Travel

Copenhagen - cool, cultured and deliciously Danish

WE checked into Coco Hotel, a boutique bolthole in Vesterbro that feels more Parisian guesthouse than Nordic.

With a leafy courtyard, curated interiors and laid-back charm, it’s a stylish base. Rooms come with ensuite showers and are comfortable, if compact.

The hotel’s buzzing bar and café is ideal for a morning espresso or late-night spritz. Central Station, Tivoli Gardens and the Meatpacking District are all within a 10-minute stroll.

Day 1: Street Food, Cycling and a Sustainable Supper

First stop was Torvehallerne, a covered food market just north of the city centre. It offers everything from fresh produce to olive oils, natural wine and chocolate, to food bars serving dishes from around the world.

Locals head to Hija de Sanchez, it’s known for serving some of the best tacos in the city, created by former Noma chef Rosio Sanchez.

Suitably replenished, we did as the Danes do and hopped on two wheels for a bike tour with Get Your Guide. We took in the Little Mermaid, Christiansborg Palace and colourful Nyhavn (worth a quick photo stop, but be warned: eateries here are overpriced).

Cycling around Copenhagen is incredibly safe — we saw everyone from schoolchildren to politicians gliding along dedicated bike lanes and car-free roads. Even the Queen cycles here. Pedal power reigns supreme.

For dinner, we headed to the redeveloped Carlsberg City district and Beyla, a cosy spot known for its plant-based cuisine.

The menu is organic, vegan and gluten-free, but flavour takes centre stage. We opted for the tasting menu with wine pairings, featuring confit leeks with hazelnut praline, Gochujang-glazed mushrooms, and pine nut risotto.

The standout? Gochujang-glazed mushrooms, grown on the restaurant’s farm just 15 minutes away — delivered daily, by bike, of course.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen (Syced Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication)

Day 2: Bakeries, Neighbourhoods and Natural Wine

We started the day at Tír Bakery, just a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Founded by former Noma baker Louise Bannon, this corner spot is loved by locals and visitors.

Everything is organic and made with fresh grains.

Its cardamom buns, paired with a filter coffee, made for the perfect Danish breakfast — top tip: arrive before 11am as pastries sell out.

Next stop: the Nørrebro district, Copenhagen’s most culturally diverse area.

The vibe is youthful and unpolished — where tattoo studios sit alongside vegan cafés, and art collectives share walls with vintage record shops.

Tucked within Nørrebro is Jægersborggade, one of the city’s most interesting shopping streets.

Once gritty, it’s now home to ceramics studios, artisan bakeries, vintage boutiques and natural wine bars.

In the middle of this street is Paesano, a relaxed restaurant blending Italian roots with Copenhagen flair.

With exposed brick interiors and a menu built around simplicity and regional specialities, it’s the perfect spot for a long lunch.

I enjoyed homemade pasta with ragù, while my daughter’s deconstructed parmigiana di melanzane looked incredible and was delicious.

The afternoon was spent browsing vintage shops, admiring local ceramics, and soaking up Copenhagen’s laid-back café culture.

We nearly skipped dinner at Bæst — “We can get Italian at home,” my daughter protested — but we were glad we didn’t.

This organic gem in Nørrebro boasts impressive credentials: it crafts its own mozzarella and burrata on site and cures its own meats.

Our waiter recommended the tasting menu, which included what might be the best wood-fired pizza we’ve had outside Italy.

The waterfront Copenhagen (Syced Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication)

Relaxed yet polished, Bæst is the sort of place locals take visiting friends.

Day 3: Pastries, Boats and Design Icons

Our final day began with a two-hour Danish pastry tour via Get Your Guide, visiting five bakeries, including Reinh van Hauen — Copenhagen’s oldest family-run bakery — and Hart Bageri, where yet another Noma alumnus has elevated baking to cult status. We arrived hungry and left content, walking between stops and learning the stories behind the city’s flaky, buttery creations.

Next, we swapped pavements for water with a GoBoat Cruise, a one-hour guided tour of Copenhagen’s waterways. Our captain navigated past houseboats, the Opera House, Paper Island, and buzzing waterside cafés. GoBoat’s fleet is fully electric, offering a sustainable way to see the city from another angle. Highly recommend.

Back on land, we returned to Vesterbro for lunch at BaneGaarden, a former railway yard turned eco-village. Quirky, creative and refreshingly local, this off-the-radar gem houses repurposed buildings offering restaurants, food stalls and a greenhouse dining space. Craft beers, natural wines and relaxed vibes made it feel like a hidden slice of Copenhagen life.

As many shops close on Sundays, we visited the newly renovated Designmuseum Danmark. Housed in an elegant historic building, its beautifully curated collections span everything from mid-century Danish chairs to contemporary ceramics. Thoughtfully presented, it’s a must for design lovers.

Our final stop was Tivoli Gardens. Opened in 1843, this historic amusement park remains one of Copenhagen’s prettiest attractions. With ornate pavilions, landscaped gardens and vintage rides, it evokes a19th-century nostalgia. Fun whatever your age.

For our last meal, we dined at Höst, a modern Nordic restaurant ranked among the city’s most atmospheric. Its design-led interiors — all reclaimed wood, flickering candlelight and artisanal ceramics — captured the coolness of Copenhagen.

Its seasonal set menu, showcasing clever, foraged cooking, is the one to choose with dishes including creamy mussel soup infused with thyme and pinecones pickled in honey. It was a truly memorable meal to end our unforgettable trip.

Beyond the big sights, it’s in Copenhagen’s laid-back neighbourhoods and hidden corners that the city’s authentic character quietly unfolds. Travel by boat, bike or on foot to discover its real charm — best savoured slowly, coffee and Danish in hand.