After seeing multiple photos of Copenhagen’s famous Nyhavn waterfront, I decided to put it on my list of places I had to see for myself. As luck would have it, I found a DIRT cheap ($294 round trip is impossible to pass up at any time) flight into London and out of Copenhagen, that worked perfectly with my spring vacation. So I booked the flight and planned a few days in Copenhagen to round out my spring 2019 Eurotrip.
Accommodation
Comfort Hotel Vesterbro was a huge upgrade from my last hotel in Amsterdam. Updated, modern, clean and spacious rooms, and in a perfect location. It was a 6-8 minute walk from Copenhagen Central Station, 10 minutes from Tivoli Gardens, and 25-30 minutes to the beautiful Nyhavn waterfront. The hotel had a great common area to relax with snacks and drinks for purchase. Also a great restaurant called Plectrum to grab a bite or a cocktail.
Getting Around
Because Copenhagen is further north in Europe, it’s not as easily accessible by train, in comparison to the rest of Europe. However, flights within Europe are dirt cheap. The airport is very close to the city center, making it easy to get to and from. I landed at 7:05pm and was sitting in my hotel room by 8pm, after flying in from Amsterdam. It couldn’t have been easier, as it was about a 15 minute train ride from the airport to Copenhagen Central Station.
Copenhagen is a relatively small city, so walking is really easy. I considered doing the hop on hop off bus tour to help get to and from the sights, but decided to save my money and get in some extra steps. The longest walk from my hotel was getting to the Little Mermaid statue (about 45 minutes), however if you plan your day to be in that area you can break up the walk with additional stops along the way. They also have a public transportation system that runs 24 hrs daily, which can limit walking in the cold weather, depending on the time of year you visit.
Food and Drinks
Neighbourhood
This was my favorite meal in Copenhagen. Creative, super thin crust pizzas and craft cocktails. What’s not to love?
Mother
An Italian restaurant and wine bar in the Meat Packing district. Lots of pasta and pizza options and a great drink selection.
Dej
Copenhagen loves pizza and Dej is another local pizza spot with really original and delicious toppings. I had the truffle, potato, and rosemary pizza which was amazing. Also they have great cocktails.
Nyhavn 37
All the restaurants along the Nyhavn water front have similar (if not the exact same) menu. Like all of Copenhagen, it’s pricey, but no more so than anywhere else and it’s a place you have to go. I stopped at Nyhaven 37 and tried a Smørrebrød, the famous Danish open faced sandwich. It was essentially avocado toast, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. No matter what you get, it’s a beautiful spot to stop, have a bite or drink, and enjoy the views.
Little Yellow Coffee Bar
I stopped at the Little Yellow Coffee Bar for breakfast before my walking tour of Copenhagen. The iced coffee was delish and the breakfast was huge. The food was superb and filling. It was cold and snowing so I chose to sit inside, but they also have great outdoor seating for warmer weather.
Next Door Cafe
I read about Next Door Cafe when searching for highly rated brunch spots in Copenhagen. The reviews were accurate, because it was bustling and the food was excellent. It’s definitely worth a stop.
Lidkoeb
Lidkoeb is a hidden gem. It’s a cocktail bar tucked back in an alley, but worth the search. They have a great creative menu. The inside is very cute, but they also have a great outdoor area to take advantage of in warmer weather.
Carlton
Carlton caught my eye on my last night in Copenhagen while walking back to my hotel. It has great outdoor seating with heaters and blankets to keep you warm in the Scandinavian cold. Drinks were relatively cheap for Copenhagen standards.
General Tips
1 – Copenhagen is expensive! They have a 25% tax on everything, which is crazy. But it works out well for the residents, as it comes back to them in the form of excellent healthcare and education benefits. The currency is the Danish Krone, and the exchange rate while I was there was $1 USD to 6.5 DKK. Almost everywhere takes cards, but again, it’s always a good idea to have a little cash handy.
2 – Copenhagen is a very friendly city. It is always rated as one of the happiest places in the world, despite the fact that it is cold and expensive. The people are well taken care of in terms of healthcare and education, but also they also say their happiness is because they believe in Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah). Hygge essentially means “cozy” and refers feelings of comfort and contentment in life. It’s fun to say and with an even better meaning. Everyone could use a bit of hygge in their lives.
3 – It gets cold in Copenhagen. I figured since I was going in the spring, a medium weight coat would suffice, but naturally, instead I had snow. I ended up buying a hat and gloves, because they were necessary, and of course I hadn’t packed them. My advice….if you are going anytime outside of summer proper, pack for inclement weather, because it’s likely you’ll have some.
4 – I wasn’t sure what to expect with Danish food, besides the yummy baked treats. So I was very surprised to learn how much of a foodie city Copenhagen is. They have so many great restaurants and craft cocktail / beer bars to explore. Spend the money and just live it up and try out a variety of places while you are there. It will be worth it.
Copenhagen was my first trip to Scandinavia, but hopefully not my last. Although it is cold, it is a beautiful part of the world. Copenhagen is a lively city, that is easy to explore in 1-2 days, making it a great add on to any European vacation.
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