
Travel Guide to Copenhagen
Travel Guide To Copenhagen
Our Trip To Copenhagen, Denmark
In this travel guide to Copenhagen, I will share all the details about what to do, what to see, where to eat, and a few details about the city. At the end of the guide, I share a day-by-day itinerary so you get an idea how we planned out our time there.
We decided to plan a trip to Copenhagen as a wedding anniversary gift to each other. I think as we celebrate more anniversaries, we prefer experiences versus physical gifts.
Things To Know
We went to Copenhagen in early June. We wanted to get there before it was tourist season, but we also didn’t want to go when it was still cold. The weather was a bit chilly but tolerable and at times it was great because all we did was walk. It was pretty sunny the entire time we were there. The weather was in the low 60s and a little windy. However, there was a day or two that was in the low 70s. So definitely bring layers.
The daylight is long. Therefore, the sun didn’t set until 10pm. To us it was awesome because the long daylight feels like it gave us a burst of energy.
Also, getting around was pretty easy in Copenhagen. Everyone can pretty much speak English. So the ‘language barrier’ was not an issue at all.
Foods To Try
This travel guide to Copenhagen would not be complete if I didn’t share some local cuisine to try. This is part of the fun when it comes to traveling!
- Copenhagen Hot Dog – This is not hard to miss. There are hot dog stands almost everywhere. We spotted a few at City Hall. Their hot dogs are different from American hot dogs. The toppings are different and they use different sausages. But they’re so good and a great snack! The original is the Rød Pølse. The sausage has a very vibrant red color with crispy onion toppings and other condiments. There’s a large variety of hot dogs to choose from!
- Smørrebrød – Basically it is an open face sandwich on rye bread. Almost every restaurant has them. They fill that sandwich. I had some where I had to use a knife & fork.
- Kanelsnegle – It is a Danish cinnamon roll. It’s not as sweet and sugary as the American cinnamon roll, which I actually like about it! The dough is different and it’s similar to a croissant.
Overall, Copenhagen is a big foodie city. There’s a wide variety of cuisines to try!
Alright, time to begin the travel guide to Copenhagen!
Places To Stay
We stayed at the Axel Guldsmeden hotel! We liked it! The place has a very bohemian vibe to it and it is a sustainable hotel. Loved the ambiance and the staff were very nice and helpful. We highly recommend it! The location was perfect. It is located in the Vesterbro neighborhood and is a block away from the train station. Below are other options we were looking at it.
Places To See
Nyhavn
This is the infamous neighborhood in Copenhagen. When you look at photos of Copenhagen, this is the neighborhood you probably have seen mainly featured. It is a historic neighborhood with rows of colorful houses along the canal. Nyhavn used to be the old port for Copenhagen. Hans Christian Andersen lived along Nyhavn and you will definitely see a lot of references to him. The scenery is beautiful, but it is very touristy. We went there first thing in the morning, and it was perfect. It wasn’t crowded and we could thoroughly enjoy the area.
Nyhavn Canal Boat Tour
This may be the most touristy thing to do, but I honestly think it is worth it. You get the opportunity to see different parts of Copenhagen’s neighborhoods along the water and the scenery is BEAUTIFUL! During our canal tour, it made me wish I had time to explore all these different areas.
The Little Mermaid Statue
The infamous Little Mermaid Statue which was based on and inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s story, The Little Mermaid. The statue is not that big and it is kind of far, but it was cool to see. If you do the canal tour, you will be able to see the statue (which is what we did). Fun fact: Disney was inspired to create The Little Mermaid based on the Hans Christian Andersen version.
Stroget
This is an area known to be the largest shopping area in Copenhagen and Europe’s longest pedestrian street. You’ll pass this area on the way to Nyhavn. It’s also a very picturesque street and all the well-known Scandinavian retailers have a store in this area. My favorites are Other Stories (got this rainbow stripe dress there), Moss Copenhagen, COSI and my new favorite store is Companys. Companys is a retail store that carries several different brands and has the chicest stuff!
Copenhagen City Hall
The city hall building is very pretty and it is right before you enter Stroget. It also has a nice square where people hang out and eat. You’ll find a few Copenhagen style hot dog stands in the city hall’s square.
Round Tower (Rundetaarn)
It’s a popular tourist site known for it’s circular architecture. The tower used to be an astronomical observatory. It’s a spiral walk up so make sure you wear comfortable shoes! At the very top you get a view of Copenhagen.
Torvehallerne
This is a very popular Copenhagen food hall / supermarket. I highly recommend coming here hungry so you have the appetite to try everything. Also, if you are limited with time, Torvehallerne should definitely be high on your list. Some of the best food spots in Copenhagen have a spot there. Which is so great because I had a list of places I wanted to try but they were either too far out of our way or we ended up not having enough time. So when we walked in Torvehallerne, I was so pleased to see some of them there!
Rosenborg Castle
There are several castles to see in the Copenhagen area and I believe Rosenborg Castle was the closest. This used to be the home of Copenhagen’s royal family. Just like a European castle, it’s always fascinating to see the amount of detail that went into it.
The King’s Garden
This is the garden surrounding the Rosenborg Castle. It’s a very pretty garden with a gorgeous pond right next to it. Very picturesque as well and just fun to go for a walk in. There’s also a rose garden that is beautiful. When we went, the roses were just about to bloom.
Snaregard & Magstraede Street
These are the two oldest streets in Copenhagen and they’re located in Old Town. They’re small, colorful, and very charming. They still have the original cobbling. And I believe these streets dated back to the 1520s. How crazy is that?!
Palad Cinema
It’s a movie theater in Copenhagen which was very close to our hotel, Axel Guldsmeden. It’s not very obvious because it is not on the main street, however, it’s not hard to miss either. I mean look at the gorgeous color this movie theater has. Totally instagrammable!
Tivoli Gardens
For sure should be high on your list to see in Copenhagen. In addition to Nyhaven, Tivoli is one of the most iconic photos you see of Copenhagen. Tivoli Gardens is the 2nd oldest amusement park in the world. It’s a cross between Disneyland/World meets European charm meets thrills of Six Flags rides. Even if you are not into rides, the park itself is so cute and charming. There’s several amazing restaurants in there too! For sure a must see!
Malmo, Sweden
If you are looking for a day trip, Malmo, Sweden is the place to go. It is a 30 minute train ride! I’ll share more on that in another travel guide post!
Norrebro Neighborhood
Norrebro is known as the “coolest” neighborhood in Copenhagen. It has a lot of cool antique, thrift stores, awesome restaurants, and pretty homes.
The Copenhagen Lakes
It’s 3 rectangular lakes and it’s very scenic. The lakes are surrounded by beautiful Danish homes, bridges, and a walking path. You’ll see a lot of people do their runs, walks, and biking around the lake.
Meatpacking District
It has a similar background to New York’s meatpacking district, as this area used to be where the meat industry held their business. Through time the area has evolved and now it is a trendy place. You’ll find so many great restaurants and nightlife places.
Vesterbro Neighborhood
This neighborhood is right by our hotel and it is so cute! Very family oriented neighborhood. Again, the houses are so cute and definitely has a charming feel to it. We went to this area for brunch.
Copenhagen Central Station
This is Copenhagen’s main train station. The station is also right next to our hotel and this is where you will go if you want to take day trips (i.e. Malmo, Sweden) or prefer to explore Copenhagen through public transportation.
Places To Eat/Drink/Snack
Union Kitchen
Out of all the places we went to for breakfast/brunch, this one was our favorite. It’s also available for lunch and dinner. The decor is really cute and modern. They’re known for their stencil art coffee. It’s so cute and the coffee was delicious too. I got the Green Bowl and it was the perfect mixture of healthy with lots of delicious flavor. It is right by Nyhavn.
Coffee Collective
This is a popular coffee shop. They have a few locations. I went to the one right by Stroget. Very cute spot.
Copenhagen Hot Dogs (food stand)
The copenhagen hot dogs are worth trying. They are different than the American hot dogs. The food stand we went to is located at the City Hall. It’s very easy to spot. During lunch time, they have long lines. Hence, we went during off hours and there was no wait time.
Torvehallerne
As mentioned above, this is the food hall. All of the best markets and popular cafes are in this food hall. Basically it is a one stop shop and perfect if you are limited with time. I wanted to try smørrebrød since I’m in Denmark, but some of the places were out of our way. Luckily, Torvehallerne had a smørrebrød food stand!
Laura Bakery
A very popular bakery and luckily they also had a spot at Torvehallerne since we couldn’t go to the actual bakery location. We tried their Kanelsnegle and it was soo good!
Next Door Cafe
Love the ambiance of this place. Their food is a mixture of healthy modern Danish food. It was really good! I had their green juice and Lidt af Hvert (blueberry pancakes with eggs & bacon). The place is small and tight even though it has two floors. We went during prime breakfast time too. Therefore, I recommend going slightly off hours.
Espresso House
This is the Starbucks of Copenhagen. There’s one on every corner and block. Definitely easy to spot!
Tivoli Gardens Restaurants
There are several restaurants in Tivoli Gardens and a food hall. A lot of the restaurants there are known to be the best!
Ristorante Frascati
It’s an Italian restaurant in the Vesterbro area. It was good but not over the top amazing, ya know? I don’t know if it is me but the Italian food almost had a Nordic twist to it.
Far’s Deng
This spot was recommended a lot via Instagram (when I asked where we should have breakfast). It has a very eclectic and hippie feel to it. The food was your standard breakfast but it was still really good! And the staff was very friendly.
Hotel Chocolat
If you love chocolate, you will LOVE this place. I was in heaven! There were so many different types of chocolate bars and truffles. Of course, you have to have hot chocolate! It’s so good! Seriously the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had!
Lagkagehuset
This spot has every Danish pastry you can think of! We stopped here for a quick snack and we had a hard time narrowing down what we wanted to eat haha.
Gro Spiseri
Copenhagen is known to have some of the best chefs and there are several restaurants that offer pre-fixe meals. We heard great things about Gro Spiseri, and Tre’s co-worker highly recommended it. Before you decide to dine here there are a few things you need to know.
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- If you decide to dine here, you have to book and pay for your spot in advance! Go here if you want to book it. There are no walk-ins.
- You must also be open to trying anything! I didn’t think any of the food was anything crazy or exotic but I was also raised to eat anything and everything. Therefore, if you are a picky eater, I recommend not going. They also love to make dishes with food you didn’t think existed!
- In addition, if you have any dietary restrictions, make sure you let them know when you book your spot. That way they can offer alternatives on the day you dine.
- Come hungry! Remember, it is a 6 course meal.
Overall, I had an incredible experience and really expanded my palette. It was held at a rooftop with an urban garden and most of the stuff they made was from the garden. There were 3 chefs that prepared the meals and they always came out and explained the dish you were eating.
Mad & Kaffe
This is a super cute breakfast place. It’s your standard Danish breakfast!
Quick Recap Of Our Copenhagen Itinerary
To complete this travel guide to Copenhagen, I always love to share a cliff note version of what our day by day itinerary is like.
Before I start with Day 1, I do want to say that we arrived the night before. As a result, we arrived so late in the night that we went straight to our hotel. The true Day 1 for us was actually the second day of our trip.
Day 1
- Breakfast at Union Kitchen
- Walked around Nyhavn
- Walked around Strogets to check out where we would like to go shopping
- Coffee Break at Coffee Collective (in Bernikow)
- Rest at the hotel
- Snacked on Copenhagen hot dogs at the Copenhagen City Hall
- Went to Round Tower (Rundetaarn)
- Dinner at Torvallerne Food Hall and checked out the neighborhood
Day 2
- Breakfast at Next Door Cafe
- Went to Rosenborg Castle
- The King’s Garden
- Stroget to go shopping
- Coffee Break in Espresso House
- Walk on Snaregard & Magstraede
- Palad Cinema
- Tivoli Gardens (snacked there too)
- Dinner at Ristorante Frascati
Day 3
- Day Trip to Malmo, Sweden. Went to the Copenhagen Central Train Station.
Day 4
- Breakfast at Far’s Deng
- Canal Boat Tour in Nyhavn
- Explored Nyhavn
- Coffee & Hot Chocolate at Hotel Chocolat
- Snacked at Lagkagehuset
- Dinner at Gro Spiseri
- Walked around Norrebro neighborhood
- And walked along The Copenhagen Lakes
Day 5
- Walked around Meatpacking District
- Brunch at Mad & Kaffe
- Walked around Vesterbro neighborhood
Have you been to Copenhagen? What did you think?
If you want to see more travel guides, check out my most recent guides to Madrid, Barcelona, Porto, Lisbon, Puerto Rico, and more.
xo RD
I am so jealous of this trip ah!! These photos are just beautiful! Need to save this because now it’s on my travel bucket list!
Thank you so much Hillary! I highly recommend it and I know you’ll love it there!
Wow, what a gorgeous place! I can only hope to get to visit here one day, these pics are seriously stunning. Loved this travel guide!
Copenhagen definitely exceeded my expectations!
This sounds like the perfect place for an anniversary gift! We love the idea of going somewhere too versus gifts! I have now officially added Copenhagen to my bucket list!
Right?! Experiences are so much more worth it!
I’d love to visit Copenhagen!!
Jennifer
Effortlessly Sophisticated
We loved it too!
This looks like a city of my dreams! Thank you so much for sharing with us your journey, Rach 🙂
Lots of love ♥ January Girl
Definitely worth visiting!
Ah this has been on my travel list forever! What a thorough post!
Gorgeous photos. I hope to visit soon, even more now 🙂
Lyndi
http://www.stylecalling.com
Thank you Lyndi!
I’ve already been dying to visit Copenhagen and this post just fueled my wanderlust. It looks like an incredible city to travel to. All the color – and the food sounds amazing! I hope one day I have the opportunity to go!
I hope you can too! Originally, it wasn’t high on my list but after visiting I was so glad I went!
Thank you for this amazing travel guide! Copenhagen looks beautiful! The buildings and the food!! love it all! I’ll have to add to my travel bucket list!
Xo, Steph
Oh yea the food was amazing!
It looks absolutely amazing and sounds like an awesome place to visit!! Would love to go-going to put this on my travel list!
Kileen
cute & little
It was incredible!
What a pretty and neat city! And what an awesome guide. I haven’t been to Copenhagen, I hope to go there one day.
http://www.busyandfab.com
Hopefully you can too!
Thank you for this travel guide! The photos are very beautiful! I lived for a short time in Copenhagen and loved it!
xo Yvonne
https://www.aproposh.com
No way that is awesome!
Rach, this was such a well written and informative guide, thank you! And thank you for making me even more jello haha it looks like the best place to visit 🙂 xx
Glad to hear you find it so informative!
You fit a lot into your time there and all your photos look so beautiful! I’d love to visit there one day, looks like fun! 🙂
Hope that your week is going well 🙂
Thank you so much Mica!
I’ve traveled a lot but I’ve never been to Denmark. Copenhagen has always been on my list, but after seeing these pretty colorful photos, I’m definitely moving it to the top!
Definitely move it to the top of your list! You will love it!
I haven’t been to Copenhagen but this seems so lovely! I would love to go one day and will definitely check back on these recommendations 🙂
https://mariannyc.com/rooted-plants/
Totally worth going!
Copenhagen looks so gorgeous and has so much history! Loving your guide, babe!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Thank you so much Ashley!
Would love Copenhagen. 😀
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Definitely would!
Wow! I had no idea about the hot dogs! I would love to try them! And what beautiful photos. The architecture is so vibrant and charming!
I didn’t either until I was there! So glad I tried it out!
Pretty place to visit:)
Definitely is!
What a beautiful anniversary gift to each other. I think experiences are way better in the long run than materialistic things as the experience you get is just priceless. I have never been to Copenhagen but I would love to one day. These photos are beautiful and the food sounds so good! Sometimes I wish I could just eat all the food! Wouldn’t that be a dream?! I am definitely putting Copenhagen down for a must see!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
Thank you so much Maureen! I totally agree and so glad we did this trip versus physical gifts. It is such a foodie city. We loved every minute of it and hope you get to see it one day!
Copenhagen is a HUGE bucket list item for me! I’ve been dying to go. This is such a fun guide and it looks like y’all had an amazing time!
Omg you will love it!! It was better than we expected!
Girl, this trip looks like such a dream!
It was amazing!
Copenhagen is on my bucket list!! such a dreamy place …. and you’ve captured it perfectly in all your photos!
all the food looks so yummy!
have a great weekend, girlfriend!
xo, allie
http://www.champagne-tuesdays.com
I hope you can go! Thank you Allie!
I love that y’all took a trip together vs. giving gifts! I’m all about the experiences! I’ve never thought of visiting Copenhagen, but now I want to add it to the list!
-Morgan
How 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com
I didn’t either until my husband suggested it! Highly recommend going!
Such a great guide!!
Thank you Lee!
Copenhagen is such an amazing city with gorgeous architecture. Thank you so much for this detailed travel guide. I love all of your photos and you have such a beautiful time there. Thank you so much for sharing your memories with us.
New Post – http://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2019/09/la-mer-soft-fluid-long-wear-foundation_15.html
It really is! Thank you!
Looks like such a great city to visit! Thanks for sharing Rach!
xx- Nina
http://www.stylingwithnina.com/2019/09/casual-outfit-idea-for-fall-leopard.html
It was! Thank you Nina!
I don’t know if I will ever make it to Cophenhagen but I pinned this in case do 🙂
I hope you do! Thank you Caitlin!
Looks and sounds like it was such an amazing trip! Love your guide!
Xo, Deanie
Deanie Michelle
Thank you Deanie!
I remember when I was traveling in Denmark, I also took a lot of pictures and as many videos. When I was on the train home, I thought it would be great to process them a little bit, so I downloaded my favorite program from this website and couldn’t get it to work. It turned out that such a program for Windows just didn’t exist, and I didn’t know it. But it was good that there were analogues of this program, and I spent a couple of hours on it and I made my trip.