I dive into the vibrant heart of Copenhagen, sharing my top experiences and hidden gems from my latest visit. Explore the city's unique bike culture, where cycling is not just a mode of transport but a way of life, and uncover the secrets of Danish design that make Copenhagen a hub of innovation and style. From indulging in the iconic pastries at Atelier September to navigating the historic streets with a local biking tour, this episode packs in essential tips and personal favorites for anyone looking to discover or revisit this enchanting Scandinavian city. Join me for an insider's guide to Copenhagen's must-visit spots, sustainable living, and the progressive spirit that defines it.
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I dive into the vibrant heart of Copenhagen, sharing my top experiences and hidden gems from my latest visit. Explore the city's unique bike culture, where cycling is not just a mode of transport but a way of life, and uncover the secrets of Danish design that make Copenhagen a hub of innovation and style. From indulging in the iconic pastries at Atelier September to navigating the historic streets with a local biking tour, this episode packs in essential tips and personal favorites for anyone looking to discover or revisit this enchanting Scandinavian city. Join me for an insider's guide to Copenhagen's must-visit spots, sustainable living, and the progressive spirit that defines it.
Instagram @katshortsleeve
Tik Tok @katshortsleeve
Youtube Shortsleeve Travel with Kat Shortsleeve
Hello, hello, and welcome back to the Shortsleeve travel podcast. I am your host, Kat Shortsleeve. I have worked in wealth management for five years. I got my MBA at Columbia Business School, and at the same time, I have visited over 45 countries. I have an obsession with personal finance and travel. And money because I realized if you can manage your money that provides you with power and personal freedom. I have a travel company called Short Sleeve Travel. I'm always on the go. I just got back from Paris and Copenhagen. I'm leaving actually tomorrow morning, just in about 12 hours. No. And I'm headed off to Brazil for an entire week and then on to Peru. What's funny is I'm, I'm headed to Brazil and I don't even have a hotel booked for tomorrow night. I land at midnight. I need to figure that out. Nine days up in the air. I have a wedding the following weekend, so that's planned, but lots to do before then. So I was bringing you along for the adventure, but in this episode we are going to be talking all about the best of Copenhagen. I adore Copenhagen. I have been here a handful of times now, and I think I've put together a pretty good guide of what I would recommend to other people, but mostly what I like to go back and do time and time again. So what I want to share with you is what I think is the best of Copenhagen. Give you the places that I will always visit time and time again. I just got back, as I said, from Copenhagen, but I'll be going again this summer. And so the recommendations I'm giving you are really what I'm looking forward to doing this summer. And if you're headed to Copenhagen this summer, please let me know, reach out. Would love to meet up with some people, have met up with a few people recently, and it's just been so nice. But anyways, before we dive into this episode, I need to give you a little bit of a high level overview what to expect in Copenhagen. Because this city is very different from other places in Europe and has a very unique feel which is pretty special and which is why I think it's a place that you should absolutely visit. The first thing you'll notice when you go downtown in Copenhagen is that there's this big bike culture. Expect to see a sea of cyclists navigating the city's streets, and the streets are really built to be bike friendly. Biking is the most popular mode of transportation for locals and for visitors, so grab a bike, especially if you can rent one for the entire time that you're going to be there. It's such a nice way to get around. It's really, really worth it, in my opinion. With that, what I will say is there isn't any Uber in Copenhagen. When I first visited, there was Uber but with it being a socialist government they did away with Uber. And so now you can find an app called Vigo. Download this in advance. V I G G O. All you can call are electric cars, which again, adds to the whole vibe and, and why Copenhagen is the way it is. So you can download Vigo, get some electric cars called to you. Don't expect to be able to use Uber, but better than anything else, I'd say rent bikes. And I would also recommend the first thing you do when you get to Copenhagen, your first day or your second day is to actually go on a biking tour. So this will give you a little bit of an understanding of how people bike around because everyone follows the rules. Whereas here in Boston or when I'm in New York City, you can bike whichever way you want, go wherever you want, ride on the sidewalks, do your own thing, you can go rogue. But in Copenhagen you need to follow the rules and so maybe having a local guide tour you around is the best way to start the trip and get a little bit of an understanding about the city. My second favorite thing about Copenhagen that you'll probably notice right away is there's this great Scandinavian design influence. So Copenhagen is really renowned for these sleek and minimalistic design aesthetics. There's a lot of modern architecture, very stylish interiors, and a lot of the urban spaces throughout the city are very innovative. So they're, they're multi function oftentimes. And I think this also adds to this Danish concept of hygge. Which emphasizes a lot of coziness, relaxation, like simple pleasures. And so with Higga and with the Scandinavian design, you'll notice cafes and diners are very comfortable and leisurely, but also minimalistic and just really stylish overall. I've danced around this briefly already with talking about Vigo and the electric car app, but sustainable living is very important in Copenhagen. So Copenhagen and Denmark, they are committed to sustainability and eco friendly practices, and you'll notice many efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy. You know, and create these green spaces within the city. So even when you are in a taxi or in a Vigo, it will show you on the screen, then the the number of carbon emissions that you're producing as you're going along. I've never seen that before. And they're just very thoughtful about what they're doing to the environment, which is also why people do bike so much. But there's just a major focus on sustainable living, which is very cool and something that we can all take away from Copenhagen as well. Another thing that really sets Copenhagen apart, and this is the last thing I'll touch on before kind of getting into where to stay in the city, some of my favorite restaurants, some of the best places to go shopping, all of those fun things, is you'll notice that Denmark They're very progressive in their social policies. They're kind of leading the charge when it comes to progressive values. So a lot of their laws include gender equality, LGBTQ plus rights, social welfare programs, and that's reflected throughout the city as well. They really do embrace diversity and inclusivity. So it's very welcoming for all travelers. You'll feel very comfortable and it's a really nice space. That they've created within the city. It's a feel good place, honestly. Okay. Moving on. When you're trying to figure out where you want to stay within the city. I have a few recommendations. So the most popular street in the city is called Newhound. It's spelt N Y H A V N and I would not stay here. I actually wouldn't stay close to it. I think maybe 10 years ago, that was a cool place to stay, but it is so crowded. If you were there on a Saturday during the day. It's just swarmed with people, worse than Times Square. It's really, really quite intense. Obviously, it's a cool thing to see. I recommend going early in the morning or late at night to see it, but otherwise, you really don't want to stay around that area anymore. Instead, where I would stay is look up the, the gardens called Castellet. K A S T E L L E T. This is a man made star shaped garden, and if you just look up Copenhagen on a map, it'll be there. jump out to you because it's a star shaped garden. It's very big. It's right on the water. Now, where I would stay is in the neighborhood that's just right around that park to the left. This is more so the east part of Inderby and Inderby is the city center. So, you can stay anywhere in Inderby and feel very comfortable but just what I'm saying is I would go farther away from Newhound and I'd go closer towards that park. In this area is also where you find the Royal Palace. So it's kind of some open streets, very beautiful, relaxed vibe over there. And you're close to some of the best brunch places, which I like to be close to in the morning. Like I said, I wouldn't stay in Newhound, but you do need to go see it. This is the iconic waterfront district that's lined with those colorful, I think it's 17th century townhouses. There are a bunch of restaurants and bars. I've never eaten at them because they just seem really overpriced and busy, but if you're in Copenhagen on a Tuesday morning, that would be the time to go over to Newhound and maybe sit at one of the restaurants to enjoy the views. The only other two places I would call out in the city are going to be the Meatpacking District. This is a really trendy area now with plenty of galleries, bars, restaurants, a nice area to walk around and explore that's not in Derby, aka the city center. That's a cool area. And then another place that you do need to know about in advance and you do need to go visit is called Christiania. But you need to know in advance before you go what this is. You don't really want to stumble upon it because Christiania, I say this, it's not really true so I'll get into the details, but Christiania is known to be a lawless place. So Christiania is a little district, it's self proclaimed autonomous, essentially they operate under their own laws. And the way that this came to be was actually just in 1970, there was a group of hippies and artists, they moved into these abandoned houses from World War II, I believe, big buildings from World War II, and they set up their own rules and regulations that was distinct from the rest of the city. And because of squatters rights, they were allowed to stay there. Now the city, this area, has remained, actually, and they do still continue to have their own laws, but they do need to collaborate with Copenhagen. They are known for having a very alternative lifestyle. There are lots of colorful murals. It's a very unique atmosphere, and it's home to a lot of very diverse residents of artists, craftsmen, entrepreneurs, and what does stand out is the Now this is where vendors can openly sell weed products. Weed products are are not legal in Denmark. So this is kind of an interesting situation here. But essentially, you are able to openly sell and consume weed products in Christiania. So maybe it's not a place that you really want to take the kids to. But there even are kids that live in Christiania with their families. So just go with an open mind, but beyond Pusher Street, Christiania has some art galleries, some organic food markets, cafes. You will see a lot of people smoking weed while you're there, so just be mindful that that is something to expect. But within the neighborhood, they have some beautiful canals and green spaces, lots of quirky architectural structures. The first time I visited Copenhagen and Christiania, I was a little nervous. I thought that it was a dangerous place and so I went in with my friend and we Just explored around briefly and then left and this most recent time I went with my mom and just felt more comfortable It was a beautiful sunny day and we walked through it together and being there with her I just felt really safe and thought it was completely fine And it was pretty eye opening to actually go through and realize, you know, it is safe. It is okay. There's no Crime happening here, it's, it's fine. But anyways, you should know that. You definitely want to refrain from taking any photos because that's something they really, really hate. So don't do that when you're in Christiania. Okie dokie, moving on to the best of Copenhagen. So number one, the best time to visit Copenhagen is going to be the summertime. This is when you'll go to the areas called Newhound and you'll lay on the docks and you can just swim in the canals. Everyone's kind of laying out there enjoying their picnic lunches. It's very picturesque, very perfect. That's a super special thing to do when you're in Copenhagen. So if you can swing it, go in the summertime. Number two of my top 10 things is going to be taking a Danish pastry cooking class. This is something I would splurge on. It's quite the experience to be able to learn about the history of Danish pastries and to learn how to make them yourself so that when you go home you might be able to recreate it. Pastries in Europe, and especially in Copenhagen, are just next level. There's nothing quite like them, so if you can lean into that experience, or if you don't have time to do the cooking class, at least go around the city to some different bakeries and sample the different types of pastries they've got. Speaking of, bakeries. There's this bakery that's also a brunch spot called Atelier September. Oh my goodness, I just love this place. I think about it constantly. I was so looking forward to going here because I've followed them on Instagram for quite a while and didn't visit them. I haven't visited them in a long, long time. So I was really excited to go. They have this breakfast plate called the Danish Breakfast Plate and you iconic like Thick cheese. It's so delicious with some homemade sourdough. They have a hard boiled egg there with some jam on the side and then under the spoon there's a little, like, secret thing that they kind of hide. It's this really amazing salt that they also make themselves. I guess people say if you don't know that the salt is there, it like gets lost in the meal, but whatever. You know the salt is there, it's not a big deal. It's something that people talk about. And also get a side of avocado toast and a cappuccino. If there is a little bit of a line because Atelier September has just been so crazy famous for the past 10 years send someone in your group across the street. right down to Felix. That's where you can grab a coffee while you wait and have a little pastry. So we did that because there was a little bit of a wait when we visited as well. Now my favorite thing, I was so looking forward to this, is all the shopping in Copenhagen. One of my favorite stores was called Postmodern Ghani. They have majorly discounted Ghani and some way cooler, super unique styles and pieces that I've never seen on the Ghani website or in any other store that I've visited. And I mean, the discounts are pretty huge and the items that they make are just so high quality and really unique. So definitely check that out. That's right outside Christiania. But when it comes to like the Scandi girl style stores, two places really come to mind that I love. One being Nora and the second being Boy. So, sorry, not Nora. It's Nor, N O R R, and then Boy, B O I I. They have some really cheap or like inexpensive, but amazing jewelry that's very trendy and also good, good enough quality. It's not, you know, 14 gold, but good quality. Right now they have some nice little pearl necklaces. Some pearl rings, a lot of gold jewelry that's pretty fine and with some pendants that are fun. So they're always on trend and they're a bit ahead of the curve. They also make some pants that are such high quality, cool cuts, cool styles, and they're very inexpensive. So I love that store. I also do love the store Arket. Now, this is a chain, but The ARCA in Copenhagen is very big. They have tons of unique pieces there that are only sold in Copenhagen, so I wouldn't miss that store. I recently got a pair of some big, like, wide Pants, I don't know how to describe them, but they're called They're called the cloud pants and people on social media have been asking where the heck did you get these? So that's where they're sold out online, too So you have to go into the store to get them also when it comes to style I find this just so funny, but every single girl in Copenhagen right now is wearing the Solomon sneakers It has caught on like wildfire and it kind of gives me the ick because every single girl like every other girl is wearing these sneakers. And I just know that this summer every single girl is going to be in like sambas and blue striped linen pants and yellow sweaters. It's just like, it's already catching on everywhere. Kind of gives me the ick, but I mean, if you can do the trend really well, then go for it. And now moving on to some restaurants. I hate when people give me a massive list of restaurants. Like you need to go to these 25. I'm like, I'm only here for 36 hours. I don't know how to sift through these. I don't have the time to look at every menu. So I will just give you the top three. And the first two, you need a reservation. So the first one is Delphine. This is the most expensive option. It's very upscale. It's kind of a sexy spot. Like there's more drinking there. Some nice cocktails, less eating, I would say. And you go there if you want to meet up with a group or if you're going on a date and then you're going to go out together. Like if you're going out with a group and you need something a little more vibey, more cool. Go to Delphine. Again, you need a reservation to get in there. It's impossible otherwise, even if it's a Tuesday night. Second place is called Spuntino. This is much more casual. It's more of like a pizza Italian spot. You'll do more eating there. You'll definitely go home feeling very full and it's not a place for a big night out. I don't think, unless your group is like super vibed. Super chill vibes. And then the last place, this is overall the best in my opinion. If you can only pick one, I'd only go here. You don't need a reservation. It's a little bit off the beaten path and people don't seem to know about it. It's called Mangia. Now, they make everything homemade in the back of their kitchen and it's an open kitchen so you can see right in. Every dish that they're making, they're, they're cutting the pasta right before they cook it and that's it. They're doing everything with just such care, making the sauces for each dish, one at a time, and it's truly an exquisite experience. It was quite funny because my mom and I are sitting there having dinner, and we don't smoke, but a lot of people in Copenhagen do smoke. And so, the people next to us, they would have one round of food, whether it was appetizers or, you know, the first round of dinner, whatever it was, and then they would always get up and go outside and smoke, and they would bring their wine glasses with them, but they would leave their phones, leave their purses at the table. There's a very trusting culture and atmosphere in Copenhagen, which is so nice, so dissimilar to New York City. If I'm sitting at a table in New York City, I get up, leave my phone and my credit card on the table, it will be gone before I blink my eyes. And in Copenhagen, people would just go out to smoke with their wine on the street, come right back in, and a lot of trust, and that was kind of cool. I saw that a lot more at Mangia rather than Delphine or Spuntino, which just makes me think that Mangia is also more of a local spot. And Mangia was one that was not recommended to me, but we found ourselves and was exquisite. And I'm honestly a pretty tough critic, I'll say. Now here are the last two things that I want to suggest when you visit Copenhagen. Number eight is going to be going into a sauna or spa that's on the river and you'll go into the sauna, you'll get to enjoy like these really warm temperatures, share it with other people, you can have some nice teas and some nice waters there and then these saunas are floating on the river so you can jump into the river and kind of do a bit of a cold plunge. That is a very unique experience that you only really get in like Norway and Finland, Sweden and Copenhagen. Or Denmark. Very fun to do. There's a place called Hot Tub. I mean, there are a bunch of places right on the water. You can check them out. I don't have one recommendation over another because our hotel actually had a sauna and then a cold plunge. But very fun to do that right on the river. And the last recommendation, this is a bit more touristy. I've done it once. You don't need to do it a bunch of times, but it's the Carlsberg Brewery. Now, this is a historic brewery. They have tours and beer tastings, exhibits and it's kind of fun to do, especially if you're on your study abroad. I think that's a typical place for everyone to go. And that kind of wraps up my absolute best of Copenhagen. The things that you must do must not miss. Oh my goodness, I forgot one. And the reason why I forgot this one is because it was closed actually when we went this time, but it wasn't closed the first time. This is Tivoli. So Tivoli is an amusement park with some beautiful gardens and grounds. It's the amusement park that Walt Disney was inspired by and created Disney World. It was based off Tivoli. I'm actually not a big amusement ride person. That's not really my thing. But it's, it's iconic. You do need to go see it. But when we visited last week, it was closed because they're getting ready for Easter. And I think it's going to be beautiful this spring for Easter because they decorate it just so nicely and it'll be all Easter focus and Easter decorations. So that's really nice. Check that out. If you were there, even if you don't decide to go on any rides, it'll cost you about 20 just to walk into Tivoli and it's worth it to go walk around and see. I mean, people will ask you after you come back from Copenhagen if you went to Tivoli, so you probably want to hit it if you're not going to visit Copenhagen a bunch of times. So because I missed it this last time I probably will go again this summer, but it's not like I'm dying to do that But anyways, these are my top 10 things that you really must do when you're in Copenhagen. It's such a special beautiful place I absolutely love it there looking forward to diving in even deeper this summer And I'm sure we'll have another episode when I have some updated things as well. But this is the best of Copenhagen So I hope you enjoyed this episode. In the next episode, I will give you the highlights and the best of Paris. I have a really specific itinerary that I like to follow every time I'm in Paris. And then I also have an itinerary for people who are first timers when you have to do some of the more touristy stuff. And, you know, you got to see like the Mona Lisa. Yeah. But I will give you all that in the next episode. So thank you all for tuning in. Thank you for listening. As always, you can find me on any social media at Katshortsleeve. You can email me katshortsleeve at gmail. com. That's K A T. And if you have any questions about an upcoming itinerary that you're trying to plan or you need some travel recommendations, please don't hesitate to reach out. And if you think I've missed anything in this episode about Copenhagen, let me know. I'm sure I missed some things, so please reach out, let me know, and I look forward to the next episode. Thank you all, and cheers!