My recent trip to Copenhagen was short and sweet…
Spending only 36 hours in the Danish capital was certainly not enough time to get a thoroughly developed idea of the city, however, I am quite proud of the amount of things I was able to see in such a short time!
My First Impressions of Copenhagen
1. It’s really expensive.
This is an understatement and frankly the first thing that smacked me in the face when I arrived and ordered a tea that cost me 5 Euros. I spent an average of four Euros per coffee or tea, 10-15 Euros each for meals (typically the cheapest I could find that wasn’t Kebab), 5-7 Euros each for beer and even 7 Euros for an order of French Fries! I’m sure there are more budget friendly options outside of the city center, but you may have to scope them out.
2. It’s very cold.
Shocker, right? Luckily, the sun was shining all day, but it was still super cold. I suppose that’s exactly what I get for heading up north in January. Which leads me to my next point…
3. You should visit in the summer.
From what it appeared, Copenhagen is a great city to visit in the summertime. With tons of water, a beautiful harbor area (Nyhavn) and lots of outdoor spaces it would be ideal to visit when you can relax and enjoy the warm sunshine.
4. Copenhageners are very cool.
Perhaps it’s the way they casually zoom past you on the bicycle, or the way they speak perfect English with hardly an accent or maybe even the way they make winter wear look so damn chic- there is just someone about the people of the city. Oh, and did I mention they were super friendly and helpful too?
5. It’s one of the world’s most livable cities.
Cold weather and high prices aside, Copenhagen is one of the world’s most livable cities- fact. Voted the European Green Capital in 2014, Copenhagen has planned and implemented great measures to make life easier for its citizens as well as cement itself as a pioneer of the sustainability movement including an ambitious goal of being carbon neutral by 2025.
6. It’s a great place to shop.
With one of the longest shopping streets in Europe (Strøget), Copenhagen is a shopper’s paradise. There is everything from low budget brands such as H&M to luxury ones like Louis Vuitton.
7. The food is delicious.
You almost don’t mind paying 7 Euros for a basket of fries when they taste so good! I didn’t eat a single thing that that wasn’t absolutely delicious, and that definitely includes this mouthwatering Black Forest Cheesecake from DAILY (also a whopping 7 Euros per slice).
8. The Monarchy is still a large part of the culture.
This may not be true for the daily lives of residents, but it did appear that there were lots of references to the Royal Family throughout the city. From the Changing of the Royal Guard at the Amalienborg Palace to the Exhibit to the Queen’s Birthday at the SMK (National Gallery of Copenhagen) to the various royalty-related sculptures and statues throughout the city, you still felt the presence of the monarchy throughout.
