NAME: Astrid
CITY: Copenhagen
COUNTRY: Denmark
YEAR OF TRIP: 2017
HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE? 1 month
BEST TIME TO GO: summer
GREATEST CHALLENGE: As most European cities, it is expensive. Also people are less tolerant of minorities then one would expect. The city is pretty segregated and locals are known to be racist.
WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL? The ability to walk or bike ride everywhere! The Danes appreciate beauty and make the most of their outdoor spaces. (Also, everyone speaks English so it is very easy to get around. Most signs, menus etc are in English as well as Danish)
MUST EAT:
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Next Door Cafe (known for their pancakes)
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Bastard Cafe (board game bar that is hoppin’ every night)
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for students: Francis Pony is a bar that has cheap drinks before midnight (not a very classy place though)
MUST SEE:
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Botanical Gardens
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Freetown Christiana (a hippie commune that is technically not a part of the EU)
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Royal Danish Library-The Black Diamond (there are two parts to the Library, one which is traditional and one, The Black Diamond, which is modern. The Black Diamond sits over the canal and reflects off the water on a sunny day)
MUST DO:
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Travel around the city via bike
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spend a rainy day wrapped up in a blanket, reading a book either at home or in a coffee shop (The Danes call this “hygge” which describes a cozy, special feeling. I would recommend to read “The Little Book of Hygge”)
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take a tour of the city via boat. I would recommend doing this when you first arrive because it will help you orient yourself in the city (everything is based around the canals) and the guides will point out the main highlights of the city (including the Opera House, Nyhavn, multiple churches around the city, and the Little Mermaid statue) (speaking of the Little Mermaid Statue, I would recommend also going to see “Agnete and the Merman”, a sunken state of a merman and his 7 sons mourning their mother who left them to live on land. It’s lesser known and a little hard to find, located under the Hojbro bridge)
Other Recommendations: Wonder around the city! There are gardens and parks around every corner.