In July we went to Copenhagen for a quick 5 night, 6 day trip and we loved every minute of it! The city is one of the best we’ve been to in Europe, with charm and excellent food around every corner. We saw multiple palaces, went to an amusement park right in the city, enjoyed a boat ride through the canal, took a day trip to Sweden and so, so much more! Keep reading to follow our journey and help you plan your Danish adventure!
Before we get to our itinerary, here are a few tips and things to know about Copenhagen:
- Copenhagen is expensive, especially food. There is a bit of sticker shock when you first arrive, but trust us it’s worth it!
- The city is walkable, but spread out. We recommend renting bikes early in the trip to get around more easily. You can also do trip based rentals through Lime or Donkey Republic.
- Tap water is perfectly safe to drink and will save you money!
- We highly, highly recommend going to bakeries early in the day. 3 different times we went in the afternoon and the bakery was sold out of the specific pastry we wanted.
6 Days in Copenhagen
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Day 1 – Arrive in Copenhagen
We arrived in Copenhagen around 10am and went immediately to passport control, which thankfully only took about 15 minutes. The line definitely started to get longer though, so plan accordingly when you arrive!
After picking up our bags we Ubered 20 minutes to the hotel, the Boutique Hotel Danmark. We really liked the location of this hotel, but unfortunately we didn’t realize that there was no air conditioning. The pillows also weren’t all that great, as they were flat and didn’t provide much support. The hotel does have 2 free happy hours for guests – one from 5-6 for wine, then one from 10-11 that is spirits only.
For those reasons we wouldn’t recommend staying here, rather we would recommend WIDE Hotel or the Admiral as excellent options depending on your budget!
After dropping our bags off we hit up our first bakery, Rug, for a sit down breakfast, coffee, and a pastry. We ordered the foldest eggs, croquette madame, raspberry cream pastry, matcha latte, and a cappuccino. The eggs and pastry in particular were excellent and a great way to start our time in Copenhagen!
After our late brunch we stopped by the outside of Copenhagen City Hall, the beautiful building just around the corner of the hotel. This was the 5th City Hall of Copenhagen, inaugurated just at the turn of the 20th Century to keep up with the growth of the city.
We then made our way to Stroget, a 1 kilometer pedestrian shopping street that runs directly through the heart of Copenhagen. This street features plenty of high end shopping and is well worth an afternoon stroll!
We then went to the Round Tower (Rundertaarn), a famous and unique tower that was originally designed to house an observatory at the very top. The most interesting aspect of this tower is that it contains a spiral ramp, rather than stairs, to reach the top. This design was chosen so that a horse and carriage could carry books to the upper floor library, which obviously would be tough to do if there were stairs!
We spent about 30 minutes there, and we absolutely think it is worth checking out due to how unique the ramp is and the views from the top!
After coming down from the Round Tower we made our way to Torvehallerne KBH, the starting point for our Copenhagen Walking Food Tour at 2:30! Torverhallerne was also the first stop of the tour, as it is a food market that is known for sustainable and organic food.
At Torverhallerne we tried traditional Danish meatballs and roasted pork with crispy crackling, pickled cucumbers, and cabbage. Both dishes were absolutely delicious! We had a second stop in the food market for 2 different types of Soorrebrod – both were excellent – and a strawberry and rhubarb organic kombucha drink as well!
We returned to Stroget, often claimed to be the oldest and longest pedestrian street in Europe – a claim that is, sadly, not true. It is famous for being pedestrianized in 1962, an experiment that ultimately has expanded to over 100k square meters of car-free pedestrian areas in Copenhagen. On this street we went to one of the oldest bars in the city (the options change on each tour) for a Carlsberg beer.
During the tour we stopped at Kongens Nytorv, one of the oldest squares in Copenhagen! In this square we we treated to an amazing Danish hotdog with all the fixings, and it was absolutely delicious! It is a must try while in Copenhagen.
The next food we sampled was the flodebolle, essentially a creamy marshmallow covered in chocolate that was light and very tasty.
We ended the tour in Buka Bakery for a famous cardamom bun. It lived up to the hype and was fantastic, with a sweet stickiness that we really enjoyed. We absolutely loved this food tour and would highly recommend doing it while in Copenhagen!
We finished the walking food tour around 5:30 and made our way over to the iconic area of Nyhavn. This famous canal was built in the 1670s and is now one of the most photographed spots in Copenhagen, and it’s very easy to see why! The colorful townhouses along the canal make this a truly beautiful district.
After walking around Nyhavn we walked to Kastellet, a magnificently preserved star-shaped fortress in the city. Initially built in the late 1600s, this fortress is still an active military base, though it is still free to enter and we were able to walk directly through the center of it. It was really cool to see and definitely worth the long walk!
From the south side of Kastellet we walked straight through the middle and then turned towards the water to find The Little Mermaid statue. The statue was built to memorialize the 1837 fairy tale of the same name from Hans Christian Andersen who called Copenhagen his home.
From The Little Mermaid we walked to Seaside, a restaurant right along the water that we happened upon. There is an actual restaurant with waiters, or you can sit in first come first serve tables that allow you to order from your phone and pick up your food and drinks inside. We only wanted a small bite, so we ordered the goat cheese and quinoa salad and a glass each of Sancerre and Bordeaux wine. We really enjoyed the view and were so happy to have found this gem!
Here are some of the best bakeries in Copenhagen:
- Hart Bageri – several locations in the city. Known for the best cardamom bun!
- Sct. Peders Bageri – Oldest bakery in the city. Known for their Onsdagssnegl (cinnamon roll snails), trebirkes (poppy seed pastry), and Spaandauer (Danish pastry with custard), cardamom bun
- Buka Bakery – Raspberry mascarpone, cardamom brioche
- Juno the Bakery – Strawberry brioche, brown butter almond cake with raspberries and whipped vanilla mascarpone, cream bun, vanilla custard bun, Cardamom bun, almond croissant
- Andersen & Maillard Bakery – Known for the pistachio cube
- Rug Bakery – Beautiful interior for a sit down brunch!
- Sinne Gas Bakery – Cozy neighborhood spot in Osterbro known for their cardamom bun
- Riviera Bakery – Local favorite
- Lille Bakery – Near Reffen and famous for their Blomster bun, which is essentially a cinnamon roll made with fresh local herbs
Brunch Restaurants:
- Mad & Kaffe – Mix and match small plates of your choosing!
- Studio X Kitchen – Famous for folded eggs paid with a salad.
- Seks – Voted as having the best cheesecake in Copenhagen.
- Atelier September – Known for their harissa avocado omelet and almond pancakes with blueberry compote.
- Next Door Cafe – Famous for hearty breakfast, with a small and eclectic interior.
- Frede & Vester – Features banana pancakes and different matcha creations.
- Marchal – Michelin starred in a fantastic location and extensive wine selection.
- Royal Bistro – Feels like a classic Parisian cafe with Danish food
Lunch in Copenhagen:
- Dop – Near Round Tower for Danish Polse (hot dog)
- Johns Hotdog Deli in front of Tivoli for Danish Polse
- Rort – Smorrebrod – Danish open face sandwich
- Schonnemann – Open face sandwiches
- Selma – Michelin rated smorrebrod
- Hallernes Smoreebrod – Chain open face sandwiches
- Helge’s Ost – Small sandwich shop
- Gasoline grill – Delicious cheeseburgers and very affordable.
- Poulette for chicken burger
- Pasta bar at Reffen for ravioli with fresh black truffle
- Torvehallerne – Farmers Market
Dinner restaurants in Copenhagen:
- Slurp Ramen Joint – Excellent ramen!
- Restaurant Nyhavn 41, Havfruen, or Judie- Seafood options on Nyhavn Harbor
- Gorms Pizza- Opposite of Nyhavn Harbor
- Misterbianco Pasta Bar- Cozy atmosphere with freshly made pasta
- Palazzo Diner – Known for their spinach carbonara
- Madklubben Vesterbro – Features multi-course menus with global inspiration at affordable prices
- Library Bar – One of the world’s best hotel bars according to Forbes with classic cocktails and live jazz
- Baest – Voted second best pizza in the world, but has somewhat low reviews
- Restaurant Barr – Known for their schnitzel. Can do a 4 course dinner and wine pairing
- Rufina Osteria – Excellent Italian
- Host – Fantastic fixed course menu with a delicious wine pairing
- Maple Casual Dining – Excellent quality food at decent prices
- Bloom Vesterbro – Highly rated Mediterranean menu
- Vaekst – Sister restaurant of Host with greenhouse, garden ambiance
- Donna – Italian and nice ambiance
- Picos Pizza for pizza trios – 3 small pizzas of your choice
- La Banchina Wine Bar – Relaxed, waterfront wine bar and hangout spot
- Pompette – Wine bar near Baest and Poulette
- Bar Vitrine – Started by a former Noma chef. This is a must while in Copenhagen. Small dishes and natural wine. We recommend ordering each of the 6 dishes on the menu
- Not your Usual Wine Bar – Unique and delicious wine from non-typical wine regions
Day 2 – Palaces and Reffen
The next morning we were hoping to rent bikes from our hotel for $30 per day, but unfortunately the bikes were unisex and way too big for Emily. We were really disappointed there weren’t any women’s or kid’s bikes, so that’s something to keep in mind if you plan to rent from the hotel. If you need any smaller bikes you should plan to rent them from one of the many bike shops in the city, or use one of the ride sharing bike rentals.
Instead we walked about 20 minutes to Atelier September for a delicious brunch! We arrived around 9:45 and they weren’t too busy so we were able to snag a nice table outside in the shade. It did get busy quickly, especially after 10, so we recommend getting there before 10 at the latest for your best chance of getting a seat!
Here, like many cafes in Copenhagen, you order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. We ordered the avocado harissa omelette, almond pancake with blueberry compote and cream, along with an iced matcha latte and cappuccino. Everything was excellent! We easily would have ordered even more food if it wasn’t so expensive.
After breakfast we made our way to Rosenborg Castle and the King’s Garden for our 10:40 time entry. They offer a 15 minute grace period for the timed entry, but we highly recommend booking in advance to ensure you secure your preferred entry time.
This is a beautiful castle that we really enjoyed exploring! The castle served as a royal residence in the 17th Century before falling in favor with the opening of Fredricksberg Palace. It still features the Danish Crown Jewels and a really cool throne room on the top floor. We’d allow around 1.5 hours to explore, including the King’s Garden outside.
When you’re in the Rosenborg area you can also see the Botanical Garden for free, however we skipped it as we still had a lot to see!
Instead we walked to Nyhavn to catch the 992 water taxi to Reffen, which took about 10 minutes. The water taxi gets very busy and fills up extremely quickly, so make sure to stand at the front gate in order to get on. We just missed the first ferry as it was too full, so we had to wait 30 minutes until the next ferry. We recommend downloading the Rejsebillet app for live taxi tracking and purchasing tickets!
On the other side of the water we stopped first at Lille Bakery, where we were hoping to get their unique Blomster bun – essentially a cinnamon roll made with fresh local herbs. We were so disappointed they were already sold out for the day and unfortunately they weren’t making anymore. Instead we got a different sweet pastry and it was still very good, so it’s worth at least checking out!
After our sweet treat we made our way to Reffen Street Food Market, an eclectic mix of global food stalls on an old industrial site that has become a staple of Copenhagen life since opening in 2018. It’s a really unique market in that it features tons of unique food, so anything you are in the mood for you can find! We ate at the pasta bar and the taco shop, both of which were excellent. And of course we had to get an Aperol Spritz to wash it down! It was really fun and definitely worth the water taxi trip.
After lunch we walked to Noma Projects, a food lab and store from the team behind Noma, the world renowned restaurant. If you don’t want to spend the serious money to go to Noma, we recommend going to the Noma Projects where you can sample different products such as their own sauces and spreads. You can also buy them, though they are still very expensive. If you are inclined there is a coffee shop where we bought a cold brew and a rose kombucha. This area was so beautiful!
By this point we were ready for a glass of wine and some relaxation, so we made our way to La Banchina Wine Bar. We each got a glass of wine and took our seats watching people jump off the docs into the water. This was a really nice and peaceful location that is hugely popular with both tourists and locals alike!
At this point we didn’t want to walk all the way to the ferry and risk missing it again, so instead we called an Uber to take us back to Toverhallerne. We mostly wanted to buy some Danish products including some chocolate and wine, but we also wanted some food so we got some very fresh strawberries and empanadas in the market. We were very excited to try some Danish wine, especially since Denmark is not known as a wine destination.
We took this back to the hotel then made our way to Maple Casual Dining for our dinner reservations. We highly recommend booking at least 3 weeks in advance to get a preferred time, and you do need to put a credit card down to hold the reservation. Ultimately we loved this restaurant!
We started with the tuna tostada and mussels in a white wine sauce. Both were amazing! For our main dish we got the sea bass and the mushroom sirloin. Both dishes were absolutely delicious. We ended the night with the Nordic sorbet trio consisting of black currant, sea buckthorn, and elderflower sorbet. A must get for excellent and unique Nordic flavors. All in all this was a fantastic and highly rated restaurant for very good reason!
Day 3 – Danish Culture
Our second full day in Copenhagen began with breakfast at Studio X Kitchen. This delicious brunch restaurant was just around the corner from Atelier September, and similarly we arrived just before 10 and watched it quickly fill up. We can’t recommend enough to arrive at any brunch restaurant by 10 or be prepared for a wait!
At Studio X Kitchen we ordered the folded eggs with greens, a Greek yogurt bowl, a plum muffin, a cappuccino, and an iced tea. It’s impossible to go to brunch in Copenhagen and not get a delicious pastry sweet treat! While we liked Atelier September just a bit more, Studio X Kitchen is a fantastic option that we would definitely go back to.
By 11am we arrived at Frederik’s Church, also known as the “Marble Church”, an 18th Century marvel of engineering. The church features a grand dome – the largest in Scandinavia – that is most likely based on the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. One of the most fascinating aspects of the church is that it sat unfinished for over 100 years until it was finally completed in the late 19th Century. It is free to enter, and we spent about 20 minutes admiring the opulent architecture.
At 11:40 we lined up outside Amalienborg Palace, the official residence of the royal family, to see the daily changing of the guards. This ceremony takes place very day, rain or shine, at noon, but in our opinion may not be super worth it. It was cool seeing the unique uniforms of the Royal Guards, but the ceremony is fairly slow.
At 12:15 we entered Amalienborg at our designated time that we had booked online. The entrance is a bit hidden, but it is on the left side once you enter the square from the direction of Frederik’s Church. We spent about 40 minutes touring the palace, but honestly we felt it was pretty skippable. Unfortunately you don’t get to tour the palace itself as the royal family still lives there, so it’s really just a museum of some royal artifacts that could be located anywhere.
One quick note on Amalienborg and Frederik’s Church. You may notice, especially when on a boat tour, the distinct line these two structures form down to the water. That was not an accident. Starting at Frederik’s Church there is an axis which runs through the center of Amalienborg Palace, across the harbor, to the new Opera House on the other side. This symbolized the role of the Church, the divine right to rule of the Danish Royals, and the unity with Danish culture via the Opera House.
After finishing our quick tour of Amalienborg Palace, we made our way back to Stroget to do a bit of shopping for some souvenirs. We found and bought a very cute ceramic Danish house on this street!
For lunch we made our way to John’s Deli Hotdogs outside of the train station. We got another Danish hot dog here and we might even have liked it more than the first one we got on the walking food tour. We highly recommend getting at least one hot dog during your trip!
We initially had planned to go to Tivoli Gardens on this day, but the weather was really bad so we decided to switch it with a day that looked better. Instead we went to Glyptoteket, an art museum that features beautiful sculptures and more from around the world. While you do have to pay (135DKK online or 150 in person, there is free entry the last Wednesday of every month!
Glyptoteket’s main appeal for us was not just the fascinating sculptures, it was the building itself with incredible marble decorations all throughout! Art is generally not something at the top of our list of things to see, but we thought this was really cool and worth a visit, especially if the weather is not great. There is a popular cafe inside called Picnic that looked like a great spot to grab a coffee or wine and enjoy the greenhouse in the center of the museum. We spent about 1.5 hours here without a stop at Picnic.
For dinner we went to Bar Vitrine, a walk in only restaurant started by a former Noma chef with a rotating menu of just 6 somewhat small plates, each of which was absolutely amazing! We can’t recommend this restaurant enough. It is extremely popular so try to be there by 6 to avoid a queue. We ordered the natural orange wine which was the best orange wine we’ve had, and a nice Slovenian red blend. The food was so, so delicious and we are already talking about going back again to sample a new menu!
We ended the evening at Not Your Usual Winebar, a truly unique wine bar with hard to find wines from all over the world, especially Eastern Europe. We especially loved that you get a flight and choose any of their wines that you wanted to try, or you could get any of them in a glass as well. We each got flights of wine that featured bottles from India, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. We really liked ending our evening here and would absolutely go again!
Day 4 – Malmo
Our breakfast choice for the third morning was Mad & Kaffe, a fantastic brunch spot a bit out of the center so we caught an Uber there. This was a really cool concept where you choose 3, 5, or 7 small plates to sample. The portion sizes are pretty small, so we would recommend doing at least 5 items. All of the food was delicious and was well worth the extra travel!
After breakfast we made our way to the Copenhagen Central Train Station to catch one of the frequent trains to Malmo, Sweden! The train takes just 45 minutes across the Oresund Strait, but one thing to keep in mind is that you should definitely bring your passport! It didn’t happen on our trip, but Swedish border guards sometimes stop the trains and check passports so it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
We arrived in Malmo at 11:45 to explore the 3rd largest city in Sweden! After departing the train station we walked about 5 minutes to St. Petri Cathedral, the magnificent gothic-style church of Malmo that dates all the way back to the 14th Century. It has been renovated many times over the centuries but still stands as a stark cultural monument right near the train station.
We then walked around the corner to Stortorget, the oldest square in Malmo which houses Radhus, the old city hall which still is a cultural focal point in the city. We continued through the square to Lilla Torg, another cute little square that was bustling even in the middle of the day. This historic square at one point housed a market hall, but that was demolished in the 1960s and today it has been named the most beautiful square in Sweden!
Another square, Gustav Adolfs torg, features some of the oldest and largest buildings in historical Malmo and leads directly to the canal. After exploring all of these squares we made our way to Bullen for our 1pm lunch reservation.
Bullen is a very popular, very homey restaurant that is famous for their Swedish meatballs served in the traditional way with potatoes, cucumber salad, and cranberries. This was easily one of our favorite meals and it alone made the day trip to Malmo worth it. This dish is iconic, and we both decided we would go back to Sweden just for this meal.
After lunch we went to Konditori Hollandia where we thought about getting a Semla pastry and a tea. A Semla pastry is a traditional Swedish sweet bun filled with sweet almond paste and whipped cream. Unfortunately we were very full at this point so we had to pass, but all the pastries looked delicious and the tea room was very cozy.
To work off our lunch we walked about 20 minutes to Malmo Castle, a strategic and beautifully preserved fortification just outside the old town. The walk over was through a cemetery and park and was really beautiful. Gorgeous trees and places to sit right along the water.
We ultimately spent about an hour at the castle, learning all about it’s history and even a brief history of the region through periods of Danish and Swedish rule. There were activities for kids in the castle as well, including an opportunity to try on chain mail. While not necessarily our favorite castle, we enjoyed our time and would recommend a visit here if you visit Malmo
We then began our walk back to the train station, but first we took a detour to get a souvenir and chocolate bars to take home from Chokladfebrik, an award winning chocolatier in Malmo. We then made our way to the train station and headed back to Copenhagen.
One thing we didn’t end up doing is seeing the Turning Torso, a futuristic residential building about a 30 minute walk from the city center. We mostly didn’t end up walking over there because of how windy and chilly the day was, but on a nice day we think it would be really cool to see. If you’re interested there are limited guided tours to some of the upper floors too!
Restaurants in Malmo:
- Farm 2 table for brunch – Highly rated, 11 minute walk south of city center
- Aster for lunch – 15 minute walk north of city center
- Lemon Garden – Crepe Restaurant near the Turning Torso
- Get a semla pastry from Konditori Hollandia
- Bageri Leve – 14 mins south of city center
- Bullen – Swedish meatballs
- Deg Bakery in Malmo- carrot cake, salt & vanilla bun, croissant cinnamon roll. Highly recommended but a 26 minute walk west of city center
For dinner back in Copenhagen we wanted to try something a bit different, so we went to Slurp Ramen, a smaller Japanese joint specializing in – of course – ramen! We really liked this restaurant. We ordered the Slurp iced tea with yuzu and mint, Miso nudja ramen, and tonkatsu ramen. Everything was so good and had such great flavor. If you are looking for non-Danish food this is a fantastic option!
After dinner we went back to Bar Vitrine, this time just to sit and enjoy some of their delicious wine. We got our favorite glasses and enjoyed the pleasant Copenhagen evening outside.
We thought about staying at Bar Vitrine for another glass, but instead we decided to try somewhere new and made our way to Chums Wine Bar. Chums is known for their wine, but also for their cheese fondue. The fondue and wine were both really good, but the atmosphere wasn’t our favorite and they were out of a few of the different wines we really wanted to try.
A few other options for wine are Cafe Vito or Pompette, though these are a bit further out. We’d recommend pairing Pompette with Poulette which is known for their delicious chicken burgers.
Day 5 – Christiansborg, Tivoli, and Canal Tour
We recommend getting breakfast at the hotel this morning for eggs, other protein, and fruit. We then caught an Uber for the 15 minute ride to Juno the Bakery. We wanted to be there by 10, but were a bit delayed and didn’t get in line until 11. By this point it was a pretty long line as Juno is very popular and well known.
The good news is the line moved pretty fast and only took about 30 minutes. The cardamom bun is an absolute must get. We loved it so much we wished we had gotten two. We also got the almond bun, vanilla custard bun, raspberry tart, and a seasonal strawberry and cream pastry. Everything was amazing. We saw a lot of people recommend getting their sourdough bread with cheese and butter. Their coffee was just average so go to another coffee place for a cappuccino or latte.
We’d highly recommend going early or trying to go on a week day for a potentially shorter line!
After filling up on sweets we took another Uber 15 minutes to Christiansborg Palace, home to the Monarchy, Parliament, and the Danish Supreme Court. The current palace was built at the beginning of the 20th Century, but a magnificent structure has existed on the site dating back to the 1100s, and some of the oldest ruins can still be seen below the current palace.
We purchased tickets online in advance, but they do not have an official entry time. The tickets give access to the main palace, the kitchen (which is probably skippable), the old castle ruins, and the stables – the stables are really cool but definitely better when horses are actually there.
We spent about 1.5 hours here, and we absolutely loved the palace. It is gorgeous and suitably grand – truly one of the nicest palaces we’ve ever visited. While some other palaces or castles are skippable, this one certainly is not!
After Christiansborg we made our way to Tivoli Gardens, the third oldest amusement park in the world (built in 1843) and the reported inspiration for Disneyland in the US. Tivoli is world famous for blending beautiful cultural landmarks with fun rides. The entry is really cheap too at just 170 DKK, though rides must be purchased separately. Individual rides can be purchased, or an all day ride pass can be purchased if you plan to go on multiple rides.
We arrived at 2pm and went straight to Gasoline Grill, conveniently located inside the park, for a delicious and relatively cheap lunch. The cheeseburger and fires were both amazing and so fresh. We added truffle salt to the fries and that made a big difference! We completely understand the hype and consider this a must get in Copenhagen.
After lunch we explored Tivoli and all the shops it has to offer, the Dragon boats, the Japanese Pagoda -which features a Michelin star restaurant – and all the rides in the park! We decided we wanted to go on the Matterhorn like ride, so we purchased that one via a QR code at the ride entrance. The line took about 15 minutes, so really not too bad at all, and it was a lot of fun. Tivoli was definitely worth seeing and we really enjoyed our relatively short time in the park! We will be going back with kids one day.
After a couple of hours in the park we had to leave and make our way to the meeting spot for our evening boat tour. Along the way we stopped by Tase of Taiwan as we both were craving bubble tea. Emily ordered the classic Taiwanese black milk bubble tea, while Matt got the osmanthus bubble tea. We of course added tapioca pearls to both and they were really good!
The exclusive boat tour in Copenhagen was one of the best things we did in Copenhagen! We had perfect sunny weather for the boat ride and the tour guide was excellent. We saw so much of the city from the canals, and the perspective from the water was so different and really fun.
You can bring drinks and food on board, so if you want to bring a bottle of wine you can just make sure to bring some glasses or cups too. We found the small group atmosphere to be exponentially better than the huge boats, especially because we got to ask the tour guide questions and interact directly with her.
We ended the boat tour around 6:30 and made our way to Det Kongelige Biblioteks, a modern library with fantastic waterfront views and free entry. Unfortunately we were disappointed as it closes at 6 and we weren’t able to take the famous picture looking down the stairs out to the water. The garden was beautiful though, and we will definitely go back earlier next time we visit.
At this point we walked back to our hotel for an Aperol Spritz on the rooftop. This was a very relaxing break during the day and the views over the city were excellent.
For dinner we had reservations – which we made 1 month in advance – at Host. We absolutely loved this dinner experience! You have multiple options to choose from, including a la carte dishes, a 3 course menu, a 5 course menu, and wine pairings for each. We both chose the 5 course “Evening at Host” menu which came with 5 wine pairings during the meal.
The service was excellent, and the ambiance was lovely. We truly loved all the dishes, including the small “surprises” between a couple of the courses. Emily chose the chicken schnitzel for the main, while Matt chose the steak, and while both were delicious we actually preferred the schnitzel. What set this experience over the top wasn’t just the food, but the wine pairings which were all great pours and super tasty. We highly recommend Host for dinner in Copenhagen!
Day 6 – Breakfast and Flight Home
On our last morning in Copenhagen we returned to Atelier September, our favorite brunch spot in the city. We just had to get their avocado harissa eggs and blueberry compote pancakes one more time before leaving. It definitely did not disappoint!
On the way back to the hotel after breakfast we stopped by Hart, another bakery we definitely did not want to miss. We got the cardamom bun, which they are also famous for, and it was just as good as we had hoped.
Around 11 we left for the airport, and thankfully security and the entry and exit system didn’t have too long of lines. There is a Gasoline Grill in the airport, so we had one more chance to get it which we took full advantage of. If you are leaving the Schengen Area and want food, we recommend getting it before going through passport control as there isn’t too much on the other side.
Here are a few other things to do/tips for Copenhagen:
- The Art of Baking Danish Pastry: book in advance as it will fill up, but it is unfortunately non-refundable. Once we knew when we wanted to do this it had already sold out, leaving us very disappointed.
- Copenhagen Highlights 3 Hour Bike Tour with local Guide: Copenhagen is a biking city and we really wanted to do a biking tour but just didn’t have quite enough time. We’ll definitely do this next time we visit!
- Elefantentor- The Elephant Gate
- Palmehuset and the Botanical Garden- largest garden in Copenhagen north of Rosenberg Castle
- National Gallery of Denmark – for art lovers. Just note it is closed on Mondays.
- Could see Frederiksborg Castle – This is well outside the city (about 30 minute drive), but you can never see enough castles in Europe!
- Church of Our Savior – Entry is free but to climb the tower the ticket is 70 DKK ($11) for adults. It was under construction while we were there so we didn’t think it was worth it to see it covered in scaffolding.
- The Royal Library
- Royal Danish Theater
- The Danish War Museum
- Danish Resistance Museum
- Avoid Freetown Christiania – This might be a controversial opinion, but this just isn’t our vibe. Some people rave about it but we had no interest in seeing it.
There you have it! We had a phenomenal 5 day trip to Copenhagen and are already planning our next trip back. For another similar trip idea, check out our 5 day trip to London!