Denmark: Land of Vikings. I had been wanting to see Denmark for a while now since I have family that left there in the 19thcentury, but it was just so expensive. I’m not going to lie. It’s incredibly expensive. But taking a trip to Denmark is necessary, and Copenhagen is a great place to see.
The hardest thing for me in Copenhagen is the currency. They don’t use the Euro, but rather the Danish Kronor. €1 is about 9 DKK. I didn’t realize how much I was actually spending half the time. If I had spent another day in Copenhagen, I think I would have returned with no money in my bank account.
The New Harbor
If you have ever looked online for a picture of Copenhagen, you definitely have seen the Nyhavn, or New Harbor. Once upon a time, it was a harbor where fishing boats came in to sell off their goods. With the start of the Industrial Revolution, however, it was cheaper to send big ships filled with goods. The Nyhavn fell into disuse. Rather, it was used as a place for people to park their cars when they came to the city.
Then in the 1970s, the city came up with a brilliant idea. They were going to convert the Nyhavn to a tourist attraction. The harbor had to be spruced up, but it also needed a very important thing: boats. The fishermen were bribed to park their boats there throughout the year. Now lo and behold, we have the beautiful, multicolored buildings contrasted with the harbor filled with boats.
The Nyhavn is a good place to have a meal or a drink. During the summer, it’s packed with people. In the autumn, there are blankets available to cover yourself while you’re eating outside. I quite enjoyed getting a long, skinny waffle covered with chocolate and sprinkles from a shop on the harbor.
And don’t forget to stand at the end to get the picture-perfect snap of the Nyhavn.
The Center of Everything
Copenhagen is quite an old city, but most of the buildings aren’t as old as the city would like you to think. In the 1700s, there were two fires that destroyed the city. Danish people are very fond of their candles, and of course, at this time, most things were made of wood. Most of the city burned. Nowadays, things look old, but they aren’t that old.
The City Hall is gorgeous. Yet, it was only completed at the beginning of the 20thcentury. Also, it’s almost identical to the city hall of Siena, Italy. Very few portions are the original. There is one street very close to the city hall that is still the original medieval street. The name is quite unfortunate (“Latrine Street” for its medieval origins and cheap prostitutes), but it will sure give you the perfect Instagram picture.
You can also find Tivoli in the center. I didn’t have the chance to go, but everyone recommends it. Tivoli is the second-oldest theme park in the world, opening in the 1840s. Rumor has it that Walt Disney was inspired by it while he was researching fairy tales to make into movies. A few short years later, Disneyland opened in Anaheim. People say Tivoli is typically Danish, and there is nothing better than sipping a hot drink on a cold night with good people.
Hygge.
Hygge (hoo-gah) is everywhere in Copenhagen. Apparently, it was on the list for the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year. There is no one translation for the word, but it means good times in a good place with good people. Basically, enjoying life and having a good time.
There are books available about how to “hygge”. The Danish youth say “Netflix and hygge”. Don’t forget to get your shirt that says “HYGGE”. I imagine Danish people sitting in their jammies drinking hot chocolate by a warm fire with lots of blankets. Hygge means whatever it wants to each person.
I was told to find a moment of hygge while in Denmark. I think I found it 45-minutes away from Copenhagen.
To be or not to be
One of my main reasons for visiting Denmark, other than wanting to see the country my ancestors came from (although they are from the northern tip of Jutland, not Zealand), was to see the castle that inspired Hamlet. I read Hamlet in 12thgrade English. We put on costumes and acted it out in class. Shakespeare never actually visited Denmark, but he heard stories that inspired him to write one of the most famous works ever.
Kronborg Castle is located in Helsingør, or Elsinore (when Anglicized), which is a 45-minute train ride from Copenhagen center. There is something so calming about being on a train for me. When I arrived, I stepped out into the cute town or Helsingør. Outside the train station are two statues of Hamlet and Ophelia, welcoming tourists to their fabled town.
The castle is another 15-minute walk from the train station; however, you can see the castle almost immediately from exiting the station. It’s formidable, no doubt. In its heyday, Denmark charged a tax for ships to cross the sound, aptly named a Sound Tax. If the ships didn’t pay … well, let’s just say there are many cannons lining the shore.
I absolutely loved walking along the shore. You can see Sweden from across the sound. There are ferry trips constantly crossing to take people to Sweden. I believe it’s only 2 miles across. For me, I love the shore and the water. That is where I found my hygge.
Inside the castle, you will see the power of past monarchs. There are huge halls, many tapestries, and of course, many rooms. One thing I found interesting was the fact that the king and queen slept in small rooms. At that time, only poor people slept together, so they slept in different places. However, the rooms were small because it was easier to heat.
There isn’t a lot about Hamlet, only showing the actors that have portrayed Hamlet and other characters from the tragedy throughout history, including Lawrence Olivier and Jude Law. On weekends, there is a tour that is about Hamlet, but I went on a weekday.
A Little Bit of Everything
A lot of things in Copenhagen do cost money, but there are still many things to see. I really enjoyed the National Museum of Denmark, which highlights the history of Denmark from pre-historic times up to the present. People used to sacrifice their possessions into a bog, so many things are in excellent condition.
The Danes love their monarchy. Take a visit to see where the current monarchs live. There are four mini-palaces next to each other that open up into a giant courtyard. Tourists are free to pass as they like, while young guards march up and down the sidewalk in case anyting bad were to happen. There is also Christiansborg Palace, which costs to enter, but you can go into the church and the tower for free. Sometimes you can even see the horses training.
I didn’t get a chance to make it to the Little Mermaid. It’s not in the center of the city, and I’ve heard that It’s super disappointing – only about knee height. Plus, I’m not a big fan of the Little Mermaid. Gasp. If you have the chance to rent a bicycle, it’d be a great opportunity to cycle up and see her.
What to Eat
I’m a fan of the Great British Bake-Off. By chance, this year, just a few weeks before my trip, they had a Danish week. For the technical challenge, they had to make Æpelskiver. The bakers didn’t make them too well, but I still wanted to try them. Fortunately for me, Æpelskiver is an autumn and winter food. It’s basically fried dough with apple, and an red sweet sauce and powdered sugar off to the side. Don’t forget to wash it down with some warmGløgg (pronounced “gloog”, or mulled wine.
Another thing I had will I was there were the Danish meatballs, called frikadeller. They are similar to Swedish meatballs, and are usually served with some roasted potatoes off to the side. Another option is fiskfrikadeller, fish meatballs. One of the chief industries of Denmark is pork, so eating a pork dish is guaranteed to hit the spot.
You can stop at an ice cream shop and getting a waffle or some churros. There are many shops around the city where you can get waffles and churros topped with Nutella, chocolate, ice cream, Oreos, and so much more. And one last thing to recommend, get a hot dog from one of the many hot dog carts around the city. It shocked me at how many hot dog stores I saw in the airport alone. For a cheap lunch option, go for a hot dog!
A Different Kind of City
Copenhagen is a much different place than what I am used to in Madrid. The Danish people see life in a different way. They have a mutual community respect, meaning they are a very honest and trusting people. That’s why they are so willing to pay exorbitant taxes: they trust each other as a community. Danish people know everyone on the street. Some houses even have a box filled will mirrors outside their windows so they can look to see what everyone else is doing. Danish people also see laws and rules as black and white. If police see you crossing the street before the light has turned green, they can fine you more than €100!
Although it’s different, that doesn’t make it bad. Sometimes it’s good to put yourself in places that make you feel uncomfortable and challenge what you see as normal. Copenhagen is full of so much life and character. People were already putting up Christmas trees and decorations, so I know it’s going to be so jolly and merry within the next few weeks. However, be sure to come to Denmark prepared to shell out a little more cash than expected. Just find some hygge and everything will be alright. Oh, and watch out for the bicycles. You WILL get run over, and they will not care!
