I don’t remember the last place I traveled to where nothing was expected of me. No deliverables, nothing owed to a client — it was nice. Traveling to Copenhagen was a last minute decision to visit a friend of mine and I’m so happy I went because it reinvigorated my love for traveling…at least for now. So if you too are headed there and you’re looking for things to do in Copenhagen, I’ve got you covered.
Nine Things To Do In Copenhagen
Copenhagen is a beautiful, yet small city in Denmark. It’s famous for many things like the Tivoli Gardens (which I actually didn’t make it to cause it was so expensive), a Little Mermaid Statue, Hot Dogs, and more. There are a ton of things to explore and so many things to do in Copenhagen, but I’ve narrowed it down to nine!
1. Dine At Absalon
This was perhaps the coolest thing I did while in Copenhagen. The Absalon is a communal dining space in an old church near the meatpacking district. Colorful tables line the room, and for just 50 DKK (the equivalent to 8 USD) you can enjoy a full meal of food (I had three servings). There’s also a bar so you can buy drinks, games so you can entertain yourself before dinner begins, and many interesting people to chat with. Remember to line up just before 5 PM (when tickets are sold) because it sells out every night and you don’t want to miss out!
2. Hang Out With Giants
Venture out of the city for the day and explore the outskirts. Spend a full day trying to spot The Six Forgotten Giants that have been placed around Copenhagen. Or, do what I did and spend half the day spotting three that are close to one another. We rode the train for about 40 minutes to get to the first two giants that are located in a park (not going to tell you where! that’s half the fun). Then we enjoyed the picnic we packed before hopping back on the train to go visit another one before traveling back into town. We were able to meet Little Tilde, Sleeping Louis, and Thomas On The Mountain.
3. Taste One Of John’s Hot Dog
If you love meat, then you simply cannot leave Copenhagen without tasting a hot dog. And not just any hot dog– a Johns Hot Dog Deli hot dog. Sure, you could just get a hot dog on the street, but then you’d be missing out on this awesome experience in the meatpacking district (plus it’s Anthony Bourdain approved). John creates his own sausage blends from you to choose from, then, you can load it up with as many toppings as you want from his condiment bar. And if you want to keep it the simple Danish way, he has directions on the board next to the bar.
4. Stroll Around The City Looking For The Most Colorful Buildings
Copenhagen is a super colorful city, but there are so many other streets besides the Nyhavn Harbor area. After some extensive searching (because obviously, I did that), I found a list of the most colorful places in Copenhagen. Lucky for you I created a map! It begins at the Generator Hostel, but feel free to adjust it!
5. Take In The View At The Top Of The Tower At Christiansborg Palace
If you’re looking for something free to do, take some time out of your day to head to the top of the Tower at Christiansborg Palace. It’s free and I won’t say you’re climbing to the top because you’re just going to hop on a few elevators to get up there. The view is spectacular and on a clear day, you can see for miles!
6. Explore Freetown Christiania
A visit to Copenhagen is not complete without spending some time in Freetown, or Christiania. The town is a self-proclaimed autonomous anarchist area. There has been much controversy surrounding this area over many years, but it really is something you have to see for yourself. Yes, there is a street where you can buy marijuana, but that’s really not the coolest part. There are interesting coffee shops, galleries, houses, and a pretty lake you can walk around. It’s a great spot to spend a few hours.
7. Eat At Torvehallerne
Now when I was planning my trip to Copenhagen, one of the few things I actually looked into was visiting Paper Island. But sadly it is no longer there. So, if you’re still looking for a cool food market, head to Torvehallerne. There are a bunch of places you can grab food, but I really recommend eating some pizza at Gorm’s. It was so delicious and satisfying.
8. See The Little Mermaid
With every city comes an underwhelming tourist attraction. And if I’m being honest, The Little Mermaid is Copenhagen’s.
9. Sit In The King’s Garden In The Sunshine
If you’re lucky to be in Copenhagen during beautiful weather, then you must sit in the King’s Garden in the sunshine. Grab some beers (because it’s legal to drink on the street) and really just soak up the sun with some friends!
Pin It For Later:
This post is incredible! There are so many gorgeous places in the states that I never knew about. Thanks for sharing.
thank you!! Copenhagen was a dream!