I visited Copenhagen recently for the first time. Although I spent only two days there, it was enough to convince me that I should pack up and move to Denmark someday.
When I arrived at Copenhagen’s central train station, after a complicated journey from Stockholm, the first sight that impressed me was the bicycles. They were everywhere. The bike lanes were busier with cyclists than the roads were with cars. Bicycle parking was a jumbled mass two levels high.
It was immediately clear that this was the most bike-friendly city I had ever seen. It was late in the afternoon and the lanes were full of commuters riding home after work. I instantly began imagining myself doing the same quite happily.
My impressions in this case are not merely the product of a fitful and unhappy American brain, there is a wealth of information that supports the bike-centric nature of the country. Denmark makes the infrastructure investments necessary to support safe cycling in major cities like Copenhagen. It is not only a nod to their good sense, as cycling infrastructure costs a small fraction of that required for public transportation and autos. It also speaks to their politics, where consensus and compromise in the spirit of finding the best ideas win out over extremism and partisanship. It is a sad reminder of how lost my current home nation is.
Danes also support high taxation in favor of nationalized healthcare for all, free education, and generous parental leave policies. It is politically stable and crime rates are extremely low. Did I mention how safe it is? It is common practice for parents to leave their babies sleeping in strollers on the sidewalk outside of shops and restaurants in Copenhagen. Where I live this would be considered a criminally negligent act. The list of positives just kept getting longer the more I learned.
What I Saw, What I Ate, What I Did…
I arrived in Copenhagen in the afternoon and had only that night and the next full day there. I checked in to my hostel, left my bag, and went for a long walk to stretch my legs and see this new city. I had spent the day seated on a bus and two different trains.
I took a long meandering walk to the Torvehallerne, one of several food halls in the city. I seek out markets like this when I travel, especially when I am alone, as I don’t enjoy sitting in a formal restaurant alone. I spent a few minutes walking through the entirety of the market, checking out my options. It was a sunny warm late afternoon and outdoor tables were full of diners. I decided, as I was in Denmark, to try some Smørrebrød.
It was well worth the walk and the visit, and combined with a beer it was the perfect dinner for my first night in Denmark.
I continued to the Nyhavn waterfront. The colorful buildings and outdoor restaurants along the water form the ubiquitous image of Copenhagen that almost everyone would instantly recognize.
I was still quite full from dinner so I just window-shopped the restaurants. After a quick visit to the Hans Christian Andersen (he’s big in Denmark) gift shop for a few postcards and stamps, I decided to call it a day and head back to the hostel.
I wanted to try out the city’s metro, so I plotted a course using Google Maps. The Kongens Nytorv metro station was remarkable. Shiny and modern, the floor looked clean enough to eat off of. The journey from there to the Kobnhavn Central stop was quick and efficient.
If You Have Never Tried Staying In a Hostel…
I was traveling alone in Copenhagen and I did not want to spend heavily on a hotel just for myself. I decided to try a hostel, even though I had limited experience with them. The Woodah Boutique Hostel was centrally located, affordable, and overall a pleasant surprise. I was staying in a room for six arranged as three sets of bunk beds. The beds were described as “pods”, completely closed except for a small entryway. Climbing into the plywood box at first was strange, but it was surprisingly spacious. There was a light and power for my laptop, and the enclosure provided a welcome level of privacy. In the morning, breakfast was quiet and simple but thoughtfully arranged, much like the city.
If You Only Do One Thing in Copenhagen
My one full day in town began with a bike tour.
I had to ride a bike on my visit to Copenhagen. Rather than wander, I took a bike tour with Bike Mike. This was easily the highlight of my visit to Copenhagen. Equal parts tour guide, historian, and storyteller, Mike whisked us through the city at a brisk pace. At each stop, we spent a few minutes learning about the history of Copenhagen and current-day Denmark.
There was a stop at the Statsministeriet, the prime minister’s office (a woman, yes!) where Mike pointed out her car parked outside the door. One man who looked like he might have been a guard was standing near it. That’s it. At a later stop, we rode through the Kastellet, a military installation and home of the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) headquarters. This was one of the many things I love about the city and the country, a place safe and well enough adjusted that you can ride your bicycle through the equivalent of their C.I.A. headquarters.
There was another notable stop at the Danish Jewish Museum. Here Mike told the story of how in 1943 the Danish underground smuggled over 7,000 Jews who were due for deportation by the Nazis to waiting Danish fishermen who transported them to safety across the water in Sweden.
Of course, there was the obligatory stop at the statue of The Little Mermaid. It is one of the most popular attractions in Copenhagen, and even it is small and understated. We biked over the Circle Bridge, one of several car-free bridges in the city.
The tour included several other sights and lasted around 3 hours. It was a brilliant introduction not only to Copenhagen but to Denmark itself and its history. Mike is clearly proud of the city and country he lives in. He should be. If you only have one day to spend here, take this bike tour.
Time for some more food…
After the bike ride, it was time for lunch. Sankt Peder’s Bakery was conveniently located near the terminus of the Bike Mike tour. It is the oldest bakery in Copenhagen and it was on my list of places to visit. It did not disappoint. I enjoyed a sandwich made from focaccia bread stuffed with mortadella and cheese (ok, not Danish) and followed it up with a cinnamon roll. At least I think it was a cinnamon roll.
Bakeries in Copenhagen all seem to have an upside-down pretzel sign hanging outside their storefront, this is convenient.
Sights That I Saw, Others I Missed
After my bike tour and lunch, my one full day in Copenhagen was halfway over (I don’t stay up late). I probably could have made better use of my time and seen more, but I was intent on backtracking over ground I had already covered on the bike tour, near the site of the Little Mermaid. While riding through the area, I saw the remnants of a few names painted on a road.
In 2022, the Tour de France began in Copenhagen. The first stage was a short individual time trial held in the city. I had seen the name of the general classification winner “Vingegaard” scrawled across one of the streets, but I couldn’t remember exactly where. I walked for a bit until I located it and got my picture.
I really wanted to travel over the same route as Jonas.
Across the river from the Little Mermaid was CopenHill. This is an artificial ski slope and hiking area built on top of a working plant that burns solid waste to produce power. Sadly I did not have time to visit, but I will next time.
I missed out on the view from CopenHill, but next on my list was The Round Tower. It was built in 1642 and is an observation tower whose roof is reached by walking up a long spiral walkway that makes up the bulk of the building. On that sunny day, there were nice 360-degree views of the city.
Another option for a view of the city would have been the Church of Our Savior. I opted against this one and its spiral staircase, which is on the outside of the building. This would have been a stern test of my latent fear of heights.
I strolled through the King’s Garden outside of Rosenborg Castle and searched for birds to add to my life list. I spotted a Common Wood Pigeon and duly added it to my life list.
My plan for dinner was another round of smørrebrød, this time at the famous Aamanns Deli. I opted for the smaller and more casual Østerbro location. They are known for their careful and elevated preparation of this Scandinavian staple.
This was a tremendous meal; I probably only needed to order two. However, I did eat all of it. I was also happy to see there was a low-alcohol beer option. However, it should be noted that beer was very expensive in Copenhagen.
I lingered over dinner for quite a long time, the quiet Østerbro location was small, and over a few hours, only one other table was occupied. There was a busy trade in takeouts and deliveries though.
Tired and full, I started walking back to my little cubby at the hostel. I had only one more stop on my list, Tivoli Gardens. The old-school amusement park was opened in 1843 and is one of the oldest of its kind in the world. I only planned a quick look around, but after paying the rather steep entrance fee, I made sure I wandered. It was pretty at night with all the lights on, but extremely crowded. Crammed into the middle of a large city, it was a little too tight for me to enjoy.
Other Things To Do in Copenhagen
If you are looking for some more things to do, or have more time in Copenhagen than I did, here are a few ideas for you:
Castles and Palaces – Amalienborg, Rosenborg, Christiansborg.
Museums – The Danish Architecture Center, Design Museum Danmark, The National Museum, Thorvaldsen’s Museum
Food Halls/Markets – Torvehallerne, Tivoli Food Hall, Broens Street Food, Reffen
A few more tips…
Copenhagen is served by efficient public transportation for longer trips in town. Unlimited travel passes of various lengths can be purchased. Next time I am there I will rent a bicycle for the day and get around that way. Most hotels provide bike rental service, if yours doesn’t, there are numerous rental shops in the city. If you travel to Copenhagen by train (like I did) you will most likely arrive at Kobnhavn Central Station, which like most major train stations in Europe is in the city center. If you are arriving at Copenhagen airport a metro or regional train service takes you to Central Station.
Lastly, though Denmark is an EU member country, it does not use the euro, the official currency is the Kroner. Though in my short stay of two days, I never needed cash, I was able to pay with a credit card for everything. This reminds me, make sure you bring a credit card with you that does not charge foreign transaction fees. The card I use every day at home in the US charges a 3% fee for any foreign transaction, I didn’t bring it with me.
Final Thoughts
I miss everything about Copenhagen, I would pack up and move there tomorrow if I could. It is a source of comfort in a chaotic world to see that places and societies like it exist.
Short of that, I am looking forward to the day I go back. I plan to see more of Denmark next time as well. I hope this story gave you some insights about the city and country and some ideas for things to do on your trip!
