Copenhagen

For spring break this year I wanted to travel to somewhere new and *hopefully* not as touristy. I ended up with the idea that it was time to venture to Scandinavia. I talked with a few of my friends and asked if they would be willing to trust me and go on this adventure. Thankfully, they did, and I was able to find some great deals on flights, accommodations, and buses. Our first stop on the trip was Copenhagen, Denmark.

What we saw:

The Round Tower is an experience you don't want to miss. We walked up the spiraling path to see the breathtaking views of the city and learn about its history as the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. Though it's only used by amateur astronomers now, it used to be used by many famous scientists during the 17th century.

The Rosenborg Castle estate was a bit dismal since it was winter and nothing was in bloom, but it was fun to imagine how magical it would look in a few weeks once new life began springing up. The castle itself was a neat sight and was surrounded by a moat, which I loved.

The Little Mermaid Statue - Walking here from Rosenborg we were able to see a lot of off-the-beaten-path Copenhagen. Seeing the statue itself was really exciting for me since Ariel is my favorite Disney princess.

Kastellet - right next to the statue - is one of the best-preserved sea fortresses in Northern Europe dating back to the early 17th that now houses military barracks and offices.

Amalienborg - home of the royal Danish family - is made up of Christian VII's Palace, Christian IX's Palace, Fredrik VIII's Palace, and Christian VIII's Palace. Here we were able to see the royal guard and dream of living the royal life

Nyhavn is home to the famous rainbow-colored buildings and Nyhavn Canal. We were able to overhear a tour guide explaining the buildings were intentionally built in specific sizes and painted various colors to allow sailors to remember where they parked their boats when visiting Copenhagen.

Strøget, a large pedestrian street filled with independent shops like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Lush, Sephora, and Illum Shopping Mall that was very much like Nordstrom's. My favorite store we visited was Søstrene Grene. I wish I could have shipped home half of the store.

Where we ate:

Gorm's Pizza - offers delicious thin-crust pizza with seasonal, local toppings.

Coffee Collective - coffee shop company that begin in Copenhagen offering delicious, ethically sourced cups of hand-crafted coffees, lattes, and more

Torvehallerne Food Market - located right next to Norreport Station this food market houses many stalls serving everything from local, handmade dishes to fresh fish, produce, and flowers

Tivoli Food Hall - located right next to Tivoli Gardens this food hall is open year-round and into the later hours (which is unusual for Denmark it seemed). The different stalls serve less local, more traditional foods such as sushi, burgers, Mexican food, Chinese food, and more

Verdict:

Copenhagen is one of my favorite places I've traveled to so far. There was so much to see and do. I would love to go back someday in the late Spring or Summer to experience everything in bloom, Tivoli Gardens, and more of the local food stands.