In November 2024, my friend Nicole and I decided (about four days before the deadline) to audition for a highland dance team performing in the Bremen Tattoo in January 2025. Bremen is in Northern Germany, about an hour from Hamburg via train.
("Germany?" you ask, "I thought I clicked on a post about Copenhagen?" Shhh, I have to do that blog post thing where you read about my life before I give you the information you want).
Nicole and I have long wished to perform in a Tattoo together (if the two of us know how to do anything, it's putting on a good show and having a good giggle). So we figured we'd kick off the new year in Deutschland!!
Tattoo (noun):
A Military Tattoo is a large group performance, usually hosted in arenas, composed of around 900* performers of all types. This typically includes pipe bands, highland dancers (hi!), marching bands, singers, etc. all originating from upwards of 10 diverse nations. Tattoos originate in Scottish military history.
*it varies; this number is an approximation of the ones I've participated in.
This would be the third Tattoo I've danced in, after doing the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland for the past two summers.
Denmark, at Germany's northern border, has always been high on my list of places I’d like to explore (as is Scandinavia at large). We jumped at the chance to add on a few days there before heading to Germany to dance in Bremen.
We spent 3 awesome days in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital. After 12 hours in the city, I knew I was in love. I was already imagining visiting it again someday. Maybe in a slightly warmer time of year.
When we moved on to Germany after the three days in Copenhagen, I fell asleep at night dreaming of cardamom buns, thick scarves, cozy hotel lobbies, and scores of bikes parked along picturesque canals.
I will be back, Copenhagen!!!
This is my guide to Copenhagen in the least tourist-heavy time of year - and proof that visiting during the "down season" is still a 10/10.
is it worth visiting Copenhagen in winter?
Prior to selecting Copenhagen as our destination, we came across multiple online sources saying that winter is the worst time to visit the city - it's cold, there aren't as many things to do, and you're better off saving your money and visiting another time. So when we showed up, I had been trying to keep my expectations low.
But even in the dead of winter, Copenhagen was lovely. It was cold, yes, but warmer than home in Canada. Maybe if you're from a warm climate you would hate life, but it was nice for us! We got lucky with a few days of sun and pretty clear skies.
Given the way I was so obsessed with Copenhagen's winter vibes, I know I'll need to experience it in other seasons. Is it worth seeing in winter? Yes! There are even some advantages to visiting in winter that I'll explore below.
where to stay in Copenhagen
We stayed at Hotel Kong Arthur, which was a bit of a price splurge for what I would typically choose (which would usually be the cheapest possible option). BUT we were visiting in January, so compared to July, we got a pretty good rate.
This hotel was honestly one of the best things about our visit to the city. It’s centrally located; about a 10 minute walk from a metro station that can take you anywhere in the city. It’s a 5 minute walk from Torvehallerne market, where we ended up eating multiple great meals (more on that later!!)
(also, transitioning later from this lovely place to the hostel (yes, hostel, not hotel) the Tattoo hosted us at was, shall we say, not great for morale).
The hotel is surrounded by beautiful courtyards to spend time in during any season. The lobby area is designed in a very sleek Danish style - very very hygge.
There, I've done it: I've mentioned hygge in a post about Scandinavia in Winter. Have I summoned an SEO Score boost from the girlies yet?
Hygge (origin: Danish/Norwegian)
"Refers to "a form of everyday togetherness", "a pleasant and highly valued everyday experience of safety, equality, personal wholeness and a spontaneous social flow". The noun hygge includes something nice, cozy, safe and known, referring to a psychological state". (took this right from Wikipedia)
The word "hygge" was plastered everywhere from cafés to tote bags. I don't love seeing cultural concepts like this so heavily commercialised, but after hanging out in the lobby of this hotel, I see why the concept has caught on outside of Denmark and grown in popularity online.
I never thought I could enjoy a hotel lobby so much, but I just wanted to sit in there forever. The hotel even hosts a “cozy hour” each day when guests can get a free drink at the bar and hang out!
Not only was the hotel beautiful and cozy, it was in a perfect location. Going for a slight splurge on the accommodations paid off very well.
other places to stay in Copenhagen
These are options we looked at but didn’t end up booking!
Hotel Christian IV - Great location, good nightly rate!
Wakeup Copenhagen, Borgergade - A cute option for budget travellers in an excellent location.
Apēron Apartment Hotel - Again, great location right in the middle of things. Similar in price to the option we went with!
Bedwood Hostel - Another budget option at a GREAT rate and right near Nyhavn - the cutest area.
Hotel Bella Grande - This place is absolutely gorgeous!
things to do in Copenhagen, Denmark
If you like shopping, architecture, history, fashion, food, or anything in between, you'll find something you like in Copenhagen.
Nyhavn canal area - this is the iconic Copenhagen view of colourful buildings lining a picturesque canal and cutesy boats floating away. We walked along the water at sunset and it was just lovely. Grab a drink or some food at one of the many restaurants lining the water - with year-round outdoor seating!
Christianshavn area - If you’re loving the canals but don’t want to be in the most touristic area, this one is for you! There are lots of cafés around and a beautiful church with an amazing spiral spire. I had the spiciest chai latte of my life at Original Coffee near the metro station.
Glyptoteket museum. There are lots of galleries and museums to choose from in Copenhagen, and this one is definitely a good choice! The building is gorgeous, and it features lots of art and artifacts from ancient civilizations. The collection of Greek and Roman statues is seriously impressive. Stay and grab something from the café in the main atrium and enjoy the beautiful fountain and foliage (including the largest fiddle leaf fig I’ve ever seen).
Visit the Manon Les Suites Jungle Fish Pool. Normally I wouldn’t spend so much on an activity (~$140 CAD), but this was totally worth it. Your purchase grants you 4 hours access to the BEAUTIFUL pool, plus the sauna, steam room, and cold plunge up on the roof (unfortunately the cold plunge was closed for winter when we visited - this was totally fine, as being out on the roof on a windy winter night was cold enough!!!). The pool was so gorgeous, warm, and perfect for swimming, spa-ing, or just sitting in the lounge beds reading a good book.
📍 Manon Les Suites Jungle Fish Pool, Copenhagen. Photo by Kate Francoeur Museum of Natural History & Botanical Gardens. We didn't really get to enjoy these, as the outside was winter-grey and the indoor portions had been closed 2 days earlier for some renovations. I'm sure they're great though!🫠
bars and restaurants to visit in Copenhagen
Eating in Copenhagen is generally pricey, but after Switzerland and Iceland, I've become accustomed to the constant pangs to my credit card.
Torvehallerne Market - this was super close to our hotel (right next to a central metro station, Nørreport), so we ended up there multiple times each day. There are indoor and outdoor vendors of all kinds, and seating to enjoy your food. Our favourites:
Grød - super cute porridge place. Perfect for fuelling up ahead of a day of walking around the city!
Patisserie Marie France - great coffee and baked goods.
Laboca - Argentinian cuisine with some of the best empanadas I've ever had in my life.
Buka bakery - we went here in search of a cardamom bun, and ended up getting a cardamom brioche and a lemon bun. Both were excellent!! Plus, the café itself is very cute and cozy.
Slurp - this is a ramen joint which specializes in a few dishes at a time. Be sure to research in advance of your visit, as they’re only open on certain days and at certain times. Be prepared to wait outside, as there is limited seating. The wait is 1000% worth it - I would actually call this ramen life changing. I’m a vegetarian who doesn’t like mushrooms, so I was hesitant about the fact that my only option was a mushroom soup. But it was actually the best ramen I’ve ever had, and I’ll dream about it forever.
Café Munk - an Indian place near our hotel with the cutest vibes and the food was EXCELLENT.
Be sure to try the Danish liquor Akvavit! It’s pretty strong, but Akvavit has a lovely fruity and floral flavour. One of my best friend’s family is from Denmark and they drink Akvavit on special occasions - a tradition I’ve enjoyed participating in a few times. We tried an Akvavit and tonic and then a Moscow mule each made with it, and both were very good.
things you should know before you visit Copenhagen
Yes, it is quite expensive. Even in January, the lowlight of tourism, I was cringing at some of the prices. You can find opportunities to save money, but it is not a budget destination.
Places might be closed on Mondays. It caught us off-guard that things that were open on Sunday were closed on a Monday, which led to us not being able to do all of the activities we were hoping for.
English is very prevalent. Since it’s a pretty urban, touristic centre, there were no situations where a language barrier made communication impossible.
Copenhagen is quite LGBTQ+ friendly! Denmark was the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage, and you can totally see how this has fed into the local consciousness with how visible and proud the queer population is.
The residents are above average in their physical hotness and stylishness. This is just my personal observation but it was very enjoyable lol.
It's cold in January. Duh. Warmer than it was in Canada, yes, but still cold. After visiting Nyhavn we were so cold that we ran into the first bar we saw.
Luckily it was Les Voyageurs, which was very nice. For my Fredericton readers, this bar was like if Wilser's Room at The Cap was very french and a bit more elegant. Like, if Wilser's Room didn't always have their music on too loud, and the staff wore button ups.
Take advantage of the metro! Cabs in Copenhagen are expensive, but luckily, the metro is very easily accessible and can take you far and wide across the city. We bought a 72 hour pass for public transport and it was 100% worth it.
my takeaways from Copenhagen
Even though we didn't get much time there, Copenhagen really snared me.
I think of myself as someone who prefers to seek out interesting nature and smaller destinations when I travel, as opposed to big cities. But Copenhagen took me by surprise.
I loved the quiet streets where we stayed and the kind locals and the blocks of huge historical buildings that just take your breath away. The people were lovely and friendly, we ate great food, and we enjoyed the atmosphere.
In the end, visiting in January ended up being wonderful. There weren't crowds of people around, even in the most popular areas. Don't be discouraged by the weather!
TLDR: Copenhagen highlights
Our hotel had the perfect vibes, price point, and location.
Torvehallerne Market meals
Life-changing ramen from Slurp
So many baked goods, best ones from Buka
Thank you for reading! Leave me a comment if there's something I missed and should aim to see when I go back😉 OR leave me a comment if this post inspired your Copenhagen dreams 💭
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