THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH

Hello happy people!

This weekend I traveled to what is known to be “The happiest place on Earth”, Copenhagen, Denmark. Copenhagen has landed at the top of the charts for the last 40 years on the International Happiness Survey. I can certainly see why because there are many great benefits and most Danes are very well educated. My two friends and I flew on Ryanair to Copenhagen. I highly recommend doing the research to find a nice budget airline. For example, my round trip ticket was 34 euros and we were fortunate enough to get to stay with my friend’s classmate from the states who is studying abroad in Copenhagen. It was really neat to get to see another university and their housing. When we arrived at the airport, we purchased the 72 hour Copenhagen Card which cost 200 Danish Krone, which converts to about 30 euros. This gave us unlimited access to the bus, metro, and the train. I would definitely buy this travel card if you plan on staying in Copenhagen for a few days, especially if it is cold. Denmark is known for a type of decorative style called “Hygge”. Hygge consist of lots of candles, fur blankets, and very clean lines. This creates an atmosphere which is said to “cheer” people up and keep them happy and positive during the winter months when the sun sets around 4:00pm. Kendall’s friend had such a homey room and cozy living space. It was great to see the different amenities universities abroad provide for their students.

Denmark’s currency is the Danish krone. For example, 30 euros is equivalent to 223.10 Danish krone. Therefore, credit cards are accepted everywhere! In fact, many places won’t even take cash, so I wouldn’t bother exchanging money unless you need cash for a specific reason.

Mad & Kaffe

We left Brussels at 3:00am to arrive at the Charleroi airport,  which resulted in a very long first day for us in Copenhagen. When we first arrived, my friend and I went to a great restaurant to enjoy brunch called “Mad & Kaffe”. This a very popular restaurant in Copenhagen. The wait time is normally between 30 minutes to an hour. We waited for about 40 minutes and it was so worth it! I had delicious mint- lemonade and an assortment of bacon, eggs, chicken, and a brownie. If you have time to grab brunch here while in Copenhagen, I highly suggest it.

Christiansborg Palace

Next, we headed to Christiansborg Palace and we climbed to the top of its tower to enjoy fabulous views of Copenhagen. I highly recommend visiting this site. This palace was built in 1733 and it is now the house of the Danish Parliament and where the Prime Minister’s office is located.

Rosenborg Castle

Then we made our way to Rosenborg Castle. It actually resembled more of a mansion when you compare it to other palaces of much larger size across Europe. It was absolutely beautiful inside and the tickets also included access to the crown jewels which are located in the basement of the palace. Rosenborg is a Renaissance style palace that was completed in 1624. This was used as a summer house for Christian IV. It contains many beautiful treasures and works of art. I highly suggest taking a visit if you are in Copenhagen. There are gardens surrounding the castle which are also quite beautiful to walk through.

Copenhagen Contemporary

Copenhagen Contemporary was a gallery opened in 2015 that contains different art exhibitions. When we toured the museum they had a really neat exhibit of large airplanes that represented various battles in WWII. The other exhibitions were quite interesting. One involved a human-like pig that would breathe and make noise. To be honest we entered this gallery only because it was raining and I don’t think it is one of the main highlights you need to see.

Paper Island

Paper Island was a really unique building that looked like a warehouse, but when you walked inside it was a food paradise!! Picnic tables aligned the room and in a large circle were layers and layers of food trucks that provided a smorgasbord of cuisines from all over the world. It was a neat experience and I definitely recommend stopping here for lunch or dinner if you go to Copenhagen. Unfortunately, there is a rumor that they may close Paper Island within the next year to build apartments.  

The Little Mermaid

“The Little Mermaid” statue is a bronze statue that was created by Edvard Eriksen. The mermaid is among many famous statues that symbolize certain cities, for example like the “Manneken Pis” in Brussels. This iconic sculpture is located on the Langelinie Promenade near the Royal Palace. This is a MUST SEE just to be able to say you have seen her. Put this on your list and go visit the mermaid! This statue is based off of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale “The Little Mermaid” at Langelinie because he was a Danish author. This is also located across from Paper Island and Copenhagen Contemporary.

Nyhavn

Nyhavn is a beautiful canal with an array of different colored buildings along its banks. It is a definite must see in Copenhagen. I will warn you that the bars and restaurants there are very expensive. This waterfront dates back to the 17th century and is a very picturesque area.

The National Museum of Denmark

The National Museum in Copenhagen is a great way to learn about the history and culture of Denmark! This is a very large museum, but I suggest making a visit to help you understand how Denmark became the wonderful nation that it is and how Copenhagen became the “Happy Capital” of the world. Admission is free for those persons 18 and under and 75 DKK (about 10 euros) for adults.

~NOTE: This museum is closed on Mondays.

Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli Gardens is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world located right in the center of Copenhagen. This is not what you would expect your typical amusement park to look like. It has such beautiful gardens! Many people buy tickets just to go eat and enjoy the scenery. It is also extremely clean unlike many amusement parks in America. I am so glad I got to go and experience this beautiful historic park because I never imagined I would go to Europe and ride roller coasters, but there I was!!! My friends and I went for about two hours and we just bundled up and had a fabulous time! If you have time I suggest going in and seeing the beautiful gardens filled with colorful flowers. You can buy a day pass (re-entry) or you can buy general entry only (120 DKK). General entry allows you to buy individual tickets for specific rides.

~NOTE: The Star Flyer ride with all the swings gives you a view of all of Copenhagen and you can even see Sweden from the top!!

Amalienborg Palace

This royal palace consist of four different complexes (Amalienborg Complex) and one is now used as a guest palace. This is the home of the Danish royal family. The construction was completed in 1760 and it is of a Rococo architectural style. Queen Margrethe II became the first female monarch since 1412 after she ascended the throne when her Father King Frederick IX died in 1972. I definitely suggest going to see the beautiful square where the complex is located.

~Fun Fact: Denmark’s royal family is the oldest in the world!! The current queen can trace her lineage back over 1000 years!

The Meatpacking District

If you are looking for reasonably priced bars, clubs, and restaurants, the meatpacking district is a hot spot. This used to be where all of the slaughterhouses were back in the day, but now it is the happening place if you are looking for trendy and cozy places to have a cocktail or a delicious meal. I highly recommend going to the restaurant called “Mother” they are known for their pizza!! It was delicious!!

I hope you have enjoyed the details of my trip to Copenhagen!!! If you ever have any questions please feel free to contact me!!!

Happy travels!

Scarlett

P.S. “Collect moments, not things” ~anonymous