What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear someone mention Copenhagen? Is it smørrebrød? Maybe it is the Little Mermaid? Perhaps it is the 500-million-euro opera house financed by the container giant MAERSK? Or is it the many wonderful restaurants and coffee shops?
Or possibly you are like me, and immediately think of the British comedy series Keeping Up Appearances – specifically the episode “Sea Fever” – where the following exchange takes place between Hyacinth and her husband Richard:
- Hyacinth: Now, while I guard our luggage.
- Richard: Yes, guard this luggage. This must be the world’s most expensive luggage.
- Hyacinth: You go and find a nice Swedish person who’ll provide us with a nice continental breakfast.
- Richard: Why would I need a Swedish person? This is Copenhagen. We’re in Denmark.
- Hyacinth: Oh, they’re all the same, dear. It is all Scandinavia.
- Richard: Don’t say that when anyone is listening. This is a proud nation. These people are Danes!
- Hyacinth: Danes?
- Richard: Danes! Yes, a very old seafaring nation.
- Hyacinth: Danes? Are they the ones that used to attack us during the Dark Ages? Raping and pillaging.
- Richard: They are the ones. So don’t call them Swedes.
- Hyacinth: Cancel those refreshments, Richard. I insist that you stay here and guard me from these Danes.
- Richard: Hyacinth!
- Hyacinth: And to keep our spirits up, we shall sing, Richard! I’ll lead off, and you catch me up.
- Richard: No.
- Hyacinth: ♩ Rule, Britannia. Britannia rules the waves…
If you haven’t seen this show – it’s from 1990 – please do. A good laugh is guaranteed.
While none of us was afraid of the Danes and their Dark Ages adventures, we were certainly intrigued by their capital city, its architecture, and its food. We spent three days walking around Copenhagen. We tasted smørrebrød – a type of Danish open sandwich; we ate Wiener schnitzel in two different places; we drank delicious coffee; we went on a boat tour; we saw the Little Mermaid; we ate Danish chocolate and drank Danish beer; we visited the Round Tower; and we saw the crown jewels. In general, we explored Copenhagen as best we could. We were not disappointed.
I hope you are ready for an extensive photo report. You’ll see what we ate, what we saw, and what we admired. And if you are a regular visitor to this site, expect a lot of building photos.
But before we get to buildings, let’s begin with food. We all like food – some of us perhaps more than most. We certainly do. Below you can see what we ate: delicious Wiener schnitzel, traditional Danish hot dogs, smørrebrød, and more.
We actually started our first day with a museum visit. We arrived in Copenhagen before midday, and check-in was not until 15:00, so we had plenty of time to begin exploring.
A small aside: the Copenhagen metro is fully driverless and automatic – much like the trams in Luxembourg, if I am not mistaken.
Anyway, our first – and only – museum was Rosenborg Palace, where the Danish crown jewels are on display. Everything from rings and crowns to ivory objects, swords, and firearms. Before reaching the crown jewels, however, you are encouraged to walk through the Palace Museum itself, which shows how Danish royalty once lived.
Walking around Copenhagen, you notice that bikes are rarely chained to anything. They appear to be left freely beside buildings – something you would never do in Brussels. On first glance, they seem entirely unsecured, but a closer look reveals otherwise.
To see Copenhagen from above, you can either book a room at the Radisson Blu hotel or climb the Round Tower.
As for the Round Tower, it was originally built as an observatory, which is currently under renovation. Visitors can still ascend, however, and take in the rooftops of Copenhagen. And rather than climbing endless stairs, you spiral your way up – though to reach the very top, a few narrow steps are unavoidable.
How would you describe Copenhagen? It is a low-rise city – only a handful of tall buildings, with church towers being virtually the only structures that pierce the skyline. Low, but beautiful. Modern architecture is making its mark, yet the character remains decidedly historic.
In the gallery below, you’ll see mostly older buildings. If you’ve been to Riga, you may notice a few similarities. In the not-too-distant future, I’ll be visiting Stockholm – it will be interesting to compare the two Scandinavian capitals.
How was it? Did you make it through them all? Any favourites? For those wondering – yes, those colourful buildings are from Nyhavn harbour, probably the most touristy spot in Copenhagen. A close second would be The Little Mermaid.
Being a great admirer of Sir Winston Churchill, I was pleasantly surprised to see his bust, though nothing quite prepared me for encountering David in all his naked glory.
At least the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen is larger than the Manneken Pis in Brussels.
In London, we did a boat tour; in Rotterdam, likewise. It would have been a shame to skip one in Copenhagen – and thankfully, we didn’t. The photos below were not taken during the tour itself, but they give a good sense of how busy the waterways are, and how closely Copenhagen’s buildings line the canals. Sadly, I neglected to photograph the container homes, which I found rather fascinating.
I was expecting delicious food in Copenhagen. I was confident that Hyacinth’s fears of the Danes were unfounded. I hoped to find a modern city that some bloggers have labelled the most walkable in Europe, if not the world.
What I did not expect was to leave with seven new card decks. Nor did I expect to become quite so taken with hot dogs – I now find myself looking for a decent hot dog joint in Brussels. I know I won’t find the traditional Danish sausage, but something similar might do.
If you are wondering whether Copenhagen is worth a visit, my answer is an unequivocal yes. Don’t be like Hyacinth – because when you board your plane home, you won’t be saying: “What a wonderful relief this is after our narrow escape from the Danes.”
Kindly,
Olaaf
P.S. Photos were taken using FujiFilm X-S10 with a 56mm lens, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
