Having visited Copenhagen twice, I’m far from an expert but it’s one of a European city I don’t get bored of. As it’s a 2-hour flight from London, I’ll give you the low down on the best places to stay and to go if you do decide to visit this magical city.
Where to stay?
Each time I’ve visited Copenhagen I’ve booked with a host via Airbnb and stayed in the districts of Vesterbro and Flintholm in Frederiksberg. Both of the areas are popular within Copenhagen but like every area have different things to offer.
Depending what kind of vibe you’re looking for here’s some of the information one some of the other districts which will help you decide where to stay:
- Vesterbro; looking for someone “trendy” to stay then Vesterbro is the place for you. Recently dubbed as the ‘hipster’ area of Copenhagen. You’ll find lots of coffee shops, restaurants and bars and my favourite of all Tivoli gardens! Also known as the meatpacking district though when referring it to this to locals they may not understand.
- Nørrebro; I stayed here during my first trip to Copenhagen and loved it. Google Maps suggests Nørrebro as a ‘hip, multicultural neighbourhood, popular with students and creative types’. sure you’ll come across these late-night bars and kebab but do be careful choosing which clubs you go to. They are some areas where they treat non-Danish citizens differently and you may receive weird looks if you are dressed a certain way.
- Frederiksberg; known as the ‘posh’ part of Copenhagen. The nearest station for me was Flintholm during my second trip. A nice quiet family orientated area, easy and great access to transport links. The main attractions are the Frederiksberg Castle which operates tours on the last Saturday of each month, so if you’re in the town make sure you take time out to visit!
Getting around
The metro (trains) run directly from the airport, so no matter where you’re staying the journey should be easy access. I’m a big advocate for using public transport abroad to get a feel for the area (and save some coins). It also is a great way to get around and sightsee as much as you can.
My Top 5 Sight Seeings
1. Tivoli Gardens
This was my personal favourite as I love theme parks! Tivoli Gardens is unique as it’s the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world after Dyrehavsbakken in Klampenborg, Denmark.
The rides may look like they’re only for children with limited fun for adults but this is far from the truth. I enjoyed the train ride which looks deceiving but honestly could easily compete with some of Thorpe Park’s newest rides!
P.S. If you really can’t stand theme parks but you want to enter, whether it’s just for lunch or to explore the insides of the park and take loads of pretty pictures of Instagram you can buy a wristband just to enter the park so you won’t have to miss out on all the fun!
Travelling in summer? Then this spot should be on your bucket list by default. The Botanical Garden is breath-taking. Here you’ll find 13,000 species of plants.
As the gardens are free to visit and walk around, you can easily find yourself lost in their beauty as they are absolutely massive too!
My one regret about visit Copenhagen (twice) is not visiting the Freetown Christiania. It’s a neighbourhood in Copenhagen with its own “special” way of life. More green, no cars and was established in the 1970s. With a mixture of homemade houses, art galleries there is still said to be a sense of society just probably different to those outside of our norms whether you’re from Copenhagen or another part of the world. There is said to be no photography or filming once inside due to the different rules.
As a big kid and Disney lover, how could I not visit the home of the original Little Mermaid? Expect to come across hundreds of other visitors so you may need to be patient. It’s a piece of artwork to be admired though it’s been vandalised several times. Situated in Langelinie, there isn’t much to do in this area except excursions on a hop on hop off buses, so be sure other things to your itinerary on this day!
I believe the best way to take in a countries culture and learn about their history is through visiting the museums. While visiting Copenhagen for the first time I visited the National Gallery of Denmark, This is a personal preference as some people may not be into museums. There are loads of full listing of museums here. Some may charge entry, others will enable you a discount if you are a student (so definitely worth travelling with) and some will be free (kerrrching)!
Other attractions/activities:
- Zoo / Aquarium / Ruins under Christiansborg Palace / Bakken (North Copenhagen)
No doubt Copenhagen has a lot to offer from vibrant nightlife and culture, so whether you want to come for a city break to sightsee, or party with a friend down near the meatpacking district they’ll be loads of things for you to do. With direct flights from major UK cities, Copenhagen should be added on to your bucket list as there is an array of things to do day and night.
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