Nature Centre

“I had a sensory experience when I sat in the café on an icy January morning and looked out at the mist dancing over the frost that lay on the grass while the sun was low through the large windows. I think that the plains of Amager Fælled are incredibly beautiful. They are so endless. It can’t be compared to going for a walk in a city park; this is a real nature experience. It is a good idea to end a long walk at Amager Nature Centre. It is a place we have visited several times because there is a cosy atmosphere, offering a meeting point for like-minded people who also like to enjoy nature.”

The Amager Nature Centre is situated within Kalvebod Fælled, spanning a 20 square kilometre area on Amager. Visitors at the centre can enjoy a meal or rent equipment for an immersive exploration of the local flora and fauna.