Booking a weekend trip is always a good idea, but the organising part can be challenging when there is so much to see in so little time. I’ve recently spent two days in Copenhagen with a friend and experienced it myself. With less than 48 hours at our disposal, we had to make the best out of our time in the Danish capital.
Day 1
We arrived at Copenhagen Central Station around noon and immediately headed to the Meatpacking District to grab some lunch. The area has a peculiar atmosphere due to its old warehouse buildings and is full of eateries, making you feel spoilt for choice. We had some great burgers at Tommi’s Burger Joint and got ready to discover the city.
Unfortunately, the famous Tivoli Gardens were closed during our stay, but if you’re luckier know that they are a must visit in Copenhagen for entertainment parks enthusiasts. After peaking inside Tivoli we hit the Strøget, the main shopping area of the city. It’s basically a long pedestrian street where you’ll find shops selling just about anything from clothes and accessories to homeware and souvenirs. Two shops you can’t miss are the Lego Store and the iconic Flying Tiger Copenhagen.
Then, it was time to see Nyhavn, the old harbour with its colourful picture-postcard buildings. It was very pretty and we took quite a few pictures, even though the weather was a bit cloudy. From Nyhavn, we took the “harbour bus” to reach the Little Mermaid statue. You can take this ferry also from the Black Diamond, namely the Royal Library, whose name reflects its unique shape and colour. However, if you don’t mind walking and the weather is fine, I recommend that you move by foot, as the ferry ride is actually not as pretty as the city itself.
As for the Little Mermaid, I had read many comments saying that it was small and uninteresting, so my expectations were very low. I ended up finding it really beautiful and elegant, at least once I managed to make my way through the crowd of people trying to take a selfie with her.
On our way back to the city centre we went through Kastellet, an old fortress with very charming streets and nature. If that suits your interests, in this area you’ll also find the Design Museum of Denmark, featuring permanent and temporary exhibitions on Danish furniture and more.
Late afternoon is a good time to visit Torvehallerne, an indoors food market selling local produce and specialities. Here you’ll find both savoury and sweet items, depending on what you’re craving. However, the must-try is the Smørrebrød, the Danish open sandwich. Note that the market usually closes at 19, but on Saturday it closes at 18 and on Sunday at 17.
After that, we had to check in at our hostel, which was Sleep in Heaven in the neighbourhood of Nørrebro. As many hostels do, they hosted a happy hour from 19 to 20, offering two drinks at the price of one. For dinner, we ended up in an Italian Restaurant because it was Saturday and all the places were packed. Don’t make the same mistake: book in advance. Also, be prepared to spend a small fortune for food in Copenhagen, as everything is crazy expensive. Especially wine.
Day 2
After a good night of sleep, we woke up early and had breakfast at the hostel, which is a very convenient choice. You’ll spend just as much as you would in a café, but for an all you can eat buffet.
Our plan for the morning was to go up the Round Tower, an unusual building from the top of which you can enjoy a nice view of Copenhagen. There is a small entrance fee to pay, but if you ask me it’s definitely worth it. There were even a nice café and a contemporary art exhibition inside. If you don’t want to spend any money at all, you can choose the panoramic City Hall Tower or Christiansborg Palace Tower instead.
Within walking distance of the tower, there are Rosenborg Castle and the King’s Gardens, both Renessaince style. If you want, you can visit the castle and see the Crown Jewels. Otherwise, just a stroll in the gardens is still a pleasant activity, especially during spring and summer. The Botanical Gardens and the National Gallery of Denmark are also a few feet away, and I regret not being able to visit them.
From Rosenborg Castle, we went on to Amalienborg Palace, the current home of the royal family, where the changing of the guard takes place every day at noon. I didn’t think it would be such an entertaining show, but I actually enjoyed it a lot. Be sure to arrive in advance though, or you risk being stuck behind someone’s back for the entire thing. If you want to learn more about Danish royalty, the palace is open for visits as well.
After a quick lunch – for which I suggest that you try a cheap and delicious hotdog from one of the stalls in the city centre – we crossed the river and went on to Christiania, the famous alternative “freetown”. This area did not appeal to me very much, but it’s still a curious place to visit. Note that they have strict rules about cameras and cell phones in Christiania, so try not to use them while you’re there.
The final stop on our tour was the Hans Christian Andersen Fairytale House, a small museum with rooms dedicated to many tales written by the famous Danish author. If you prefer, you can choose any other museum located in the city centre, like the Guinness World Records Museum, the National Museum of Denmark (free), or the aforementioned National Gallery.
Before taking the bus home, we were up for some hygge in a nice café. The place we went to was called Lagkagehuset and has many locations scattered around town. Here you can try some typical confectionery, like cinnamon rolls, snail-shaped pastries or chokoladebolle.
Next time
Even if two days can be enough to visit Copenhagen and many of its attractions, outside the city centre there are some valuable points of interest as well: the National Aquarium of Denmark, one of the largest ones in Europe, and Kronborg Castle, where Shakespeare set his immortal play Hamlet. These are the main reasons why I think I’ll visit Copenhagen again the future, along with the Tivoli Gardens, of course.
The Travelling Robin 