Copenhagen Weekend Guide | Eat, Sleep & Explore
Hej Copenhagen – what a fabulous city you are! We had such a great weekend at the danish capital – so pack your bags and book your trip, as Copenhagen is definitely always worth a trip! Of course it’s even better with the sun and warmer temperatures but even in rain, there is so much to discover and explore. And of course: many cute cafs and restaurants to try and lovely shops to spend some money. So let’s get this Copenhagen Weekend trip started.
Copenhagen Cafs & Restaurants – Where to eat
Ok first things first: by now, you’ll know that I’m a firm believe in exploring cities by their culinary treats. So even though our hotel offered breakfast, we went for some cute cafs, breakfast and brunch places and of course for lunch and dinner.
Apollo
After our flight on friday morning, we started our Copenhagen experience with a brunch at this place close to Nyhavn. Hidden in a little museum backyard without all the tourists looking at you plate (which is the case to the other restaurants in Nyhavn), you can start your day perfectly relaxed with a cup of coffee here. I also tried their blueberry ricotta toast which seems to be a thing in Scandinavian countries right now and I must admit: it’s so delicious! (But if you’re really really hungry, you should also order something additionally ;))
Munchies
This waffle place is in the district of Christianshavn, which reminded me a bit of more artsy-hipster Berlin-Kreuzberg or Neukaelln. You can order your bubble waffle with ice cream, fresh fruits and different toppings and then I’ll recommend to sit around the corner by the canal. Definitely worth a treat!
Gasoline Grill
An outdated petrol station that serves delicious burgers? Haha, the Danish are crazy! The concept of a “walk by” is definitely super cool and also the burgers didn’t disappoint us. They are really juicy and fresh but my absolute favorite were the fries with truffle salt! (And they taste even better than you expect! Sooo good.) We had to wait quite some time in the evening hours but the staff was super helpful and friendly and they have some benches to sit and eat.
Atelier September
Probably one of the most hyped places right now in Copenhagen. We unfortunately didn’t arrive hungry here as the Avocado toast seems to be the most photographed one in Cph. But we did try the coffee and lemonades and also the staff was super nice. (Still wondering why Berlin doesn’t have this super friendly restaurant staff – Copenhagen proofs that it’s possible to be hipster AND nice?!)
Krogs Fiskerestaurant
If you’re searching for a more fancy place, this is the one for you. The restaurant is one of the oldest fish restaurants in Copenhagen and the interior is really classy and elegant. We stopped by for some Smorrebrod and Oysters. Smorrebrod is the typical danish open face sandwich that can feature any kind of fish and is a great snack for lunch time. Also, I never had Oysters before and as Copenhagen offers them in many ways, I thought it’s the perfect time to finally taste these and they were super delicious.
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Bistro Central
Saturday night and we were super hungry – so we were more than happy that we were able to book a place at this cool restaurant. It features lunch and dinner menu small dishes of which you’ll order 3-4 per person and then share as you like. We went for different sliders (burgers), grilled asparagus, stracciatella cheese (a more liquid burrata cheese) and fries. Everything was sooo delicious – especially the sauces and seasoning were out of this world. So yummy!
Sanders
The Sanders hotel features a caf, restaurant and a rooftop terrace. Unfortunately the rooftop was closed during our visit due to a wedding but I heard that the snacks and cocktails up there are amazing. Also, you can grab a coffee or lemonade and sit in the lobby or their cool outdoor area with the fur and Scandinavian decor.
Les Voyageurs
Around the corner of Sanders, you can find another cool coffee spot. The dandy- hipster like interior looks extremely cool and definitely reminded me of some Parisian vibes. 😉 We went for some fresh juice and coffee and took a seat at their beautiful marble tables outside.
The Modern Cafe & Brasserie
Before we took our flight on Sunday afternoon, we went for one last lunch at this cute place around the corner of Nyhavn/ Kongens Nytorv. They are mixing up Scandinavian and french influences, offering Smorrebrod as well as Burgers and Oysters. The Oysters were especially affordable for Copenhagen, so if you want to order a dozen of them: do it here! 😉 Also I really liked thei outdoor seating area with heaters and plaids in case it gets a bit chilly.
Copenhagen Sightseeing – What to explore
To get rid off those calories that we indulged in, we almost did all the sightseeing by walking around the city. The only time we did use the metro was from the airport to our hotel (which is so convenient – only 20 minutes and around 5 Û per person). We walked around 15 kilometers per day but of course you can also take a bike if you want to experience the danish way of getting around. 😉
We started our sightseeing at Nyhavn as this is probably one of the most popular places in Copenhagen. The old haven features many cute houses and colorful facades, which you probably know from many postcards already. Also, you should take a boat trip to get a first overview of the city. We took the “netto boats” (blue boats) that only cost 50 DKK and take you an hour through different canals and the city. With the sun beaming and a fresh breeze it was definitely the perfect way to start our trip.
One of my absolute favorite places in Copenhagen is the Glyptoteket. This museum features a wide range of sculptures but it’s also an artpiece itself. The museum’s architecture is so impressive, already when entering the hallway you’ll see the amazing palm garden with fountains. Also, you can enjoy amazing art by Rodin, Dgas, Monet and may more. And make sure to stop by the museums shop, as it offers amazing coffee table books and art work as well. So it was the perfect spot to be on our rainy second day in Copenhagen!
Another important sight is the Amalienborg, where the royal family is still living and the Frederik’s church (also called Marmorkirken) around the corner. This area is perfect for a stroll and of course to take some pictures.
Another beautiful area and sight to explore is Rosenborg and the huge garden around it calledÊ Kongens Have. On a sunny day, you’ll see many toruists as well as residents laying here in the grass, tanning or picnicking.
The palace of Christiansborg is situated on another small island. You could also climb up the tower to get an impressive view of Copenhagen (for free!). Unfortunately it was closed during our stay – so we went to the Rundetaarn (“Round Tower”), which is located in the city center. It was built in the 17th century and the most impressive thing is that it doesn’t future stairs but a so called “riders staircase”. The walk up is definitely worth it as you’ll enjoy an impressive view of Copenhagen and the area.
Last but not least – now that you’re in the city center, you should go for some shopping around the shopping streets ofÊStroget and Stradet. here you’ll find the main retailers and brands but also smaller shops and some cafs. You can also follow som of the smaller streets, where you’ll find one of my favorites called Norr (Pilestr¾de 36). This shop features multiple brands from clothing to interior so you can easily spend some hours here. They also have a small pond in the middle of the shop – perfect for men to watch the Koi while the ladies are getting dressed. 😉 And I’m also a huge fan of the danish brand called Envii, that has multiple shops in the city. It’s a mixture of Topshop and Gina Tricot I would say – so definitely check them out. Last but not least: Selected (Femme) is one of my favorite danish brands since forever, as you probably saw it here Êmultiple times on the blog.
Copenhagen Hotel – Where to sleep
Some years ago, I’ve already been to Copenhagen with my Mum and we stayed at an Airbnb as the hotel prices were quite pricey. This time, I was pretty lucky to book the lovelyÊHotel Phoenix Copenhagen through an offer and we even were so lucky to get an upgrade! So we stayed at an Executive room on the 4th floor and had a great view of Copenhagen and it’s city center. We can definitely recommend staying here as it is perfectly located to walk around the city.
So if you have any tips and recommendations to add – where and what to Eat, Sleep & Explore – please let us know in the comments?Ê
