Now I Know Why The Danes Are Happy!!!
A trip to Copenhagen was always on the cards, having not been back since I was a young teenager. My daughter was quite eager to go, as well, having heard wonderful reports on the city from her friends. After a few days there with the wonderful food, trendy bars, high living standard, friendly people, and the most amazing approach to everything (hygge), we decided that the Danes definitely have a good thing going. No wonder Denmark is on the "happiest places on earth" lists.
So before anything, let's talk about this concept of hygge, so important to the Danish way of life. I began to appreciate how much the Danes practice this approach to life when our tour guide kept mentioning it during our city walking tour, hygge this, achieve hygge, etc. Our Danish friends also have commented how their children learn to practice this approach very early on in their lives.
So what is it? When I googled it, I ended up in this website, Hyggehouse.com
Another way of putting it is, hygge is "the absence of anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming, taking pleasure from the presence of gentle soothing things". The Danes burn candles (they burn candles more than anyone else in Europe) all the time and chill. It's about experiences rather than "stuff".
If we had the Danish social and political infrastructure, plus we all appreciated our lives daily and acknowledged each moment as extraordinary, we'd all be singing and happy too!
Now down to the tourist stuff and tips.
When you go to Copenhagen, the first thing you should do is get a Copenhagen card. It just means you don't have to continuously pay for any of the museums, attractions, buses, trains for the the duration of your stay. It simplifies the trip. Available at the train station.
The Walking Tours ("free") are also worthwhile. You turn up in front of the old town hall, find the men/women with the yellow/green umbrellas, walk around with them for 3 hours, and tip them for their trouble. They are quite good guides and they tell little inside stories probably only the locals know. They are also very earnest, since their income is tied in with their performance and the tips you leave. Copenhagen is a small city and we walked nearly everywhere. weather permitting. Just be ready for a quick weather change (like London) and we were always prepared with our umbrellas, scarves, and other layers.
One thing, the Danes speak better English than many English speaking people!
You can Google the top attractions and decide what you want to see that isn't covered by the walking tour but a few stand out for me. Living in Europe means I also suffer from "castle fatigue" so I just saw a few from the outside and ventured into one, the Rosenborg (I like gems so I had to see the Crown jewels). It's a pretty impressive and I enjoyed my visit there.
I've heard some Danes don't think much of the "Little Mermaid" bronze in the Harbour. According to VisitDenmark, she has lost her head 3 times (1964, 1990, 1998), lost her arm in 1984, painted 5 times (1961, 1963, 2006, 2007 x 2) and knocked off her pedestal with explosives is 2004. Apparently (the guide told us) she even had a sex toy stuck to her forehead! She has sported everything from Islamic chador to KKK robes and numerous masks. No offence to the Danes, by the time you get there and see her it's a bit anticlimactic, in my opinion. Still, she represents the Copenhagen brand so I guess a must see. You'd never get a picture with her unless you are willing to brave the crowd of Chinese tourists(they love her) swarming their way to her to get that photo.
Now for the must see. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art located outside the city, in Humlebæk (25 miles north of Copenhagen, about 30 minutes by train and a ten minute walk). It is a museum full of internationally renowned works of art, displayed with the "sauna principle". The hot consists of the modern classics and the cold, less easily accessible works by contemporary artists. It's name comes from the three wives of the original owner, all named Louise. The country house was taken over by Knud W. Jensen to give Danes access to Modern art. The setting is beautiful and the outdoor views of the Øresund Sound and the garden are used to display the art pieces.
A museum I missed (saved for the next time I visit) which seems quite interesting is the Cisterne Museum. It is a former water reservoir beneath the Sønderkarken park where light never reaches, and an unusual venue for art exhibitions.
Tivoli Gardens. The famous amusement park created in 1843 and Walt Disney's inspiration for creating his theme parks. Fun and worth the visit.
Nyvahn. A very touristy area but still a must see for the beautiful old houses in the old port. Have a drink and a wander.
Den Blå Planet . If you like aquariums, it's worth a visit. They took us upstairs to see area where the sharks are fed.
www.denblaaplanet.dk
Strøget shopping street. Famous pedestrian street with shops.
Food & Drink.
The Danes have gone all gastronomic after NOMA, a restaurant in Copenhagen, received the accolade of being the best restaurant in the world. It deserves its reputation as a food capital and is a good destination for a glutinous long weekend.
Here are some of the interesting and good places we ate in:
Mad and Kaffe. A nice little restaurant for brunch and good open face sandwiches.
www.madogkaffe.dk/
Olive Kitchen and Bar restaurant. Salmon tartare, ribs, steak.
www.theolive.dk
Food Market Torvehallerne. A super market (versus supermarket) that houses food stalls you can sample and shop.
www.Torvehallernekbh.dk
Copenhagen Street Market in Papirøen. A venue full of food trucks with food from all over the world next to the Harbour.
www.copenhagenstreetfood.dk/
Vespa. Need an Italian break? We found this on Google and it's affordable country (not fine) Italian. www.cofoco.dk/da/restauranter/vespa/
Copenhagen Meat Packing District, the trendy bit of Copenhagen.
Kødbyens Fiskebar. Absolutely delicious seafood in an industrial setting.
www.fiskebaren.dk
Neighbourhood pizza. Delicious, unusual and crispy. Yum www.neighbourhoodistedgade.business.site/
1656. A cozy lively bar in the meatpacking district.
www.facebook.com/1656cocktailbar
We also went to the Library bar near the main station but unfortunately, we were too early so didn't really experience the lively atmosphere our guide talked about.
A few other bars that we had heard of and were supposedly must sees that we just didn't get around to going to were: The Ruby and The Jolene Bar.
To summarise, go to Copenhagen. It's a great place. I'm looking forward to my next trip there.
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