Copenhagen - Part I
About a month ago, Alex and I came across discounted tickets on a flight to Copenhagen. As we both had a long weekend for Columbus Day, we decided to go for it and booked them on the spot! Alex visited Copenhagen 5 or 6 years ago for work, but was not able to explore much during his time there. I had never been to Denmark so this was a perfect opportunity to enjoy a long weekend! We pretty much hit the pavement once we landed and packed a lot in on this trip knowing we had to make the most of our four days. Copenhagen is a super walkable city which we loved and averaged around 9-miles of walking each day we were there!
After an overnight flight, we arrived in Copenhagen in the early afternoon on Saturday. After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we walked to grab lunch at Torvehallerne where we shared a duck confit sandwich from Ma Poule’s. The combination of duck, crusty bread, mustard and greens was the perfect pick me-up we both needed after our long flight! It was delicious and we easily could have gotten our own, but did not want to spoil our dinner.
After lunch, we walked to the Rundetaarn (Round Tower). The tower was built in 1642 as an astronomical observatory as well as a tower for the new university church, Trinitatis. We were able to walk up the 114-feet tower to get a birds eye view of Copenhagen.
After descending the Round Tower, we walked to the neighborhood of Christianshavn, The area reminded me of Amsterdam with its canals, outdoor cafes and easy-going vibe. Similar to Amsterdam, the neighborhood is known for the selling and distribution of marijuana. It is illegal in Denmark to sell marijuana, but there is a whole section we passed on our walk where we saw at least a dozen stalls selling weed. Due to the illegal distribution, there are multiple signs asking people not to photograph in this area!
Our last stop of the day before dinner was to the Copenhagen Opera House. Located on the island of Holmen, the Copenhagen Opera House is one of the most expensive opera houses ever constructed. It wasn’t open to the public when we arrived, but the outside was beautiful and we were able to peek into the windows for a glance at the inside.
Walking to the Opera House
View from the Opera House of Fredrik’s Church
Dinner our first night was at a restaurant called Barr, set in the former Noma space. It was a cozy spot that reminded me of a winter cabin with lots of wood, candles and a toasty fireplace. We shared a few things including the schnitzel, bone marrow and some delicious homemade bread with butter.
On Sunday, we started the morning by walking to the Little Mermaid, one of the city’s most famous tourist attractions. Inspired by the famous children’s storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen, the statue celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013.
We also visited Rosenborg Castle. Built in 1606 as a summer house by the Scandinavian king, Christian IV, we were able to tour inside some of the castle rooms.
By this time, we were in need of a little pick-me-up (jet lag is real my friend!) and grabbed cappuccinos and a croissant at Andersen & Maillard. We found a cozy spot in the corner to enjoy our coffees and people-watch for awhile.
We also visited Assistens Cemetery where several famous Danish people are buried including Hans Christian Andersen. The cemetery also doubles as a public park and the pathways meander through gardens and trees.
