This was 100% one of the better weekends of my life. Copenhagen exceeded every expectation. I've never laughed harder and been able to enjoy the moment more than on this trip. Whether you're looking to travel to Copenhagen yourself or you're just curious what I was up to, I've broken down the whole trip below. As far as food, accommodations, and activities go, I've got you covered.
What to Expect
First off, it is SUPER expensive to eat. Although, it was some of the best food I’ve had so I’m not really complaining. Our hostel was so great and clean for only $25 a night, so I believe it makes up for the food. Our airfare was also only around $100, which is definitely on the cheaper side.
As far as the people in Denmark, they are the nicest I’ve ever met in my life. People make fun of Canadians for being so nice, well, Denmark takes it to another level. They were noticeably just happy. And content. And calm. From the second we landed. It isn't that the people in Barcelona are rude, although we've had our run-ins, there was just an overall more happy feeling in Denmark.
Not only were the people wonderful, the town is so adorable and has a ton of character. You can get just about anywhere in the city by foot, but everyone still rides bikes. This was the absolute best weekend trip because we really did do and see it all in two days. If you’re able to follow the guide, you can likely do the same. Copenhagen is the PERFECT weekend trip. Trust me.
Our Hostel
Copenhagen Downtown Hostel is truly one of a kind. It is located in the center of the city & walkable distance to anywhere! It was a cafe by day, bar by evening, and club at night. Hawaiian night was absolutely wild, with sand on the ground and blown up palm trees crowd surfing. It was by far the most crowded and well-known place we came by in terms of night life. The people working there are so kind and helpful. There are tours offered for free, they supply ear plugs for the sound coming from downstairs, and it was overall extremely clean.
Things to Do
The Nyhaven harbor was my personal favorite part of the trip just because of its iconic look. It was beautiful to see the colored houses and be a tourist for a little bit. There is an outdoor mall with high end stores stretching quite far.
Freetown Christiania: This place is crazy. It’s a town that is technically not part of Copenhagen, but sits right in the middle. It’s a little community with tons of art, graffiti, and openly sold drugs. Marijuana is not legal in Copenhagen, so this is where people come to sell. They ask that you don’t take pictures because of the illegal activity that goes on, so I recommend taking a tour to get more of a backstory on the commune. My friends and I just walked through and admired the art, but it would have been nice to have a deeper understanding.
Ice skating in Fredricksberg was such a movie-esque moment, I'd say it's a must if you visit. If you take the metro to Fredricksberg (which by the way they don’t check tickets but it’s around $4 one way) you can walk about 10 minutes to the ice rink. Granted, it’s not the nicest ice but it’s only $8 and so fun. All I can say is dress warm. And when I say warm I mean like snowing, 20 degree weather warm.
Bike riding was by far my favorite activity, but easily the hardest. It was FREEZING and my hands were numb despite the leather gloves I wore. We rented bikes through an app, similar to Bird, but it was called Donkey Republic. It was only $8 for 2 hours, which was the perfect amount to cruise through the city. Nearly everyone rides bikes, so I loved feeling like I was embracing the culture.
Food
The Nørreport market was a fan favorite for sure, with local food of all kinds. I highly recommend ordering a smorgasbord, because of its authenticity in Denmark. It’s SO delish, like avo toast on steroids. There are tea shops, bakeries, & restaurants all within a beautiful (heated) glass building.
We had our dinner at Manual, a fairly expensive Turkish restaurant, but goodness it was yummy. They had tapas style food, very small portions, but it was surprisingly filling. We spent 3 hours just sitting and talking, with some of the kindest waiters around. I ordered the baked goat cheese and have absolutely no regrets. Highly recommend.
Soul
If you’re vegan and a SoCal healthy restaurant lover like myself, Souls is the place to head to. Yes, it’s super expensive. But the food was great, the waitresses were SO sweet, and then cafe has an environment that made me feel just like I was back in San Diego
Overall, Copenhagen was surprising in the best way possible. Please let me know if you were able to visit any of these places, I'd love to hear your own take on them. Can't wait to share the rest of my trips with you all!
xoxo,
SKY