48 Hours in Copenhagen

Scandinavia has been working its way up to the top of my list of top places to visit over the last few years, and in 2017 I was lucky enough to head over to Denmark's capital, Copenhagen. The trip was in honour of mine and Paul's 3 year anniversary, which was a big change from the usual meal and drinks down Eccy Road! If you're thinking of heading over to Denmark's capital anytime soon, below are some places and tips that I would definitely recommend...

We stayed at Hotel Absalon which was in a good central location, had amazing decor and - most importantly - a big comfy bed. The best way to get around Copenhagen is via bike, which we rented from our hotel. There is public transport, and a great metro system, but it is way cheaper (and more adventurous) to cycle. The roads are designed with bikes in mind, and a lot of roads have a specific bike lane which means you feel pretty safe even if you're not the best cyclist in the world. If you're going in the winter, remember to wrap up warm and wear a hat 'cause it can get pretty chilly.

Copenhagen has lots of lovely restaurants and bars, however expect to pay for the privilege of dining out. A main course can range from £15-25, with drinks on top. There was a number of great bar finds, including Mikkeller which had an extensive list of craft ale to appease my boyfriend. We also really enjoyed Zirup - a restaurant located in the Inner City. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was very cosy. You can sit outside next to heaters, with blankets, or sit inside the candle lit restaurant.

 

In terms of sites to see in the daytime, Tivoli Gardens was top of my list. Unfortunately, as it is only open in Spring/Summer time, I could only walk around the perimeter, however if you do go over peak season, you should 100% pay Tivoli and its selection of roller coasters a visit. We headed over to Nyhavn, a canal harbour, lined with pastel coloured townhouses from the 17th century. This is a great place to stop off and grab a hot chocolate. There's also a canal tour that takes you around the sites of Copenhagen that picks up from here. About a ten minute cycle ride away is Christiania. This patch of Copenhagen is declared as a free town, a former army barracks, taken over by settlers in the early seventies. We cycled around, stopping off at the beautiful lake, and the small, quiet town had a dystopian feel to it. Definitely worth visiting though, and there's apparently a lot more of an atmosphere during the summer.

For night time entertainment you have countless bars and clubs to visit. Our favourite was La Fontaine, a jazz bar across the road from Zirip. We'd read about the bar beforehand and were excited to visit. La Fontaine is fairly small, very cosy and was absolutely packed - and for good reason. On the night we visited, it was a jam night, meaning anyone could go up and make some music on stage. The bar was well stocked, and the atmosphere was great, so we ended up staying for the duration of the night.

Overall, we had an absolutely brilliant time and would 100% recommend. If you are visiting Copenhagen for the first time, I'd probably recommend going in the summer. You have probably heard of hygge - the concept of creating a cosy and warm environment whilst appreciating the good things in life - and it's obviously very big in Copenhagen. This means that in the winter time, a lot of people do stay at home. 

xo