Copenhagen is a vibrant capital city that leads the world when it comes to sustainability (think bikes everywhere!) With a mix of royal history, modern architecture, a range of eclectic neighbourhoods, and a top notch restaurant scene, there is something for everyone in the Danish capital.
København as it is known in danish (pronounced: ‘coo-bin-hown‘) is one of the beautiful seaside Nordic capitals, along with Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki and Reykjavík. These cities all seem to so seamlessly blend old and new and while I’ve loved visiting them all, the one that definitely has me coming back for more is Copenhagen!
How to get to Copenhagen
Jump on skyscanner to work out the best flight combo to suit your budget, availability and location and then book directly with the airline(s.) You can usually get return flights for less than £100 return. From London you can fly to Copenhagen airport (CPH) with:
- Ryanair from London Stansted or from London Luton
- SAS from London Stansted
- Easyjet and Norwegian Airlines from London Gatwick
Once you reach Copenhagen airport, the easiest way to get into town is by using the metro (underground). The journey from the airport to the city centre is around 15 mins.
When to visit
Copenhagen can be visited year round. Expect average daily temperatures ranging from 0°C in January up to 17 °C in July. Winter days are noticeably short (with the sun setting by 3.30pm in the heart of winter) but the city really lights up after dark and the famous amusement park Tivoli is particularly spectacular by night. In contrast, if you want to soak up some vitamin D, summer days are luxuriously long, with up to 17hrs of daylight!
Where to stay in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has a real mix of neighbourhoods surrounding the main tourist draw cards in Indre By (the central city.) There is a handy guide to them here. Each neighbourhood has a different feel to it, so choose accommodation in the one that suits you (and your budget) best. The ‘bros’; i.e. the hip Vesterbro, the culturally diverse Nørrebro, or the family-friendly Østerbro are good places to start, as is the sophisticated Frederiksberg. If your budget can stretch a bit you may even be able to shoot for a place in Indre By itself or in the beautiful canal-side Christianshavn area. We pretty much always book our accommodation through airbnb when we travel. I’ve written more about how and why we do that here.
What to see in Copenhagen
Indre By & Strøget
This is the bustling city centre (‘Indre‘= Inner, ‘By‘= Town) with Strøget being the most famous shopping street in town, and one of the longest in Europe at 1.1 kilometres long! Be sure to stroll around whole this area and down the smaller side streets – you’ll stumble across numerous beautiful buildings and cute cafés. Other must sees include the Lego store (or more specifically the amazing displays in the Lego store) and the city square Plaza Amagertorv. Finally you might like to head up Rundetaarn, a 17th century Round Tower and observatory, for some great city views (as shown to the left above.)
Nyhavn
An absolutely iconic area of Copenhagen, immediately to the east of Indre By. This ‘new harbour’ would much more aptly be named the ‘old port’ today as while it was originally a busy commercial port it is now a veteran ship harbour (where only historical vessels are allowed.) The port is lined by busy waterside restaurants set below beautifully restored houses (painted in autumnal colours that are at once bright but also muted in that classy Scandinavian way.) This is probably the most instagrammed spot in the whole city, I’m sure you’ll see why. It’s culturally important too as Denmark’s most famous fairytale writer Hans Christen Andersen lived in several of the houses in Nyhavn back in the 1800s.
Tivoli Gardens
This impressive old-style amusement park just south of the city centre is fun to visit year round, with special themed exhibitions depending on the season. If Tivoli is high on your list do simply check if it is open on the website here before you book your trip to Copenhagen, as the park does sometimes close in between holiday seasons.
Royal Palaces & Castles
Copenhagen has three impressive royal residences (‘borgs’) that are worth wandering past or even through, if you so fancy contributing to the Royal coffers.
- Amalienborg is an octagonal complex of palaces arranged around a square. It is a nice stop on the way north from Indre By to the little mermaid statue. The adjacent Frederik’s church is also worth seeing. Royal Guards stand watch at Amalienborg to this day, as it’s still the royal winter residence of the Queen of Denmark. You can see the changing of the guard here everyday at noon, after the guards parade through the city from their barracks at Rosenborg.
- Rosenborg was originally just a pleasure castle but became the favourite residence of one of the Danish Kings, (so much so that he insisted on dying there!) It is surrounded by an extensive garden. It houses the royal collection and it’s interior is very well preserved.
- Christiansborg (seen above) is a palace located on Slotsholmen (castle island) between Indre By and Christianshavn. It is mainly used for royal or state events nowadays, though when it’s not in use guided tours are available.
The Little Mermaid
Or ‘Den Lille Havfrue’, as she is known in Danish. This statue of Hans Christian Andersen’s most famous character at Langelinje Pier is popular year round so it’s usually quite a crowded photo-opp. But it is still worth jumping on an electric city bike and heading out along the waterfront to this area north of Indre By as there are a few other key attractions in the area. These include the Gefion Fountain (Gefionspringvandet) and Kastellet, a star-shaped 17th century fortress with ramparts (that is surrounded by a bad-ass moat!)
Christianshavn
Christianshavn is an area to the east of Indre By which is divided by tree-lined canals with colourful houseboats. It has a distinct cafe culture, and a nice relaxed ambience, even if it is technically part of ‘København K’ ie. the central borough of Copenhagen. It is at once historic and charming but also quietly vibing.
Freetown Christiania
This free-thinking commune in the borough of Christiania was set up on abandoned military land in 1971, with the intention of creating an economically self-sustaining and self-governing community. It was very much aligned with the hippy movement and has always been a haven for those seeking an alternative lifestyle.
What Christiania is perhaps best known for though is it’s tolerance of drugs. While hard drugs have been banned by the community’s rules since the 70s, cannabis use has always been accepted in Christiania. The Green Light District known as ‘Pusher Street,’ where hash and skunk weed is sold openly, is particularly ‘fragrant’ to walk down. The area has had some run ins with the police and has been witness to occasional bouts of violence but it’s presence is largely tolerated by surrounding residents and the local authorities. This area may or may not be your vibe, but if you’re open minded, or even just curious to see it, it is a pretty unique place.
Eating out
I would need a whole other post to even begin to cover Copenhagen’s dining scene in detail, but we’re busy-ass millennials and we ain’t got all day, so let’s cut to the chase. These are my two personal recommendations (and you can rest assured I never endorse a restaurant I haven’t tried out myself):
For scrummy nordic cuisine on a mid range budget head to Restaurant Cofoco in Vesterbro. The food is local, it’s tasty, and it’s simple yet complex all at once. It’s northern European food done well and most of all, it’s value for money. Not too swanky, but not for those on a tight budget either.
For a unique modern brunch concept head to Wulff & Konstali. W&K have several locations in Copenhagen, we visited the one in Nørrebro. They give you a choice of 22 brunch delicacies that you can mix and match to create your ideal brunch smorgasbord. The possibilities are endless. This is brunch for people (like me!) who get major food fomo and want to eat what everyone else has ordered as well as their own food. I’m talking sweet and savoury, not just one or the other. Brunch. Heaven.
On that delightful note you can probably see why Danes are consistently ranked as some of the happiest people in the world. Get yourself to Copenhagen so you can soak up some of that hygge too!