I had always heard of the beauty of Scandinavian countries and I finally made it out there and got to explore a city with quite the history and one of the most famous food scenes in the world: Copenhagen. The Danish capital has the highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants per capita in the world and hosts the number one ranked restaurant in the world – Noma.
Outside of food, this city has beautiful architecture deeply rooted in its Viking history and an incredibly socially conscious and community centric population. Danish people may not be known for being open and friendly, but I had some of the most amazing conversations with locals, discussing everything from food and cocktails to economic policy and technology.
I spent five days in the heart of the city, which is conveniently walkable. I voluntarily opted out of taking a taxi. I also didn’t ride a bike (although this was highly recommended) or take public transportation my whole trip. Copenhagen is incredibly safe – as a solo female traveler, I felt comfortable walking around at night and locals were very helpful answering any questions or giving recommendations. At times, I felt like I was in a movie, people around me were just that nice.
What I Saw
Day 1
Since it was my first time here, I booked a free walking tour to get the lay of the land and a brief overview of the history and highlights of the city. Walking tours are a great way to find places to see from a local’s perspective and also meet people.
This walking tour took me through the highlights of the city. We started at the City Hall Square, Rådhuspladsen, walked through the oldest part of Copenhagen, and explored the political heart of the city – Christiansborg Slot or Palace.
Christiansborg was the site of the first castle of the people who settled in the area in the 1100s. Since then, several castles have been built on top of the original due to damage to the previous structures by fires and attacks from enemies. Today the castle is still used as a royal palace but also houses the executive, legislative, and judicial powers. The tour only walks around the buildings, but you can tour the palace, stables, and kitchen on your own.
We then walked over to Kongens Nytorv Plaza where you can see a drastic difference in architecture. This energetic square is surrounded by Baroque style buildings, including the royal opera house and the famous Hotel D’Angleterre. This plaza opens up to probably the most famous area in Copenhagen – definitely the most photographed – Nyhavn. This is an old harbor that is not functional anymore, other than for tour boats. The colorful buildings by the harbor used to be local stores but are now restaurants catered for tourists. This area was extremely crowded and I recommend coming here early in the morning, especially if you want to take some photos without getting bumped into.
We then walked over to Amalienborg Palace – a complex of palaces that serves as the current home of the royal family. The palace is relatively new and surrounds a very large square, which leads up to Frederik’s Church, famous for having the largest dome in Scandinavia. From the palace square, you get a beautiful view of the new opera house, a modern building looking over the harbor.
After the tour, I spent the afternoon touring the Christiansborg Palace. I started with the history of the palace and the first settlements of the area. It’s wild to think that this is the fifth castle on the same land. You can see some of the ruins that are under the palace in the history exhibit. I then moved on to see the royal palace rooms. These are amazing and are dotted with historical facts about the royal family. My favorite was the throne room.
You also get to explore the royal kitchen and stables that house the royal horses. The kitchen is massive and showcases how the team works together to host dignitaries and large dinner parties. The stables were my favorite part since you get to see some of the horses. Some were friendly and curious and I may have spent quite a bit of time just observing them.
After some much-needed rest, I headed back out and walked along the water to the Royal Library. This is a modern building known as the Black Diamond. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to go inside since the library had closed for the day.
Day 2
The next day I had planned on visiting Rosenborg Palace and seeing the crown jewels but the crowd and wait was about two hours so I changed up my plans and went to Kastellet, a 17th century fortress with gardens, sculptures, and pathways to enjoy the outdoors. From here, you can see the famous Little Mermaid statue. I was underwhelmed by the statue, but it was fun to watch the massive crowd gathered to see it.
While walking to lunch, I passed through Amalienborg and it turned out to be the king’s birthday so they had a whole entourage of soldiers and a marching band. I also saw the king and his family as they were leaving the palace. It was amazing to see how much respect the royal family garners from the public.
After lunch, I took my second walking tour of my trip – Christianshavn. We started in the city center, near Christiansborg, and crossed the bridge to Christianshavn. This area is a group of islands and is named after Christian IV. It used to be an independent town and was meant to provide fortification for Copenhagen, but was eventually incorporated into the main city. Today, Christianshavn is primarily a residential area and is known for its café culture and canals lined with houseboats. It is also home to Freetown Christiania, an alternative community with eclectic buildings and an interesting history of rebelliousness.
We explored the colorful residential area and learned about the local culture from our guide. It was so cool to hear about how community-centric Denmark is. The canals in this area are picture perfect, especially with all the locals and tourists enjoying the sunshine. We also saw the Church of Our Saviour which has steps on the outside of its spire. We then went to Freetown Christiania and wow, this area is very different than the rest of Copenhagen. Definitely check it out, I enjoyed some live music after exploring the numerous murals.
Day 3
I started my day early and made the trip back to Renaissance period Rosenborg Castle. Once you get a ticket, you can explore the well-preserved palace rooms. You also get to see the crown jewels. They also store the Rosenborg wine which is only served at the Queen’s New Year banquet. The wine is from the 1500s. The sprawling gardens of Rosenborg are the perfect place for a picnic, which is exactly what I did. I saw people taking their lunch breaks here and it’s a great place to people watch.
After lunch, I just wandered around and did some window shopping. I came across this pottery and glass blowing workshop where you can see artists actively working on projects. I also saw the Round Tower but didn’t end up going up since the line was too long.
I made my way back to Nyhavn and it finally wasn’t as crowded as the first time I went. I will say the photo ops here are worth it – the buildings are so colorful and you get to watch boats coming in and out of the harbor.
I then walked over to Christianshavn, back to the Church of Our Saviour and walked all the way up. Yes, even on the stairs on the outside of the spire. If you have a fear of heights, I would not recommend doing this as the guard rail is minimal and I’d say you are at one of the highest points in Copenhagen. But if you do make the trek up, the views are totally worth it. You get 360 degree views of the city and on a clear day, you can see Sweden.
Day 4
On my last full day in Copenhagen, I spent half the day at the National Museum of Denmark. This museum is so cool and interactive. The exhibits highlight the history of Denmark from the first settlers, Vikings, all the way to modern times. Their artifact collection is mind-blowing. I saw a fully preserved burial of a young girl from the 1300s – her hair, teeth, and even the impression of her legs on the fur lined burial were preserved. It was a little creepy but still amazing to see.
I then did a self-guided walking tour of the Vesterbro neighborhood of Copenhagen. I had never done one of these but it was great to go at my own pace and listen to historical facts while walking around. The tour I did is linked here. Vesterbro, historically, had a reputation of prostitution and drug trafficking and was where the poorest lived, especially refugees. Today, there are still some areas that are known for drugs, but for the most part, this area has been completely renovated and is now one of the most coveted places to live. The renovations have made way for some of the hottest cafes, bakeries, restaurants, and bars. As I walked around, you can still see remnants of the history of the neighborhood, especially in the architecture. Some areas were part of the meatpacking district and some residential areas used to be brothels.
What I Ate
I took full advantage of Copenhagen being such a foodie destination. I can confidently say that every place I ate at or picked up food at was on point. The quality of food, service, and atmosphere was top notch. Even as a solo traveler without any reservations, I felt welcomed everywhere.
Bakeries
One of the tour guides mentioned that the Danes LOVE their pastries and you can see that by the sheer number of bakeries in the city. I took advantage of their culinary offerings and had a variety of pastries for breakfast and afternoon snacks.
My favorite bakery was Sankt Peders Bageri which is in the heart of the city. I loved it here so much that I went twice. Cardamom buns are very popular in Copenhagen and the one I had here was so, so good. I also had a brioche bun and a pizza bread.
The Coffee Collective was another highlight of my culinary adventures – the coffee was delicious and the croissant was so good that I almost forgot to take a picture. Another small batch bakery that I loved was Andersen & Maillard, which was recommended by a tour guide. This place had the most delicious canelé, which is a small pastry flavored with rum and vanilla and has a crunchy, caramelized crust but a soft, creamy center. I did forget to take a picture of this, it was that good. The croissant here was also delicious.
Another bakery that I enjoyed was Hart Bageri in the Vesterbro neighborhood. I got a cardamom croissant bun and I still have dreams of eating this. It’s their most popular pastry and I can see why.
Restaurants
The food culture in Copenhagen speaks for itself and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The one thing that was a little different than what I’m used to is that most restaurants offer only a tasting menu – not a long 10 course menu but usually about four to six courses. Being alone, this was sometimes a lot of food, but it was a great value, considering the quality of the food and service.
I tried the four-course tasting menu at Marv & Ben and each dish was a crazy explosion of flavors that complimented each other so well. They used ingredients that I never would have thought go together but they made it work. Also, the bread and butter call for a special shout out. It came out piping hot and was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I loved the potato dish which had different types of potatoes cooked using various methods. You can’t tell in the picture, but this dish was layered and each bite had all the layers creating the perfect bite. The stand-out dish for me was the Irish lamb filet – I think this may have been one of the best pieces of meat I’ve ever had. The wine sauce they served it with paired so well with the tender filet which was cooked to perfection. I must also say that the service here was amazing, I felt so well taken care of. The wines suggested went great with my meal.
Not every place I ate at was fancy with a tasting menu – for lunch one day, I went to Gasoline Grill where I had one of the juiciest burgers I’ve had in a while. They also have this homemade elderflower lemonade which is perfect for a hot day full of exploring. This burger joint is world-famous and always has a line and they sell out every day so make sure to get there early. The original spot which I visited is literally housed at a working gas station which was so funny to see when a car pulled up in the middle of the crowd waiting in line to fill up their car.
One of the most well-known eats in Denmark to try is smørrebrød, an open face, cold sandwich usually made with rye bread and topped with various spreads and meats or fish and cheeses. This is a must try while visiting Copenhagen and every place has different combinations. I went to Aamanns and ordered two sandwiches to go, making a small picnic for myself. I got the herring and chicken salad plates. Both were absolutely delicious and not too heavy, making the perfect lunch. These are also so beautifully arranged – almost a piece of artwork.
Another day, I had dinner at Odette, an intimate restaurant housed in an old two-story home. I ended up doing the tasting menu here without realizing that the first course was meant to be shared and was made up of three appetizers and bread. Being alone, this was a lot of food and I probably could have finished my dinner with that but I kept going. I also did the wine pairing which was a fun experience and not too much alcohol. The appetizers consisted of a beef tartar, a cod crudo, and an endive salad. The bread was made with garlic and thyme and so good. For the main, I had steamed cod with a black garlic puree. The fish was cooked perfectly and was a good light entrée before dessert, which was the best tiramisu I’ve ever had (sorry Italy!). I have no words for how good this was. Even though I was stuffed from all the food before, I was left licking my spoon from the tiramisu.
Bars
There are so many cocktail bars to choose from in Copenhagen which reflects the drinking culture of the Danes. I’m a big craft cocktail person and love exploring different cocktail bars and trying new spirits and concoctions and Copenhagen was the perfect city for this.
This city is home to one of the top 50 bars in the world – Ruby. I was lucky to get a spot at the bar so I could chat with the bartenders and see how they make all the drinks. I love refreshing, and citrus forward drinks that aren’t too sweet and the bartender whipped me up a drink on the spot and it was right up my alley. I had the best time here, everyone was friendly and the drinks were really good.
Another bar I tried was Duck and Cover in the Vesterbro neighborhood. I went right when they opened and was able to chat with the bartender. Both drinks I had were off-menu and made based on what I told the bartender I liked. I tried new spirits, including regional ones, and ingredients that I wouldn’t normally think of ordering, like celeriac. I think this was one of the best experiences I had, especially the chance to chat with locals. I didn’t know this, but this bar was a popular hangout for locals and they were all open to chatting. I had some of the most intriguing conversations here and ended up staying for several hours.
If you’d like any more information or have questions about my time in Copenhagen, feel free to drop a comment or reach out to me on Instagram!
