I’ve always said that Vienna is the city that has my heart. It’s the city that I will never stop returning to. But truth be told, Copenhagen gave Vienna a run for it’s money.
It didn’t happen the moment I stepped off the train from the airport. I’m not even sure that it happened while we were there. But something clicked once we departed. Maybe I had time to reflect more on the experience. Maybe it’s taken me a year to defrost and get my brain back to normal. Something happened, though, and these days I can rarely get Copenhagen off of my mind.
When planning this trip we didn’t set out specifically to travel to Copenhagen. We just knew that we wanted another holiday trip to see Christmas markets and take in a piece of winter wonderland in another part of the world.
After stumbling on a direct flight deal out of SFO that was too good to pass up, it was settled. We’d spend a few days around Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2014 in Copenhagen.
Our visit started a couple days before Christmas, then we departed for Berlin, but we returned to Copenhagen just after Christmas to ring in the New Year. It was a trip that brought incredible experiences and many we hadn’t planned for. It also brought a few surprises that led me to this post in an effort to share a few tips should you want to spend winter and New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen. And we highly recommend that you do.
Stay in a place close to The Lakes.
We weren’t aware of it when booking our lodging, but we couldn’t have ended up staying in a better location for New Years in Copenhagen. The celebrations take place on the bridges that cross The Lakes, Peblinge Sø and Sortedams Sø. We stayed in a lovely little place called Isbens Hotel. It was a few minutes walk to Torvehallerne and to Dronning Louises Bro, one of the bridges where folks stop to watch the fireworks. The hotel was charming and cozy with a friendly staff. Their nightly happy hour was called a cozy hour where you could enjoy a free beer or glass of wine.
Eat at Torvehallerne.
I’m crazy about local markets and they are a must-stop for every trip we take. Torvehallerne exceeded our expectations. There were so many fresh foods, unique gifts and prepared foods that highlighted local specialties. We ate here a few times during our visit. Even if you aren’t hungry, go explore it, but I guarantee you won’t be able to pass up a snack once you are there.
We enjoyed breakfast at Laura’s Bakery and coffee from Coffee Collective. The outdoor farmers market was open before Christmas. Be sure to check their website for holiday hours when you visit.
Bikes are not stored for the winter.
All those dreamy photos that you see of Copenhagen streets lined with bikes, they are spot on, even in the winter. I felt like I should applaud the people I saw biking expertly through the spitting snow as ice began to form on the roadways. You can’t separate biking from Copenhagen culture even when the temperatures drop. It is such an outstanding thing to witness. The next time we visit (in the warmer months) I’m going to hop on one myself.
Don’t be alarmed. There are babies in those buggies.
There is one story we tell friends time and time again when we start talking about Copenhagen. It usually gets a few jaw drops. Strollers, called buggies, are most often not allowed in stores. So each time you walk up to a food mart or a boutique, you will find a line of buggies down the side walk. After seeing this multiple times, we walked into one store and I just happen to turn my head and caught a glimpse inside the buggies. What I saw caused me to pause. Then a woman walked up, parked the buggy and walked into the store. What the?
The babies stay in the buggies! Yes, a line of strollers with babies bundled up in sweaters, snowsuits, blankets and mini-sleeping bags to keep them warm sat contently outside the store as moms and dads shopped inside.
For most people, this story gets a reaction of disbelief and horror. For me, it was awe and appreciation. To live in a place that is so safe you feel secure in leaving your baby outside while you shop? Now that is a bit dreamy.
Your plans will change due to holiday hours.
I researched a few major attractions before our visit, but not many local restaurants. I waited to do that until we arrived only to learn that many of the places serving local specialities were closed between Christmas and New Years. I was expecting shortened hours, but not complete closings for that week. Just a tip to plan accordingly.
Take a walk.
If the places you wanted to go are closed, just take a walk. We did a lot of walking on New Years Eve. We explored the Botansik Have (botanical garden) and the Assistens Cemetary. We finally ended up at the best little restaurant called Bodega Nørrebro. They were serving brunch so we sat at the bar and watched the preparations while talking with the bartender and drinking a few beers from Nørrebro Bryghus.
Drink a beer.
Despite holiday closings you won’t be without good beer. We were able to visit Carlsberg brewery during this trip. I’ll cover that tour in a post soon. We had to seek out Mikkeller while in Copenhagen, too. We went to both Mikkeller Bar and Mikkeller and Friends. The atmosphere of the Mikkeller Bar was my favorite, but that is likely because we went on a quiet afternoon versus a crowded night at the other location.
Buy a bottle of bubbly (and maybe a pair of goggles).
As we walked the streets during New Years Eve morning, we were well aware that most of the supermarkets closed in the early afternoon. The more we observed, we saw that everyone, and I mean everyone, walked out of the stores with a bottle of bubbly. Not wanting to feel left out, we decided we should buy a bottle. If nothing else, we’d just drink it in the hotel room. So we picked one out and stood in a line that would rival any Black Friday line in the States, but with hand baskets filled with snacks and sparkling wine. At this point in your shopping, you might also want to pick up a pair of safety goggles. More on that in just a few lines.
Go the the fireworks at Tivoli and then head out to the bridge.
At first Tivoli Gardens may seem overly touristy, and in many ways, it is. But it is also so Copenhagen, for lack of a better way to explain it. It’s such a magical place at the holidays. The best part is that the holidays don’t end the day after Christmas. The park remains fully decorated as you watch the fireworks through the trees lit with large, festive lights.
We went to the gardens several times on this trip and we enjoyed the fireworks on New Years Eve. Another little bonus is that if you have your eye on something in the shops, by NYE many things are on sale so you can do a little ornament shopping while you wait for the fireworks show.
The show in the gardens is early at 10:00 pm leaving you enough time to figure out what to do to ring in the actual New Year. As you may have guessed, we aren’t make-reservations-at-the-club kind of people. We just wander.
And if you follow the example of many locals, you might want to put on those safety goggles. We saw family after the family with them on, which made us think — Uhoh, what are we in for?
After dodging fireworks being shot out of windows and doorways as we walked down the street (I’d put goggles on my kids, too), we made our way back toward the hotel. After nearly falling asleep in the half hour we had to kill, we rallied and grabbed our bottle of bubbly and made our way to the Dronning Louises Bro with just about everyone else in the city.
The scene that unfolded was unlike anything I’d experienced on NYE before. The EMTs parked at the bridge brought out a tray of champagne for the staff. Boxes of fireworks were blowing up in random places on the street. Everyone had popped their corks in time for the countdown.
And then the show started. In every single direction fireworks being shot off around the city. It was like the biggest 4th of July show in the States times 25. They were everywhere and it went on and on. Simply outstanding.
We made it back to the hotel for our early flight the next morning, but the celebrations continued most of the night. It was one of our most memorable New Years Eves to date.
Even if you can’t make it to Copenhagen for the holiday, don’t cross it off your list for a winter visit. We’ll come back in warmer weather at some point, but it is truly a unique place any time of year.
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