I’m back with stop #2 of my Scandinavian adventure — Copenhagen. Choosing Copenhagen was a last-minute decision: we had three unplanned days between Norway and Iceland and wanted a bit of city life. Copenhagen made sense because it’s close to Bergen (where we flew to Iceland), it offered a lively city atmosphere, and it’s widely known for its food — which I was excited about. This trip was also the first time Mark and I traveled alone together; earlier we spent eight days in Norway with friends, so we were ready for some time by ourselves. A friend from design school, Mel, who lives in Copenhagen, gave us great recommendations and even invited us over for dinner one night.
We arrived on a Friday night and took the Metro to our Airbnb. The metro is simple and affordable, and from the stop we had about a 10-minute walk with our suitcases — not a big deal since the weather was nice. If it had been raining, we would have grabbed an Uber from the station.
<< STAY >>
Instead of a hotel, we chose an Airbnb and had an excellent experience. Our host, Morten, was generous with recommendations. We paid a little extra to be centrally located, right on “The Lakes” — a chain of five man-made lakes in the middle of Copenhagen. That location made navigation easy and provided a great place to run in the morning.
We stayed in a cozy one-bedroom flat that suited us perfectly. It was worth the price for the location: nearly everything we wanted to see or eat was within a 20-minute walk, and most places were 5–10 minutes away. If you need a lot of space, Copenhagen flats can feel small, but that’s typical for the city.
Photos from Airbnb.
<< SEE >>
We spent four nights and three full days in Copenhagen. You could cover most highlights in two days, especially if you rent bikes — Copenhagen has an immense cycling culture, with bike lanes often wider than car lanes. We chose to walk to take everything in at a slower pace. Bike rentals are widely available if you prefer that.
The weather was kind to us: only a light drizzle part of one day and pleasant temperatures the rest of the time. Highlights included:
Paper Island (Papirøen): My favorite stop. This is a large street food market with vendors offering cuisines ranging from Mexican and Asian to Scandinavian, paleo, and vegan. Think of it as international food trucks gathered on an island. We enjoyed lunch and a beer while there.
Torvehallerne Food Market: A large organic market in the heart of the city where you can buy local produce, specialty items, and ready-to-eat food from local vendors. There are bakeries, coffee shops, a wine stall, and a small brewery. It’s partly indoors, so it’s a good spot in wet weather. We bought breakfast essentials to use in our flat; be aware that prices here are on the higher side due to the central location.
Shopping District: The central shopping street is the heart of the city and gets very busy on weekends. It’s full of Danish and international shops. Food prices around here can be inflated, so plan where you’ll eat accordingly.
Royal Palace: We admired it from the outside and moved on. If you like palaces, it’s easy to visit, but we just took a photo.
Round Tower: The only paid attraction we visited. It’s inexpensive and you can walk to the top for panoramic city views. It wasn’t a must-do for us, but it was a fun, budget-friendly stop.
Nyhavn: The iconic waterfront street with colorful 17th- and 18th-century townhouses. It’s very picturesque but extremely crowded with tourists and canal tours. We stopped for photos while heading to Paper Island.
Freetown Christiania: One of the most fascinating places we visited. Christiania is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood with its own rules and a very distinct culture. It’s unique and worth experiencing, though you’ll notice some striking elements like open cannabis stalls and signs requesting no photos on certain streets.
The Lakes: A 6.4 km loop around five man-made lakes, perfect for running, walking, or cycling. Our Airbnb was right by one of them — a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.
Nørrebro Neighborhood: We explored Nørrebro to visit Mel. It’s a hip, relaxed neighborhood with trendy shops and organic cafés. Mel recommended Jægersborggade, a charming street full of independent stores and cafés.
Assistens Kirkegården: A historic cemetery where notable Danes like H.C. Andersen are buried. Locals use it as a public park for picnics and sunbathing, and it felt like a lovely, peaceful green space to visit.
<< EAT >>
Copenhagen is a foodie city and we splurged on meals. Highlights and recommendations:
Pintxos (Tapas Bar): Our most expensive dinner of the trip was here, but it was memorable. We ended up with a set 14-course tapas menu and wine. It was a Spanish-style tapas experience and highly recommended by our host.
Cafe 22: Great for breakfast and brunch. Located by the lakes, it served tasty pancakes and good coffee — a solid spot to start the day.
Joe & the Juice: A popular juice and smoothie chain across the city. Quick, reliable, and a convenient stop for a fresh drink.
Laura’s Bakery: Inside Torvehallerne, this bakery makes excellent whole-grain bread and pastries — perfect for breakfast at the flat.
Lagkagehuset: A go-to for Danish pastries. We stopped several times for coffee and sweet treats.
Hija de Sanchez Taquería: A taco stand in Torvehallerne that satisfied a serious taco craving.
Brass (Paper Island): I had an amazing gluten-free egg wrap filled with braised pork, greens, pickled peppers, and a yogurt-tahini dressing — flavorful and filling.
Coffee Collective: A well-regarded local coffee chain that we visited multiple times.
Mikkeller Brewery: A microbrewery in Nørrebro with an extensive tap list. Beer prices are higher than in the U.S., but the atmosphere and selection made it worth a visit.
Overall impressions: Copenhagen feels trendy, health-conscious, and active. The city offers many organic cafés, minimal Danish design, and easy access to the water — all things I appreciated. If we planned this trip again, we might shorten our Copenhagen stay by a day and spend more time in Iceland, since most Copenhagen highlights are centrally located and can be seen in two days. Still, for food, design, and a lively urban vibe, Copenhagen is well worth a visit.