A City Break: Copenhagen

A couple of weeks ago, I returned from the most wonderful holiday in the beautiful Danish capital, Copenhagen. I had first heard of plans for this break from my best friend, and just a few hours later, we had booked flights from Gatwick to Copenhagen! Travelling in a large group of 14, all of us friends from university, we searched for apartments in the city that would be large enough to accommodate us all (and the inevitable noise from so many students).







Eventually, we found a fabulous apartment which doubled as a yoga studio near the swanky Sankt Hans Torv district in Norrebro. I cannot emphasise enough just how lovely this part of the city is; it's a fairly affluent neighbourhood, but still central to all the main attractions in Copenhagen. The apartment itself was spacious, clean and provided everything we needed and more.

Our apartment

As we were within walking distance to the Little Mermaid sculpture, famous canals, shopping haven, Tivoli gardens, mesmerising towers and architecture, and many museums, we made the most of our central location and delved into the cultural hub that is Copenhagen.


Choosing an early morning flight meant that with the help of a lot of coffee, we could waste no time and had an extra day to explore the city. On arrival, we dumped our hand luggage and set off on our first adventures. We traipsed around the city for hours, absorbing the breathtaking views and architecture and trying to get a feel of this new city.



What first struck us was how clean the city was, and how immaculately dressed everyone was! It reminded us of a better version of London. Another thing which caught our attention was the sheer number of people who cycled. Living in Brighton, we thought we had our fair share of cyclists, but the fitness levels of Copenhagen folk must be something else. Needless to say we all felt instantly inadequate!

Awkward hug...

Once we'd gained our first impressions of the city, we met up with another university friend who is currently studying a summer course at the city's university, and her Danish friend. Finally feeling in safe hands, we were shown the best places to eat and drink, as well as being given a quick tour of the part of Copenhagen in which we were staying.


Being taken aback by the stunning canals which weaved around the city, we decided to do a long boat tour to see Copenhagen from the water. While the plan wasn't to act like typical tourists, the canal tour was so beneficial and interesting- we learnt so much about the history of this beautiful place, and also gathered ideas of where we could explore next. 


After admiring our first glimpse of Copenhagen and feeling quite windswept from the boat trip, some of us went off for a bite to eat. We found a lovely little restaurant called 'Americas' which served a great range of food. We obviously hadn't quite got the hang of the currency just yet, as we went to pay 50 kroner each for a jug of water (in total, the equivalent of £25!). 



As students on a "tight budget", we sought out some free entertainment to occupy our first evening in Denmark. We had heard Christiania, a unique freetown in the city centre, mentioned in the earlier tour, and when we saw there was a free concert happening there at Nemoland, we thought we'd trot down and check it out. When we arrived, it was like a different world. A very odd world. A very odd world full of drugs. It wasn't quite my cup of tea, so myself and a few others left to find a pub.

Christiania...Not my cup o' tea!

Waking up the next morning, we were surprised at how comfy 14 mattresses on the floor were to sleep on! We spent the day wandering around Copenhagen, while four others spent the day at Tivoli gardens for the theme park. A couple of beautifully designed churches caught our eye, so we stepped in for a few snaps and to admire the wondrous detail. One which particularly drew us in, however, was Church of our Saviour- an extravagant building with an ornate black and gold spire.

Church of our Saviour

Seeking some adventure amidst all this sightseeing, we took upon us the challenge of climbing the 400 steps to the very top of the tower. Being the wimp I am, I chickened out as soon as the steps led outside. The wind, drizzly rain and sickeningly steep view over the edge was enough to make me turn back with my legs like jelly. The others made it to the top, however, and let me know that the view was incredible.

The view from halfway up the Church of our Saviour's spire!

We spent the next two nights drinking in Danish bars and visiting a Danish nightclub. As soon as Spice Girls, 5ive and Fergie started playing I knew I couldn't love this place more! That and having a huge box of Danish pastries between us every breakfast...

Mmmm...Danish pastries
Clubbin' up city

Copenhagen was a stunning city, with breath-taking views and the loveliest people. While some have noted the higher-than-average living costs, I could not tell that much of a price difference between Copenhagen and London. As in every place, it is possible to do Denmark on a budget!


Have you ever been to Copenhagen? What were your highlights?

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4 comments

  1. Oh my gosh this looks incredible, you had an amazing time !I wish I travelled more as this is now on my list to go xxx




    Blonde of carbs

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    1. You should definitely try and go! It's such an incredible city xxx

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  2. UHM, SITTIN' ACROSS THE WORLD FEELING ALL JELS OF YOU. I definitely want to go to the Nordic countries in the future, though I have to admit that I don't know much about Copenhagen besides the Little Mermaid statue! You are oh so incredibly lucky to be able to travel with such a huge group of friends too; I'd love to do a trip like that with my friends!

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    1. Aww bless ya! I didn't know much about it either! It is an incredible place to explore though. You should definitely do another Europe trip :)

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