Copenhagen Weekend Guide
Guest post by Lindsay Ligon, a Foster student studying Operations and Supply Chain Management who participated in the Foster exchange at the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark.
Recently, my two best friends from UW (who are currently studying abroad in Spain), visited me in Copenhagen for the weekend. I wanted to show them the best of the city, so we followed this itinerary and had a wonderful time!
Friday Night:
Start off with a trip to one of Copenhagen’s famous food halls. My personal favorite is Copenhagen Street Food on Papirøen, but sadly it will be closing at the end of 2017. Other great food markets in town include West Market and Torvehallerne. All of the markets have options for dietary restrictions including gluten-free, vegan, and most allergies!
After dinner, walk up the tower of Christiansborg Palace for a view over Copenhagen at night. Sunset is the best time to go, but the view is beautiful at any time!
Finally, explore the nightlife in Central Copenhagen. My favorite bars include The Bird & The Churchkey, Francis Pony, and the Jane.
Saturday:
Start the day off with breakfast at Copenhagen’s porridge shop, Grød. There are a few locations around town, but my favorite is in Nørrebro on Jægersborggade. After breakfast, plan to spend at least an hour exploring the little shops on this street. My favorites are Tú a Tú (a secondhand shop for women, with the men’s version P-A-R just across the street), Kaktus (cactus shop!), and Karamelleriet (a Danish candy shop).
Hop on your bike or take the bus back to Central for lunch at Hope Cafe. Here there is a focus on healthy, organic, and mostly plant-based foods. My favorite dish is the Caesar Salad! Near Hope are several more shops including Project 4 (women’s clothing) and Episode (secondhand).
Next, head to Tivoli, the amusement park that inspired Disneyland. However, the entrance fee and rides are reasonable compared to Disneyland– (in winter, entrance will cost 110 DKK, or about $17, while an unlimited ride wristband costs 230 DKK, or $36). You will want to do unlimited rides unless you’re only planning on riding one ride. Ride the swings first (the StarFlyer) for a great view of the park and the rest of Copenhagen! If you’re lucky enough to be in Copenhagen during November or December, Tivoli has a wonderful Christmas market. Try the Gløgg (Danish mulled wine) and æbleskiver (round apple pancakes).
Once you’ve gotten your fill of rides, head to either Neighbourhood or Mother for some of the best pizza and cocktails in town.
If you’re interested in checking out more bars in Copenhagen, go to the Meatpacking District (Kødbyen) for unique venues and cheaper drinks. Jolene and Bakken are great for music and dancing, while Warpigs is a great brewery with authentic Southern food (think pulled pork, fried pickles, and pecan pie).
Sunday:
Sleep in before heading to one of Copenhagen’s many brunch restaurants. Kalaset has options for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores, and is one the best brunch places in town. Granola and Mad og Kaffe are also local favorites.
Next, take the train from Nørreport Station up to the Louisana Museum of Modern Art. A student ticket will cost about $17, but the exhibitions are well worth the price. There is a permanent Yayoi Kusama exhibit here in case you missed the one in Seattle!
Once you return to Copenhagen, take the afternoon to explore more of Copenhagen’s sights. The Glyptoteket is a lovely sculpture garden and museum, while Copenhagen University’s Museum of Natural History and Botanical Gardens are also a must-see. Take a walk over to Amalienborg Palace to see where Denmark’s Royal Family lives. The changing of the guard occurs here daily at noon. Nearby, you can see The Little Mermaid, the statue commemorating Danish writer H.C. Andersen’s fairytale. If the museums and palaces don’t interest you, Copenhagen offers several large parks, including the King’s Garden, Frederiksberg Garden, and Fælledparken.
Finally, head to Bastard Cafe for dinner and some board games. Here, they offer several free board games (and some paid games), cheap beer, and a few food items.
Copenhagen has so many amazing things to do that you couldn’t possibly get it all done in one weekend, but this guide is a good start! Enjoy!
