(15MAR24) This month marked my 5th year in the UK—and look how I celebrated it outside the country again! 😆 Pretty much because 1) I want to treat myself after passing the “Life in The UK” test which I hope will lead me to a better path and 2) Apart that I wanted a change of scenery, I wanted to use my Schengen visa before it expires. Hence, this happened; though, who would have thought that I had gone to Sweden’s frenemy?!
It feels great to tour another Scandinavian country; I actually had doubts on embarking a solo trip here owing to the fact that I had less preparations for it. I’ve said to myself that I’m just going to rely on my spontaneous instincts when I get there; Yet, Denmark is a breath of fresh air. The hygge has led me to enjoy and explore. So, here’s my 3-day itinerary to the 2nd happiest country in the world!
FLIGHT
I had a flight right after my day shift. Although I managed to get an early out, I got to prep my stuff in my flat (about roughly 45minutes) then went directly to the airport! I flew with Norwegian Air via Gatwick airport. NA is one of the airlines who has really good Scandic deals. This is the second time that I booked with them on an evening flight and it wasn’t packed so I had enough space on my seated row😊 Plus, even if there were delays in boarding, they still end up to land on time.
Welcome to CPH Flughafen! I came to realize that I like the feeling of landing in a country with a foreign language. Does anybody feel that ‘wow’ factor?!
TRANSPORTATION
Copenhagen has one of the best and easiest access of public transport that I have ever experienced in Europe. It only takes 15minutes train ride from the airport to the city centre! And whether it’s a metro or a subway, the area is clean and very aesthetic. (I didn’t get to take a picture of the inside train because I was literally in awe of how modern and sophisticated it looked!)
The city pass can be used to all modes of public transport and you can choose between a 24/28/72-hr validity. You can purchase this at the airport or buy it online in advanced.
Most shops in the capital accepts both cash and card. Apply now for an AMEX Gold and lets collect points together to earn loads of travel benefits.
HOTEL
I stayed at Hotel Astoria by Best Western Collection. Firstly, I will highly recommend this location-wise as it is just across CPH Central Station. Secondly, their single room is cozy and minimalist which is very typical for hotels at the Nordics. Even their breakfast buffet is simple (and elegant).
My picky breakfast choices; The one in the shotglass btw is not alcohol but elderflower juice and I love it!
Though truth be told, I have seen a lot of beautiful hotels in Copenhagen when we were strolling around the city. Ideally, you can hang-out at the hotel lounge or dine-in at the bar which is a must for its relaxing ambiance.
ITINERARY
I guarantee that 3 days is enough to tour Copenhagen. You would not even realize that you have seen all of its neighborhood. It is the perfect weekend getaway in Europe because of the weather, the kind people and the surrounding. You can actually visit most of the popular attractions on foot so you would either need a city map or join a free walking tour. One attraction that I missed mentioning here is the Tivoli Gardens which is only open in some occasions (like in Christmas, Easter, etc) and I heard good reviews of it. I hoped I would be able to catch it open the next time I visit as it was very near to CPH central station as well!
This part of the capital has all streets named from animals!
One of the highlights of my trip is joining a Hygge culture and happiness tour which is perfect for solo travelers. It was amazing to meet people with the same mindset about travelling on your own and sharing experiences. Notwithstanding, that this is also the meaning of “hygge” which is a happy pill for the Danes. In spite that Denmark is another expensive country, it seemed that the people here were so carefree in spreading the hygge vibes.
Whether at the park or at the city centre, there are statues everywhere from the royal family to the famous Hans Christian Andersen.
Thanks to him, we got some happy endings to our favorite fairytales.
Of course, you should not miss paying tribute to the Little Mermaid. The sculpture was a gift to the city from a Danish brewer who got inspired on the fairytale’s ballet. Additionally, there’s also an underwater statue about an interesting story of Agnete and the Merman.
Whereas the rest of the statues were the former rulers of the country. It’s either a “Frederik”, a “Christian” or a “Margaret”.
The Amalienborg or the Danish royal palace is a sight to be seen. I was so amazed how they were doing a change of guards in public!
Imagine that the secret way to sneak in the Rosenborg Castle is to get the 'key' inside this lion statue (try your luck to get it!)
The Christiania village is a hip, pop culture outskirt which reminds me of Camden Town
You'll definitely cross this star-shaped fortress called Kastellet if you're going to see the Little Mermaid statue!I like how the bastions represent Denmark's colors.
Copenhill is the country’s powerplant turned into a leisure center. Visit this place to see the breathtaking view of Copenhagen.
Copenhagen from above. 🫶🏻
You can also try the artificial ski slope here. Will you be up for a challenge?
You can never miss the shopping street of Strøget in the city! And besides these, Copenhagen is filled with a lot of recreational areas from parks, shops, food market and of course, the iconic Nyhavn.
This lively colorful street was used to be a commercial port and now transformed into a favorite local place of pubs, cafes and restaurants.
This is Torvehallerne, CPH's gem of food and local goods. In short, think about London's Borough Market.
And certainly, lets not forget about Denmark’s food scene. Believe it or not, I have only eaten bread or sandwiches throughout this whole trip! Despite that there’s really no such thing as a Danish bread, this flour-rich food topped with meat or sweet can be enough as a main meal.
The Smorrebrød or the open sandwich is definitely worth a try. Though it’s literally a piece of bread with a variety of toppings, this meal can already make you feel full!I had a fish cake with prawns and dill.
Another must-try is to go on a hotdog deli stand—like you have to try it 1000%! You can choose over different kinds of sausages (I recommend the ristet polse) and sauces accompanied with these tasty fried onions. I really like street food so much and this is one of my faves.
Never leave the country without having a frikadeller or a Danish meatball. The taste is so rich, it’ll also make you full with just one piece. Alongside that, I had a straciatella and licorice-flavored ice cream from Nyhavn. Indeed, it's never too cold for ice cream
The Danes love their poppy seeds in their pastries so much. The Copenhagenner or the cinnamon bun can be the perfect combination with a cup of coffee. Though one thing with cafes here is that, they close as early as 6pm.
And on my last day here, I got to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. It’s cool to see the town square in green, orange and a shamrock.
It was certainly a blast in Denmark which has been a great weekend staycation. People would feel like it’s sad to travel alone but nope, it not! Especially if you are in a safe and happy country where nobody cares what you’re doing. I hope to travel again here. This also marks my definite end of my Euro tour. I might be going for a travel hiatus (like lets see how long am I gonna last 😝) but I’ll try to post some random contents 😄
‘til then
