We only booked flights to Copenhagen because we found an amazing deal on flights while I was playing around in Google Flights’ explore tool. For $375 roundtrip, how could we say no? Once those were booked, we did some research, bought an Away bag (I did, anyway), booked some great dining experiences, and had a wonderful time in Copenhagen on a budget.
We arrived late in the evening after two layovers (sacrifices must be made for cheap flights), with just enough time to check into the Hotel Kong Arthur and grab dinner at Sliders – count blessings, not calories is a motto to live by – before we went to bed, exhausted. While technically our second day in the city, it was our first full day, and we had big plans…
Andersen & Maillard 
Rundetaarn 
Mikkeller Bar
Day 1: Walked in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Based on recommendations I’d read online, we grabbed breakfast at Andersen & Maillard, an adorable coffee shop with great pastries. We then walked through the nearby Assistens Cemetery before making our way to the Rosenberg Castle and The Kings Gardens.
From there, we walked up the Rundetaarn (the Round Tower) and took in some great views of the city. We scoped out the Rådhuspladsen, which is where we planned to meet up with the parade later in the day, and then spent some time at Mikkeller Bar. Maybe a little too much time, because we then had to hustle to catch up with the parade!
The Copenhagen St. Patrick’s Day Parade is well known as a fun, family-friendly event, but our favorite part about it is that anyone wearing green is able to join the parade. So that’s just what we did, walking with our group through the streets of Copenhagen before making our way back to the Rådhuspladsen at the end. After dinner at La Rocca, we called it a night.
The Little Mermaid 
Ruby 
Genetically Modified Paradise
Day 2: Dined at Marchal
We walked by the Nyboder houses, which used to be naval barracks, on our way to breakfast at Lagkagehuset, a Danish bakery chain. Close by, we found not only The Little Mermaid statue, but we also uncovered “The Genetically Modified Paradise.” These are some seriously interesting pieces, with its own version of the little mermaid.
From there, we walked by Amalienborg and through Nyhavn before making our way to Marchal for lunch. I have written about Marchal before, but seriously – don’t miss out on the chance to eat here. We had an amazing, Michelin-starred lunch, and we were so full after that we went back to our hotel for a nap.
After waking up just in time for “hygge hour” at the hotel, we checked out the nearby urban market, Torvehallerne. We were still pretty full from lunch, so our dinner consisted of drinks at Ruby, a cool speakeasy, and hotdogs from John’s Hotdog Deli before we went to bed.
Biking 
Danishes 
Biking
Day 3: Metroed and Biked through Copenhagen
We got breakfast at Kalaset, a cute cafe, before taking the metro to scope out some local shops. We even had our first experience with Flying Tiger Copenhagen, where we scooped up some beanies. We then walked by the Vor Frelsers Kirke on our way to Christiania, also known as Freetown Christiania. This is a commune, and it was definitely interesting to walk through (note that pictures aren’t allowed).
From there, we took the metro to the Meatpacking District, where we shopped at the Mikkeller General Store (now closed, but you can shop online) before grabbing lunch at Warpigs, a great brewpub. I definitely would recommend spending some time here. We then walked back to our hotel to rent some bicycles. Copenhagen is very bike-friendly, but you’ll want to be a confident rider before you hit the road!
We got dinner at Musling Bistro (now closed), and then grabbed dessert at Desserthuset. We spent the rest of the evening packing up, as we prepared to take the train to Hamburg the next day.
Day 4: Ate Danishes in Denmark
As we tried to find our last breakfast spot, we made our way back to the Torvehallerne before finally ending up at Bageriet Nansensgade, where we purchased our danishes. We then swung by Flying Tiger Copenhagen for train snacks and Espresso House for caffeine.
We returned to the Hotel Kong Arthur to eat our breakfast and grab our bags before we metroed to the train station. Our 5-hour train ride to Hamburg awaited us – and we had no idea what we were in for…
Ultimately, we spent 9 days in Copenhagen, Hamburg, and London for under $3k for the both of us – even with a Michelin star meal! Read more on how we did it here. Maybe it’s time for you to jump on some cheap flights to Europe…