Copenhagen & Malmo

If you only go to one place in Copenhagen, go to Karriere, in Vesterbro's fashionable meatpacking district. Even the taxi-drive there will be exciting, as you cruise Sin City-stylee past hulking lorries and swinging carcasses of meat awaiting the cash and carry. There's a seductively rough feel to the area, even though it's not actually dangerous - unless you fear women of the night lurking around on street corners.

Karriere has a wood fire burning outside but don't waste time warming your hands, push through the butcher-shop plastic-strips entrance and enter a subterranean art-house lair, with chipped tiled walls warmed by sickly pink lights. Big floating lampshades mushroom from the ceiling. They illuminate the 30 works of art dotted around the building and a crowd of relaxed Copenhagens sitting canteen style at low tables, the murky light casting deep shadows over their faces. There's a right good soundtrack and the dance floor quickly gets packed.

Food is served up between 6-11pm on Thurs-Sat and ingredients from the (all organic) kitchen pop up in the drinks, for example, the Purple Overdose cocktail features beetroot and mint, Easy Jack'O includes Hokkaido pumpkin. Other touches, such as cinnamon dusted apple garnishes and sprinklings of 'liquorish crystals' bear the traces of the bar manager, Kristian's magic fingers. The guy is obsessed with the art of mixology, admitting to our style spies that he lives and dreams cocktails. And it pays off.

Click here to read our interview with Kristian. If you love your cocktails, include a trip to Ruby during your Copenhagen city break.