My husband and I just got back from Copenhagen & Stockholm, which were on our travel bucket list forever. People are as nice as they are famous for, the food is incredible, and the sights and history are spellbinding! For today’s post I’ll focus on Copenhagen and give you my top 5 Copenhagen hot spots.
1. Stay
We stayed at the Nobis Hotel, whose location couldn’t have been more perfect! Close enough to all the action, but not on TOP of it. The perfect balance! We had a famous museum, Glyptoteket (full of Degas, Monet, Picasso, Van Goh) next door and across the street from that, the famed Tivoli Gardens! The hotel was so elegant, bright, thoughtfully equipped and the service was impeccable. They had a beautiful rooftop patio to lounge around in, amazing food with a Michelin rated restaurant downstairs and plenty of photogenic areas to display a good #ootd!
2. Play
Tivoli Gardens. We had seen this amusement park featured on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown show and we didn’t realize that it was literally in the center of the city. It really made us miss the kids. 🙂 The detail of the ride machinery, the use of space and the charm were absolutely stunning but nothing was as amazing as the food within the walls! Wow! From a little stand up lunch we had at a meatball window to the coffee shops to the Michelin rated Gemyse everything was delectable. The rides do get super crowded so we didn’t do an all day pass but just bought tickets to one ride: Star Swings!
Tip: If you do the boat tour in Nyhavn (4.) then you can pay a little more to get access to the park on a different date for a discount. Also, check to see if there are any concerts or special appearances happening that day because in that case, news flash: you’re not getting in. These are definitely Copenhagen hot spots, so you have to plan ahead!
3. Pretend you’re a foodie
Gemyse is it’s own line item because the experience was so flawless. It’s housed at the Tivoli Gardens so you have to make it in there to eat there (we found out the hard way!). Gemyse is unpretentious while being everything anyone could want. Beautiful interiors, attentive service, endless sitting options (green house, outside patio, wooden garden interior). We missed our reservation on my husband’s birthday because there was a Danish rockstar at the gardens so the second night we tried to go we were so paranoid about not making it in! It was suspenseful all the way through, I made it with 1 minute to spare from my photo shoot with https://kamillakroier.com, she literally delivered me in a hand-basket on her bike, we were hysterical as my husband was visibly nervous I might not make it! Everything we had was surreal and there were no leftovers, to give you an idea of what they’re about their website opening line is: “a place that pairs reason with sensuality”. I mean come on! 🙂
Tip: The wine servings throughout Denmark were not very generous. At first we thought, who would get a $50 wine bottle vs a$6 wine glass? Well, 3 glasses later you have barely had one US sized glass…get the bottle!
4. Where to pose
Nyhavn
This picturesque haven is a waterfront spot to dine to your heart’s content, catch a boat ride (the tour you pick up here admits you to Tivoli Gardens!) and see the cute colorful row houses that are picture perfect. The location is really close to the shopping district so bring sneakers so that you can cover good ground.
Tip: When you catch the boats pay attention to whether you are on the 1 hour long one or the hop on hop off! We wanted the hour tour and instead ended up strewn all over Copenhagen in a hop on/hop off, which admittedly was the way to go. We ended up all sorts of random “musts”: the Little Mermaid, the Royal Castle and right in front of Freetown Christiania.
Rosenborg Castle
I found this place thanks to Kamilla, my photographer and it didn’t disappoint. Luscious gardens, a castle (shocker!), picnic spots and plenty of seating for a romantic afternoon or to unwind away from the city!
Tip: Go in the early evening for less crowds and great lighting!
5. Talk to the locals!
So you read in your tour guides that people are friendly. They are much more, they are welcoming, happy, engaging and interested in you! The only thing wrong with this city was that I didn’t learn a single phrase in Danish, as I have in other foreign cities, everyone speaks perfect English! On the first night we were there dining at Sanchez (another must!), I wasn’t sold on the pork tacos and got up and tip toed to a couple and asked them if I could 1) see their tacos 2) did they recommend? Welp, 2 hours later, we were fast friends that exchanged contact info and they taught us all about Danish politics, religion and parenting. It was so fascinating and set the tone for the whole trip. Everywhere we went we would break out into conversations with locals and learned so much! My photographer Kamilla, was also a gem of knowledge and so friendly (instant sister) even though we had just exchanged emails prior to meeting! If you’re ever in Copenhagen and want to capture your trip with amazing images reach out to her, she’s unbelievable!
Tip: Peter and Sarah’s (the locals) tip was to go to the top of the Parliament building for an unparalleled view. Hope my Copenhagen hot spots were helpful to you! Please let me know your own favorite spots or if you have been to Scandinavia in the comments! Click here or here if you are interested in some Chicago hot spots! XO, Z
Pictures by https://kamillakroier.com/