A Weekend Guide to Copenhagen
Originally posted April 2017
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Ah, Copenhagen. What a beauty. Being a bit of a last-minute decision, this Scandinavian city was a majorly happy surprise. Between hygge vibes, Danish design and lots of fab food (& coffee!), Copenhagen is a must-see for your next Nordic adventure.
I spent about 4 full days wandering the city, but could’ve EASILY spent weeks there. So instead of a play-by-play itinerary, we’re going to break this Copenhagen travel guide down into a few categories:
What to see
Where to eat & drink
Where to stay
See
Rosenborg Castle – gorgeous castle architecture and a lovely stroll around the well-manicured grounds makes for a perfect Copenhagen afternoon. If you like, head inside (entrance fee applies) and see Denmark’s crown jewels. Fancy!
Botanical Garden – walking into this little oasis in the middle of the city is such a joy. The largest greenhouse was my absolute favorite – adorned with oversized greenery and intricate, spiraling white staircases.
Nyhavn – take a stroll along this iconic canal, lined with pastel buildings and cozy restaurants. Good for a photo (or fifty), this stretch of the city will definitely brighten your day (and IG feed 😉 ) If you’re feeling particularly touristy, opt for one of the many canal boat tours - I would have, if I had more time!
Rundetaarn (Round Tower) – fabulous city sights from the top, without the stairs. Win-win. But really, the Round Tower was a must on my pre-trip list, and while I typically try to avoid paying for crowded hot-spots, this $3.50 was incredibly cheap and so worth the 360° city views. Plus, the crowds weren’t as bad as I had expected.
Freetown Christiania – walking into Christiania was like walking into a parallel universe, of sorts. Grab a friend and take a little stroll through just to see how completely unique the community is. Though I didn’t particularly enjoy the area, for lack of a better word, it’s still a must-see for Copenhagen.
Jægersborggade street in Nørrebro – see list of food and drink favorites below, as most of them reside in or around this street.
Frederiks Kirke (The Marble Church) – if you head to Original Coffee (listed below), you’ll be right by this stunning green copper-topped church.
Assistens Cemetery – yeah, the concept of taking a relaxing stroll through a cemetery seemed foreign to me at first, as well. But this is no ordinary cemetery. En route to Jægersborggade street, mosey through this tree-lined “park,” and even visit the graves of Hans Christian Andersen & Søren Kierkegaard.
Tivoli Gardens – I narrowly missed the opening date for this attraction (literally by a week). Maybe you’ll have better luck!
Rosenborg Castle
Nyhavn
Rundetaarn
Sip & Eat
Food:
– Meyers Bageri (neighborhood: Nørrebro) – the very best cinnamon buns, croissants and baked goods. A must.
– Copenhagen Street Food (neighborhood: Christianshavn) – every type of cuisine you could ever want, all in a cool converted warehouse by the waterside. Grab your grub of choice and take seat outside for the full experience.
– Istid (neighborhood: Nørrebro) – ice cream made with liquid nitrogen! Cool! And super delicious.
– Literally anything on Blågårdsgade street (neighborhood: Nørrebro) – we opted for Curry Nation, an asian street food place that I easily could’ve frequented on the daily. However, this stretch is absolutely loaded with tons of restaurants and outdoor seating that locals seemed to adore, so give it a mosey!
– Grød (neighborhood: Nørrebro) – porridge bar on my now-favorite street, but sadly didn’t get a chance to ever order from. Walked by numerous times, tempted by the idea…as this place is absolutely raved about. Don’t make my mistake – definitely check it out.
Coffee:
– Atelier September (neighborhood: City Center) – you guys, Instagram dreams do come true. This place is gorgeous, and has equally lovely coffee. I’m obsessed and really (really!) never wanted to leave. If you must go for coffee only once during your Copenhagen visit, let this be the one. (Though I hope it’s not only once, as that would be majorly depressing).
– Coffee Collective (neighborhood: Nørrebro) – open floor plan (As in, no counter between barista and customer. Quite hip), minimalistic design elements and of course, fabulous coffee. I got a latte and was blown away.
– Original Coffee (neighborhood: City Center) – I actually ended up here accidentally after a very long (and slightly delirious) first afternoon of wandering, only to later discover that it was one of the coffee shops on my “to visit” list, anyways. Meant to be! Excellent coffee, great interior design, friendly barista, free wifi. What more could you want?
– Den Lille Gule Kaffebar (neighborhood: City Center) – after a busy afternoon of shopping near Strøget, pop into this pretty little coffee shop for a pick-me-up. Head to their well-decorated, hygge-filled second level for the perfect place to sit & sip (and ‘gram) from.
Atelier September
Coffee Collective
Original Coffee
Stay
Budget: Sleep in Heaven hostel (neighborhood: Nørrebro) – Initially I glossed over this hostel while browsing because it appeared to be too far out of the city center. The thing is, that ended up being one of the best parts. Exploring Nørrebro was an absolute joy that likely wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Also, this place is totally exploding with hygge, and the common areas are super conducive to meeting people.
Boutique: Hotel Skt. Annæ is a boutique hotel housed in a 17th-century building, only a block away from Nyhavn. Talk about a perfect location for exploring the city on foot! Although I didn’t stay here on my first trip to Copenhagen, it has been on my list for a return trip ever since I left.
Also, pro tip…
Rent a bike.
Happy travels!
- J