The best places to stay, eat and visit in Copenhagen
Denmark’s capital city Copenhagen has recently been captured as one of the trendiest travel hotspot and it’s no wonder after it has been listed as one of the happiest places to live in Europe.
A city where the way of life noticeably feels lighter and happier, the Danish capital is overflowing with cafes, culture and history, making it one of the most popular city break destinations.
From vintage shopping to immersing yourself in the local cuisine, here’s our guide on how to have a wonderful trip to Copenhagen.
How to get there
With direct flights from many regional airports, Copenhagen is within easy reach from the UK, with many airlines now offering affordable return flights. Or, to make your whole experience seamless, consider a package deal – EasyJet Holidays offers direct flights from London Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol. They also include ticket flexibility and checked baggage, all for a low deposit. It’s a perfect location for a quick autumn/winter city break.
Where to stay
71 Nyhavn Hotel, Copenhagen.
With Copenhagen being one of the cleanest and blissful places in the world, it’s no wonder it’s full of luxury hotels.
71 Nyhavn Hotel is just one of the great places to centre yourself for a weekend in Copenhagen. The four-star boutique hotel is a beautifully restored 19th century warehouse, which has now been converted into a charming hotel that exudes Scandinavian charm.
Nestled at the top of the Nyhavn waterfront and canal, which is lined with 17th century colourful townhouses, bars, restaurants and cafes, the hotel is also only a stone’s throw away from the majestic Amalienborg Palace and Opera House too.
With all its rooms designed with warm, dark wooden beams and furnished with retro Scandi furnishings, each room has a cosy cabin feel, making it the perfect place to return to after days exploring.
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Where to eat
Kayak Bar in Copenhagen.
Great Nordic cuisine is a huge part of the Copenhagen experience and there is so many cool places to eat in Copenhagen. Whether you’re into nordic cuisine or prefer a versatile food scene – there’s something for everyone.
The real beauty of the city’s food scene is there is a wealth of independent and innovative food and drink spots. As well as boutique restaurants, it’s also food markets galore with pop-ups and trucks dotted all over the city, giving visitors the chance to support local small businesses and live like a local.
Here are just a few of our favourites spots:
Apotek 57
To start your day, a top recommendation is to head to Apotek 57, where you can enjoy a traditional Danish breakfast plate, consisting of rye bread, a soft-boiled egg and salted, whipped butter, or for something sweet, grab a Tebirkes- a poppy seed Danish pastry filled with a sweetened marzipan filling.
Torvehallerne
Located near the city’s beautiful botanical gardens is Torvehallerne, a bustling food market with a buzzy atmosphere. There are two large indoor food halls, as well as outdoor pop-ups serving everything from cheese to chocolate and traditional smørrebrød.
Kaykak Bar
For dinner, the local’s love to eat and drink alfresco. They love embracing all things hygge, which the Danish describe as enjoying the small pleasures of each season, by slowing down and being present in the moment. There’s no better way to do this than a meal at Kaykak Bar, where you can enjoy a delicious bowl of mussels and chips on the waterfront while the sun is shining – pure bliss.
The Organic Boho
If you’re looking for a really feel good meal, head to vegan eatery The Organic Boho. Plates are an explosion of colour and look just as amazing as they taste. It’s a great lunch spot with a menu including salads, wraps and burgers featuring tempeh, grilled Cauliflower and falafel. Save room for dessert.
Selma
When in Copenhagen you must try smørrebrød. Described as open-faced sandwiches, the delicacy consists of fresh rye bread topped with either cold meats, smoked fish, cheese or pate. Book a candle-lit dinner at Selma and enjoy their heavenly homemade version of the smørrebrød and choose from a selection of 12 local craft beers.
Neighbourhood
No holiday would be complete without a pizza night and in Copenhagen, Neighbourhood is the place to go. With a cool and cosy vibe, a wide range of flavoursome thin crust pizzas and a well-stocked bar, you can’t go wrong. Try out one of the two city centre restaurants, one is the Istedgade area and the other can be found in Frederiksborggade.
Bar Vivant
This beautiful natural wine bar is the perfect place for a nightcap. Romantic and fun all at the same time, make sure to grab a table earlier rather than later as they only offer walk-ins.
Curfew
One of the most luxurious bars in Copenhagen, you won’t want to have a curfew when heading to this swanky cocktail bar. Designed with collector’s furniture, this cocktail den is full of quirky cocktail gear, vintage machines, shakers and fine spirits and cocktails – all you need to finish off your evening.
Things to do
The Stork Fountain and Strøget street, the main shopping street in Copenhagen.
Known as the city of land and sea, Copenhagen has a host of sites to visit and culture to soak up while you’re there.
Here are some of the best:
Nyhavn
It’s perhaps the most iconic area of Copenhagen – the facing rows of colourful and quaint houses that head from the city centre to the harbour have become the picture of the Danish capital. While it’s understandably busy, the street is beautiful and well worth a visit – even just for that obligatory social media snap.
Little Mermaid Statue
A must-see while in the city is the Little Mermaid Statue. Created in bronze by sculptor Edvard Eriksen in 1913, the deceivingly small statue was also inspired by the famous fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, which loosely inspired the well-known animated film produced by Walt Disney.
Amalienborg Palace
There is a sheer enchantment to the Amalienborg Palace, where you can stand in the grounds of the palace (nothing like Buckingham Palace) and see where the Danish royal family live. Simply look to see whether the Danish flags are up to know whether they’re home!
Church of Our Saviour
A beautiful piece of Baroque architecture, the church stands at 295 feet tall, it takes 3000 steps to reach the top. Climbing all that way will leave you a little out of breath, and the way up is busy due to the tower being a top tourist attraction, but the glorious views of the whole city make up for that.
Botanical gardens
In the University of Copenhagen area of the city, you’ll find the lovely Botanical gardens, brimming with wildlife. As well as gorgeous grounds and pretty ponds home to fish, turtles and ducks, there’s a butterfly house and an outdoor cafe serving drinks. From the gardens, you can also enter the city’s natural history museum.
Shopping
The Danish take pride in their design and style, so it comes as no surprise that Copenhagen is full of trendy homeware and clothes shops. To embrace the unique, independent shops, head to hippie neighbourhood of Nørrebro, which is full of vintage and second-hand clothing stores. Equally, you can’t head home without heading to the famous HAY House in Østergade, which spreads across two floors, showcasing the popular Danish’s brand’s distinctive and colourful homeware pieces.
Hire a bike
With the city being one of the best places to explore by wheels, there are reams of cycle hire places to choose from, including an easy bike hire service through the 71 Nyhavn hotel, if you choose to stay there.
Canal cruises
If you’re taken by Copenhagen’s stunning waterfront and canals, hop on one of Copenhagen’s canal cruises to see some of its famous sites from water. Check out GetYourGuide for some of the best canal cruises and walking tours in the city.
Glacier
While Copenhagen has 20 designated swimming spots you can enjoy in the warmer summer months, in those chillier months you can alternatively book a Sauna Gus session at Glacier.
This gorgeous waterfront facility allows you to book three rounds of a sauna, which is interrupted with dips in its freshwater pool, which overlooks the sea. While following the routine, you also use a selection of essential oils, which will help to reduce your stress levels, improve your circulation and make you feel fantastic in your mind and body.
Round Tower
For an evening activity, head to the Round Tower, which is one of Europe’s oldest functioning observatories and enjoy a 360 sunset view all the way to Sweden.
Tivoli Gardens
Lastly you can’t leave without taking a stroll through the famous Tivoli Gardens, which many locals believe comes alive at night. Founded in 1843, the amusement park has very much kept its 19thcentury atmosphere through its traditional rides, food stalls and band stands. Although, when visiting, keep an eye for the roaming peacocks!
Visit Malmo, Sweden
Only a short train ride from the city, you can head over to the country of Sweden easily if you have a bit of time while staying in Copenhagen. With trains running from Copenhagen’s Central station every 20 minutes, it’s a great excuse to visit another country. You’ll also get to travel over the famous Øresund Bridge, where the famous BBC series The Bridge was set.
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