Top Five Favorites in København

Copenhagen Top Five

I finally traveled to the number one spot on my travel list this weekend: Copenhagen, Denmark. It lived up to every expectation. There was so much we planned to see, and I wish we could have stayed longer, but we made do and had such an incredible trip. As we only had a solid 48 hours in Copenhagen, here are the top five things we did/saw/ate while there.

#1: Tivoli Gardens

As one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, Tivoli Gardens was one of my favorite attractions we went to. Walt Disney himself would visit Tivoli to find inspiration for the Disney Parks, and I could see why he was so drawn to this place. First of all, it was stunning. We went at night so it was lit up, which I felt was the only way to see it. It included everything from gardens and ponds, to rollercoasters, to fine dining. I could have walked around this park for hours had we given ourselves the time to do so. And of course, we couldn't have gone to the park without going on a ride. So we ended our experience by riding one of the oldest running wooden rollercoasters in the world, The Mine, and it was perfect.

Tivoli main entrance with Hans Christian Andersen statue

Tivolis Koncersal (concert hall)

Nimb Hotel inside the park

#2: Nyhavn

Also known as the place you see on every postcard from Copenhagen. This picturesque area of Copenhagen is filled with colorful buildings along the canal. It's filled with great restaurants and shopping alike, and included many tourists. We were sandwiched in between American tourists during our seafood dinner on the canal. The mussels we had were incredibly fresh, we were slurping the broth by the end of it. We also took a canal tour from Nyhavn and were able to appreciate the sights and sounds of Copenhagen from the water.

#3: The Food

At first I had picked one restaurant to talk about, but it wasn't fair to me (or to all my foodie readers) to only talk about one place. Dave and I are big foodies, and are pretty much willing to eat anything. This can be a challenge sometimes to narrow down a spot, so to all the friends and family who recommended something, thank you! It made our lives so much easier as every place we went to was seriously delicious. 

Lunch

As soon as we got in on Friday, our first stop was Ramen to Biiru. Maybe I was starving from traveling, but my spicy miso was amazing. The pork in it literally tasted like bacon and I felt like I was in heaven drinking the broth, even though my mouth was on fire. The most unique part about it, though, was you chose your order from a ramen vending machine and then were served accordingly.

Ordering system at Ramen to Biiru

Brunch

Saturday morning, we made our way over to Sidecar in Nørreboro for brunch. Their weekend brunch included ordering off the menu, and then supplementing with items from the buffet. Everything was so fresh, and the portions were actually a normal size. This place combined my love for small plates and healthy food, and Dave's love of buffet style, all you can eat brunch. 100% recommended. 

My meal: Sidecar Veggie Brunch

From the buffet there were probably 15 different dishes to choose from, plus charcuterie, cheeses, bread, and spreads (ie. hummus, babaganoush, pesto, etc). 

From the buffet clockwise from the right: The juiciest and most flavorful watermelon; hummus covered toast with tomato and pesto; avocado toast with pickled onion; and a tomato, mozzarella salad with fresh basil garnish.
(not pictured: the most amazing homemade hummus spread)

Ice Cream

We went to two different ice cream places that definitely hit the spot. One of them was called Munchies, located in Christianhavn. We saw people holding these ice cream cones, noticing the unique bubble waffle cones for the ice cream. Unbeknownst to us, this ice cream shop is very popular and sought after. I definitely can understand why after eating my  blueberry ice cream, topped with blueberry syrup, and graham cracker crumbles.

Munchies blueberry ice cream, blueberry syrup, graham and cracker crumbles wrapped in a fluffy, warm waffle cone.

#4: Freetown Christiania

As a social experiment in the 70's, Christiania has now become a commune that is completely separate from the rest of Copenhagen. The locals have actually purchased the land, and the town is independent of the Danish government (for the most part). The main attraction of Christiania is Pusher Street, where you are not allowed to run, take photographs, or run while taking photographs. The reason for this is Pusher Street is filled with dealers who sell cannabis, which is illegal in Denmark. 

Art Gallery

At the entrance of Christiania

Now, before I go any further I think it's important to note that you do not have to partake in these activities in order to visit this neighborhood. I, myself, did not partake. Plus, you can see several families, tourists, and people of all ages exploring this area. It's historic, a colorfully unique part of Copenhagen's history, and you should not be deterred by it. It is completely safe, and the people there are welcoming and friendly; which, is why this place made my Top Five List. 

If you want to know more, click the link in the heading which lists the family-friendly tourist attractions.

#5: Where We Stayed

The Airbnb

When we travel, David and I prefer to stay in an Airbnb. It makes us feel more comfortable and less 'touristy' that way. It also makes it easy to pretend you are a local, for the time being, giving you a taste of what it might actually be like to live there. Plus, you get so much more space than a hotel room would give you. I love the hygge style of Scandinavia. It was very cozy, and simple. 'Hygge' is all about making you feel at home, cozy, and enjoying the goodness of life.

Dining room

Coffee table decor

Family/Living room

The bikes

Our Airbnb was in Frederiksberg and came with two bikes, which is a quintessential part of Danish culture - people bike everywhere. I'm thankful we also biked in Brooklyn, New York where I learned all about biking etiquette, otherwise I would not have been able to keep up here. We were able to see so much, and I felt so safe with the immaculate bike paths that are incorporated in the streets - separate from the cars and from pedestrian foot traffic. I credit the bikes for letting us see as much of Copenhagen as possible during our 48 hour stay.

Sneaky #6: Pride Parade

As we were riding our bikes in search for things to see, we stumbled upon loud music and horns blaring. We came to find very quickly that Copenhagen's Pride festival was happening this weekend. It was my first Pride parade I've ever attended. 

It was such an exuberant atmosphere of people young and old, ethnically and racially diverse. It made me forget where I was for a moment. So much love, happiness, dancing, and glitter. Honestly, it was incredible to see such representation of diversity and culture in Copenhagen. But much more than that, it was invigorating. Love is love, there is so much to learn and experience everywhere you go.

U.S. Embassy float in the parade

So like I said, this trip definitely lived up to the expectations. I felt the city lived up to the hype, and I'm definitely feeling that traveler's high from this excursion. I can't wait to see where we'll go next.

Until next time... xo