Moon Copenhagen & Beyond

DISCOVER COPENHAGEN & BEYOND

MY FAVORITE EXPERIENCES

EXPLORE COPENHAGEN & BEYOND

BEST OF COPENHAGEN & BEYOND

IF YOU HAVE…

OUTSIDE COPENHAGEN

WHERE TO GO FROM COPENHAGEN

IF YOU LIKE…

BEFORE YOU GO

WHEN TO GO

DAILY REMINDERS

WHAT TO PACK

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

GETTING THERE

KEY RESERVATIONS

GETTING AROUND

BUDGETING

Denmark has always held a favorable reputation on the world stage, repeatedly topping “world’s happiest country” lists, yet it has often remained off the beaten path, or at least down a side street, for many visitors to Europe. Copenhagen has no Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, or Colosseum to conjure up iconic images in travelers’ minds, but the Danish capital has serious claims to be considered in the same tier as the famous cities these landmarks call home.

Copenhagen’s accessibility, culture, nightlife, food, bicycle bridges, calming lakes, microbreweries, diversity, and healthy work-life balance are all part of its appeal. They are also part of the city’s way of life and show that its “happiness” is more than just a vague idea. Don’t rush your visit. Take your time to scratch under the surface and uncover what makes this city so special.

I once heard someone say, “There’s Copenhagen, and then there’s the rest of Denmark.” It was meant to praise the capital, but I prefer to see it as a compliment to both. There are many treasures just beyond Copenhagen. To the north, in the suburbs, you’ll find a giant deer park right next to Bakken, an ancient amusement park that brings out the child in everyone. And just across the Øresund—a strait that forms the Danish-Swedish border—is Malmö, where you can easily get a taste of Swedish life.

The southern island of Møn is only a couple of hours from Copenhagen, yet it feels like it’s another world, with undulating countryside, dramatic cliffs, and a welcoming friendliness that’s hard to find in any city. Helsingør and Roskilde are approachable small towns with spectacular historical edifices. The atmospheric harbor village of Dragør has a charm that cannot be denied. And, of course, there’s the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, a museum that ranks among the best in the world, located in a sleepy fishing village in north Zealand. If you’re visiting Copenhagen, much of Denmark is truly within your reach.

MY FAVORITE EXPERIENCES

EXPLORE COPENHAGEN & BEYOND

BEST OF COPENHAGEN & BEYOND

To see the best of Copenhagen and its environs in five days, spend around three and a half days in the city and the rest exploring the surroundings. This itinerary is easy to follow using only public transportation.

DAY 1:

Spend your first day in Copenhagen getting oriented with the city’s center, style, and café culture, and mix in a museum or two.

▪  Start the day with a coffee and wienerbrød—a Danish pastry—at a city center café.

▪  Stroll around the Inner City’s shopping streets, taking in classic Danish designs and brands at places like Hay, Royal Copenhagen, and Magasin du Nord.

▪  Head to the Round Tower (Rundetårn), steer up the cobblestone-spiraled walkway, and see the city from above.

▪  Grab lunch at a nearby restaurant or café such as Schønemann or Democratic Coffee.

▪  Walk off lunch in the King’s Garden (Kongens Have).

▪  Head into Rosenborg Castle to inspect the Crown Jewels or visit the David Collection, where a breathtaking collection of Islamic art awaits.

▪  In the evening, go for cocktails and nibbles at a local bar.

▪  Alternatively, if you have the funds and are able to prebook months in advance, spend your first night at one of Copenhagen’s 15 Michelin-starred restaurants.

DAY 2:

Combine art and history on your second day in the city.

▪  After eating breakfast at your hotel, make your way to either the National Museum of Denmark for national history or walk across H. C. Andersens Boulevard to view classic art at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.

▪  These are both extensive museums, so you’ll probably be ready for lunch afterward. Head to Nyhavn and get a bite.

▪  Walk around Nyhavn and be ready to photograph the harbor, then cross the Inderhavnsbro bridge to Christianshavn.

▪  Head to the Church of Our Saviour, the prettiest of all of Copenhagen’s spires. If you have it in you, climb the 400 steps to the top—the view is worth it.

▪  Enter nearby anarchist Christiania, and cross the lake for a pleasant walk alongside the reedy bank and improvised houses on the Dyssen pathway.

▪  Returning to Christianshavn, grab something traditionally Danish to eat at Christianshavns Færgecafe or get a homemade curry at Curry Club.

▪  If you’re here in the summer, head instead to the Reffen street food market at Refshaleøen, with its atlas of different world cuisines. Stay for a craft beer at Mikkeler Baghaven and watch the sunset over the harbor.

DAY 3:

Head north to Helsingør and visit Louisiana Museum of Modern Art on the way back.

▪  Grab a to-go coffee and an almond croissant and take an early train to Helsingør.

▪  Spend the morning exploring Kronborg, the imposing, powerful 16th-century castle with royal chambers, a lookout tower, and (sometimes) Shakespearian actors. Be sure to seek out the mythical Danish hero solemnly waiting in the castle’s darkest depths.

▪  Grab some lunch at Elsinore Street Food, where fish and chips, Brazilian tapioca, Indian butter chicken, and Syrian tapas are among the offerings.

▪  Take a bus or train the short distance back down the coast to Humlebæk and spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening at Louisiana, one of the world’s leading modern art museums.

▪  Stay in the village for a traditional Danish dinner at Gl. Humlebæk Kro, housed in a building that resembles a charming, old hunting lodge.

DAY 4:

See some of Copenhagen’s outer neighborhoods, and spend the afternoon at the city’s iconic Tivoli amusement park.

▪  Start by bicycling or taking a bus to Nørrebro, where you can get Arabic-style breakfast at Ali Bageri.

▪  Walk or bicycle down multicultural Nørrebrogade and soak up the atmosphere.

▪  Walk around Assistens Cemetery (Assistens Kirkegård), a historic cemetery that doubles as a park and is the resting place of many of Denmark’s most famous daughters and sons.

▪  Make your way back to the Inner City, crossing the lakes at Dronning Louises Bro. Buy a coffee from a street wagon and pause at a bench to watch the city move around you.

▪  Stop for lunch at Torvehallerne, the artisan food market next to Nørreport station, before you take a bus or S-train from here to Copenhagen Central Station.

▪  Leave the station and enter Tivoli Gardens—a legendary 19th-century amusement park—and enjoy rollercoasters, gardens, and entertainment. Stay until evening.

▪  From here, it’s a short walk to the ultra-cool Meatpacking District (Kødbyen) in Vesterbro. Find a spot for food and drink such as Kødbyens Fiskebar, Magasasa Dim Sum & Cocktails, Hija de Sanchez, or Warpigs, or hop from one to the other.

▪  Weekend? End your night at Jolene and keep dancing until it’s light.

DAY 5:

Spend a day breathing in the fresh air of the suburbs before finishing your stay at a famous sight back in town.

▪  Once you’re up and ready (hopefully not too late), take the S-train to Klampenborg and go for a peaceful walk through Jægersborg Dyrehave. See how many deer you can spot.

▪  Have lunch at the tranquil Raadvad Kro.

▪  Go to Bellevue Beach where in the summer you might be able to swim in the sea. Alternatively, take a walk along the Strandvejen coast and see the many buildings designed by famous Danish architect Arne Jacobsen.

▪  Back in Copenhagen, head out to Langelinie and walk along the promenade until you reach the famous Little Mermaid statue. If your timing is right, you might get the perfect photo opportunity.

▪  Go to Nyhavn and finish with wine and tapas near the waterfront, maybe at Den Vandrette or Nebbiolo.

OUTSIDE COPENHAGEN

If you want to explore the areas outside Copenhagen, this itinerary will take you away from the city. A car is not essential for the trip but would be a useful asset, particularly if you are going to Møn and are not planning to bicycle or hike around the island.

DAY 1:

See some serious Danish history and a picturesque fishing village.

▪  Take an early train from Copenhagen to Roskilde and walk through the town and its park until you reach the Viking Ship Museum on the shores of Roskilde Fjord.

▪  After lunch at the museum’s café or in town, head toward the towering Roskilde Cathedral—you can’t miss it—and get lost in the legends of Danish monarchs from centuries past.

▪  Get a coffee or snack and take the train back to Copenhagen, where you can change to a bus for Dragør, a small village on the south coast of the island of Amager.

▪  Walk through the timeless alleyways of Dragør’s cobblestoned old town and stop for dinner.

▪  Stroll the harbor with an ice cream in hand. From here you can see the Øresund Bridge and aircraft coming in to land at Copenhagen Airport. Consider staying the night in Dragør, although Copenhagen is close at hand, if there is no accommodation available.

DAY 2:

Cross the Øresund and discover Malmö, a Swedish little brother to Copenhagen.

▪  Take the train from Copenhagen to Malmö. Don’t forget your passport.

▪  Spend the morning wandering the streets of Gamla Staden (the old town).

▪  Stop at a café for lunch before going to Malmöhus Castle, a 16th-century citadel with plenty of history about past fights with the Danes.

▪  From there, the Science and Maritime Museum is just down the road. It looks a little worn from the outside but has some great collections of nostalgic pieces of engineering and a look back at the Øresund crossing in the days before the bridge was built.

▪  Get dinner and something to eat at food market Malmö Saluhall near the docks. It closes earlier on weekends, so if it’s a Saturday or Sunday, head directly into town.

▪  Go for a drink at one of the old town’s hotspots. Lilla Torg is where most of the action is.

DAY 3:

Enjoy Malmö’s many green spaces and proximity to the sea, while getting up close to Scandinavia’s tallest building.

▪  After breakfast at your hotel or a café in town, head a little way out of the city center by bicycle or on foot and take a walk around Pildammsparken, where you’ll find lakes, pavilions, a café, and an amphitheater.

▪  Head down to the harbor for lunch at Saltimporten and then walk off the meal by continuing toward Västra Hamnen.

▪  Spend a couple of hours walking along the promenade at Västra Hamnen, the rejuvenated former port, passing by the soaring, twisting