I recently made a quick list of suggestions for what to do in Copenhagen for a friend and thought I would also share with all of you 🙂 I lived in Copenhagen for half a year during my bachelor studies as part of my exchange semester. Well apart from studying during that time I attempted to eat in every streetfood and restaurant. I tried very hard 😀 I think I didn’t quite manage but still got to see sooo many awesome places so it’s definitely worth sharing my experiences! Copenhagen has a great streetfood scene and such a diverse culture. A city that has much to offer (apart from warm, sunny weather 😛 ) So in order to give you a bit of an impression I came up with my perfect weekend getaway to Copenhagen/what I would do if I went back for a weekend 🙂

 

Most importantly I would rent a bike! Copenhagen has the best infrastructure for biking. The landscape is relatively flat, the bike paths are great and getting around is just perfect via a bike 🙂 I would start my day 1 by biking to the Torvehallerne Hall and get a yummy porridge or fresh juice there. Torvehallerne is a newly constructed market hall. Actually it’s two glass buildings, in the first one you can buy great fresh produce and special ingredients that aren’t easily available in supermarkets, in the second one there are many small stalls specializing in a few fresh dishes each. From homemade pizza to paleo food, sushi, Danish specialties and healthy juices I would say everyone can find something they like here. Definitely check it out 🙂

Afterwards, I would bike over to Frederiksberg. This is the area further to the west of central Copenhagen where most of the university buildings and student housings are located. I used to live in the student housing Porcelaenshavn, which used to be a porcelain fabric and is located beautifully directly next to the Frederikshavn. If you are lucky you can even see the elephants of the nearby zoo while taking a stroll through the park 🙂

 

Afterwards I can recommend District Tonkin, an authentic Vietnamese restaurant that offers great salads and especially the Banh Mi are very good! District Tonkin is located on the main road back from Frederiksberg to the city center.

 

With a happy tummy you will be able to continue your bike tour through Copenhagen and check out the center around the beautiful Nyhavn.

 

If you feel like it, you could also bike all the way north to the little mermaid but beware it’s tiny and not quite that spectacular. Alternatively I would recommend biking towards the other side of the river and check out the area around the opera or if you like your things a bit hippy you could also take a stroll through Christiania. Christiania is a self-containing commune on a former military base that technically does not consider itself part of the Danish state. They make their own rules and regulations. I also really like the area behind the opera house where lots of design studios are based. This part of town does not feel like a city at all. It’s so quite there and you feel like you are in a small vacation village near the coast, much recommended for a quick breather.

 

Another advantage of visiting this area: it’s located super close to Copenhagen’s nicest (according to my tasting skills) foodmarket. It’s called Papiron and is located in an old production hall. It has so many diverse stalls and is super authentic. I tried Patacones here for the first time (fried plantains with guacamole = super yum) and they also have great Smorrebrod (Danish specialty) or Belgian fries, Korean bbq, dim sum and so much more, you should try for yourself. Also it is located on the side of the river where you will still have nice sunshine in the evening so I would recommend heading here a bit before sundown and enjoying a few drinks next to the water.

 

For your second breakfast in Copenhagen I would advise you to go to “Granola” a sweet café close to the Vesterbrogade. It has very nice breakfast items and is located in a beautiful area of Copenhagen. Afterwards, of the weather is nice you could take a boat trip along the river. There are bus boats which you can use with the metro card that leave from Nyhavn and go up and down along the river. Especially seeing all the nice modern buildings down south is really nice. The local library for example is called black diamond due to its distinct shape and color but actually contains also an old “Hogwards-looking” hall. Also there are a few areas for swimming in case you are visiting in the summer.

 

For lunch you can grab a quick bite and juice at one of the many “Joe & the Juice” spread throughout the city and discover the shopping streets. Most shops are centered around the street Strøget. I also like the shopping center Magasin for its nice selection of clothes, shoes and beauty items. After some shopping or just window shopping and looking for new trends you should head to Rosenborg Castle and take a walk around the beautiful park before heading to Meyers Deli for a well-deserved dinner.

 

If you’re still not tired after dinner you could head to one of Copenhagen’s many great bars. I especially liked “Bar7” and “Bird & the Curchkey”. Bar 7 is a super cozy bar with old sofas and a great crowd but beware it gets pretty crowded towards the later evening so in case you want to safe a spot on one of the sofas you shouldn’t head there too late. Bird and the Churchkey is a great bar for all the gin lovers. They have a great selection of gins with fantastic compositions. They for example have one drink which is cooled with cucumber juice ice cubes, very yummy!

 

These are my must sees for two days. Of course this is only a small selection of all the possible things to do and only my personal recommendation. If you are staying longer I would also suggest you to maybe visit the Tivoli (one of the oldest amusement parks in the world – rumor is Walt Disney got inspired by it), Amager Strandpark, a beach close to the city, or if you have a car with you you could also drive up north along the sea between Denmark and Sweden. There are some sweet little villages there and also a major art museum: Louisana, is build along this road.

 

I hope my advice could be of help to you and you will have a great time in Copenhagen (or at least consider a trip to Copenhagen soon) 🙂