A Weekend in Copenhagen, The World’s Happiest City
Effortlessly cool and infinitely visitable, the Danish capital is a must on any tour of Europe.
©VisitDenmark
From the best restaurants and coolest bakeries to the chicest hotels and locals’ favorites, our Copenhagen travel guide has you covered.
There is just something about Copenhagen. From its trend-setting residents and pioneering food scene to its bountiful art museums and vast architectural delights, the Scandi city oozes an incomparable level of cool. The Danish capital’s popularity has been on a pretty steady upward trajectory, with more and more travelers drawn to what is often called ‘the happiest city on Earth.’
One of the many beauties of Copenhagen is the fact that it welcomes visitors with open arms — no matter the time of year. Summers are gorgeously mild, with long days that extend late into the evening, while winters are cold but cozy with the concept of hygge becoming a reality rather than a faraway fad.
While you will find a myriad of upmarket spots for indulging in a touch of luxury — from some of the world’s best restaurants to classic heritage hotels — a huge part of Copenhagen’s identity is its laid-back nature. Maybe it’s the tiny square footage that makes cycling everywhere a breeze or the small-scale infrastructure (no skyscrapers here), but life in the city seems slower than elsewhere on the continent. Locals are well attuned to taking the leisurely approach, but visitors will easily slip into it, too.
This level of cool is exaggerated by Copenhagen’s collective commitment to becoming one of the most sustainable destinations on the planet. The city has bold aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 with technical innovation, green transport solutions and smart waste management systems top of the list. The real key, however, is how willingly all businesses and individuals adopt the ethos. Spend a few days here and a sustainable future will feel more possible than ever.
Danish Dining
While Noma has now returned to its former formal setup, the popularity of the burger pop-up prevailed / ©Giuseppe Liverino
Like virtually every other restaurant in the world, the incomparable Noma was forced to alter its offering a little amid the continuous lockdowns. Instead of its usual impossibly high-end, foraged set-menu affair, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant turned its attention to the humble burger and served up first-rate patties in its gardens to endless queues of Copenhageners.
While Noma has now returned to its former formal setup, the popularity of the burger pop-up prevailed, with chef René Redzepi opening a permanent burger joint under the name of Popl. Maintaining the standards of its predecessor, Popl offers the same attention to detail and ingredient provenance as the main restaurant, as well as alumni Noma servers, but with a more casual vibe. This is about the closest you’ll come to a Michelin-starred burger joint.
poplburger.com
Geranium
Geranium has a stunningly finished dining room offering views across the city / ©Claes Bech-Poulsen
While the prestigious Michelin Guide has sprinkled Copenhagen with a flurry of stars, as well as a good handful of Bib Gourmands, just two restaurants hold the highest honor of three stars: Noma and Geranium (and the latter got there first). Don’t be put off by the restaurant’s location on the top floor of the National Football Stadium — the offering here is about as luxe as it gets, with a stunningly finished dining room offering views across the city and polished service.
Chef Rasmus Kofoed’s cuisine is hyper-seasonal, with a particular focus on sea-foraging. Expect a series of miniscule yet perfectly formed dishes to descend on your table throughout the evening.
geranium.dk
Kiin Kiin VeVe
Head to the cool lounge for a pre-dinner drink / ©Kiin Kiin VeVe
Bouncing off the success of its Michelin star (which it has held since 2008), Copenhagen’s favorite Thai restaurant Kiin Kiin branched out in 2016 with the opening of VeVe — a dedicated vegetarian spot in the cool neighborhood of Østerbro. To this day it remains the only restaurant of its kind in the city. The food here is undeniably high-end, with a sophisticated six-course revolving tasting menu, but the vibe is more on the relaxed side.
In addition to the 30-cover dining room, there’s also a laid-back lounge done up in that oh-so-cool, industrial-meets-botanical style that Copenhagen seems to have perfected. Stop here for a drink before (or after) heading in for dinner.
