Travel Report: Copenhagen
- Igor Vandenberghe
- Dec 16, 2025
- 6 min read
THE CITY THAT BREATHES COOL
There are cities that overwhelm you with impressions, and there are cities that make you fall silent. Copenhagen belongs to the latter category. Nothing rushes here; everything glides. Even the wind seems to have style. The Danish capital is not just a destination – it is a state of mind. A place where sustainability is not a buzzword but a given, where architecture and gastronomy meet in the same aesthetic simplicity. And above all: a city best experienced on two wheels.
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The city awaits. But first, there’s the matter of getting out of the airport. Options abound: metro, train, taxi or bus. Our preference is the train – 14 minutes, you can hardly go wrong – but after confusing the train and bus logos, we end up on a bus toward the city centre. No harm done.
A tip: if, like us, you plan to visit museums regularly during your stay, the Copenhagen City Card is highly recommended. It not only grants free access to more than 80 attractions and museums, but also includes unlimited public transport. We bought our card online and activated the app upon arrival.
Our home for the next few days is Coco Hotel, a boutique gem in Vesterbro – a neighbourhood that was once rough around the edges and now pulses with urban charm. The lobby smells of freshly ground coffee, the walls are bathed in soft pink hues, and the chairs are retro without shouting for attention.
The bikes are already waiting – elegant black frames, sturdy, with a practical basket as a bonus. Anyone who wants to understand Copenhagen must cycle. Full stop. The city is a cyclist’s paradise, with wide bike lanes and excellent facilities. Bliss.
You hardly see any e-bikes here. Strange, because during our visit a strong wind was blowing almost constantly. But the Danes just lean into it. And so do we.
The City from the Water
You don’t just get to know Copenhagen by bike, but also from the water. The city is laced with canals, and the centre is split in two by a broad waterway – more river than canal.
We sail in style. No crowded tourist boat for us, but a private trip with a captain. For that, we book with GoBoat, which offers several tours, including one with a skipper.
Captain Sven takes us onto the main canal, first passing through some recently developed outer districts. Most new apartment buildings sit right on the water and look not only sleek, but eye-wateringly expensive. And yes, Sven confirms: they are.
Not for us, but the views along the way are a delight. Sven expertly navigates his boat through a puzzle-like canal system filled with houseboats, luxury apartments and former industrial sites. It vaguely resembles Amsterdam. Vaguely.
As the sun sinks and the light turns golden, the city seems to press pause.
Sven shares anecdotes about the harbour’s history and how it transformed from an industrial lung into a livable one. Copenhagen is a masterclass in reinvention. A perfect first introduction to the city, we tell ourselves as we pedal back to the hotel, once again battling the wind.
That evening we dine at Pauli, an intimate spot where everything feels right: the lighting, the wine, the music. The kitchen is inventive without trying to impress, serving dishes that whisper rather than shout.
Architecture with a Vision
The next morning, a guided bike tour with Cycling Copenhagen is on the agenda. This company introduces visitors to the city’s DNA: architecture. Our guide is Luigi, an Italian from Naples who 'washed ashore' here and had never cycled before moving to Copenhagen. Now, he goes everywhere by bike. Luigi is utterly smitten with the city, though his football heart still beats for Napoli.
We cycle past minimalist waterfront housing blocks, over bridges that look like design objects, and through neighbourhoods that prove sustainability can be stylish. Luigi speaks passionately about green roofs, circular construction projects, and the Danish principle of form follows function. It’s a concept that gives us pause – and one that makes more and more sense as the tour unfolds.
A Free State with Rough Edges: Christiania
Luigi drops us off in Christiania, a semi-anarchist free town where graffiti hugs façades and rules seem more like suggestions. We ride past colourful shacks, improvised artworks and gardens that are as chaotic as they are charming. It feels a bit like stepping into another world – one where freedom is still written with a capital F. Amid the smoke, the art and the smiling residents, we discover a raw kind of beauty. Unpolished, but sincere.
Also very commercial. The 'main street' is lined with cafés, restaurants and souvenir stalls. Admittedly all a bit ramshackle, but behind the shabby façade lurks, in our view, a rather clever business model. No problem for us.
Later that afternoon, we visit the MACA Museum for an exhibition featuring Banksy and friends. Anyone who, like us, loves Banksy’s provocative art should not miss this show. Better yet: go see it.
All that cycling works up a serious appetite. Online, we’ve read many good things about Fasangården, a charming restaurant in the idyllic district of Frederiksberg. The setting – a historic building surrounded by greenery – feels straight out of a Scandinavian film. On the plate: local ingredients, creatively prepared without gimmicks. Pure, fresh, sublime in its simplicity. In short: a dinner that makes us happy.
Danish Design
Say Copenhagen and you say design. Not the kind you only find in museums, but design that permeates everyday life: cafés, coffee bars, cycle bridges and public buildings. Still, no visit is complete without a stop at Designmuseum Danmark. After an extensive renovation, the museum has fully reopened and radiates light and calm. From Arne Jacobsen to contemporary designers experimenting with bioplastics and recycled materials – this is sacred ground for Scandinavian design. Everything feels right. Nothing is excessive.
We lunch at Format, the museum restaurant that lives up to its name. Each plate is a composition, but never pretentious. Think pickled herring on rye bread with fermented accents, paired with a glass of natural wine that practically begs for a second round. Sometimes, that’s all you need.
For a touch of grandeur, we head to the Glyptoteket, a museum that draws as much charm from its architecture as from its collection. Under a glass dome, palm trees grow among sculptures by Rodin and Degas. In the inner garden, a fountain marks the rhythm of calm.
Nyhavn: a Postcard with Bite
Say Copenhagen and you also say Nyhavn. This harbour quay is the city’s most popular tourist spot, thanks to its picture-perfect setting of brightly coloured 17th-century houses. Today, these beautiful buildings are among Copenhagen’s most iconic and atmospheric locations. With lively cafés, canal tours and a rich history, Nyhavn is where the city’s maritime past meets its laid-back present.
And yes, it’s touristy. Everyone takes the same photo. But honestly? It remains enchanting. The colourful façades reflect in the water, boats bob lazily, and laughter drifts across every terrace.
From Nyhavn, we continue cycling – since we’re nearby anyway – to another crowd favourite: The Little Mermaid. The statue depicts the heroine of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale. It is indeed small, and sits somewhat forlorn by the water, with an industrial site in the background. We had imagined a more magical setting. But it is what it is. Here too, tourists and selfies abound. We leave slightly disappointed, with Is Dit Alles by Doe Maar playing in our heads.
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
We’ll say it again: Copenhagen is not short on top-tier museums. For lovers of modern art, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is an absolute must – one of Europe’s most prestigious institutions in its field. There is one catch: the museum lies well outside Copenhagen, about 40 kilometres from the city centre. Now the good news: it’s included in the Copenhagen City Card. Even better: the train ride is included too. So off to Louisiana we go.
We depart from København H (Central Station) and arrive 42 minutes later in Humlebæk. We’re not the only ones – the train suddenly empties. From the station, it’s a pleasant ten-minute walk to the museum.
Louisiana exceeds our highest expectations: a sleek building right on the water. But what a collection – both permanent and temporary exhibitions. We are particularly enthusiastic about the Marisol exhibition, dedicated to a somewhat forgotten pop artist currently enjoying a major revival.
Anyone with a love for modern art should not miss this museum.
For us, Louisiana provides a fitting finale to a dazzling city trip. We will most certainly return. That much is certain.
More information:
Denmark: www.visitdenmark.com and www.visitdenmark.nl/denemarken
Copenhagen: www.visitcopenhagen.com
Copenhagen City Card: www.copenhagencard.com
Designmuseum Denmark: www.designmuseum.dk/en
Cycling Copenhagen: www.cycling-copenhagen.dk
GoBoat Copenhagen: www.goboat.dk
Restaurant Pauli: www.paulicph.dk
Restaurant Fasangården: www.meyers.dk
Format: www.formatcafe.dk
Hotel Coco: www.coco-hotel.com
Text: Igor Vandenborghe
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