COPENHAGEN

Welcome to my Copenhagen (mini) guide!

I've been wanting to visit this city for SO long, espcially during my four years of living in the Netherlands, but I was never able to make it happen.

This was a much shorter trip (around 5 days) versus actually living in some of the other places for which I made guides (like Amsterdam and Oxford). Consequently, this is an intro guide and an overview of the things I focused on seeing, what I enjoyed eating and some things I'd like to see next time I come back.

I stayed at the Next House Copenhagen hostel, which was in a great location and really nice amenities. I was surprised to even see families and kids running around as they also have rooms for two or four that you can book. I booked early enough and paid about $35 per night.

Apps to download & set up before your trip:

1. Donkey Republic

2. DOT tickets for public transportation

3. Uber (for car & Lime bikes)

4. Holafly for e-sim (this worked so well for me!! and only $3.90 per day)

How to Get Around

I actually really loved biking around Copenhagen and found it to be relatively easy. However, I did draw on my 4+ years of living in hectic bike-centric cities in Europe as necessary experience.

I mostly used Donkey biking for a normal bike. This cost about 15DKK per minute.

I also used a couple e-bikes to get to further places for which I tried both Lime bikes via the Uber app as well as e-bikes from Donkey. What I loved about the bikes is that every single one had a built-in phone holder so you can have Google Maps up while navigating through the city, keeping both hands on the bike handles. So smart!

First things first, food.

Where to Eat & Drink Coffee

COPENHAGEN - Where to Eat & Drink Coffee · Josephine https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZvGjQanmGvZdkuYq6?g_st=i

Tip: add the Google Maps guide to your phone and then whenever you're hungry or in need of a coffee you can locate the nearest pin!

Cafés

Because you know we have the start the day with a cinnamon bun.

• Juno the bakery had the BEST cardamon bun of my life, definitely, 100% worth the journey out there, they don't have any seats to sit inside so everything is take-out and the line moves quickly but get there early in the morning!

• Sankt Peders Bageri for the BEST cinnamon bun of my life. Perfect parts buttery and spiced. And still hot from the oven

• HART bakery (personally not my favorite, found it very underwhelming versus Juno and St Paders Bakery were actually worth their hype, in my humble opinion)

• HANS bakery (was a cute option very central but off the main road, I got my first Danish breakfast here with a sourdough bun and soft-boiled egg)

• Lille Bakery (I sadly got here at the end of the day and they were sold out of baked goods but I sat upstairs next to the window with an iced tea, overlooking a courtyard and jasmine)

• Sing Tehus (in the Vesterbro neighborhood) with some incredible matcha. Learned more about the world of matcha and how many different things go into it like coffee. Whether leaves are grown in the shade or not, how mineralized the water is and whether it brings out notes or not, etc.

• Sonny (they have a few different locations across town, but I ordered a matcha which they serve to you in the matcha-whisking bowl itself!)

• Apotek 57 (located right next to FRAMA, I didn't personally buy anything but the vibes are cute, it's a small store, definitely get there early again for them to have pastries left).

• Atelier September (for the iconic whipped butter, that actually just needs a lot of salt and buttermilk) I got a rye bread, comté cheese and whipped butter plate which was delicious, but very pricey

• Prolog for coffee (they didn't however serve any decaf coffee, which I found to be the case in most places!)

What pastries to try?

Kanelsnegle: Classic Danish cinnamon swirl.

Spandauer: Flaky pastry with a custard or jam (the original “Danish”).

 Tebirkes: Light, layered roll with almond filling and poppy seeds.

Rugbrød: Dense, seeded rye bread.

Romkugler: Chocolatey, rum-flavored cake balls.

 Sourdough Croissant: Flaky and tangy; a modern twist.

Cardamom Bun: Sweet, spicy, and fragrant

Restaurants

I didn't eat many meals out because it's very pricey, but here are some places that were recommended to me:

• Noma (I mean if you can, eating at one of the top restaurants in the world is such a cool experience!! I went and visited the pop-up store and it was super fun as well to get a little taste of their creativity at the forefront of food)

• Mirabelle (yummy pistachio pesto and white wine and sourdough bread and basque cheesecake)

• Gasoline Grill (a famous burger chain in Copenhagen which is relatively affordable compared to other options, great to grab take-out and head to the King's Gardens)

• La Banchina (so fun to bike out here and grab a glass of wine and snacks while sitting on the pier and jumping in for a swim, peak Copenhagen life)

• Reffen (a food market which had a lot of great options and you can sit right on the water)

• Grød for breakfast (I got yummy warm porridge bowl that was super creamy with granola, banana and berry compote with rhubarb & black currants (made with whole milk that’s why it’s so creamy I think)

• Street market Broens for lunch (also by the water and lots of options to try)

What to See & Do

COPENHAGEN - What to See & Do · Josephine https://maps.app.goo.gl/DyaJATUsk4TD9mgM9?g_st=i

1. Nyhavn for the iconic view of Copenhagen (The canal tour from there is quite nice and a great perspective through which to see the city. Stunning golden hour boat ride, so lucky!!)

2. King's Gardens (was so beautiful to hang out in on a sunny day and I found myself keep coming back here) you can also visit the Botanical Gardens which is right next to the King's Gradens

3. Christianshavn was a lovely quieter addition, right across a bridge from central Copenhagen where Nyhavn is, I loved biking around here and visiting the Noma pop-up as well as La Banchina, Lille Bakery and Reffen

4. Royal Danish Library (a stunning central library that I used for some quiet working hours during my trip, they also have a very cute café for lunch or snacks right on the water)

Museums

• Statens Kunst Museum (SKM)

• Glyptotek (sculture museum with a beautiful glass center room)

• Danish Design Museum (personal favorite)

• David Collection

A Love for Danish Design

I went wanting to learn more about Danish and mid-century modern design. As I've recently been getting more into interior designing, mostly with second-hand and pre-loved items, I wanted a bit more inspiration. Honestly my dream career (or side hustle) would be running an interior designing business using all second-hand items. I love timeless, well-crafted, high quality home items that last for awhile.

As the saying goes, "buy nice or buy twice".

Someone explained to me some of the key tenants of Dutch design & creating a hygge (cozy) interior:

• never use harsh overhead lighting, warm smaller lamps around the room create a more even glow & ambience (ideally a PH lamp)

• candles are used everyday & everywhere 🕯️(not just in the dining room and not just at special occasions)

• plants plants plants 🌱 to bring a bit of life inside

• warm colored couches, blankets & pillows 🤎

• high quality cotton bedding & plush towels (because who doesn’t love a hot shower & cozy bed after biking in the rain?!) 🛌

I left with some Danish design inspo 🛋️ to bring into my everyday life & try to thrift.

Where to Shop

COPENHAGEN - Where to Thrift & Shop · Josephine https://maps.app.goo.gl/nSECsAKMtscRWW9j7?g_st=i

• HAY Design store is very cool and where I got a lot of my inspo from, I only left with a few stainless steel egg cups for Danish/German breakfasts at home

• Illums Bolighus has a very large selection of Danish and Scandianavian designed items (I left with a small book on the topic of hygge but could have very much bought many more items here)

• Studio Arhoj for ceramics and glass (honestly so pricey, like $50 for a mug!!)

• Dora shop (for home goods) got some adorable fish clips and loved everything else in the shop, including lots of Alessi, inspiration for thrifting!!

• 2nd Rag thrift store (small cute shop by too pricey for me)

• Pico (hairclip store but quite expensive for plastic)

• Antique pottery from Antik K (www.antikk.dk)

• FRAMA for Danish design homeware as well as soaps, candles & other scented things

• ARKET for more Danish design & clothing

• Still Eben design store which was good for inspo

Other Things That Were Recommended to Me (that'll do next time I come back)

• David Collection - private collection that you can visit for free and has some of the most incredible Islamic art from around the world

• The old Carlsberg brewery area is super unique and lovely. 200-year old buildings with a large gate guarded by elephants. Very 19th century display of opulence

• Sauna and cold plunge experience

• Sunday? Loppemarked, flea market with over 90 stalls

  • Danish design decor, ceramics etc

• Talent Garden co-working space for $15 per day

• Tybo art studio for handmade pottery

• Evening drinks at Pompette wine bar and chicken sandwich across the street at Poulette

• Louisiana Museum of Art (incredible combination for the nature around the museum with the museum pieces)

• Esso cph (a bit outside the city center)

• Grundtvigs Kirke (incredible church architecture)