Copenhagen was one of those trips that just kind of happened. I was checking my Gmail, and a banner ad popped up for cheap flights to Copenhagen via Norwegian Air. I had read bits and pieces along the way about Copenhagen but never seriously considered going until that fortuitous advertisement was staring me right in the face. I called my favorite woman to travel with, my mom, and we booked flights that night. Copenhagen exceeded expectations in pretty much every way. It's a beautiful city with a vibrancy that we truly appreciated. What can I say? Sometimes a girl just needs a spontaneous European getaway.
Activities
This is quintessential Copenhagen. It's likely your travels will take you through this area of the city. If not, it's worth a detour. It's a lovely walk along the water. Stop in somewhere for lunch or a drink, but I would ask your hotel concierge or a local for a recommendation before doing so as there are a lot of tourist traps in the area.
This was a beautiful thing to see.
This is worth seeing. You'll basically be taking a stroll though an independent commune within Copenhagen. I have no pictures to show because you're prohibited from taking them, but it's a very colorful community with lots of street art self-made abodes. It's rather interesting to see the way of life here, which is completely independent of government regulations.
Copenhagen is all about biking. Therefore, this was a natural way to explore the city. We did the Modern Architecture tour, which was a great pick. The Monumental City was the most obvious option, but we had already walked for miles and seen a lot of the sites covered on this tour, so we wanted something a bit different. The guide was very knowledgeable, and pretty much everything we saw was uncharted territory for us.
Did I mention Copenhagen is a biking city?
Oh my was this a crowded site. It's one of those cross-off-the-list things to do in Copenhagen that I was glad that we did, but it's very touristy to say the least. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and perfectly maintained - these were probably the highlight for us. There is actually a hotel in the park (Nimb Hotel) that I came across in my research. It's regarded as one of the nicer hotels in Copenhagen, but not knowing much about the property or Tivoli, I didn't put the two together that the hotel is actually situated in the park. Needless to say, unless you're traveling with children and the sole purpose of your trip to Copenhagen is rides and games, I wouldn't recommend staying here.
Shopping
The neighborhood we stayed in gave way to a plethora of incredible boutiques.
Eateries
I loved this market.
This market is a must-see. We were overwhelmed (in the best way possible) with the amount of vendors and choices at hand. Here are some stands I tried firsthand and would recommend. It's a combination of grab-and-go food kiosks (some have small seating areas) and market-like setups where you can buy groceries should you happen to have a kitchen to cook in. We tried to cover as much territory as possible and even went back a second day as it was close to our sightseeing adventures. However, I have but one belly...
Mushrooms don't get much more perfect than these.
Take a pause at 360 North for a lovely cheese plate and bottle of cider.
Laura's Bakery
HAV 2GO
The options were endless (and delicious) at HAV 2GO.
Because...because! That's why.
This was actually within Torvehallerne, but I thought it deserved a separate note. One of the chefs at Noma recommended this spot. It's owned and operated by a former chef of Noma, Rosio Sanchez, and was one of the most anticipated openings of last year. In a city of Michelin stars and tasting menus, that makes a definite statement. Sanchez makes fresh masa dough everyday using organic corn from a small producer in Oaxaca, Mexico. She does very cool collaborations with chefs from around the world, including Copenhagen's most acclaimed Renee Redzepi.
This was a Renee Redzepi recommendation via the multitude of Copenhagen articles I read prior to our trip (it's apparently a Noma staff favorite). It was around the corner from our hotel, and we ate here every morning. I have no idea what breakfast at our hotel looked or tasted like because we made this our morning ritual. The cafe uses the freshest, highest-quality ingredients and showcases them in the most beautiful way. Just look at that avocado toast.
Let me start by saying that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to eat here.
This was my favorite meal of the trip.
Where We Stayed
We absolutely loved our experience here. The staff was warm and accommodating, and the concierge was extremely helpful in making recommendations and restaurant reservations. We received an upgrade upon arrival, and the room was definitely one of the most spacious European rooms I've stayed in. It also couldn't have been in a better location. It's centrally located and we walked pretty much everywhere. Overall, I think four nights in Copenhagen was a sufficient amount of time, but we would have been happy to stay for a fifth and would have done day trip somewhere closely (like Malmo, Sweden).