Copenhagen Travel Guide
SUMMARY
RESTAURANTS
Torvehallerne (market)
Smagsløget
GAO Dumpling Bar
Les Trois Cochons
Italiano
Sunrise Bagel
SIGHTS
Round Tower
City Hall Square
Nyhavn
Det Kongelige Teater (pretty theater we walked by)
Kongens Nytorv (statue with greenery by Nyhavn)
Tivoli
Cool statues outside of Christiansborg
Copenhagen Stock Exchange
Frederik’s Church
Black Diamond (library)
Little Mermaid Statue
ACTIVITIES
Christiansborg Palace
Amalienborg
Copenhagen Business School
Rosenborg Castle
Stromma Canal Tour
Kastellet
Church of Our Savior (tower)
Frederiksborg Castle
CAFÉS/BAKERIES
Lagkagehuset (Frederiksberggade location)
La Glace
Mormors Café
Hot Dog Stand at Kongens Nytorv (lots of stands around the city)
Espresso House (by Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn, but not the one in Nyhavn)
BARS
Hornsleth Bar
Floss
Gothersggade
SHOPS
FLYING TIGER (OBVIOUSLY)
HOSTEL
Steel House Copenhagen
COMMENTS
RESTAURANTS
Torvehallerne (market)
· Loved this place!
· Tons of options for food
o I got smørrebrød and a smoothie (much needed nutrition)
· Keep in mind that there’s two buildings with a farmer’s market in the middle so LOTS of options, look in all of them!
Smagsløget
· We went here for a quicker/smaller dinner on Friday night and it was SO GOOD
· Sandwich shop
· I got something with Spanish in the name and it was SO GOOD
o To my surprise and dismay it came with a pepper and onion slice but they were easy enough to take out so actually nbd
o Just ask for the English menu (we couldn’t find it at first so used the Italian using our Spanish, just ask for English)
· Pretty reasonably priced, especially for Copenhagen
· Sandwiches were HUGE, could’ve honestly lasted me two meals
o I ate one half there and then brough the other back to eat post-club
GAO Dumpling Bar
· SUCH good dumplings
· I got the pork ones and they were delicious, would definitely recommend
· I also got the noodle salad and it was fine but too much sauce
· Might want to get two orders of dumplings if you’re really hungry
· Again, it’s Copenhagen so it was more expensive but definitely not bad at all compared to the city
· Good for a quick but still delicious meal
Les Trois Cochons
· LOVED this brunch place, food is so good and it’s super cute on the inside
· French style food but still Danish influence
· Definitely make a reservation, especially if you’re going on a weekend
· I got the lox, cream cheese, dill, and cucumber bagel and it was SO SO GOOD; definitely satisfied my yearning craving for a bagel
· Again, Copenhagen prices but not too bad
· Coffee was really good
Italiano
· Delicious Italian restaurant that we went to because we were all craving pasta
· Would recommend the caprese which I split with Becca and JP (better to split with two people especially if you’re hungry; we all loved it but just wanted more)
· We got dessert and honestly I don’t remember exactly what I got but it was delicious
· Good wine! I got something red
· Not too expensive but a bit of a splurge because I split an app, got a drink, got pasta, and got dessert
Sunrise Bagel
· YUM this place hit the spot
· (Not as good as the OG Sunrise I love hahahah)
· I got a cheddar bagel with garlic cream cheese, lox, tomato, avocado, and cucumber and it was really good
· In the town area by Frederiksborg Castle so technically this is in Hillerød
· Would definitely recommend for a pre- or post-castle snack or meal
SIGHTS
Round Tower
· We didn’t go inside/to the top but it was still cool to see from the outside
· Easy spot to walk by, definitely give it a go
City Hall Square
· The City Hall building is really cool and we walked past it multiple times
Nyhavn
· An absolute MUST in Copenhagen
· So so so cute and just happy and good vibes
· Quintessential Copenhagen port; this is probably the one you see all over Instagram
· Some cute restaurants and cafés that we unfortunately didn’t get to go to but I would’ve gone if I could
Det Kongelige Teater (pretty theater we walked by)
· Right by Nyhavn so give it a pass by
· Really pretty
Kongens Nytorv (statue with greenery by Nyhavn)
· Right across from Nyhavn
· Pretty spot
Tivoli
· We couldn’t actually go in because it was closed for the season but it was still cool to see from the outside
· DEFINITELY go if you can and it’s open/in-season when you’re there
· There’s also a Tivoli Food Hall that you can go to that’s separate from the park – lots of good looking options
Cool statues outside of Christiansborg
· One was of Triton and I forget what the other one was of
· Might as well stop by on your way out/in
Copenhagen Stock Exchange
· super cool building that you should walk by
· the spire is two dragons’ tails winded together
Frederik’s Church
· SO beautiful on the inside (and cool on the outside)
· Definitely worth stopping in
· Right across from Amalienborg, so really easy to make a pit stop
Black Diamond (library)
· Really cool modern building by the water
· We saw it from the port/canal
Little Mermaid Statue
· an iconic Copenhagen sight
· Just don’t expect anything big or spectacular because you’ll be underwhelmed hahaha
· We saw it from the water
· Pretty walk along the water/port to go see it if you see it from land
ACTIVITIES
Christiansborg Palace
· A cool palace
· DEFINITELY go to the top of the tower for a cool view
· Not much else to do on the ground besides the tower but going up is definitely worth it
· There’s also a restaurant in the tower that I would’ve wanted to go to if we had time
Amalienborg
· LOVED this one!
· Queen Margrethe’s jewelry collection is here on display – definitely get the audioguide
· Really really really cool to see
· Also a Faberge room complete with an egg
· So beautiful
Copenhagen Business School
· Mads (Danish friend from Copenhagen who goes here) showed me around so it was actually really cool to see
· Not a must-do because it’s not tourist-y but if you’re in the area I would definitely recommend a quick walk-through because it’s cool to see another university
· Keep in mind that a lot of the buildings are closed on the weekend
· Super easy to get to/from on the Metro
· Definitely a different and young vibe because there’s lots of students
· Right by a mall as well that has lots of good stores
Rosenborg Castle
· My favorite borg!
· The inside was just STUNNING and I loved every room
· Would ABSOLUTELY recommend
· The gardens are so beautiful and I wish we would’ve had more time to walk around in them
· If you only do one borg, even though I loved the others, this is it
· Do NOT miss the treasury and the stuff in the basement; that’s where the crown jewels are and they’re stunning
Stromma Canal Tour
· A MUST in Copenhagen
· Was not expensive at all, only $16 a person
· The guide was awesome; super knowledgeable and spoke a bunch of languages
· Really awesome to see the city from a different perspective, learn some cool new facts, and see different parts of the city
· I also just love going on boats so I was having the time of my life
· Totally worth it even if you’re going by sights you’ve already seen like we had
· Dress WARM especially if you’re going in the winter, and wear hat, gloves, etc
Kastellet
· Another MUST
· A really cool star-shaped military fortress that’s right on the water that you can walk around
· Low key fairytale vibes, it was really pretty
· We walked around the rim and it was one of my favorite parts of the trip
Church of Our Savior (tower)
· INCREDIBLE experience
· Honestly wouldn’t recommend if you’re actually really afraid of heights (and not just kind of like me)
· The most amazing view of the city, you can see everything; my breath was taken away
· We went at sunset and it was just so beautiful
· Have to buy tickets online to climb up
o You have to select a time but they didn’t check our time when they scanned us in
Frederiksborg Castle
· SO incredibly beautiful
· Also doubles as a museum
· Truly a surreal experience, I felt like I was in a fairytale
· There’s also a little lake and some beautiful gardens to walk through
· Technically in Hillerød, you have to take the train to get there but it’s really easy and took us about 40 minutes, so not bad at all and totally worth it
CAFÉS/BAKERIES
Lagkagehuset (Frederiksberggade location)
· Loved this place for a quick snack
· Not a ton of seating but still a good amount (we went on a Friday afternoon so it was probably just busy)
· I got some vanilla cream pastry and it was DELICIOUS
· Lots of locations around the city
· Just a heads up: the pastry names are in Danish so you kinda just need to rely on how they look and some cognates
La Glace
· AMAZING bakery, so incredible
· The best bakery in the city according to the Danes we talked to
· Best coffee I’ve ever had and I don’t like coffee
· I got the vanilla tart and it was simple but SO so good
· Becca got the ganache éclair and it was divine
· Also a super cute interior
· A MUST do
Mormors Café
· Such a cute little café, loved the atmosphere
· We stopped here for a quick lunch
· They were out of sandwiches:/ but I got a scone that was really good
· The cappuccino was very good and it was HUGE
· Decently close to Amalienborg; we went here in between that and Kastellet
Hot Dog Stand at Kongens Nytorv (lots of stands around the city)
· Pretty good hot dog, I just ordered the wrong kind rip
· Lots of options
· Nick and JP got the bacon wrapped one and loved it
· Would recommend for a quick cheap snack
Espresso House (by Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn, but not the one in Nyhavn)
· Perfect place to stop for a coffee and a snack
· Typical bakery case for a café + sandwiches but very very good
· Lots of locations around the city, this one was super convenient
· Copenhagen is famous for cardamom buns and we got them here: SO SO SO GOOD
· Would recommend for a snack and you have to try the cardamom buns
BARS
Hornsleth Bar
· We had SO MUCH FUN here!
· Kind of a nicer bar vibe upstairs, then some tables and dancing downstairs, more of a low key club vibe
· You “have to be 23” to get in here; we tried to all go in and they said no
o We met up with Mads (exchange student who was at BC last semester and is from Copenhagen) and his friends, so they bribed the bouncers to get some of us in
o So apparently it’s bribable if you’re with Danish people or know the city
· Copenhagen is obviously expensive; we got a table with Mads and his friends and it was like $35 each but that got us more drinks than $35 would’ve gotten us at the bar
· Absolutely loved this place, lots of locals and we had so much fun dancing, good vibes
Floss
· Stopped here on our way to the other bar
· Didn’t love it
· Weird vibe inside
· BUT shots are cheap (like $3)
· So, I wouldn’t recommend actually going to this place, but stopping in for a shot like we did, 10/10 would recommend
Gothersggade
· This is the street with a lot of bars and nightlife according to the locals
· The bars we went to weren’t on this street but it was very lively
· Probably a good spot to check out if you’re looking for bars you can actually get into without being 23 haha
SHOPS
FLYING TIGER (OBVIOUSLY)
· Flying Tiger was started in Copenhagen so OF COURSE if you have time and you know how obsessed I am with it, you should check it out
· We went to a pretty central one
· It was TWO FLOORS which was AWESOME
· I was so happy in here:)
HOSTEL
Steel House Copenhagen
· This was the hostel we stayed at, it was great
· Technically a “luxury” hostel, and it was super nice
· Not expensive at all, we got a private room for 6
· Would 100% recommend, depending on your group size
· There’s a bar on the main floor, a lobby, a hangout area, a pool, a gym, and lots of activities
· The rooms are very nice and very clean and the beds are super comfy
· Pretty good location too, took us about 15-20 minutes to walk right to the center of the city; but it still is definitely in the city
OVERALL ADVICE
Transportation
· The city is VERY walkable; walk when you can, it’s a great way to see the city as well
· I took the Metro a few times and it was super convenient
o I recommend it for further distances (ex: I took it from the business school to Nyhavn and it was super quick and easy)
o We took the metro into the city from the airport, and took a train back to the airport
o It’s very easy to figure out
o If you want to go outside the city (like to Hillerød/Frederiksborg), just take the train, very easy
· If you want to go to Malmö, Sweden for the day, it’s a very easy train ride
City Itself
· Copenhagen is pretty expensive but not horrible; comparable prices to Boston
· There are definitely ways to not spend a ton of money
o But be prepared to pay for the palaces, attractions, etc
· We LOVED the city, it just had an amazing vibe about it
o The most laidback but very organized city is how I would describe it
· You’ll be totally fine with English, basically everyone speaks it, and most people speak it very well
o Sometimes, like in the cafés, menus are in Danish, but the people speak English, at least minimally
· Make sure you take some time to just walk around, we loved doing this
· Pack warm clothes; it was “beautiful, nice” weather, but that was like 40 and sunny
o It definitely gets colder at night too
· People eat dinner here at more of a “normal” time, not like southern Europe; we ate at around 7-8 and that was normal/on the later end
· The going out also happens earlier, usually around 10-11, so very similar to at home
· Enjoy! One of my favorite cities I’ve been to
