A Weekend in Copenhagen

 

Renting a bike is a must in summer. The city breaths with cyclers, whom you do have to watch out for, they’re fast and there are a lot of them. Cycling paths are all over the city and parks. There aren’t any steep hills so it’s really easy to cycle. You can also rent public bikes.

 

The other possibility to move around Copenhagen is underground. The prices are quite high, but the ride is a special event. Electrical trains (S-trains) are automatically driven and are managed by computers. There aren’t any drivers so you can see the underground of the city from both sides. They are also building 2 additional underground sections, which will enable people to move around even better and quicker.

 

Copenhagen is one of the biggest capital of gastronomy. There are a lot of choices, you can eat in a Michelin star restaurant, at a food stall or at one of the restaurants Smørrebrød, so called sandwich shops, which became a special trend in the last years. There are also two breweries with long tradition in the city, Carlsberg and Tuborg.

 

 

Free Walking Tours take you through all the must see points in the city. The tour is about 2 hours long and the guides are nice locals who know the city and answer to all your hard questions. I always take the tour first and then explore the city by myself and come back to the points that were interesting to me. Stroll around park Tivoli. It’s an amusement park that opened in 1843 and is visited by 5 million people each year. The park is one of the most visited amusement parks in the world. The next important point is Nyhavn Harbour, a beautiful canal, surrounded by colourful houses, which amaze everyone. The area is very lively from the early morning. There are many coffee shops, restaurant and also a main point to take a boat, which drives you around the city. If it’s sunny, take a walk around the fort Kastellet. Nearby is the statue of the Little Mermaid, but a lot of people won’t recommend you to visit it, as it’s a small and crowded part of the Copenhagen coast. 

 

 

An important part of the trip is also the accommodation. Choosing a hostel is important. Good location makes it easier to move around the city, even though you might pay a Euro or two more. I chose Danhostel, which is on a good location and has great reputation. It is a part of the Hostelling International network and offers comfortable rooms with amazing views to the Tivoli park and to the city centre. The rooms are very modern and very tidy. You can prepare yourself a meal in the kitchen or drink a beer at a bar near the hostel. They also offer breakfast for a small fee and most traveller decide to have breakfast there as it’s a nice shelter from rain or a place to talk to other travellers. 

 

The atmosphere in the hostel is really relaxed. I met some people and together we went to the Freetown Christiania. It is about 15 minutes away from the hostel, which comes useful at night. Cristiania is a self-proclaimes autonomous neighbourhood. It is inhabited by 850 people who made a home out of military objects in 1971. Everyone can enter but you have to abide certain rules that are introduced at the entrances. This is a place where the young and the old hang out in many bars. The alternative music and the surroundings give a special vibe to the city.

 

You shouldn’t leave the city of Hans C. Andersen or the popular royal family without climbing on top of the Christianborg Palace. There’s no entrance fee, but take the time to stand in line as it can be crowded.

 

I walk to the main bus station with my backpack and head to the next Scandinavian city.