September 2026

A very last-minute solo trip for my birthday! I was in Europe for 11 days (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Czech Republic).

I spent 4 full days in Copenhagen, though on one of the days, I took a day trip to Malmö, Sweden.

I have listed the things to see, do, and places to eat in alphabetical order below, along with some photos and details about my experience.

How to Get Around Copenhagen
Tons of walking, the metro, and/or biking. I landed in Copenhagen, Denmark, and bought the 24-hour City Pass (which is different from the Copenhagen Card—the Copenhagen Card includes transportation and attractions, whereas the City Pass is only for transportation like the metro and train). The metro was very easy to understand with color-coded lines and maps everywhere. I used Apple Maps to navigate the metro and it was super easy to follow. They did not check for metro tickets either… anyway, you can also rent bikes and cycle around! It reminded me a lot of Amsterdam, Netherlands. I didn’t end up renting a bike because I walked literally everywhere and used the metro a lot. On my 2nd day in Copenhagen, I walked 37,000+ steps, which is the most I have ever walked in a single day!

Where Did I Stay
I stayed at CityHub, which is the same company/hostel I stayed with in Amsterdam, so I was already familiar with the setup. The rooms are private mini-pods that fit 1–2 people, and they do not feel claustrophobic at all. They have a large common area for people to hang out, eat, or relax. You check into the Hub on a large iPad where you can select a bottom or top bunk and scan your wristband (which opens your room). You can even order drinks in the common area using the wristband. If you arrive early, they have lockers where you can store your suitcase or backpack using your wristband. Inside the hub room, there are a few hangers, a robe, and towels. The restrooms and showers are very clean. I will say that the CityHub in Copenhagen felt a bit more crowded than the one in Amsterdam—I don’t think I ever had the restroom to myself (unless it was around 3 AM when I woke up to use it, haha). Either way, the women was nice and respectful. This CityHub also has a sauna, which is pretty cool, and they provide extra towels! Do not forget to bring flip-flops/slippers for the restrooms, showers, and sauna. The hub room itself is very quiet and feels soundproof since I couldn’t hear my neighbors at all. CityHub is located near the Frederiksberg Allé and Enghave Plads metro stations. I would describe it as a luxurious private hostel and would definitely stay here again—they need to build more CityHubs around!

How was the weather?
It was partly cloudy and sunny, but surprisingly a little humid. On my last day, it rained! I recommend packing long sleeves, layers, and a light rain jacket for September.

What is the currency?
The currency is the Danish Krone (DKK)… and Denmark is the MOST expensive country I’ve ever visited, oh my god. A burger, fries, and a Coke came to $25 USD. A Danish hot dog was $10 USD. A small empanada (smaller than my hand) was $7 USD. I was shocked at how expensive Copenhagen was! As of September, 15 cents USD is roughly 1 DKK… it does not go very far, ha! So be prepared. Also, cards are accepted everywhere in Copenhagen—I did not need to exchange for cash at all.

Things to do/see
Amalienborg Palace
Copenhagen City Hall
Design Museum
Frederik’s Church
Freetown Christiania
Meatpacking District
Nyhavn (Colorful Houses)
Rosenborg Castle
Round Tower
Strøget Shopping
The Little Mermaid Statue
The Royal Library
Tivoli Gardens

Places to Eat/Drink
Andersen & Maillard Bakery
Fry Boys CPH
Hart Bakery
Osterberg Ice Cream
Pio Vin & Bar
Reffen Street Food
TorvehallerneKBH food market (Hallernes Smorrebrod)

Amalienborg Palace
The official home of the Danish Royal Family! I stopped by here to see the changing of the guards at 12pm but I missed it by a few – however, I was still able to see the guards in line.

Copenhagen City Hall
Nice building, but I did not go inside. It is free to go inside and check out!

Design Museum
It was raining on my last day in Copenhagen, so I decided to visit a museum that was close by. I paid what I believe was close to $20 USD. You need to put your backpack in a free locker (you keep the key with you) before entering. The museum takes you through the gift shop first, then you scan your ticket, and voilà—the exhibition starts! It is set up in a big square loop. A highlight for me was learning about how they designed the metro signs. There was also a room dedicated to interior lighting (how warm, yellow, dim lights create a cozy mood), as well as another room showing table settings from the 1500s (Renaissance era) to the present, which was pretty cool to see! The last section—and the one everyone talks about—is the chair display! There’s an entire room filled with different chairs showing that there is “no perfect chair.” But my favorite part of the museum, besides the chairs and other exhibits, was the “Bottled Pondering” installation. It’s a display filled with medical vial-style bottles centered around the question, “Where could you improve your well-being?” It was really moving.

Frederick’s Church
I took a peek inside the church and it was pretty! It is right outside the Marmokirken metro stop.

Freetown Christiania
It is located in the Christianshavn neighborhood of Copenhagen, Denmark. In my opinion, the best way to describe it is as a hippy neighborhood filled with colorful art and rich history. They have a mini flea market and little pop-up shops scattered around. If you keep walking along the nature path, you will walk all the way to Reffen Street Food!

Meatpacking District
Lots of places to eat and drink at a warehouse!

Nyhavn (Colorful Houses)
Nyhavn is a famous 17th-century waterfront and entertainment district in Copenhagen, known for its brightly colored townhouses, historic wooden ships, and lively canal atmosphere. This place reminded me so much of Amsterdam! The colorful houses, the canals, the whole vibe… it was such a nice spot to hang out and take a bunch of photos!

Rosenborg Castle
It is a Renaissance castle. I did not go inside, but the outside looked a bit small. It is located in a park which is also a nice walk too.

Round Tower
It is the oldest functioning astronomical observatory in Europe and is unique because it features a spiral ramp instead of traditional stairs. I paid around $10 USD, which was well worth it. It took less than 5 minutes to walk to the top! Near the very top, there is a small red and green light system to manage traffic so the narrow staircase area doesn’t get overcrowded. Once you reach the peak, you get a beautiful panoramic view of Copenhagen, and there are small benches where you can sit and enjoy the sights. Inside the Round Tower, there are also restrooms and art exhibits to check out. There was a tiny door that looked like it led to nowhere, but actually opened into a single private restroom—which was super cool (and clean!). I really loved this sightseeing spot.

Strøget Shopping
Main shopping street full of stores! It’s a street where it’s only for pedestrians and cars cannot drive through here.

The Little Mermaid Statue
If you don’t know by now… The Little Mermaid is my favorite Disney movie! So ofcourse, I had to stop by this iconic spot to see the statue in person. (Fun fact: the statue itself is based on the original 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen!) There are definitely mixed reviews on whether visiting the statue is worth it, and I can see both sides.

• The cons: It’s out of the way, the statue is quite small, and there are way too many tourists.
• The pros: It has has history, and it’s located in a lovely park.

Personally, I enjoyed seeing it—maybe just because it is my favorite Disney story! But if I had to give an honest recommendation, I’d say you can probably skip it unless you have extra time in Copenhagen. The statue is located about a 15-minute walk from Østerport Station.

The Royal Library
This was my FAVORITE sightseeing spot that I stumbled upon—and it wasn’t even on my itinerary! I was at Reffen Street Food and decided to take a harbor bus back (which was actually a lovely ride!). I docked right at The Royal Library, and wow, the second floor with the grand escalator was so cool. I went all the way to the top floor (I believe the building has eight floors total) and looked down. It was nice to just people-watch as everyone went up and down the escalators. The library is located right on the water, making it a peaceful place to relax and enjoy the views!

Tivoli Gardens
I met a local in Copenhagen who took me to Tivoli Gardens for free! We went at night, so I got to see all the colorful lights lit up. It would have been nice to see it during sunset as well, since Tivoli Gardens is known for its gorgeous flower displays! Fun fact: Tivoli Gardens actually inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland! The park has rides, restaurants, games, and more. It’s such a charming place to visit with family, friends, or even on a date. I enjoyed it so much and wished I had more time there. Thank you, M, for taking me! 🙂

Places to Eat/Drink
Andersen & Maillard Bakery
They are known for their Pistachio Cube, and omg, it was delicious! I’m not usually a sweets person, but wow, this was so good. It’s like a cubed croissant with a rich pistachio filling—so yummy! It was about $7 USD. I also tried their Cardamom Bun, which is a spiced bun topped with sugar, but I didn’t enjoy that one as much. That one was about $6 USD. It’s a very small bakery with no tables or chairs inside, so it is a grab-and-go spot!

Fry Boys CPH
This was my very first meal in Copenhagen! I had just landed, couldn’t check into my room yet, and was starving—so I headed to the closest spot near me. I got their BBQ chicken sandwich (which comes with lettuce, pickles, pickled onions, cheese, homemade BBQ sauce, and Fryboy sauce), plus fries and a soda. Yup, this was the meal that cost $25 USD. Insane! The chicken sandwich was the best part. The fries were just okay (a bit too hard and crispy for my taste). Seating is super limited here—there’s only one table and two chairs outside. Otherwise, it is another takeout spot.

Hart Bakery
I got the Cardamom Croissant, and this was better than the Cardamom Bun. Again, no place to sit besides a tiny bench outside of the bakery.

Osterberg Ice Cream
The same local who took me to Tivoli took me to get some ice cream and I was basic and got strawberry and I believe cookies and cream. It was decent 🙂 There were a few spots to sit inside and outside the ice cream shop.

Reffen Street Food
I visited around midday and there weren’t many people around, but I can only imagine how packed this place gets during summertime! There were so many food stalls, breweries, and bar setups. I grabbed a Danish hot dog from the “Nordic Hot Dog” stall—it was delicious, though definitely small and pricey for what it was! There are tons of places to sit and enjoy the view of the water. In my opinion, it’s a great spot to visit with a big group!

Torvehallerne food market
It is an upscale food market, and I stopped by Hallernes Smørrebrød. I had to try traditional Danish smørrebrød—an open-faced sandwich made with a single slice of buttered dark rye bread and rich toppings. I ordered the salmon one and wow, it was delicious! It was a lot smaller than I expected, and I wished I had gotten a second piece or tried another one. There is a small counter-style eating area as well as a few tables and chairs. I loved that they served the smørrebrød on a neat cardboard-style plate—the presentation was so nice. I want some more right now!

As always, thank you for visiting Vivian’s Ventures. Have you been to Copenhagen? If so, tell me in the comments/reply section about your experience. What should I do when I go back? If you haven’t been, tell me what you are planning to do there. Any questions or comments, let me know. Let’s chat! #viviansventures