I have a long list of places I’d love to visit all over the world. But the one that’s been high on my list the last year or so has been Copenhagen. Maybe it’s the rise of Copenhagen fashion week and many of the style influencers I follow attend. Or the fact that my Stockholm trip made me fall in love with the Nordic and Scandinavian culture and food. But Copenhagen went from being on my list, to being at the top of the list.
Copenhagen Travel Guide
If you’re visiting Copenhagen, there are so many wonderful things you can do, explore and eat. From walking through the colorful harbor and charming streets, to popping into great stores like New Mags, Studio Arhoj and checking out Danish designers like GANNI and By Malene Birger. Be sure to try all the classic foods and grab a bike to explore beyond the city center.
Here’s everything I did in my short trip to Copenhagen. I powered through to see as much as I could on a limited schedule. I also included a few restaurants I am still hoping to try on my next visit. Because this for sure was not my first and last visit to Copenhagen.
Best Things To Do In Copenhagen
Go Vintage Shopping
This city had some of the best vintage shopping I’ve ever seen. Not only was the selection great, but there were so many vintage shops to browse. If this is something you enjoy doing, you’ll fall in love with Copenhagen.
- Time’s Up Vintage
- O-S-V. Secondhand Fashion
- Collector’s Cage
- Kilostore
Visit The Danish Design Museum
As a lover of furniture and mid-century design, this museum was everything I could have hoped for. It was just one floor, pretty smalll, but so well curated. The room of chairs was my favorite. Dozens of gorgeous Danish style chairs form the 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.
Do A Food Tour
One of my favorite activities in a new city is to book a food tour. Especially when traveling solo, you’ll get to try so much food that you just would not have the capacity in your stomach for otherwise. I booked this tour and really enjoyed it. It was about 3 hours and we tasted so many things from meatballs and cucumber salad, Danish hot dogs, local beer and multiple sweet treats.
Ride A Bike
Get around like the locals do by riding a bike through the city. I simply rented a Lime back via my Uber app which made it really easy. But you could also book a bike tour to get to see the city with a local guide.
Shop Danish Designers
There are a lot of great Danish designers to shop while you’re in Copenhagen. From Studio Arhoj for their hand blown items that they make right in the shop, to By Malene Birger and Ganni as local fashion designers with beautiful pieces. If you’re a GANNI fan like me, check out the POSTMODERN GANNI, this is their outlet store and it has great prices.
- GANNI
- Acne Studios
- By Malene Birger
- Baum Und Pferdgarten
- Samsøe Samsøe
A few other stores to check out are New Mags, a store full of coffee table books. Nørr concept store full of great gifts, clothing and yes lots of hair clips! For beautiful glassware and ceramics, check out Studio Arhoj for their handblown pieces. You can even see them glass blowing right in the store.
Try The Local Food
The local food in Copenhagen may have been some of my favorite in all of Europe. There’s a lot of great seafood from gravlax to pickled herring, open faced sandwiches called smørrebrød and incredible desserts and sweets like the cardamom bun (a favorite pastry of mine) and Flødeboller which are like a chocolate covered marshmallow with cream, it’s insanely good. Denmark is also known for its pork so be sure to try their pork meatballs and flæskesteg which is sort of like roasted pork belly, really delicious.
For breakfast, try a classic Danish breakfast. It’s served at many cafes and consists of a soft boiled egg, a roll, a few slices of local cheese, whipped butter and local jam. There’s also usually a little mound of salt and pepper to season your egg with. This breakfast is so simple but so delicious. The bolle med ost is the bread with slices of cheese and is a staple snack in Denmark.
Explore The King’s Garden
Also called Rosenborg Garden, this garden is in the heart of the city center. This is Denmark’s oldest royal garden and home to the Rosenborg Palace. Tour the palace, where you can also view the crown jewels of Denmark.
Stroll The Largest Park
Fælledparken is the largest park in Copenhagen and is a beautiful place to take a walk through. Have a picnic here, or just explore to get away from the bustle of the city.
Walk Through Nyhavn Harbor
You’ve probably seen this iconic harbor before for its colorful buildings. It’s probably the most photographed spot in Denmark. It’s just as beautiful in person and is lined with restaurants and cafes.
Best Restaurants To Visit In Copenhagen
My trip to Copenhagen was very short. So while I didn’t get a ton of meals in, these were the spots I visited and loved. Also providing a list of spots that are on my ‘to try’ list for my next visit. I plan on being back soon because I absolutely fell in love with this city.
Apotek 57
Came here for a classic Danish breakfast and cardamom bun. Their pastries were incredible here. This bakery does not offer espresso drinks, so there’s just drip coffee.
Slurp
A popular ramen spot with a small menu. They don’t take reservations and there’s usually a queue to get in. But it’s worth the wait.
Studio x Kitchen
This bakery not only had beautiful pastries but also some heartier breakfast and lunch items. I got a yogurt bowl here that was really great. But they are also known for their fluffy eggs for breakfast.
TorvehallerneKBH
This food hall has a mix of ready to eat foods like smørrebrød at Rørt, meatballs and pork at the butcher shops and more. There’s also sometimes a farmer’s market outside where you can explore local produce.
Places On My List To Try
- La Cabra
- Juno The Bakery
- Hart
- Sult
- Esmée
- Atelier September
- Nr.30
- Poulette
- Bæst
- Pastaria
Things To Know Before Visiting Copenhagen
Getting To Copenhagen From The Airport
When you land at Copenhagen airport, you can easily take public transportation to the city center. Take the M1 or M2 line to Kongens Nytorv and purchase a ticket near baggage claim. Always use your Google Maps or Apple Maps to see where you need to get off. This is located in terminal 3 of the airport and runs every few minutes during the day. The ride is under 25 minutes.
You can also take an Uber or a Taxi and it should be about a 15-minute drive.
Getting Around Copenhagen
Walking, bike or metro is the best way to get around Copenhagen. I found there to be lots of Lime bikes to easily rent via your Uber app. This is a walking city too making it really easy to get around. If you need to cut down on the walking, use the metro which is really easy to navigate. You can use the DSB app to book your metro tickets. While no one is checking them as you enter metro stations, you can be asked for your ticket on the train and be fined if you do not have it.
Language And Currency
The people of Denmark speak Danish but also the majority of the country speaks English as their second language. I did not have any issues with getting around the city, ordering food or navigating public transportation without knowing the language. If you find yourself in a pickle, use the Google Translate app.
As for currency, they use the DKK, the Danish Krone. When shopping in Europe, I always recommend having a card that does not charge transaction fees and always select the country’s currency when you are asked at checkout. If you choose the American currency, you may be choosing a higher amount than what your card would actually convert.
While my trip to Copenhagen was short, I feel like I saw quite a bit. I loved this city so much and plan on being back sooner than later. I hope this Copenhagen travel guide helps you explore this colorful and charming city.
