Copenhagen isn't a city you visit for a list of must-see attractions. It's a city you visit because it's simply an enjoyable place to spend time. If Paris is about checking off landmarks and Rome is about history around every corner, Copenhagen is more about walking, eating, drinking coffee, and soaking up the atmosphere.
Most of our days followed a pretty simple formula: find great coffee, eat something we'd never heard of before, wander until we got lost, and repeat. We started at Torvehallerne, where we tried traditional smørrebrød, grabbed coffee from Coffee Collective, and picked up a cardamom bun from Andersen Bakery. That bakery came from a YouTube recommendation, and the internet did not disappoint.
One of the highlights of the trip was a local food tour that introduced us to several dishes we probably wouldn't have ordered on our own. Copenhagen's food scene manages to feel both sophisticated and approachable at the same time. Some of our favorite meals included dinner at Barr, where the pork schnitzel alone was worth the visit, and Vækst, a modern Nordic restaurant built around what feels like a giant greenhouse.
We also spent time exploring Rosenborg Castle, wandering through King's Garden, and walking around Freetown Christiania, one of the more unique neighborhoods we've visited anywhere in Europe. But if there's one activity I'd recommend to almost anyone visiting Copenhagen, it's getting out on the water. The canal tour ended up being the perfect introduction to the city and gave us a perspective you simply can't get from street level.
Copenhagen is one of those places where the city itself is the attraction. There may be fewer headline sights than cities like Paris, London, or Rome, but that's part of the appeal. Stay somewhere central, spend your days walking, take the canal tour, eat at Barr, and let the city do the rest.
A few days later, we boarded the direct train to Stockholm and continued our Scandinavian adventure.