Hygge (pronounced ˈh(y)ooga') is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.
Sure, most people fly south in February.... but if you want to save some money, go north for the winter!
Back in September, Marissa and I stumbled upon some dirt cheap flights to the Scandinavia area. Round trip flights to Oslo, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen were $397. It was almost too good to be true! We weren't ready to pull the trigger yet so I tracked the flights for a month.
Lo and behold, they dropped again from almost $1000! After a quick check with our husbands, who wanted to go skiing in March, we decided we were going to pull the trigger and book flights to Copenhagen in February.
Once booked, we shared our impromptu decision with our buds, Steve and BJ. Almost immediately, they were in as well. Our first international trip together was in the works!
Flying on Scandinavian Airlines was a dream. Due to our inexpensive tickets, we had a basic economy seat: meaning we only were allowed a free carry on. The four of us took this as a challenge and packed very minimally for the 5 days / 4 night getaway.
The 10:05PM flight out of Chicago was nearly empty. So much so that we were all able to spread out in our own rows... for 8 hours.
A chef brought around two different delicious meals, one 2 hours after we left, another 1 hour before we landed. Rows to ourselves and free food and drink, all for $397?!
This trip spoiled us and we are ruined for flying forever.
What To Do in Copenhagen
First timer? Stay near Nyhavn Canal
Even though it is super touristy, it's right near all the action. There is a metro station nearby, as well as many other iconic places within walking distance: the royal family's home, Amalienborg; the pedestrian/shopping street, Strøget; and many bars and restaurants.
However, if you really hate being near a lot of tourists, stay in Vesterbro!
Float in a Hot Tub in the harbor
One of the tops things to do in Copenhagen, is to go relax at Copenhot. Many tourists and locals alike will rent time in the saunas and stationary hot tubs overlooking the harbor.
We opted to upgrade to the very unique Floating Hot Tub experience. Grab a couple of beers and troll along with a skipper on the harbor for an hour and a half.
If you're really brave, you'll jump in the frigid waters for a "fun" shock.
Marissa, BJ, and I were easily convinced... Steve was a hard no.
Go on a Beer Tour
Anytime I go to a new city, I check out what Airbnb Experiences are available. These are basically locally run tours or fun things to participate in. The Beer Makes Vesterbro Better experience was something you do not want to miss.
For about $45 USD, our private guide, Kristian, walked us around one of the hippest neighborhoods in Copenhagen to sample local beers. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
Take the metro to Vesterbro
This neighborhood is the place to be in Copenhagen. It's where all the hipsters and locals hang out. The streets are easily walkable, and it's just a short metro ride from downtown. We stopped at a quirky mexican restaurant La Neta, Holm Cider bar, and a fun club recommended to us in the meatpacking district called Mesteren & Lærlingen (translated as The Master and the Apprentice).
Join a Free Walking Tour
This was a last minute addition for us. We were wondering what to do before our beer tour in the afternoon, and we wanted to get to know the city. I remembered that a ton of major cities have this Free Walking Tour that meets in a major landmark every day. It's a free 3-hour tour and at the end you pay/tip the guide what you feel the tour was worth.
We learned so much about the government, monarchy, education system, health care system, and many major landmarks. I definitely recommend doing one in any major city!
What Not to Do In Copenhagen
Don't Eat or Drink in Nyhavn Canal
Even though we stayed in Nyhvan Canal, I wouldn't suggested eating here. Everything is overpriced and aimed at attracting tourists with "Danish food."
There are just too many amazing places to eat elsewhere such as DØP an organic coffee stand, or Union Kitchen for naughty cappuccinos. Peep the photos below!
Don't Expect to eat a lot of Danish Food
As naive tourists, we actually thought we would eat a ton of Danish food. Of course, everyone we met that was Danish said they eat all types of food, and rarely eat authentic Danish food. We had sushi, a lot of pizza, burgers, smoothies and even Thai food.
Smørrebrød is the only Danish food we really wanted to try. They are open faced sandwiches with tons of different toppings, such as chicken salad, roast beef, or eggs and shrimp. I like to think of them as the OG avocado toast. Not half bad.
Don't take out a lot of Cash
We took out WAY too much cash. In every new country, I have a habit of taking out cash at the airport ATM. This time I took out 1000 DKK (equivalent to about $145 USD). It was honestly a struggle to spend it. Most places wouldn't let us use anything but credit card, if we didn't have smaller denominations. Definitely take out cash for tips for your guides, but you don't need more than 500 DKK.
We even ran into a free Art Exhibit with FREE DRINKS all night. Definitely no need for cash here.
Don't take a cab from the Airport
Everyone takes the metro for long distances. No one owns a car. We made the mistake of taking a cab into the city (about 40 USD), but it's super simple to hop on their metro directly from the airport into the city (about 4 USD). There's a stop right next to Nyhavn too! We learned our lesson and took the metro back to the airport on the way home.
Besides that, almost everyone rides local bikes everywhere. I mean everywhere. They even put their kids and dogs on the front in a cart too!
