5 Experiences in Copenhagen to Maximize Your Hygee
In Italy, the most popular summer holidays are to flock to the Mediterranean seaside, and we have done this on many occasions. This year we chose to venture to Copenhagen, which is technically on the sea. This design and sustainable-forward city did not disappoint. Everything I had heard about Copenhagen stressed how expensive the city is, and it is. We did buy a 24-hour Copenhagen Card to enjoy a rollercoaster binge at Tivoli and the children's museum Experimentarium the next day to make the card worth the expense. But that aside, we wanted to find ways to maximize the experience and stretch the euro, so this list of 5 is about that.
Copenhagen was nominated as the World Capital of Architecture by UNESCO-UIA. The city is full of exhibits and outdoor pavilions around the city this summer educating and promoting environmentally sustainable materials and methods. This was the backdrop of our amazing holiday there.
Here, in no particular order, are what stuck some serious chords:
Wednesdays are free entrance into museums. We arrived early on a Wednesday morning and, after settling into our hotel, headed to see the Ib Antoni exhibit at the Københavns Museum. He was the Mad Man of Danish visual art who understood what “Bill” Bernach had famously said about the importance of creativity, "I don't want academicians. I don't want scientists. I don't want people who do the right things. I want people who do inspiring things.”
Food and drink were at the top of the “how do we get around not spending a fortune” list. Picking up simple to-go food from the grocers and picnicking on a pretty lawn or along the canal was easy and quite the norm. Each morning we indulged ourselves with yummy pastries from next door, which we ate in the hotel lobby, no questions asked, and were offered free coffee to boot. The second best to picnicking was the famous street food markets. The communal vibe and locations, especially at Reffen in Refshaleøen, did not disappoint. We ate at one restaurant the entire time we were there and chose Pho Hanoi in the center, a Vietnamese place that had been suggested to us. We cleaned up our plates and were happy we had saved pho for a special treat.
I’d say that the bohemian vintage vibe can be felt in many places around the city, notably on Jægersborggade Street. Second-hand wares and objects by Japanese and Danish designers like Ganni are showcased by independent boutiques here. It’s a community campaign, of sorts, to make old and funky, fresh and progressive. After perusing, we popped into Istid, where 5 Kitchen Aids were lined-up ready to whip up some nitrogen ice cream. Super!
It’s not the sun-drenched beach-type seaside we are used to in Italy. Copenhagen was a hard sell to my Italian husband. We packed light raincoats and jumpers, but I did pack a swimsuit just in case…! One cloudless, relatively hot morning was spent at Islands Brygge harbor bath. We marveled at divers, and my daughter was inspired to jump into the brilliant cold water of the Baltic Sea. Walks by the canals were equally invigorating. The last night after Pho Hanoi, we walked towards Nyhaven to finish up the roll on my daughter’s instant camera. Then we walked to the very end of the street and further out to explore. I think I got what the whole hygee thing is about--the dark golden light cast on a late evening, a young couple sitting and sharing some conversation with an empty bottle of wine by their side, a small friendly cat making our acquaintance, pretty lampshades hung from sitting rooms inviting you to look up and into open apartment windows. No particular thing to do, see or have, just the moment that springs up on you to chalk up as a memory.
I was enthralled by how children are a part of urban city planning and adults included. Trampolines are nestled into promenades, swings for all ages at Superkilen (dig the name), and skateparks everywhere, Needless to say, it’s a city designed for movement. We clocked in up to 30,000 on the first day here! There were cars, but cars watched out for bikes and not the other way around. My husband claims not to have seen a gas station. I’m sure they exist…
Some of these places and plenty of others are marked on the Google Maps I made before my departure.