A Short Scandi Summer in Copenhagen
Hi friends,
European summer is in full swing this month and with everyone going on holiday, I found myself planning a last minute trip to Copenhagen.
As someone whose a fan of Danish design, Copenhagen fashion week, and cozy cafes, Copenhagen has been on top of my list of places to visit. Lucky for me, my Danish friend, Louise, and her boyfriend were kind enough to host me in their newly renovated apartment in the South side of the city.
Armed with a stuffed carry-on cabin bag, walking shoes, and limited roaming data, these are the highlights from my budget-friendly, locally-oriented trip to Copenhagen.
Day 1: CDG > CPH
I’m absolutely not a morning person so the only thing motivating me to get up at 6am is the fear of missing my flight. I landed in Copenhagen on a cloudy and somewhat chilly day. The weather felt similar to Seattle, Washington, where my dad is from, only here in Copenhagen everyone is insanely tall, blonde, and exceptionally sustainably minded. My friend had to finish up some work during the day so I walked around the South side of the city towards Fisketorvet Copenhagen Mall. I was craving rice and comfort food, so even though the mall’s food court was filled with a variety of options, I ordered Green Curry with a lime sparkling lemonade.
Walk around Islands Brygge
Thai food at Fisketorvet Copenhagen Mall
Bagels for dinner and a brief history of Scandi culture
For dinner, we had bagel sandwiches at home. Cozy, simple, and customizable. One of my favorite parts about my trip was the shared meals I had with my friend and her boyfriend. For years, I’ve been fascinated with Scandinavian culture, design, and mentality. As a region that consistently ranks as the “Top Happiest Places to Live In”, Scandinavia has always held this mystery to the secret of happiness and high quality of life that I’ve always wanted to learn more about. How is it that a country basically the size of Maine with mostly cold, depressing weather fair so effectively with creating such a high standard of living?
In short, I could write an essay about all of the things I learned about the social culture, shared values, and mindset within Denmark and how it contrasts dramatically from our capitalist, more is more, time is money, lifestyle in America. One could always think the grass is greener on the other side, but in actuality, nothing is perfect or without a price.
Day 2:
It’s worth noting that everything in Copenhagen is expensive. A typical price for a museum ticket is twenty dollars which is the same for eating out in the city. Therefore, I did my research beforehand and settled on just going to one major museum.
Really nice museum with an assortment of five or so exhibitions included inside. For those seeking to learn more about traditional Danish design when it comes to home furnishings, skip to the end where the room of Danish design chairs throughout the decades are held.
Red star-shaped fortress, near a park with swans.
Small, touristy, but worth stopping by if you’re in the area.
Dinner at Paludan Bog & Café
A cozy bookstore cafe with great comfort food.
Drinks at Trio Restaurant & Bar
For those who want a LA vibe in the city skyline. I ordered the sparkling tea and would recommend for non-alcoholic drinkers who still want to feel fancy.
Day 3:
Of course coming to Denmark means I had to try Danish pastry and see how it compares to the French. My friend bought an assortment of pastries from her local bakery and they were all so delicious. The dough is similar to the flakiness and airy texture of a croissant. She also bought Danish bread rolls which we topped with hummus, cheese, and ham.
Local flea market
On the more local side of the harbor is a small flea shop with vendors selling antiques, jewelry, homeware, fisherman’s pipes, and other treasures. I bought a small coin purse from a local vendor who was so charmed by my friend that she gave me a little ring as a gift (ring shown in the bottom right photo, index finger).
Thrifting: Episode, Decades
The thrift stores we went to had a great assortment of clothes and the stores are all fairly close to each other so it’s easy to hop around. Prices are a higher than some of the cheaper thrift stores in Paris, but the quality and merchandising of everything inside is very good.
Japanese dinner at home
Next thrifting, one of my other favorite things to do is cook for others. My friend is a fan of Japanese design and cuisine so I decided to make a simple Japanese dinner as a little thank you for hosting me.
Menu:
Baked eggplant topped with garlic
Japanese rice
Miso soup
Stir-fried zucchini
Mochi ice cream
Party Metro
Once a year, the a single train along the metro line is turned into a party with a DJ. Participants simply buy a normal metro ticket and wait for the party train to turn up at the station. It was a wild experience with body heat and humidity like I’ve never experienced before.
Day 4:
My last full day in Copenhagen was jam packed and yet there were still so many things I didn’t get the chance to do. Luckily, the weather was sunnier which made it the perfect day to walk around the city and take a quick dip in the harbor.
As much as I wanted a local experience, I couldn’t pass up the chance to get a touristy picture here. I love all the colors of the buildings and one thing I noticed is how perfectly maintained all of the buildings are.
Ethereal and lovely to see for a quick visit.
There are many palaces and castles to visit in Denmark but I didn’t really make it a priority on this visit. It was nice to walk around just to see the outside of this palace and next time I’d like to go to some of the other palaces to see the Royal Guard.
For all home decor lovers, this is the shop to visit! It’s like a small mall with everything some jewelry, home, and fashion all by Danish designers. My obsession with lamp design continues…
Located outside the city center and beloved by locals. This bakery blends Japanese and Danish style pastry together and the result is delicious.
Harbor swimming
I must admit, I was a little bit chicken when it came time to swim in the harbor but with a little ice cream bribe from my friend I found myself fully submerged in the cold Baltic waters. The experience was refreshing and unlike swimming in the Pacific, the water isn’t very salty.
The University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Humanities
Architecture was high on my list to see during my visit so it was really nice to walk around this campus and view all of the hyper contemporary architecture. It felt like walking through a large gallery space with each building possessing unique design qualities and personality.
Ice cream at Ismageriet
Don’t fall for the tourists traps near Nyhavn Harbor and buy the first ice cream you see. Instead, we went to this small ice cream shop located near the university campus. They have a large assortment of both local flavors and flavors you didn’t know you needed to exist until that very moment.
Located in the southern side of the city in the residential area of Islands Brygge lies a small pizza truck. We ended the day by taking it back home to unwind after long day of exploring the city. Danish hygge at it’s best.
Many thanks again to my dear friend, Louise, for allowing me to crash on her Scandinavian couch for a few days. There are so many things that I can’t wait to go back to do once I find myself in CPH again.
Overall, I fell in love with CPH for many of the same reasons why other people have found themselves fascinated with the harbor city. The thoughtfulness of the design as an extension of care for humanity goes beyond beauty and functionality. It’s a representation of Danish culture for all of the values it represents and goodness we should aspire for.
PS: Louise is a small fashion designer with her own contemporary collection. I interviewed her shortly after we met and became friends in Paris. Read her interview here. Find her on IG.
Much love from CPH,
Kiana