Travel Guide to Copenhagen Europe

Copenhagen has always been one of the European cities I knew I’d get to at some point. For me, it has always been on the same list as Oslo, Luxembourg, Reykjavik and Stockholm. There is definitely a pattern as you can see. Since Copenhagen was my 1st time visiting a Scandinavian country, I had no idea what to expect.

This travel guide to Copenhagen covers what we did in the 3 days we spent in the city.
As I have now firmly entered the travelling with a baby space, everywhere we visited in Copenhagen was family friendly. Copenhagen is known for being one of the most kids friendly countries in Europe. With a lot of playgrounds dotted around the city and pubic green spaces, it is easy to see why. It is also no wonder that Copenhagen is a popular location for parents seeking a short city escape from the UK with their children.

Travel Guide to Copenhagen – About the Scandinavian city
Copenhagen is the capital and the most popular city in Denmark. According to a lot of publications, it is in the top 10 of the most expensive cities in the world. I presume it can be visited on a budget; however, in the grand scheme of things, it is an expensive city break.

Copenhagen is quite interesting and calm. I thought about the perfect word to describe it and “calm” keeps coming to mind. This is not to say that it was empty. There were a lot of people out and about but it felt like we had been given a collective memo to take things easy and avoid shouting. I’m not sure what it was but there was a serenity we felt all 3 days we spent in Copenhagen, which was truly wonderful.

Copenhagen is also one of the most bicycle friendly cities in the world. The city is flat and the bicycle lanes are carved out to encourage people to cycle more. I think this is such a fantastic initiative which encourages a more healthy lifestyle. It is also probably the reason for the calmness that we felt in the city.

London to Copenhagen
Copenhagen is quite a popular city break from London and most airlines fly there. We flew Ryan Air from London Stansted airport and in less than 2 hours, we were in Copenhagen. Getting to the hotel from the airport was easy with uber and it was a short ride.

The Copenhagen Card

The 1st thing to know once you have booked your trip to Copenhagen is to buy a Copenhagen Card. We have established that Copenhagen is expensive and although there are a lot of free public spaces, there are losts of fun experiences you have to pay for if you are planning a well rounded experience.

You can buy this card at the airport once you land. Make sure to redeems and activate it as it includes public transport to and fro the airport. Depending on the number of days, the cost of the card will differ.

The Copenhagen card covers entrance to Tivoli (you pay for any food or/and rides) and most of the attractions around the city. For all the information about the Copenhagen card, the Official Copenhagen City Card website answers all the FAQs.
Travel Guide to Copenhagen – Where To Stay in Copenhagen

I actually spent a while narrowing down what hotel to book as it had to tick a few boxes and The Square Copenhagen was our winner. I cannot recommend this hotel enough. The Square Copenhagen is a part of the Danish Arp-Hansen hotel group and is located right in the heart of the city. I also cannot talk about the hotel without mentioning the location, which is a real winner. Everywhere we went was within walking distance. Tivoli, for example was a 5-minute walk and there were so many restaurants littered all around.

The Square Hotel is in København H, which is where you want to stay to be close to everywhere. It is also near Copenhagen Central Station, which has a direct link to the international airport.
The Square Hotel is a baby friendly hotel in Copenhagen and this was another reason I was sold. We stayed in a junior suite deluxe that had a balcony overlooking the square. Our room was big and from our bed, we could literally see what was going on in the square. The bathroom had heated floors and Adanna loved crawling on it. Our booking included breakfast and we also had access to the Executive lounge. This meant that we had access to free snacks and drinks all day.

It is worth mentioning that they have recently won the best hotel in Copenhagen for 2023 and I am not surprised. I always say that we get quite lucky with wonderful hotel staff but the ones at The Square Hotel really stood out for us. Any staff that takes out their time to entertain a baby will always win me over.
Travel Guide to Copenhagen – What To Do in Copenhagen
The best things to do in Copenhagen are actually free. This travel guide to Copenhagen will be a mix of free things to do and the experiences we paid for.

1. Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli is really the most amazing place to visit. It’s a mini Disney Land and the fanciest amusement park. I thought it was quite cool that it was located right in the city center. We went in at around 6pm and stayed way past sunset, which was the best thing to do. Staying late meant we got to experience Tivoli in the daytime and also at night when the lights come on and everywhere twinkles – truly spectacular.
Tivoli opened in 1843 and is the 3rd oldest park in the world. Between riding the roller-coasters, watching shows and eating at one of the numerous restaurants, it is very easy to spend a whole day at Tivoli.

2. Nyhavn
The 17th century waterfront has become one of the prettiest strips in the city. It is Copenhagen’s entertainment district. The waterfront is lined with pretty coloured buildings, which are now cafés, restaurants and bars. Nyhavn is very much a vibe on its own and the most photographed building is the yellow one that sticks out “Nyhavn 17”

3. Canal Tour
There is no travel guide to Copenhagen without mentioning a canal tour. If there is a canal in the city, a canal tour is always highly recommended. They weave through the canals while giving access to the city’s history that could have otherwise been more complicated to get to, on land. The tour usually starts from Nyhavn and takes you all around the popular sights and hidden gems as well. It is definitely one to do if you’d like a guide to give more meaning to the structures.

4. Strøget
This is Copenhagen’s high street but with a twist. On Strøget, you will find high street shops, independent boutiques and super high-end brands all lined side by side. It’s Copenhagen’s main shopping street and actually one of Europe’s longest pedestrian streets, which makes it popular with tourists. If shopping is your thing, then Strøget is the place to be. We usually don’t shop when we travel; so we waited until evening when it was not too busy and went for the most beautiful stroll.
We stopped to get ice cream and hotdogs along the way. The most precious moment was when Mr E scooped Adanna from her stroller to dance with her while a busker played in the distance. These are memories I will never forget.

5. Copenhagen Botanical Garden
The botanical garden is a part of the University of Copenhagen’s Natural History Museum. It houses the largest collections of living plants in the whole country. We found it incredibly beautiful; one of the most scenic green spaces we have visited in Europe. Adanna particularly liked the pond and was mesmerised by a colourful fish, which surprised us by swimming close to where we stood. We saw some ducks, birds and as it was a sunny day, there were people with their picnic baskets relaxing on the grass. Copenhagen Botanical Garden is known for its historic glass houses from 1874 and 10 hectares of green space.

FAQs about Travelling to Copenhagen
Is Copenhagen expensive?
Yes, it is. Denmark is one of the most expensive countries in the world and the Danish Krone is very strong against the pound. There is not that much of a difference if spending in pounds (whether the UK is an expensive country is story for another day lol) but yes, Copenhagen is on the pricier scale of European city breaks.
Is Copenhagen baby friendly?
Yes it is incredibly baby friendly. Lanes are wide enough to cycle with a baby buggy attached to your bicycle etc. Baby changing areas were available everywhere and it just felt refreshing to be there with Adanna. Even the hotel had a little package waiting for her and I found that very sweet. They also had stokke high chairs at the restaurants and not the typical flimsy ones you get in most restaurants. Not that I am complaining but it was nice that babies had cute seats too.

What is the best time to visit Copenhagen?
We went in March and the weather was lovely. It felt like a colder spring month but the sun was shining. The best time to visit Copenhagen is between April – August. If I had to pick, I’d stick with April and May just before the summer rush.

How many days are enough to visit Copenhagen?

If you are trying to see and do everything, then you would need more than 3 days. However, in 3 days, you should be able to see a lot of the city quite slowly. We spent 3 full days there and had lie-ins, a lot of relaxed afternoons spent in the hotel and we still managed to see and do a lot.
With 4 days in Copenhagen, you could even add a day trip to Malmo, Sweden, which is less than an hour by train.