Things To Do In Copenhagen (Part Two)

Having just got back from a brilliant railway holiday across northern Europe, I am enjoying sharing my thoughts on the cities I visited. My previous Copenhagen article focussed on a castle visit and this time I want to talk about how to get a good overview of the city. So here are some more interesting and fun things to do in Copenhagen.

These canal cruises are brilliant!

On the second day I wanted to find out more about this beautiful city. The best way to do this is by boat tour and I decided that a one hour cruise would be a good taster for me. It was a Sunday and, though the weather was very hot generally, this was the one day that the sky threatened rain but that didn’t put us off. Funnily enough a rain storm started half way round and the guide gave us all ponchos to wear.

A slight hiccup.

It was during this rain storm, while we were out in the harbour, that the guide also let us know that the engine was failing. We managed to get the boat over to the nearest mooring and were told we could either end the tour there or wait 20 minutes for another boat to collect us. Of course, we waited and enjoyed the downpour, just like many others.

I am glad we did as the weather then cleared up and we carried on the canal tour, catching some brilliant insights into Copenhagen and its history. One of the first sights was Amager Bakke, a biofuel incinerator which is also used as a ski slope and picnic area. I have to celebrate Copenhagen’s keenness to become a carbon zero city. This generator provides power for 80,000 homes.

Biofuel incinerator

Another highlight was this beautiful Church of Our Saviour with its incredible spiral staircase which is situated outside. You can take the time to walk up that external staircase if you want to but I sadly didn’t have enough time.

The spiral staircase church
Hans Christian Anderson’s house

We also got to see the place where the Little Mermaid storyteller, Hans Christian Anderson lived. His was the first floor flat in the middle, under the balcony with the tree on.

Statue of Bishop Absalon, founder of Copenhagen
Streetside
The Opera House
Much needed food.

After a dramatic but fun boat cruise in the rain, we found ourselves in a Buka restaurant where I had a lovely lasagne. I had hoped for some baked goods but when I saw someone else having lasagne, I had to have the same.

Lasagne after boating

Following an eventful morning on the water, we decided to visit Tivoli but I will save that for a future blog post. Thank you for reading my article. Perhaps consider following my blog for similar future content.

Things To Do In Copenhagen (Part One)

After writing about my arrival in Copenhagen, I wanted to spend some time enjoying it before I began to document my experiences in more detail. Now, as I sit on a train back to Hamburg I can reflect upon such a wonderful holiday. With two years of pandemic awfulness, it was so refreshing to travel to Scandinavia. This holiday has secured my love for such a brilliant and modern group of nations.

Before I came to Copenhagen, I knew a little about the Vikings, had an awareness of the Hygge concept which is often referred to on blogs and was aware of the geography of Denmark. That was about it though. I had no idea just how impactful my travels to Denmark were going to be.

Doing that tourist thing…

Of course, you have to start somewhere and when I did my initial research, one of the most intriguing historic buildings suggested was Rosenborg Castle which was slap bang in the middle of gorgeous Copenhagen. Originally the seat of King Christian IV, this 400 year old building was stunning and you could book a time slot to look around its well-preserved interior.

In front of Rosenborg Castle
The ornate ceilings.

This place is so beautiful and has a good tour brochure that briefly describes each room in Danish and English. Every room was a new discovery as we walked into it. From bedchambers to a basement packed full of the Danish Crown jewels, I was very impressed by my visit.

The Great Hall
Two crowns from previous monarchs.

Entry cost 125 DDK (about £14) and it was definitely worth it. The gardens were also impressive and it was an easy walk from the centre of the town.

The artwork is very special.
The armour and weapons.

That evening we had a lovely meal at a Chinese restaurant and then tasted some of the incredible gin recipes on offer at Two Socks Gin Bar.

A brilliant Chinese from Magasasa in the trendy meat packing area of Copenhagen.
Gin and olves

The man running Two Socks was really friendly and gave a detailed history of how each Gin came about. I had one with a peach flavour and went back for a pear based concoction. As someone who rarely drinks gin, I was really taken in by the drinks there. Best of all, it was just a short distance from our hotel.

I hope my blog has given you a taste of Copenhagen. Thank you so much for reading and don’t forget to follow my blog if you want to know more about my travels or about books, TV shows and the environment. There will be more about Copenhagen soon.

Copenhagen Places To Go

This summer I have been travelling by train around northern Europe and sharing some of the highlights in my blog. My last big holiday was to Zurich just before the pandemic but I did fit in a few days at Blackpool last year which was much needed. I like a combination of short breaks in the UK and city breaks in Europe. Anyway, this was how it began…

Beautiful NyHavn – New Harbour, Copenhagen

Recently I visited Amsterdam, as I documented here. Now I find myself in the Capital city of Denmark – Copenhagen. As I only travel by greener transport when going on holiday, it took me three trains to get here from Amsterdam. However, those train journeys were scenic and I really appreciated my arrival, after hours sat down in train carriages.

Initial Thoughts

After half a day on the train, I was pleased to arrive in such a spacious city, with wide roads, plentiful cycle paths (not unlike Amsterdam) and interesting buildings. Soon we were walking to the New Harbour (pictured above and below) which was a colourful street alongside one of the canals that leads out to sea.

A tired looking me on arrival.

Looking for somewhere to eat, I had my eyes on a restaurant near Tivoli that had an Italian look about it. Cafe Vivaldi had tables outside with little fire burners to keep you warm. Regardless of this we ate inside and I absolutely loved the food.

Salmon Salad
Cafe Vivaldi – I loved it there.

With so many plans, I was exhausted that evening. Surprisingly I still managed to do more than 10,000 steps even though half of the day I was sitting down. That is not to say you have to walk everywhere as public transport is excellent. I chose to walk as I enjoyed taking in the scenery and wanted to keep up my basic fitness, especially as I knew I would probably be eating way more than usual.

For the next instalment of my trip to Copenhagen, check my blog later on. Perhaps you feel like following my blog or have been to Copenhagen and want to share your thoughts in the comments below. Either way, thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and check out my article.