Updated 2016
Copenhagen is the largest city in Denmark and is an excellent place to start if you are thinking of exploring Viking country. It’s also a great place to visit if you want to be surrounded by stunningly good-looking people who are still both friendly and modest. Unlike Stockholm to the north, Denmark’s capital has a compact center that can be walked from one end to the other in less than an hour.
What To Do
Near the train station you’ll find Tivoli Gardens, one of Europe’s oldest amusement parks. It’s free to enter, but the rides cost money and it’s definitely worth a stroll. Further on you come to the main town square with the old city hall and you keep walking down the Strøget, which is the very pleasant pedestrian shopping street that goes all the way to the Amalienborg Palace, which is the impressive home of the royal family, on the other end of town. For a picture postcard view make sure to stop by Nyhavn, which is the brightly painted new harbor seen on all the brochures.
The copper roofed building throughout the city will provide breathtaking views in almost every direction, but there is more to Copenhagen than just an organized and handsome city. Christiania is a commune set up on an old military base where soft drugs have been tolerated for decades, but things are changing so don’t wait too long to visit. The Carlsburg Brewery on the other end of town provides a typically interesting tour with a glass of suds of your very own at the end. Then there is the Little Mermaid statue along the harbor front. It’s as disappointingly small as it is famous, but we won’t blame you for seeing it for yourself.
Read: An Unfiltered Beer Tour of Denmark.
Getting There
Copenhagen is accessible by train so it’s a good place to make a long journey to for Eurail Pass holders. But individual train tickets there tend to be expensive so you are most likely going to want to book a flight into Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport (code: CPH). It’s a hub for SAS Airlines so there are some good deals available from cities they serve. The airport is on the rail line so you can get to Copenhagen’s Central Station in 12 minutes quite inexpensively from there.
Read: Timeless Copenhagen & Copenhagen, Denmark: Transport.
Where To Stay
Most of the budget accommodation in tends to be near Central Station, but it’s a safe and convenient area in which to stay. There are plenty of hostels in Copenhagen, but they tend to book up early during peak times. And there is no shortage of hotels in Copenhagen, but the better deals also sell out quickly so plan ahead.