A maze of canals run through the picturesque and spirited Copenhagen. Although it’s the largest of the Scandinavian cities, one’s two feet quickly recognize the compact nature of this historic metropolis. If the cobblestone streets don’t hint enough that cars don’t own Copenhagen, then the impressive labyrinth of bike lanes certainly do.
THE SKINNY: Fast Facts
- If you are coming from Stockholm, consider a train! The ride is comfortable and smooth.
- Denmark is on the Krone. Like Scandinavia in general, CPH is quite a pricey city, especially due to the 25% sales tax on most everything.
- Use some common sense, but a low crime rate makes it a safe place to make mistakes.
ARRIVE: How To Get There
We arrived by plane to Copenhagen’s main airport. We knew we wanted to take public transportation, so we kept an eye out for ticket windows. There was one in the baggage claim you should take advantage of to avoid the lines outside the terminal.
If you are confused at the DSB terminal about tickets or your platform, there are reps at the machines to question. I’m a huge fan of asking for help, but we didn’t think we needed it since we spotted our station name on a nearby platform.
T minus 1 minute to boarding, we realized that our target stop had a twin station stop with a near identical name and of course in a totally different direction. With no official around to ask, we creepily eyed everybody up to assess whether or not they looked like they were going to the same place we were…not quite sure what would’ve given their destination away, but we both agreed everyone looked city-center-bound, crossed our fingers, and boarded.
We made it, but moral of the story is to ask for help, kids.
STAY: Where To Stay
- Location: was in Old Town which is a centrally located neighborhood that is lively and colorful. A geography bonus was that it was walking distance from the Norreport metro entrance. Not so fast with the “ease of access” points, though because the apartment was up three flights of stairs. While this didn’t matter to us, especially after taste-testing an impressive amount of pastries, it could pose a problemo for people with mobility issues.
- Design: Overall, the design is minimalistic masculine with a a subtle hunting theme strewn throughout…and by subtle I mean there is a bambi head hanging in the kitchen.
- Living Area: Through the door, you are greeted with light streaming through the white paneled windows that line the spacious living room; which includes a kitchen table, couch and Smart TV.
- Bedroom: The bedroom has a full bed that is “firm”, but not rock hard. For sleeping, you may have to listen to the conversations and clinking glasses of the pub below (but its nothing that earplugs can’t fix!).
- Kitchen: The kitchen is equipped for cooking and has most of the items you would need.
- Bathroom: The shower’s water pressure is strong, but don’t get too comfy because the hot water decides to take a hiatus. I found this out the hard way. I was a victim of this temperature change. Don’t let it happen to you.
- Other: Owned by a dude, the girlie trimmings that support some glam were missing; hair dryer and mirror outside the bathroom.
rating: 7.5/10
EXPLORE: What To Do
Stroll Around
As always, this is my favorite thing to do in a city. If you have the time, aimlessly wandering the streets of CPH is really rewarding. In doing this, we stumbled upon an orchestra from Canada playing in the middle of a street! No Bieber or Morrisette, but it was pretty beautiful.
We also discovered some really charming and serene parks throughout the city.
Since CPH is pretty digestible, we came across a lot of the essential sights while doing this. However, if you are a big fan of structure and this casual ‘tude panics you, below are some of those essentials.
Nyhavn
A top tourist destination, the building-scape of Nyhavn is quintessentially Denmark. Colorful houses line the quayside, towering over sailboats bobbing in the canal below. Walking through this area, you will be met with multiple cafes and restaurants, which are perfect places to sit and absorb a sunny day.
The canal’s history is riddled with stories of sailors and writers. Supposedly, it was divided into two sides; one for the “naughty” and one for the “nice”.
Famously, this is the street that Hans Christian Anderson lived on. So, when you are sipping your foamy beer at a pub here, raise your glass to naked emperor’s, defiant mermaids, and your childhood.
Canal Cruise, Boat, or Kayak
The canals are the symbolic arteries of Copenhagen, so if the weather is right…why not get a perspective from the water? We opted to go the Kayak route with Kayak Republic. Not sure if it was a combination of being overly ambitious or ultimately getting drenched, but we were definitely the minority on the waterway. Regardless of our “uniqueness”, we had such a blast muscling our way through many different parts of CPH, like the sleepy and serene Christianshavn. Don’t follow our lead if you want your arms to live another day (R.I.P. to my arms).
The most popular vessel was the canal tour…we passed a ton of different operators who seemed to run along the same route. While the white-boat company seemed to be most popular option, the green-boat company appeared to be the least crowded option.
Another favoured option was to rent a small boat or Go Boat. This seemed like the perfect pick between the three, to get the intimacy and perspective, but it’s definitely the priciest option.
Whichever one you choose, do this! It was by far our favorite activity in this city!
Free Town Christiana
Um, where have I been transported to? Our friends tried to prep us for this area of Copenhagen with excitement, but you just cannot really imagine. You know when you’ve crossed into this woodstock-esque “republic”(which fought for it’s independence since the 1970’s) when street art dominates and you feel like the earth is being hotboxed.
If you’re not sure what that means, take a stroll down Pusher Street, where they sell weed within a Mary Jane Farmer’s Market! Seriously. Simply replace your typical array of labeled fresh berries with a myriad of “Blue Dream”, “Skywalker OG”, and “Lemon Haze”.
This place shouldn’t be pigeonholed for stoners, though; young artists, vagabonds, intellectuals, and academics live and visit here. It’s a pretty fascinating experiment in freedom where they’ve based their “constitution” on 9 simple rules;
- no weapons
- no hard drugs
- no violence
- no stealing
- no private cars
- no biker colors
- no bulletproof clothing
- no fireworks sale
- no thunderstick use
As a visitor, no photos are supposed to be taken in Christiana, but it took me awhile to register the gigantic crossed out camera signs at every turn.
Don’t miss the Freetown attraction. Grab a beer here–get lost in the vibrant murals and slowly soak up this liberated lifestyle.
Church of Our Savior, The Spire
This is a beautiful baroque church whose golden spire pierces the Copenhagen skyline. Our goal (and everyone elses) at this stop was to use the internal and external winding stairs to climb to the very top. Get ready for a little incline workout, vacationer. We got a glimpse of the wooden inner workings of the church and random art pieces as we climbed up and up and up.
The stairs get narrow, so get ready to play “when is an appropriate time to cut off the people coming the other way?” Once you reach the external stairs, you are met with a really miraculous view of Copenhagen. Most people (like myself) continue to spiral up to the tippy top, but if you are afraid of heights or are short on time, the first view is just as golden as the top!
Tivoli Gardens
If you want to shake hands with your childhood, you must go to Tivoli Gardens! Smack dab in the middle of Copenhagen, this “antique” amusement park is riddled with nostalgia. For example, it is jam packed with carnival games–like the frog flipper (!) and horse racing game. After talking a really big game, I am not as amazingly awesome at the frog flipper game as I remembered. There are tons of rides for kids of all ages; some in the Asia section that even made me nervous; and I’ve jumped out of planes before. At dusk, romance is in the air when they turn twinkling lights on throughout the park…but don’t make the same mistake we did and arrive late! To really enjoy Tivoli, give yourself AT LEAST 3 hours to OD on sugared treats and ride whirls. When the clock strikes 11, gather near the theater for some really kick-ass fireworks.
Strøget shopping mile
As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I’m not a shopper, but I don’t want to ignore the fact that the world is jam packed with lovely people who are! Strøget is a high profile shopping street in Old Town that runs close to one whole mile. This walk is chock-full of low-end, luxury, and specialty shops.
Royal Palace
Dramatic and ornate, the Amalienberg Palace is worth a walk-by. Some visitors opt to go inside, but we just relished in the outside view. I’ve heard mixed reviews of the inside–from disappointing to impressed–but I can’t confirm either.
Opera House
Exquisitely contemporary and perched right on the canal. You can’t miss it!
Langalinie Park and The Little Mermaid Statue
On one of our first days, I saw the outline of this park on a map and it was shaped like a star, so I naturally wanted to run in it. Langalinie is a cool and peaceful park, pier, and promenade that is perfect for a jog or stroll if you are not pressed for time.
Along the waterfront, if you come across a gaggle of foreign tourists huddled around something, you’ve found the famous “Little Mermaid” statue. Yes, it’s based off of our girl Ariel which is pretty nostalgic for 80s and 90s babies. However, I’m going to be pretty blunt, but this stop is the definition of anti-climactic (very similar to Manneken Pis in Brussels). Sure, while the history and political influence surrounding this statue is interesting to learn about, it can be read on Wikipedia while you visit somewhere more exciting.
GRUB: What To Consume
Street Food Markets
Two popular food spots in Copenhagen are both food halls with food stalls! Yum. I’ll quickly outline the difference between both below, but I suggest eating your way through at least one.
Papiroen
- More street food options than Torvehallerne.
- Sit outside for a cool breeze and waterside view
- Felt like a bigger “tourist attraction”
- Don’t eat at Chick Ko.
- The Pulled Duck at “Duck It” melts in your mouth.
- Get a Creme Brulee Donut if you know whats good for you. Here’s my montage of my experience with this delight –>
Torvehallerne Market
- More local feel because of inner-city location
- Differs from Papiroen by offering stands with fresh produce, wine selections, and specialty shops.
- Eat tacos at Hija De Sanchez. Seriously.
- Sit outside and sip coffee or local beer to get in touch with your inner Dane.