Copenhagen, Denmark Short Blog Posts
Our first experience and extended stay in Europe was in Copenhagen. It was a great choice. It’s expensive but we were able to find ways to stay in budget. We loved how easy it was to navigate the city and how many things there were to do. We would love to go back.
Across the Pond
by | Dec 10, 2017
We got a great deal on tickets for our flight to Copenhagen but they were overnight. The kids handled it really well but I am just not a plane sleeper – especially when seats don’t recline. We caught up to the sun just before our layover in Norway. The flight was beautiful and the airport was so pleasant.
Norway is super high on our things to do next list but I think we’ll like it better when the kids are a few years older.
We made it in to Copenhagen uneventfully, changed our money, and got on the metro to find our airbnb. It took a little time to find a taxi and a little time to tell exactly which place was ours but once we did we settled in nicely. We went to bed on Copenhagen time and all slept like rocks. Then we all woke up at 3 in the morning. The next 2 nights we all woke up too. Then the youngest wouldn’t go to be until 1 am for the next 3 nights. Now we’re good and adjusted and much less sleep deprived – mostly …
Learning our way around Copenhagen
It always takes us a few days to figure our way around our new digs. In Copenhagen most people travel by bike, walking, bus or train (we read that there is an 180% tax on cars – yep 180%). Due to the high taxes on cars there is very little traffic. It’s really nice. No horns, no loud car radios, no significant pollution. The buses move at a reasonable pace. Bike and pedestrian lanes are standard everywhere.
We are walking distance to about 5-6 playgrounds as well a an indoor pool, lake, and a little downtown area with restaurants, schools, grocery and everything else you need.
Downtown Copenhagen is also very walk able and beautiful. There are several pedestrian only streets and so many cute local shops. We’ve spend several morning walking around town. We did take a boat tour but most of our exploring has been on foot or by bus.
St. Lucia Kayak Parade and falling trees
When I started planning this trip December (and what we were going to do for Christmas) was a really tricky decision. Even though it’s our first stop over the Atlantic it was the last destination that I picked. I originally was thinking Germany, Austria or somewhere else in the Alps but I just couldn’t make things work out. I found a blog about the St. Lucia Kayak Parade in Copenhagen with some amazing pics and my mind was made up. Airplane tickets were less than $200 from New York and I found a house, so Copenhagen became our winter wonderland.
For us, the kayak parade was lovely but not nearly as magical as my inspiration article. We made our way down to the Nyhavn area. It was beautiful and decked out for the holidays. Since we took our time getting hot chocolate and drinking glog (warm spiced wine – yummy), we did not make it to the waterfront in time to be front line for the parade. Any frequent Mardi Gras’r can tell you second from the front of the parade is no where near as good as the front. It’s a completely different experience. It also got crowded. I tried to get some photos on my phone with my one free hand while simultaneously picking up kids so they could see. I then started to have flashbacks to the day A fell of the dock in Canada – this water was a longer fall and much colder … and we didn’t want the kids to accidentally push anyone else in to the water either . A canal full of kayaks decorated for Christmas with everyone singing Christmas Carols is a really cool experience. It just wasn’t THE experience for us – and my pictures … well, they kinda of stink.
This was also on our second day here so navigating the city was really new for us. We found a bus back to help shorten our walk but we hadn’t quiet acclimated to the cooler weather yet so we were starting to get chilly.
… but a Christmas Tree blew over and fell on B while we were walking down Nyhavn. We were just walking along on this beautiful street then scream, giggles, laughs, pine needles and lights everywhere. The kids thought it was great. After all of our recent adventures including a kayak parade that we flew half way across the world to see, the kids said they would remember the Christmas Tree the most.
“A Christmas Tree fell on B – Epic” … giggles
I guess you can’t always choose your magic moment. Ours wasn’t the kayak parade … it was a falling tree
Another Kids Museum Obsession
Playgrounds and kids museums are so important to happy kids and travel. The National Museum of Denmark has a great one. The museum is good. We have so far gone 4 different times and have made it about half way through the museum. M and B are learning a lot from the exhibits and A just gets to run, play, and relax. The exhibits include a lot of Danish history as well as artifacts and information from many other cultures.
We ended up buying a membership so if we are downtown we can stop in anytime. We could buy a membership for one of us and that membership includes a companion. Also kids are free. It’s a great place to spend 1-2 hours if we are cold, tired, hungry or the kids just need time to be kids.
Tivoli’s Winter Wonderland
Getting our Hygge on for the Holidays
Hygge is a Danish expression that means means something like coziness along with a feeling of comfort and well being. Think candles, family and friends sitting around under comfy blankets telling stories and hanging out. I’m sure glogg is involved too – likely lots of glogg, spiked hot chocolate and may be spiked cider. From the party I hear going on in the flat below us – include food, laughing and may be a musical instrument or two.
On a side note – we really need to figure out the art of inviting ourselves. That party going on below us sounds like so much fun. I even recognize half of the songs. Just heard a group rendition of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Roudolf the Red Nose Reindeer – all in Danish. Also makes me want to learn the guitar – or may be one of the kids can and I can just sing badly.
Copenhagen Fun
When you have an empty sidewalk – add trampolines
Unsightly Factory – build a ski ramp over it
Random sign – add rock wall handles
For our New Years Eve walk we went back to Nyhavn to explore the area in the daylight. It’s such a lovely area of town. We took side trips to the waterfront to play on trampolines and walked the kissing bridge. It was a very nice way to spend an afternoon.
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
To get to this museum on the coast we had to take 2 buses and 3 trains but it was worth the trip. Generally it’s one bus and 1 train but something about a tree falling on the rails made it way more complicated. We eventually found our way (although I’m not exactly sure how we managed to stumble in the right direction). Luckily people are really nice about helping lost families.
This was a lovely museum overlooking the coast. There was a 3 story kids area with painting, clay, cookie making and many other craft activities. We also found a slide rolling down the hill.
The trip back was a breeze – one train and one bus … much easier when no trees are causing trouble.
Christmas in Copenhagen
Copenhagen is a wonderful place to spend Christmas. We bought a small Christmas Tree and covered it in crafts. Our kids Elves followed us here so they continued to cause mischief every night. Christmas morning was low key for us but turned out really nice and the kids had a great time.
There are numerous Christmas markets with lovely handmade gifts, chocolates, warm drinks and street food. Several times we brought a picnic lunch. We’d just get some warm tasty drinks, eat our lunch and enjoy the atmosphere. The gifts were really nice and the chocolate was delicious.
Castles and Crowns
We have still only seen about 25% of our Copenhagen wish list. Today we went to Rosenborg Castle. It’s a smaller castle in the middle of Copenhagen but it’s beautiful. The Grand Room was gorgeous and the Crown Jewels were amazing. The grounds made a wonderful picnic spot for baguettes and cheese. A little chilly but still very pretty.
We then wondered through Copenhagen’s cobbled pedestrian streets looking for pastries and hot chocolate. Every time we explore we see more cute streets, cafes, courtyards and adorable buildings. We didn’t find the pastries I was looking for but we did find donuts!
Danes Love Fireworks and a Happy New Year!
The Experimentarium
Early Flight Out
Our next flight is 6am and I was really anxious about navigating buses and trains at 2am so we booked a room at the airport hotel. Not in the budget but the kids are ecstatic about a hotel pajama party … and a bathtub. I’m excited about just walking downstairs and finding our plane.
The thought of getting all 5 of us to the airport at 2am was giving me decent anxiety. I was having visions of the 5 of us stuck somewhere in the cold with all of our luggage waiting for buses and trains that where on reduced schedule.
Thankfully, now all we have to do in the morning (still at 3-4 am) is stumble downstairs. And after lugging our luggage across town – we could use some rest.
We loved Copenhagen but time to move on.
Next up … Morocco!
Trip 2017, last edited 11/2022
