Oh, how I love Copenhagen! In fact, my husband and I enjoyed our visit so much that we commented multiple times to each other that we could see ourselves living there. Despite it’s rocket-high prices (Denmark is one of the most expensive countries in the world), this insanely stylish eco-friendly, bike-loving, foodie-filled city is still an absolute charmer! Read on to find out more about our visit, and how to spend two days in Copenhagen.
So what did we love about the city anyway? Besides clean streets, colorful buildings, and a rocking food scene…we loved how manageable the city was – lively enough that it felt like there were lots of things to do and see, but calm enough that we could explore leisurely without being shuffled around by crowds. We also found every Dane we interacted with to be extremely friendly and approachable (word on the street is that Denmark is the happiest nation in the world).
TIP: It’s definitely possible to explore Copenhagen by foot, but I highly recommend renting a bike to experience the city at it’s best. There are plenty of bike rental stalls conveniently located throughout the city!
Stroll along the picturesque ship canal of Nyhavn
Once a busy commercial port, Nyhavn is now Copenhagen’s most iconic landmark featuring rows of colorful buildings and sidewalk patios to enjoy dinner and a drink. It’s a perfect spot for that classic Instagram snap!
Vesterbro
Eat in the trendy district of Vesterbro. Have a leisurely breakfast at Mad & Kaffe, one of Copenhagen’s most popular brunch spots. It’s one of many restaurants in Copenhagen that provide you with a pen/paper, and you can customize your meal! There’s just something about food (especially brunch food) served in mini bowls and plates that makes me happy. Or, alternatively, check out the meat-packing district in Vesterbro during dinner time…the area offers a huge variety of restaurants including a fantastic pizza place called Mother.
Tivoli Gardens
Experience the charming, storybook atmosphere of Tivoli Gardens, the 2nd oldest amusement park in the world. With traditional carnival games, scattered gardens, fairy-light covered patios, and a variety of amusement rides, it’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon. We got an unlimited ride pass and had a blast acting like kids again, riding all the amusement park rides and eating ice cream.
TIP: Have an amazing Danish lunch at the Groften, a traditional restaurant featuring Smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches), piled high with an elaborate assortment of toppings that it’ll make you wonder how it’s physically possible to top a piece of bread with so much food.
Paper Island
Eat to your heart’s consent at Copenhagen Street Food on Paper Island. Copenhagen Street Food is a food vendor market and creativity hub set-up on the city’s Inner Harbour. Featuring a wide variety of stalls and a mixture of outdoor and indoor seating, it’s a great place to enjoy lunch and a beer. The coolest thing about Copenhagen Street Food is that it allows vendors to test out new food concepts or sell authentic street food at scale, with low risk. We ordered a bunch of small plates to share and they were all equally delicious – I highly recommend the mixed meat Brazilian plate at Brasa, a basket of chicken strips and fries at Crazy Chicken, or the croque monsieur and duck fat fries combo from Copper and Wheat.
Little Mermaid and Rosenborg
Put on your tourist hat and get your picture with the Little Mermaid and the Rosenborg Castle. Okay, I’ll admit, I spent a full 2-minutes at the Little Mermaid before being completely overwhelmed by the crowds, and underwhelmed by the statue itself. Still, I’m glad I went to see one of Copenhagen’s most famous attractions. Located at Langelinje Pier, Edvard Eriksen’s bronze statue of a mermaid staring longingly at the shore from the water was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. Just 5-10 minutes away is the lovely renaissance Rosenborg Castle, featuring lovely structured gardens and the Royal Crown Jewels.
Freetown Christiana
Visit Freetown Christiana. If you like people-watching, this hippy commune is the place for you. Founded in 1971 by squatters and artists as a ‘social experiment’, this ‘free town’ runs semi-autonomously from the Danish government (it even has it’s own currency!). The entire town is filled with vibrant graffiti, quirky homes, cultural centers, and bars full of late-night shenanigans.
TIP: A word-of-warning – Christiana is famous for it’s prominent cannabis shops that operate 24/7 and sell 30-40 types of weed. Heed the ‘no photography’ signs in the sale areas, and don’t stare! Over the years, the town has not been without controversy (mostly drug-related crimes).
Lounge in a Coffee Shop
Take in cafe culture at one of the many amazing coffee shops in the city. Popular options are: The Union Kitchen (Indre By), The Coffee Collective (Norrebro) or Original Coffee ILUM (Indre By). Cafe culture is serious business in Scandinavia – they create beautiful spaces and heavenly hideaways around their coffee. In fact, Denmark ranks among the top ten coffee drinking nations with an average of 1.46 cups of coffee consumed per person, per day. My favorite coffee shop was Original Coffee ILUM, which features beautiful rooftop views of the city center and the DREAMIEST interior.
Norrebro
Explore the hip, multi-cultural district of Norrebro. Jaegersborggade is the most ‘hopping’ street in the neighborhood and it’s filled with cute, independent shops, bakeries, and restaurants. While you’re in Norrebro, make a pit-stop at Assistens Cemetery. I’ll admit that I was a bit skeptical about visiting the cemetery when I first heard it was a ‘thing to do’ in Copenhagen…but it’s quite possibly the loveliest cemetery in the world! The area was clean and charming, and there were several people basking in the sun and enjoying a late afternoon picnic. While you’re there, you can visit the grave site of Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish author who is best known for his fairy tales like the Little Mermaid and the Ugly Duckling .
Torvehallerne Market
Explore Torvehallerne Market, a stylish high-end food hall filled with local stalls and culinary treasures. With over 80 food vendors, whether you’re looking for fresh produce and meat/seafood, tasty baked delights, or ready-made meals, Torvehallerne is the place for you. We were lured (happily) into the various stalls with free samples of meats, cheeses, and pastries and left the market feeling absolutely stuffed!
TIP: I highly recommend eating at Grod, the world’s first porridge bar. Gone are the days of grey, bland porridge….Grod brings creativity to oatmeal by featuring tasty toppings such as skyr, ricotta, lemon oil, almond milk, and homemade fruit compotes.
Experience Danish ‘hygge’ and enjoy life
In Copenhagen, we learned just how important life’s simple pleasures are, and that happiness can be found in the form of a plain bagel with cream cheese. This was discovered when my husband (despite being surrounded by high-end modern Scandinavian restaurants) was willing to walk some decent lengths to visit a local bagel shop, so that he could get a ‘taste of home’. How fitting that we learned this in a country that embodies Scandinavian ‘hygge’, a lifestyle concept roughly described as a feeling of comfort and indulgence in the good things in life a.k.a making the ordinary things in life meaningful.
TIP: A perfect place to do this is at the Babette Guldmeden hotel near Nyhavn – the hotel is absolutely gorgeous inside, filled with cozy armchairs for relaxing by the fire, a restaurant featuring yummy organic dishes and wine for healthy fine dining, and a lush courtyard filled with potted plants and candles (perfect for a leisurely glass of wine after a long day of exploring).
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