COPENHAGEN
On my first visit to Denmark, I fell in love with the country and the city of Copenhagen. From the mix of mid-century design, unique restaurants to its storybook charm, you won’t be disappointed when visiting this locale. Denmark is one of the hippest countries in Europe and Copenhagen is the center of activity with a lively evening scene, palaces and castles.
DINING
On my first day in Denmark, before heading to Copenhagen, I made a stop in Aarhus to meet up with some co workers for a quick lunch at one of the oldest restaurants in Aarhus called Rådhuscafeen. This restaurant was cozy, with friendly staff and delicious authentic Danish cuisine. Although I have specific eating habits, I did try the 3 Herring types as starter (when in Rome right) and it was surprisingly delicious. Not fully knowing the culture, what I thought would be an hour lunch- if that much- ran into almost three hours of eating and drinking! At first it felt odd to be day drinking, especially after such long flights, but the atmosphere was great and the company was engaging so I went with and had a blast! The only reason I left the lunch (well more like dinner by the time I was leaving) was because I had to check into my hotel in Copenhagen. So I got a cab and headed to the hotel.
STAY
I got out the cab and headed into the hotel and checked in. The Scandic Front hotel was modern and sleek and the staff was friendly, especially knowing that I didn’t speak Danish. I headed upstairs to my room and got settled and took in the beautiful views of the water. After a bit of rest, I got ready for a night out and to stroll the streets of the city center.
Copenhagen is one of those cities that is large, but feels small. I think this vibe arises from the fact there are a lot of walking only areas. Even in the center of the city, the streets are arranged like those in a neighborhood. This gives even the biggest restaurant or bar on the biggest street a local tavern and inviting feel. I walked around looked at different shops through out my stay, chatted with locals and ate some of the most delicious food day in and day out.
HISTORY
I visited the house once owned by Hans Christian Andersen located on a colorful street and the Little Mermaid that is perched on her rock and the walk up to the harborside. The Vesterbro was also another spot that I visited which was filled with trendy bars and clothing stores. I then headed to spend some time in the oldest amusement park called Tivoli Gardens.
Other days I visited the Rosenborg Castle from the 17th century and the palace of Malienborg where the guards routinely walk the grounds stoically. At night I visited various bars and grabbed dinner. My favorite was the ice bar (yes, everything is made of ice there), although it was freezing and you had to wear such heavy clothing that they give you, in order to stay warm safely, the atmosphere was unique and the drinks were interesting.
While Copenhagen has many wonderful sights and experiences, it is necessary to narrow down a few choices and choose your stops before setting out on your exploration of all that Copenhagen has to offer. The stops mentioned here are by no means an all inclusive list of all the attractions available or that I explored, but just the most that truly peaked my interest. So I invite you to explore Copenhagen as I enjoyed my stay immensely. Copenhagen has so much to offer the people watcher as well as the extreme thrill seeker and all of us in between!
