Copenhagen should be on every person‘s list to visit. It has been on ours for quite some time but we were waiting to be able to visit in one of the warmer summer months to truly experience the beauty of the canals and being able to just be outside and dine outside. However, life threw a little curveball at us as we had Iceland planned, but due to the ongoing possibility of the eruption and the blue lagoon being closed, we decided to postpone our trip to Iceland. This led us to picking to travel to both Stockholm and Copenhagen, one week before our time off from work.
I was going back-and-forth on picking a destination because when you look at Copenhagen, you might know that the sun rises around 8:30 AM and sets around 3 PM so for many they think that the daylight or lack there of isn’t worth a visit during this time of year. But for me, I spoke to my wedding photographer, who had lived there for seven years, and she could not have raved more about how magical Copenhagen is in the winter around Christmas, so we bit the bullet and booked our tickets to Copenhagen. Now I’m sure it is absolutely magnificent during the summer, but I was not disappointed one ounce when going during December, it is so beautiful, so charming and so livable.
This post is going to touch on the main sites and attractions that we did during our time in Copenhagen, which was over 3 1/2 days. We were on vacation for one week and decided to split our time between Stockholm and Copenhagen, and initially I was worried it wouldn’t be enough time, but it definitely was an adequate amount of time to just get a little taste of the city and be able to see the main tourist attractions. With that being said, I could absolutely return, and spend much much longer exploring the city and the areas around the city.
Book a walking tour with the company withlocals and specifically with Hrannar! This was absolutely one of our highlights on the trip. The walking tour was three hours, and we felt like we were just walking around the city and learning about the country and the culture with one of our friends. Hrannar was so knowledgeable, so personable funny and gave you the right amount of information without historical overload. The company is also pretty great because they let you contact the tour guide and you can schedule whichever day that you are in the city and you can pick different times to suit whether you’re a morning person or you prefer the evening.
Take a canal Boat tour, which is available from multiple locations. We got on the tour from the Nyhavn location as it was close to our hotel, the tour last about one hour, takes you out a little bit into the harbor to point out buildings outside of the historical center as well as through the canals so that you can see the neighborhood and buildings in a closer viewpoint. The boat is equipped with a large indoor seating area for those who are not used to the cold if you are visiting in the winter, as well as a few rows of seats in both the front and back of the boat. Honestly, if your dress warm enough, it’s better to sit outside because the glass is a little cloudy and the views are so much better from the outside, so we chose to sit upfront.
Visit Tivoli. Tivoli is the amusement park located within the city and should absolutely be visited regardless of the time of year. It is so cute and quaint and for thrill seekers they have big amusement rides that looked terrifying for my height phobia. If your lucky enough to visit during December, when it is Christmas season, they have one of the best Christmas markets. We learned from our tour guide that although the many other Christmas markets in the city are fun to visit, that the Christmas market at Tivoli is actually the only market that sells items that are directly made in Denmark. On top of that, the cute doll like houses decorated for Christmas and endless Christmas lights are reason enough to take a stroll through. We went a little before sunset so we could see everything in the daylight, of course, but needed to stay to see the magic of everything lit up at night.
Walk around Nyhavn, the waterfront canal lined with bright building and is iconic for Copenhagen. There are touristy spots for dining and I wouldn’t recommend the food, but a great spot for a drink to admire the view. Again, in December you can find a tiny Christmas market which was my favorite behind Tivoli.
Climb the Round Tower. Yes… you guessed it, it is a round tower but has minimal stairs unlike most towers you’d climb in Europe, as most of the climbing is a steady continuous incline. The top boasts a viewpoint of Copenhagen. We ventured it and thought it was a different and nice way of seeing the city and I can only imagine how much better it could be on a sunny and clear day.
Try smorrebrod. The most popular Danish open faced sandwich featuring rye bread and various combinations for toppings. The most popular are beef, salmon with eggs and shrimp and mayo. Served at lunchtime only so plan accordingly.
Watch the changing of the guard at Amalienborg Palace. The changing of the guard takes place daily at 12:00pm at the inner palace yard. Arrive a little early to be able to stand in the front.
