Nyhavn is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stretching from Kongens Nytorv to the harbor front just south of the Royal Playhouse and is featured on many post cards. It is lined by brightly colored 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants.
During my most recent trip to Europe to attend Oktoberfest – my friend and I decided to spend 1.5 days in Copenhagen before heading down to Germany. Wow! Is all I can say – Copenhagen is full of so much fun and wonder we could have easily spent a few more days here. While it’s not a “must-see” destination on your first trip to Europe – it’s a nice chill, enjoyable city that should be on anyone’s radar.
Where to Stay in Copenhagen
We chose to stay at Sleep in Heaven youth hostel. While not a terrible hostel by any means – the shower situation at this one left much to be desired. The rooms were small, which was nice, but every room in hall shared only 4 showers. They definitely got crowded in the early mornings. The people staying there seemed to be much more chill and relaxed which made meeting people easy. The wifi was fast and the beer specials during “happy hour” were cheap. Overall I’d stay here again but I think for my next visit I’ll look towards another hostel.
What to Do in Copenhagen
Rent Bikes!
We didn’t do this but in hindsight we should have. The city is so bicycle friendly that its easy to get around on two wheels. There were a lot of shops (including our hostel) that offered cheap rentals. On several occasions we wished we had rented a bike – walking can take a lot out of you!
Visit Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli opened on 15 August 1843 and is the second oldest amusement park in the world
Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park in the heart of Copenhagen. Opened in 1843, it is the second oldest amusement park in the world.
We bought, what I believe was the PULS package which included a meal and the multi-ride ticket. The rides were fun – we went on the Rutschebanen which is one of the world’s oldest roller coasters and was built in 1914. A must for any wooden roller coaster fan!
The bumper cars were also neat – and I believe dated from 1926. Overall Tivoli was a lot of fun for an amusement park directly in the middle of the city.
Check out Christiania
Graffiti in Christiania, Copenhagen
Christiana is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents in Copenhagen. Christiana is unlike anything else I’ve experienced before. Dogs run wild, cars are nowhere to be found and the air smells faintly of cannabis.
Worth it just to roam the pathways and streets alone, the area provides excellent people watching and some fun shops and restaurants to check out.
While known for it’s open-air drug market, we spent little time there (quite frankly it was a bit scary) – but the other parts were welcoming and fun to navigate. A must visit for any trip to Copenhagen.
Where to Eat/Drink in Copenhagen
Morgenstedet
Excellent veggie meal from Morgenstedet.
Morgenstedet is a vegetarian only restaurant in the heart of Christiania. With cooks that rotate often flavors change often too – the menu rotates daily. The space itself is small and intimate – it felt more like a home then a restaurant. The place was not without it’s Christiania roots – our cook at one point went out to smoke a joint during a lull!
The day we visited I head what turned out to be the best tomato soup I have ever had. Coupled with freshly baked bread it was a meal to remember and will be on my list to revisit when I return to Copenhagen.
Mikkeller & Friends
Tap list at Mikkeller & Friends
Mikkeller & Friends, with over 40 draft beers, should be on any beer snobs list to visit while in Copenhagen.
Mikkeller is a “gypsy brewery” meaning they, themselves, do not own a physical brewery but instead use other extra space at other breweries to make collaborations or special one-off brews.
Mikkeller & Friends was an expansion bar of the original Mikkeller and showcases not only their own brews but some of their friends as well (hence the name, you get it??!!). For the true connoisseur ask to see their cellar list – I saw things such as Lou Pepe Geuze 2003, Framboos and Blabaer! The waitstaff is friendly and knowledgeable and the prices are fairly reasonable for a Scandinavian country. You couldn’t ask for more!
Copenhagen was a delightful country. I can’t wait to return one day and check more of the city out – there is so much more that I didn’t get to cover.