City Guide: 36 Hours in Copenhagen

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit one of my favourite cities, Copenhagen. Truth be told, I didn't know what to expect from this city except for clean and modern Scandinavian design. Copenhagen turned out to be so much more and this trip was definitely one of the highlights of the year.

Here's what we got up to in 36 hours. I can't wait to visit this city again!

SEE

VIEW FROM THE TARNET // Prins Jørgens Gård 1, 1218 København K, Denmark

Catch the elevator up the tower at Christiansborg Palace and Parliament House right before sunset to get a panoramic view of Copenhagen, an organised mish mash of traditional and modern architecture dotted with neon signs. Enjoy the clouds turning a shade of fairy floss pink as dusk approaches. Best of all, it's free and there was no line when we went.

NYHAVN // Nyhavn 1F, 1051 København K, Denmark

Copenhagen's worst-kept secret and a Pinterest regular, Nyhavn is that waterfront lined with traditional colourful townhouses, restaurants and cafes.

EAT

COPENHAGEN STREET FOOD // Trangravsvej 14, 7/8, 1436 København K, Denmark

If you are a fan of food trucks, this one's for you. Head to this waterside warehouse on Paper Island and enjoy independent local food stalls selling local and international meals and Danish beer. The market is easily accessible by a bridge that was only opened last year.

TORVEHALLERNE // Frederiksborggade 21, 1360 København K, Denmark

Another market hotspot featuring both food stalls as well as fresh and healthy gourmet bread, seafood, meat fruit and vegetables.

ATELIER SEPTEMBER // Gothersgade 30, 1123 København K, Denmark

Our first stop after stepping off the plane and dropping off our luggage at the hostel, we were treated to the finest soft-boiled egg and butter on traditional Danish ryebread at a modern instagram-worthy Scandinavian cafe.

RESTAURANT BROR // Sankt Peders Stræde 24A, 1453 København K, Denmark

Home to some of the finest restaurants in the world (ahem Noma), we knew we couldn't leave Copenhagen without sampling Denmark's fine dining. If you're one of those people who can't afford Noma or get on its two-year waiting list (so, all of us), I highly recommend the four-course menu at Bror, an innovative yet cozy restaurant operated by two former NOMA sous-chefs.

TIVOLI GARDENS // Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København, Denmark

Tivoli changed my perspective on amusement parks. I never used to enjoy rollercoasters or any of the 'adult' rides, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go on as many rides as I could. This amusement park and garden is not only famous for being the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world, but also for being the Waltz Disney's inspiration for Disneyland. Make sure to research the park's opening dates before going as it is not opened everyday, and buy the 'unlimited rides' wristband for the best deal.

HIRE A BIKE // Baisikeli, Ingerslevsgade 80, 1705 København, Denmark

We originally planned to only hire bikes from our hostel for a couple of hours, but loved the experience so much (despite the fact that our first bikes were too high for us) that we ended up hiring bikes for the rest of our stay in Copenhagen. There is no better way to explore this city than riding through extremely well-designed bike lanes (with their own traffic lights). The locals were very patient with us as we learnt to ride on the right side of the road. We hired our bikes for 48 hours through Baisikeli, which had good reviews, was relatively cheap and happened to be near our Airbnb.

SAIL THROUGH THE CANALS // GoBoat, Islands Brygge 10, 2300 København S, Denmark

This was probably one of my favourite memories from Copenhagen. We rented our own little motor boat right before sunset and sailed through the canals with beverages in hand. At one point a beautiful white swan and a duck swam up to us and followed our motor. It was breathtaking seeing Copenhagen from a different perspective - definitely worth the money!

SHOP AT STROGET // Strøget, København, Denmark

Copenhagen is notoriously one of the most expensive cities in the world, but don't let that stop you from doing a bit of window-shopping along one of Europe's longest pedestrian-only shopping strips. Here you will find the creme de le creme of Danish interior and lifestyle design, such as Hay House and Illums Bolighus.

STAY

GENERATOR HOSTEL // Adelgade 5, 1304 København K, Denmark

As someone who has never stayed at a hostel before, I was pleasantly surprised by Generator Hostel. If you're not a big fan of sharing a dirty bed or a shower with 12+ other strangers, consider luxury hostels such as this one which can offer a good night's sleep without breaking the bank.

VESTERBRO // Our AirBnb here

I would highly recommend staying in Vesterbro, otherwise known as the meat packing district and one of the more 'hipster' part of town. Our AirBnb was stunningly decorated, as if out of a style magazine, yet made us feel right at home with its many leafy greens, candles, and a basket full of blankets. Thank you for introducing the concept of hygge (comfort) to us Copenhagen! No wonder the Danish are the happiest people on the planet.